NHTSA Complaint #10098728 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN JULY 03 AT 110K MILES, CODE P0420. TO PASS EMISSIONS, AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL SOURCES, I REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH AN OEM REPLACEMENT ($250 INSTEAD OF $800 FROM THE DEALERSHIP). THE C.E. LIGHT HAS NOW COME BACK ON WITH THE SAME CODE AS BEFORE, P0420. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR'S EMISSION SYSTEM OR IT'S SENSORS. THE LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR 11 MONTHS WITH THE NEW C.C.. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE I HAVE BURNED THROUGH ANOTHER C. CONVERTER IN 25K MILES. I SEE THE COURT RULING IN 1998 THAT HONDA HAD LEFT MISFIRING MONITORING DEVICE IN THE ON BOARD DIAGNOSTICS (OBD) FOR PRE-1998 MODELS DISABLED. IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DETECTED IT CAN LEAD TO INCREASED EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF HYDROCARBONS AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLES CATALYST. I WILL NOT PAY $250 PER YEAR TO CONTINUALLY REPLACE CONVERTERS. *JB