NHTSA Complaint #10065941 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

MY 2003 ACCORD EX V-6 HAS DEVELOPED A LOUD POPPING OR CREAKING SOUND FROM BENEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR PAN EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE, DECELERATE, OR TURN INTO A CORNER. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL WHEN I FIRST OFFICIALLY COMPLAINED AT 7,000 MILES, BUT AS TIME HAS PASSED, THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT 5 TIMES, BUT HAS NOT YET FOUND A SOLUTION. WITH SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED A HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN (03-058) THAT STATES BODY WELDS WERE IMPROPERLY FINISHED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND THAT THE STRUCTURE MUST BE RE-WELDED. MY DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS "EXCESS FLEX" IN THE BODY OF MY CAR, AND AS A RESULT, MULTIPLE SQUEAKS AND RATTLES ARE DEVELOPING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SEVERE STRUCTURAL FAULT THAT IS PUTTING MY SAFETY AT RISK IN THE CASE OF A CRASH AND WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO MY CAR DUE TO BODY FLEX FOR YEARS TO COME. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT HONDA REPLACE THE CAR. *JB