TORRANCE, CA-In the most recent of a series of recall announcements this year involving Honda cars sold in America, the automaker said it will recall 5,626 CR-Z hybrid sports cars from model year 2011. The recall affects CR-Z models that have manual transmissions, and the software that controls the vehicles' electric motors will need to be updated.

The affected cars’ problems involve the potential for the car to roll unexpectedly. When the gasoline engine has stalled with the integrated-motor-assist (IMA) battery in a very low state of charge and the transmission is in gear, the electric motor can rotate in the direction opposite to that selected by the transmission. "If this occurs and the driver has not engaged the brakes, the vehicle may slowly roll in an unexpected direction (e.g., backwards when the transmission is in a forward gear), potentially leading to a crash," Honda says.

A software update will add additional controls to correct the issue, Honda says, which has of yet not caused any reported injuries or deaths.

Honda also said it would voluntarily recall 80,111 CR-V vehicles from the 2006 model year in the United States to replace the power window master switch. The design of the power window master switch can enable residue from interior cleaners to build up, which can, over time, cause the electrical contacts to degrade and may lead to a fire in the switch, the automaker said. No injuries or deaths have been reported related to this condition.

Honda urges all owners of affected vehicles to take their cars to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of a recall from Honda. Notifications will begin late this month. The recall announcements came within hours of a Honda spokesman in Tokyo stating that the company would recall about 960,000 Fit subcompacts and other models globally to repair defects, including the malfunctioning power window switches.

Last month, Honda said it would recall 1.5 million vehicles in the United States to renew the software that controls the automatic transmission in some 2005-2010 Accord, CR-V and Element cars. In May, the automaker said it would recall 1,156 model-year 2012 Civic vehicles in the United States to replace the fuel feed line, which could leak a small amount of fuel. Also in May, Honda expanded a previously announced recall of certain 2001 through 2003 model-year Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States to include vehicles that may have had the original driver's airbag module replaced with an affected service part.

In March, American Honda said it would voluntarily recall 2,800 model-year 2011 Odyssey vehicles in the United States to replace the side window glass in one or both of the front doors. Also in March, Honda announced a recall for 33,341 model-year 2011 Odyssey vehicles in the United States to replace the front windshield wiper linkage rod; 18,056 model-year 2011 Civic vehicles in the United States to inspect and possibly replace the fuel pump module inside the gasoline tank; and 36,656 Civic Hybrid vehicles from 2006 through 2007 in the United States to replace the DC-to-DC converter, a component of the IMA hybrid control system.

In February, Honda said it would recall 97,201 model years 2009 and 2010 Fit vehicles in the United States to replace the lost motion springs, components within the engine valve train. In January, Honda announced that it would recall 2,277 model-year 2010 Accord 4-cylinder and CR-V vehicles in the United States to replace an electrical wire harness coupler in the engine compartment.