November 6, 2013

Perhaps They Should Have Tested More - Honda

Perhaps Honda Should Have Tested More

We continue to see a never-ending stream of software problems turning up in automobiles.

This time, Honda is recalling over 344,000 minivans to correct a problem with the software controlling the vehicle's stability control system.
  • Honda Motor Co. is recalling over 344,000 Odyssey minivans
  • Corrects a problem in the stability control software
  • The vehicle may suddenly and unexpectedly brake hard
  • Worse - the brake lights won't go on when this happens
  • Honda cannot replace the software
  • The fix itself won't actually be available until Spring of 2014
  • Requires a new part to fix the software problem
copyrightjoestrazzere
Good news! There is a workaround:
  • After starting, don't move the car for a while
  • Before shifting out of park, make sure the wheels point straight ahead
  • Keep the wheels straight for the first few feet as you move
  • If you must start your car with the wheels turned, drive slowly to a place where you can stop the car and start it with the wheels straight
It's nice to have a workaround when the bug can't be fixed for many months. The workaround seems rather convoluted in some cases though. Do I need to rub my stomach while patting my head, too?

Perhaps they should have tested more.

Also see:


This article originally appeared in my blog: All Things Quality
My name is Joe Strazzere and I'm currently a Director of Quality Assurance.
I like to lead, to test, and occasionally to write about leading and testing.
Find me at http://AllThingsQuality.com/.
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