CriticalCommonEngine

Honda N-Box: Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure (Recall)

Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure (Recall) is a common engine fault on the Honda N-Box on the 2017–2019 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $0 to $900 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 27 documented faults on the Honda N-Box.

Vehicle: Honda N-Box
Years: 2017–2019
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Honda N-Box as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda N-Box faults27 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Water pump yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Honda Japan issued a large-scale recall covering multiple kei models including the N-Box JF3/JF4 (approximately 2017-2020 build dates) due to a faulty Denso-supplied in-tank electric fuel pump. The pump's resin impeller was manufactured out of specification, causing it to absorb fuel and swell. The swollen impeller contacts the pump housing, increasing current draw and causing the pump to slow or seize entirely. Affected vehicles may stall at speed or fail to restart. Grey imports that have not been presented to a Honda dealer in Japan prior to export, or have not had the recall performed in New Zealand, may still contain the faulty pump.

What you would notice

Engine stalls suddenly at any speed without warning, and may not restart immediately
Hard starting, particularly when the fuel tank is less than quarter full
Absence of fuel pump priming hum when ignition is turned to 'on' position before cranking
Engine cuts out under sustained load such as motorway speeds or hill climbing
Check Engine light with fuel system pressure or pump circuit fault codes (P0087, P0230)

How to check it

Where to look. In-tank fuel pump module, accessed from under the rear seat or luggage floor

Check the Honda Japan recall completion sticker inside the engine bay or door jamb, or ask the seller for documentation. The recall can be verified by VIN via the Honda Japan recall lookup or by presenting to any Honda dealer. Symptoms of an un-replaced pump include intermittent fuel pump priming noise (or absence of it when ignition is turned to 'on'), hard starting after sitting, and engine stalling at idle or under load. If unknown, assume recall has not been performed on any 2017-2020 N-Box without documented Honda dealer service history.

Parts involved: Water pump.

What it costs to put right

$0 to $900 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the Honda fuel pump recall been completed on this vehicle, and can you show me the dealer paperwork or recall completion stamp?”
“Has the car ever stalled unexpectedly or been difficult to start, particularly when the fuel level is low?”

Now check the Honda N-Box you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Honda N-Box buyer questions

Is denso fuel pump impeller failure (recall) serious on a Honda N-Box?

We rate it critical and common on the Honda N-Box. Honda Japan issued a large-scale recall covering multiple kei models including the N-Box JF3/JF4 (approximately 2017-2020 build dates) due to a faulty Denso-supplied in-tank electric fuel pump. The pump's resin impeller was manufactured out of specification, causing it to absorb fuel and swell. The swollen impeller contacts the pump housing, increasing current draw and causing the pump to slow or seize entirely. Affected vehicles may stall at speed or fail to restart. Grey imports that have not been presented to a Honda dealer in Japan prior to export, or have not had the recall performed in New Zealand, may still contain the faulty pump.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda N-Box?

$0 to $900 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda N-Box years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2017–2019 Honda N-Box. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.