NHTSA Complaint #10063795 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

THE 2001 HONDA CIVIC LX I OWN FAILED ON I95. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF SAFETY LIGHTS ETC. HE PUSHED THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE NEXT DAY HONDA CARE CAME AND JUMP STARTED THE CAR, IT DID START BUT WITHIN A FEW SECONDS IT SOUNDED LIKE IT EXPLODED. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, CORAL SPRINGS HONDA, IN CORAL SPRINGS FLORIDA. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THE COST OF THE REPAIR WOULD BE COVERED BUT THEY NEEDED MY APPROVAL TO TAKE APART THE ENGINE, AGAIN THE STATED THERE WOULD BE NO COST TO ME. SEVERAL DAYS LATER I CALLED TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE REPAIR. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE WARRANTY INSPECTOR TO COME GIVE APPROVAL BEFORE THEY COULD PROCEED WITH THE WORK. I CALLED AGAIN AT THE END OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND WAS TOLD THAT NO ONE HAD COME BUT THAT THEY DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE COVERED. I ASKED WHY AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SLUDGE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE OIL NOT BEING CHANGED ENOUGH. I STATED THAT IT WAS CHANGED. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE WARRANTY COMPANY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE CAR HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT AND THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED OFTEN ENOUGH. I BELIEVE THE SLUDGE CLAIM IS BOGUS, I THINK IT IS A CHEAPLY MADE ENGINE THAT BEGINS TO FALL APART THE MINUTE IT STARTS. WHAT CAN I DO? *JB