Honda Recalling 440,000 Civics, Insights

DETROIT, March 2, 2004; Reuters reported that Honda is recalling about 440,000 of its Civic and Insight small cars after discovering they are prone to sudden low-beam headlight failures, federal safety regulators said on Tuesday. "An unexpected loss of low beams could result in a crash," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a posting on its Web site.

It said 2001-2002 model year Civics and 2000-2002 Insights were subject to the recall, which was prompted by overheating in the headlight switch.

The Insight was the first gas-electric hybrid car sold by Honda in North America.

Honda, Japan's second-largest automaker, told NHTSA in a letter late last month that no accidents or injuries had been linked to the headlight malfunction.