Honda Sat On a 6-Bug Defect for 20 Months—65,000 EVs Go Blind at Highway Speed

Picture driving 70 miles per hour on the interstate and seeing every gauge on the dashboard suddenly go dark. No speedometer. No warning lights. No way to tell how fast the car is moving. For 65,135 owners of Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX electric SUVs, this scenario became real.

NHTSA confirmed the vehicles’ instrument cluster and center display can blank at the same time while in motion, leaving drivers staring at lifeless screens in vehicles costing more than $45,000. The defect sat unresolved for nearly two years.

Six Bugs

These glitches went far beyond the usual. Honda’s NHTSA filing stated that the vehicle’s display control software “contains six independent software defects within the Radio Control Module,” each capable of crashing both displays by itself. Six separate ways for everything to fail.

When the instrument cluster goes out during a drive, the backup camera disappears too, putting the vehicle at risk of violating federal rear-visibility standards (FMVSS 111) every time a driver shifts into reverse. By February 2026, 148 warranty claims had piled up. No crashes reported. But every trip became a roll of the dice for 65,135 drivers.

The Sales Pitch and Silent Problem

Honda and Acura sold these SUVs as the latest in electric convenience, promising over-the-air software updates. The message: buy the future and skip the dealership. Owners trusted that any software glitch could be fixed from their driveway.

Behind the scenes, Honda opened an investigation into the display-blanking defect in June 2024 and worked on a solution through 2025. Cadillac, using a related Ultium platform for its Lyriq, faced a similar blank-screen issue and addressed it with an over-the-air update.

The Long Wait for a Fix

Honda’s investigation into the Prologue and ZDX display defect lasted from June 2024 until the recall decision in February 2026, about twenty months. During that time, engineers spent months trying to reliably reproduce the failures before finding six independent software problems inside the Radio Control Module.

One hundred forty-eight warranty claims came in. Owners weren’t notified. The public heard nothing. Honda improved the software for 2025 Prologue models by January 2025. Owners of 2024 models kept driving with the old code.

No At-Home Solution for Owners

Despite the Prologue and ZDX supporting over-the-air software updates, owners cannot fix these radio module bugs at home, according to The Autopian.

All 65,135 vehicles need a physical dealership appointment. The promise of easy, remote EV maintenance ends as soon as a major safety defect requires an old-fashioned service visit.

How Widespread Is the Defect?

There are 45,562 Honda Prologues and 19,573 Acura ZDXs. That covers every 2024 model year unit produced. The software vulnerability is present in all of them, even if only some vehicles ever show the blank-screen issue on the road.

Owner notifications begin April 20, 2026, giving drivers a short window to schedule dealer visits. At standard service rates, the total labor cost for updating the Radio Control Module software across all vehicles will reach millions of dollars.

ZDX’s Brief, Troubled Run

Acura’s flagship electric SUV, the ZDX, struggled from the start. It needed aggressive incentives, including lease cash and discounts up to 30% off MSRP in some markets, to sell. Production ended after about a year. The display defect remained under investigation the entire time.

Dealers sold vehicles with a known software problem. Honda and GM have since ended their shared fuel cell manufacturing project, and Honda’s earlier decision to stop new Ultium-based EV co-development left the ZDX as Acura’s only electric vehicle on that platform.

A Wake-Up Call for Automakers

This recall sets a new standard for automakers relying on Bosch modules and shared EV platforms. Six independent defects in a single supplier component point to a failure in software testing during development. That’s a systemic problem that doesn’t disappear with a different badge on the hood.

The Chevrolet Blazer EV uses the same Ultium underpinnings but was not included in this recall. Platform maturity depends on the engineering team, not just the platform.

What Happens After the Recall?

If warranty claims rise after April notifications, NHTSA could issue stricter guidance for owners. Class-action attorneys may pursue economic damages for lost vehicle use during service delays.

GM’s Blazer EV will likely face closer scrutiny next. Bosch’s module reliability is now under question across every brand that uses it. Tesla, which built its reputation on seamless over-the-air fixes, benefits simply by comparison.

Lessons for Future EV Shoppers

The difference between “OTA-capable” and “OTA-available” is the most important question for anyone buying an electric vehicle. Honda showed that a car can have remote update hardware but still require a trip to the service bay for the most critical fixes.

Anyone considering a used 2024 Prologue or ZDX now holds leverage the seller might not anticipate. The promise of EV software fixes always relied on marketing more than engineering.

Sources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V112, February 25, 2026
​Car and Driver – “Honda Recalling 65K Prologue and ZDX Models with Software Issues,” March 3, 2026
​The Autopian – “It Took Honda 20 Months To Fix The Screens Going Blank On Its GM-Built EVs,” March 3, 2026
​TFLcar – “Honda Recalls More than 65,000 Prologue, Acura ZDX SUVs to Fix Radio Control Module Software,” March 5, 2026
​Carscoops – “Speedometers Could Go Blank In Over 65,000 Honda And Acura EVs,” March 5, 2026
​Autoblog – “Honda EV Software Bug Could Leave Drivers Flying Blind,” March 7, 2026