NHTSA Complaint #10029246 — 2003 HONDA CIVIC

I PURCHASED A HONDA CIVIC HYBRID VEHICLE IN MARCH OF THE CURRENT YEAR WITH THE INTENTION OF SAVING GAS AND BEING KIND TO THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CUSTOMARY BRIEF TEST DRIVE BEFORE PUCHASING THE CAR LED ME TO BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD CAR FOR MY HIGH MILEAGE LIFESTYLE. WITHIN A MONTH I STARTED HAVING ACHES AND STIFFNESS IN MY NECK AND LOWER BACK. AT TEN WEEKS I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT I CALLED A CHIROPRACTOR, CRYING WITH PAIN, ON A SUNDAY MORNING TO BEG FOR HELP. (I HAD NOT REQUIRED CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR THE PREVIOUS 5 YEARS). THE CHIROPRACTOR TREATED MY BACK WITH HEAT AND MASSAGE FOR OVER AN HOUR AND THEN WENT WITH ME TO MY NEW CAR TO CHECK OUT THE SEATS. SHE IMMEDIATELY POINTED OUT THAT THE DESIGN OF THE SEAT GAVE NO BACK SUPPORT AND WAS TOO SHORT IN THE SEAT TO SUPPORT THE LEGS WHILE DRIVING. WITH THE DOCTOR'S HELP AND ADVICE AS TO CUSHIONS I COULD PURCHASE I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE ON THE TRIP BUT COULD ONLY DRIVE AN HOUR AT A TIME. MY COUSIN DID MOST OF THE DRIVING FROM BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA TO PORTLAND, OREGON (APPROXIMATELY 900 MILES) WHILE I SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ON SPECIAL CUSHIONS WITH MY FEET UP ON THE DASHBOARD TO RELIEVE THE PAIN.WHEN I GOT BACK HOME I WENT BACK TOT HE CHIROPRACTOR IMMEDIATELY, AND HAVE BEEN TREATED TWICE A WEEK FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS. I'M DOING PHYSICAL THERAPY AND USING A WIDE VARIETY OF SUPPORT CUSHIONS. RELAX THE BACK STORES HAVE BECOME MY NEW BEST FRIEND. BUT THE CIVIC IS STILL IMPOSSIBLE TO BE COMFORTABLE IN. EXTRA CUSHIONS ARE MAKING THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE ALMOST BEARABLE BUT I COULD NEVER DO A LONG DRIVE. FORTUNATELY MY HIGH MILEAGE LIFE IS SPLIT UP INTO 1/2 TO 1 1/2 HOUR TRIPS. BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR THAT I CAN'T DRIVE LONG THAN 90 MINUTES IN MY $23,000 CAR.*AK