NHTSA Complaint #10075387 — 1997 HONDA ACCORD

THE COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE SRS MODULE. THE UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, GIVING A RED DASHBOARD ALARM LIGHT. THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER ATTEMPTED TO RESET THE TROUBLE LIGHT, BUT COULDN'T. THE DEALER INDICATED THE PART NUMBER ON MY SERVICE INVOICE AS HONDA PART # 06772-SV4-A71 FOR A 1997 HONDA ACCORD. I QUERIED SEVERAL SALVAGE YARDS FOR A USED PART AS THE OEM PART WAS IN EXCESS OF $500. I WAS SENT THE SRS MODULE FROM A SALVAGE YARD ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT THE SRS MODULE WAS INDEED FROM A 1997 HONDA, HOWEVER, MY SRS MODULE (THE ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE SRS MODULE) WAS FROM A 1996 HONDA.OBVIOUSLY, I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 HONDA WITH A 1996 ELECTRONIC PART. THIS PART WAS OR COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE SHELF FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS BEFORE IT WAS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. MY SRS PART NUMBER TAKEN FROM MY VEHICLE HAS PART # MODEL 77960-SV4-A93. WHAT IS A 1996 PART DOING IN MY "NEW" 1997 VEHICLE? MOREOVER, THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION ON LIFE OR DEATH..............NAMELY MINE AND MY FAMILY. ELECTRONIC PARTS ARE NOT LIKE ENGINE PARTS THAT HAVE INDEFINITE SHELF LIFE. A CRANK SHAFT CAN SIT ON A SHELF FOR 30 YEARS AND STILL WORK PROPERLY WHEN INSTALLED. TRY THE SAME THING WITH AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT. THANKS, STEVE CHLUDZINSKI. *AK