Honda Motor Co., the automaker struggling with mounting recalls, said it's further delaying the start of sales for the redesigned Legend sedan to conduct additional checks on its radar safety system and hybrid powertrain.

Deliveries of Honda's most expensive sedan will begin Feb. 20 in dealerships across Japan, the Tokyo-based company said on its website. Honda had previously pushed the sale date back to Jan. 22 from an initial plan for fall this year, Atsushi Ohara, a company spokesman, said by phone.

Honda has led the world's largest automakers in replacing faulty air bags in millions of vehicles, while flaws in newer models including the Fit compact and Vezel crossover triggered recurring recalls and a cut to its fiscal-year profit forecast in October.

President Takanobu Ito urged employees to go "back to basics" during a speech atop a tangerine crate at a company event in Japan last month. He took a 20-percent pay cut for three months to show contrition for the carmaker's issues.

Repeated recalls of models including the Fit and Vezel prompted further quality checks for the Legend sedan, Ohara said. The automaker is further assessing the model's collision-avoidance sensor system and its hybrid powertrain that uses three electric motors, he said.