NHTSA Complaint #10118650 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON & OFF INTERMITANTLY SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN 2002. THE LIGHT HAS NOW BEEN ON FOR OVER 3 MONTHS. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER CHECK THIS NUMEROUS TIMES, AND GOT ERROR CODES RANGING FROM O2 SENSOR FAILURE, WHICH WAS REPLACED, TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. TWICE THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND RESET THE COMPUTER. THE MOST RECENT TESTS REVEALED A CATALYTICCONVERTER PROBLEM, WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED BY ANOTHER HONDA DEALER LAST SPRING. THE COST OF REPLACING THIS ITEM WAS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $1000. AS A GESTURE OF GOOD FAITH, HONDA OFFERED TO GOODWILL THE PARTS. I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT 2 DAYS AFTER THE TEST, BUT THE LIGHT WENT OFF & STAYED OFF FOR SEVERAL MONTHS,. IN JANUARY THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. I HAD THE TEST RAN BY AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY HAD THE SAME CONCLUSION. THE LIGHT IS STILL ON TO THIS DATE (APRIL 28, 2005). I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS CONDITION AND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE & MODEL HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SITUATION, REPAIRED THEIR VEHICLES AT GREAT EXPENSE, ONLY TO HAVE THE EMMISIONS LIGHT COME BACK ON AND THE CAR BEING DIAGNOSED WITH THE INITIAL PROBLEM AFTER ONLY A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I WOULD LIKE HONDA TO REPAIR THE CONDITION AND GUARANTEE THE VEHICLE WILL PASS EMMISIONS TESTS, WHICH ARE MANDATORY BY THE END OF MAY. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TRUST IT TO TELL ME THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM OR NOT.