2014 Honda Odyssey Ex-l on 2040-cars

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Honda recalling 405K vehicles over airbag issue

Honda is in hot water due to an airbag glitch that is causing it to recall 405,400 vehicles. According to the campaign, the supplemental restraints might fire for no apparent reason. 342,000 of the affected vehicles are 2003 and 2004 Odyssey minivans, which gels with a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation we reported on in June.
Joining the Odyssey in the recall is the Acura MDX, with 63,400 units covered from the 2003 model year. Unlike the van, though, the MDX's recall covers Japan and Australia, in addition to the US and Canada. Both vehicles are suffering from an airbag control unit that is prone to malfunction when exposed to electrical noise, a condition that can cause the airbags to deploy without warning. Although no crashes have been reported in such scenarios, there have been some injuries typical of airbag deployment - abrasions and such.
Honda will be mailing recall notices to owners near the end of October, asking them to bring their vehicles into the dealership for installation of an electrical noise filter. The repair will take about an hour and be free of charge. Scroll down for the official announcement from Honda.

Honda invests $215M in Ohio Earth Dreams production

Honda has announced a $215 million investment in a pair of its Ohio operations, taking its total tally for North American operations up to $2.7 billion in three years. The announcement was made at the 2013 Center For Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City.
$180 million of the investment is earmarked for Honda's Anna, OH engine plant. The money will allow the facility to increase its aluminum die casting and increase production of Honda's Earth Dreams Technology engines. Think of Earth Dreams as sort of like Mazda's Skyactiv line, only ED is limited to a new line of engines, rather than a full suite of automotive components. Anna will also be getting a new technical center to train engineers, techs, and line workers on powertrain technology.
The remaining $35 million is slated for Honda's main Ohio operations in Marysville. A 160,000-square-foot facility will be constructed near Honda's current properties, which will house another technical training center to focus on automotive manufacturing. The new building will also house Honda's North American Services group, as well as a new heritage center.

Honda launches Project Drive-In to save these American icons

Honda wasn't really a major player in the automotive industry when drive-in movie theaters were popular in the US, but the automaker is doing its best to preserve the place where automotive and cinema histories collide. Using Project Drive-In, Honda is helping bring awareness to a story we brought up last month, where we saw how a move away from 35-millimeter film could put some of the few drive-in theaters remaining in the US out of business.
As production studios switch to digital film, theaters are required to upgrade to digital projectors, which Honda says will cost about $80,000 for drive-ins. While Project Drive-In asks people to donate money to the cause or pledge to go to a drive-in theater, Honda will also be donating projectors to five of the remaining drive-ins based on votes received on its website. Scroll down to watch a short video describing Project Drive-In, and be sure to vote, pledge and even contribute to save the drive-ins.