NHTSA complaint #11733980

Owner complaint summary

The vehicle’s forward collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control radar sensor is mounted directly behind a plastic front emblem that can be removed in seconds without tools. This design allows easy theft of the radar unit, which immediately disables Honda Sensing safety systems including collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane keeping assistance. Theft of this component renders federally marketed safety systems inoperable and results in dashboard warnings and loss of active safety features. Replacement and required recalibration costs are extremely high, commonly reported between $1,500 and $2,500. This issue is caused by exposed placement and lack of theft deterrence for a critical safety component, not by vehicle misuse or modification. Similar thefts are being reported by other owners, indicating a widespread design vulnerability that allows essential safety systems to be disabled through simple theft.