NHTSA Complaint #10062008 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

ON OCTOBER-9-2001 MY FIANC [XXX] AND I PURCHASED A 2001 HONDA CIVIC EX [XXX] FROM ROBERTS AUTO MALL IN DOWNINGTOWN, PA. WE PURCHASED A HONDA BECAUSE WE DESIRED A CAR THAT WAS DEPENDABLE AND ONE THAT WOULD BE USED FOR MY FIANCS COMMUTE AND FOR DRIVING LONG DISTANCES. IN AUGUST OF 2002, THE CAR OVERHEATED ON A JOURNEY FROM ONEONTA, NY, TO PHOENIXVILLE, PA. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE HONDA OF ITHACA DEALERSHIP. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BEING UNDER A YEAR AFTER TIME OF PURCHASE WITH 18,717 MILES. HONDA OF ITHACA, NEW YORK DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE THERMOSTAT. DESPITE THE OBVIOUS INCONVENIENCE THAT THIS BREAKDOWN CAUSED, WE WERE HAPPY THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED WHILE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. IN DECEMBER 2003 ON A TRIP FROM PHOENIXVILLE, PA TO HOLMDEL, NJ THE CAR AGAIN OVERHEATED. A LOCAL MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE THERMOSTAT. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED AT A COST TO US OF $106.43. ON FEBRUARY-4-2004 THE PROBLEM MANIFESTED ITSELF ONCE AGAIN. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO ROBERTS AUTO MALL. THE MECHANIC GUESSED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AIR IN THE SYSTEM. WE WERE CHARGED $63.49 FOR DIAGNOSTICS. ON MARCH 10TH, THE CAR AGAIN OVERHEATED. WE ARE NOW USING ONE VEHICLE WHILE OUR HONDA CIVIC SITS OUTSIDE UNUSED. I AM UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED SINCE EVERY MECHANIC HAS SO FAR BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. OUR COMPLAINT CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS SUCH: THIS PROBLEM IS INTRINSIC TO THE CAR. IT APPEARED WHILE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS NEVER BEEN PROPERLY CORRECTED. IT IS NOT THE RESULT OF ABUSE OR DAMAGE TO THE CAR BUT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. WE HAVE INCURRED MONETARY LOSS DUE TO REPEATED TOWING AND REPAIRS MADE AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY. OTHER THAN THESE EXPENSES, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TRAUMA OF BEING STRANDED ON HIGHWAYS AT NIGHT, AND BEING AT A LOSS OF OUR VEHICLE WHEN ONE IS NEEDED TO COMMUTE TO WORK.*AK UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.