NHTSA complaint #11710563

Owner complaint summary

Safety Issue: Absence of Low Windshield Washer Fluid Indicator I am reporting a significant vehicle safety concern involving my 2025 Honda CR-V EX-L, which is not equipped with a low windshield washer fluid level indicator. This omission created a serious safety risk to myself and other motorists during real-world driving conditions. While driving on a Michigan highway during a severe winter storm, I unknowingly ran out of windshield washer fluid. Due to snow, ice, road salt, and grime typical of winter driving in Michigan, my windshield quickly became dirty and my forward visibility was severely reduced. Because there was no warning or indicator to alert me that the washer fluid level was low, I had no advance notice of the issue. As a direct result, I was forced to pull over onto the highway shoulder at night, in dark conditions and heavy traffic, in order to refill the washer fluid reservoir. Stopping on an active highway shoulder under these conditions posed a substantial safety hazard, increasing the risk of collision to myself and to passing vehicles. This situation was entirely preventable if the vehicle had provided a basic low washer fluid warning. I later confirmed with a Honda dealership that the low windshield washer fluid indicator is not included as a feature on my 2025 Honda CR-V EX-L. This confirms that the issue is not a malfunction but a deliberate omission in vehicle design or feature availability. I am further concerned because I also own a 2023 Acura RDX A-Spec Advance (VIN: [XXX] ), which similarly does not include a low windshield washer fluid indicator, despite being a premium vehicle and Acura being Honda’s luxury brand. This suggests a broader design or cost-cutting decision across Honda/Acura vehicles rather than an isolated model-level oversight. Vehicles sold in northern U.S. states such as Michigan, where winter conditions routinely involve snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and heavy road salt use, depend hea INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)