NHTSA Complaint #10016242 — 2001 HONDA CBR600F4I

I PURCHASED A HONDA CBR600F4I FROM SPORTLAND 2 IN OAK CREEK, WI NEW IN JUNE OF 2001. AT 5000 MILES THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER STARTED MAKING NOISE AND I TOOK THE BIKE INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT SPORTLAND 2 TO EVALUATE. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED IT WAS THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER AND HONDA WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEM GOING BAD DUE TO PREMATURE DESIGN. THEY NEVER CALLED AND I STOPPED BACK IN AROUND JANUARY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEY STATED THE ORDER MUST HAVE BEEN DROPPED. THEY ORDERED A NEW ONE AND IN MARCH OF 2002 THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 6800 MILES. AFTER THREE MORE MONTHS OF RIDING THE BIKE STARTED MAKING THE SAME NOISE AGAIN AT 11000 MILES AND I AGAIN TOOK THE BIKE BACK TO THE SERVICE SHOP TO HAVE IT EVALUATED AND THEY STATED IT WAS THE TENSIONER AGAIN, AND POSSIBLY I WAS GIVEN THE OLD DESIGN FOR THE FIRST WARRANTY REPAIR. THEY REPLACED THE TENSIONER AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY IN JUNE OF 2002 AT 11,800 MILES. IT IS NOW APRIL OF 2003, AND THE TENSIONER IS MAKING THE SAME NOISE AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO REPLACE UNDER A GOOD WILL WARRANTY REPLACEMENT (SINCE THE 1 YR WARRANTY IS UP.) MY PROBLEM IS, THEY HAVE TOLD ME IT IS NORMAL TO EXPECT THE TENSIONER TO BE REPLACED EVERY 6-10,000 MILES. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS BECAUSE IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN HONDA' FACTORY SERVICE INTERVALS AND I THINK THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO KEEP ME FROM PUSHING FOR A GOODWILL WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. MY BIGGEST ISSUE THOUGH IS SAFETY. IF THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER FAILS, OR ALLOWS THE CAM CHAIN TO SKIP, OR BREAK AND THROW THE CHAIN IN THE CRANKCASE THE PISTONS COULD HIT THE VALVES (LOCKING THE ENGINE) OR THE CHAIN COULD LOCK THE CAM SHAFTS OR THE CRANKSHAFT (LOCKING THE ENGINE) WHICH MEANS THE REAR WHEEL COULD LOCK - WHICH ISN'T A GOOD CONDITION TO HAVE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. *JB