U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that engines can fail on as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles.

Honda said its profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the fiscal year from the same period the previous year, as sales suffered in China, the Japanese automaker.

Honda is recalling select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a missing piece in the front seat belt pretensioners, which could increase injury risks during a crash.

Honda says its April-June profit more than doubled on healthy sales of its motorcycles and cars, as the Japanese company also received a perk from favorable exchange rates.

Honda is gearing up for an electrification shift in North America with two models developed with General Motors going on sale next year, and a bigger EV with a new platform in 2025, a year earlier than initially announced.

Honda and the U.S. government are urging owners of about 8,200 older vehicles not to drive them until dangerous air bag inflators are replaced.

Honda is expanding the use of hydrogen to trucks and construction equipment, electricity for buildings and even in outer space, not just cars on roads, to step up on sustainability efforts.

Honda has returned to profitability in April-June, recording a $2 billion profit as better sales and costs cuts added to the Japanese automaker’s bottom line.

General Motors is building two electric SUVs for Honda to sell in North America in 2024, but the Japanese automaker plans to manufacture them on its own after that.

Honda swung into the black in January-March, recording a 213 billion yen ($2 billion) profit despite the lingering impact of the pandemic.

Auto analyst David Cole called the agreement coopetition, which auto companies work together to save money. Thats needed now more than ever, and with the Honda Motor Company getting involved, that should tell how important coopetition is. The agreement wasnt completely out of the blue as the two companies agreed to work on next-generation electric vehicles in April. RELATED: May Mobility expanding in Ann Arbor; highlights leadership in autonomous vehicle technologyThe companies will share common vehicle platforms -- electrified and internal combustion propulsion -- meaning some vehicles will be GM underneath Honda exteriors. All of the automakers know eventually electrification, autonomous vehicles and connectivity will be the way of life, but thats far off in the future, Krebs said.