NHTSA Complaint #10037057 — 1998 HONDA CR-V

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 HONDA CR-V I NOTICED POWER SURGES AND DEEMING OF LIGHTS. THE CAR ULTIMATELY SHUT DOWN. IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP AND I DROVE IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. HE LOOKED IT OVER HOOKED IT UP TO HIS COMPUTER AND GOT A READING THAT THE SOLENOID ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD. HE THOUGHT THIS WAS INCORRECT AND SUGGESTED MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE WAS WRONG. HE DROVE THE CAR FOR A WHILE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. HE SUGGESTED I DRIVE THE CAR AND LET HIM KNOW IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG. LATER THAT DAY AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK SOLDER DROPPED FROM UNDER THE DASH ONTO MY FOOT. TUESDAY MORNING I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SAME MECHANIC THAT LOOKED AT IT ON FRIDAY. HE WAS SHOCKED THAT SOMETHING UNDER THE DASH COULD GET THAT HOT AND NOT CATCH ON FIRE. HE LOOKED UNDER THE DASH AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT HAD GOT SO HOT THAT IT BEGAN TO MELT THE SOLDER. HE CALLED CALE YARBOROUGH HONDA IN FLORENCE TO GET A NEW IGNITION SWITCH. WE RECEIVED THE PART AND THE MECHANIC PUT IT IN AND THE CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING FINE. THE PART THAT STARTLES ME THE MOST IS THAT THE CAR BELONGS TO MY WIFE AND I JUST HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING IT WHEN THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT IF MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND HOT SOLDER WOULD HAVE FALLEN ON HER FOOT AND BURNED HER IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSED HER TO WRECK. SHE ALWAYS WEARS SLIP ON SHOES AND HER FOOT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROTECTED LIKE MY FOOT WAS. EVEN WITH SHOES ON IT STARTLED ME ENOUGHT TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. IT IS DISTURBING TO ME WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE WERE DRIVING THE CAR. I CONTACTED HONDA AND TOLD THEM OF THE INCIDENT AND THEY SAID MY COMPLAINT WOULD GO TO A REVIEW BOARD AND IF IT WARRENTED LOOKING INTO THEY WOULD CONTACT ME. I AM WRITING YOU BECAUSE THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE FATAL IF THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE. I WOULD HATE TO KNOW SOMEONE GOT KILLED BECAUSE SOLDER DROPPED ON SOMEONE'S FOOT AND CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK