Honda models we see most
| Model | US model years | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Civic | 1973-present | 2001-2002 Civics are on Honda's stop-driving list for Takata Alpha driver airbag inflators. Check the VIN before moving one. |
| Accord | 1976-present | 2013-2015 four-cylinder CVT Accords from salt states are in recall 20V769000 for driveshafts that road salt can weaken until they break. |
| CR-V | 1997-present | 2007-2011 CR-Vs ever registered in Illinois are in recall 23V228000: frame corrosion can let a rear trailing arm detach. |
| Odyssey | 1995-present | 2008-2013 V6 Odysseys were part of Honda's 2013 settlement over cylinder-deactivation oil burning and misfires. |
| Pilot | 2003-present | The 2003 Pilot is on the Takata Alpha list, and 2009-2013 Pilots were in the same VCM oil-consumption settlement. |
| Ridgeline | 2006-2014, 2017-present | 2006-2014 trucks from salt states are in recall 22V430000: the frame where the fuel tank straps mount can rust through. |
| Fit | 2007-2020 | 2007-2008 Fits were recalled twice (10V033000, then 13V260000) because rainwater could reach and overheat the driver's window switch. |
Known Honda problems that end up at the scrapyard
Takata Alpha inflators in 2001-2003 Hondas
Honda has told owners of 2001-2002 Accords and Civics, the 2002 CR-V and Odyssey and the 2003 Pilot to stop driving until the Takata driver inflator is replaced. About 8,200 of these most dangerous inflators may still be on the road. An unrepaired car should not be driven to a buyer or a dealer at all; it should be towed. source
Road-salt frame rot on 2007-2011 CR-V
Recall 23V228000 covers about 616,000 CR-Vs sold or registered in salt states, Illinois included. Salt build-up can corrode the frame until a rear trailing arm detaches. When the inspection finds rot past what the recall repair addresses, a 15-plus-year-old CR-V often stops making sense to fix, and that is usually when owners decide to sell. source
Oil burning from V6 cylinder deactivation
A 2013 class settlement covered 2008-2012 Accord V6, 2008-2013 Odyssey, 2009-2013 Pilot and 2010-2012 Crosstour models whose Variable Cylinder Management let oil past the rings, fouling plugs and causing misfires. That coverage ran eight years and has expired on these cars. A high-mileage V6 that still misfires is a common junk candidate. source
Fuel diluting the oil in 1.5-liter turbo engines
Honda extended powertrain coverage on 2016-2018 Civics and 2017-2018 CR-Vs with the 1.5-liter turbo to six years after reports of gasoline mixing into the engine oil, mostly in cold weather. The extension covered camshafts, rocker arms and spark plugs. On most of these cars that six-year window has now closed. source
Why Chicago Hondas get junked before their engines quit
An old Honda’s engine often outlasts the rest of the car. What retires it is everything bolted around the engine. Illinois uses enough road salt that Honda has run separate recalls just for salt-belt states, and two of them hit the frame: 2007-2011 CR-Vs, where the rear trailing arm mount rots, and 2006-2014 Ridgelines, where the fuel tank strap mounts do. Add rocker panels and brake lines that look like lace after fifteen winters, and the repair estimate passes the car’s value fast. Our guide on how road salt ends a car’s life explains what to look for under yours.
The other big category is expensive single failures on high-mileage cars. A V6 Odyssey or Pilot that burns a quart every few hundred miles, or a 1.5-liter turbo with fuel in the oil, can still run fine on the day it’s sold. It just isn’t worth another major repair.
Check the recalls first, then decide
Run the 17-digit VIN through NHTSA’s recall search before you pay anyone to diagnose an old Honda. Recall repairs are done at no charge by Honda dealers, and the Takata Alpha repair comes with free towing because those cars shouldn’t be driven. If the free fix keeps the car useful, do it.
If the car is done anyway (frame gone, engine knocking, transmission slipping), it doesn’t need to be repaired or running for us. We buy it as it sits.
Before pickup: HondaLink, keys and tolls
- HondaLink: remove the car from your account and cancel any subscription.
- Settings menu: clear paired phones, saved addresses and the HomeLink garage codes.
- Keys: put every key and fob in the car. Newer Hondas with smart keys are easier to load and move when the fob is present.
- I-PASS: take the transponder off the windshield and update your Tollway account.
- Paperwork: tell us which papers you have (title, registration, ID). Illinois rules decide what works for a scrap sale, and we confirm on the call.
Other makes we buy are listed on our junk cars by make page.
Selling a junk Honda: questions
My 2002 Civic is on the Takata stop-driving list. Can I still sell it to you?
Yes. Don't drive it, not even around the block. We tow it from where it sits. Honda also offers the airbag repair free, with free towing to a dealer, so if you'd rather fix it and keep driving, that option exists too. Either way, tell us the recall status when you call.
Do you take a CR-V with a rusted frame or a broken trailing arm?
Yes. A CR-V that can't steer straight or has a rear arm hanging loose is a tow job, which we do at no charge. Let us know if it has to come out of a garage or a tight alley spot so the driver brings the right equipment.
Should I remove my Honda from HondaLink before you pick it up?
Yes, if the car was ever connected. Sign in to the HondaLink app or your owner account and remove the vehicle, and cancel any paid plan. If the app won't let you remove it, call HondaLink support and ask them to take the car off your account.