NHTSA Complaint #10070627 — 2002 HONDA CIVIC

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW ON APRIL 20, 2002. SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY SEVERAL PROBLEMS WERE DISCOVERED WHICH HONDA HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE. ONE ONGOING PROBLEM IS A VIBRATION AT 55 MPH IN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH HONDA HAS ATTRIBUTED TO A WHEEL BALANCE PROBLEM AND TIRE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED 14 TIMES BY HONDA AND FIRESTONE (TIRE MANUFACTURER) AND MERCHANT TIRE (BALANCE). HONDA TRIED TO BALANCE THE WHEELS AND AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TOLD ME IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH FAULTY TIRES (OEM). HONDA TOLD ME THEY COULD DO NOTHING FURTHER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM ON MY OWN WITH THE TIRE MANUFACTURER DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CAR WAS OBVIOUSLY STILL UNDER HONDA WARRANTY. NONE OF THE BALANCING SOLVED THE PROBLEM AND HONDA TOLD ME IT MUST BE DEFECTIVE (ORIGINAL) TIRES. FIRESTONE THEM REPLACED 3 TIRES UNDER WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THEY ATTEMPTED TO BALANCE THE WHEELS 2 MORE TIMES. I WENT BACK TO HONDA AND THEY BALANCED THE WHEELS AGAIN WITH NO SUCCESS AND THEY WOULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM FURTHER. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. ONE IS A PROBLEM WITH HISSING AND STATIC IN THE RADIO RECEPTION WHEN THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER IS ON (SINCE NEW). HONDA REPLACED THE RADIO AND DEFOGGER SWITCH BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS A VISIBILITY PROBLEM IN THE REAR WINDOW (SINCE NEW). A HAZY STICKY FILM DEVELOPS ON THE REAR WINDOW. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CLEAN WITH HOUSEHOLD GLASS CLEANER. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE ORIGINAL HONDA FLOOR MAT WORE RIGHT THROUGH WHEN THE CAR WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD. I HAD TO PURCHASE A WHOLE SET FOR ABOUT $90. THE DRIVERS SEAT UPHOLSTERY ALSO BEGAN TO WEAR PREMATURELY. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST YEAR IS A DAMP MOLDY MUSTY ODOR COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER VENTS. THE ODOR IS SOMETIMES STRONG AND WHEN I TURN ON THE AC OR HEATER IT MAKES ME COUGH AND FEEL ILL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF THIS VEHICLE.