TORRANCE, CA - American Honda Motor Co. on March 22 issued a position statement expressing the automaker's lack of support for the use of non-OEM equipment parts for the collision repair of any Honda or Acura vehicle. 

"Further, American Honda does not support the use or re-use of structural components that have been removed and salvaged or recycled from an existing vehicle that has been previously damaged," the company said in the statement. Such salvaged parts may not be OEM parts or may have received collateral damage in a previous collision. Moreover, they may have been "subjected to severe weathering, rust, or other detrimental environmental exposure," Honda said. 

In making its case, Honda stressed that its vehicles are engineered and manufactured to exacting standards to best protect occupants during a crash. 

Honda noted that all elements of a collision-energy system must work together to protect vehicle occupants and "maintain cabin integrity." The automaker cited as examples bumper reinforcement bars, bumper energy absorbers, frames, rails, fender aprons, A-pillars, B-pillars and body panels. Moreover, Honda said, all elements of an occupant supplemental restraint system, including airbags and deployment sensors, must work together with energy absorption components to ensure proper timing for airbag deployment. 

"Compromising any element of a collision energy absorption system or an occupant supplemental restraint system in the repair of a collision-damaged vehicle may have an adverse effect on occupant safety in any subsequent collision," Honda said. "Therefore, Honda does not support the use of aftermarket, alternative, reverse-engineered, or anything other than original equipment Honda or Acura parts for the collision repair of any Honda or Acura vehicle."