NHTSA Complaint #10154758 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

POSSIBLE SUSPENSION DEFECT. INCIDENT DATE OF 04/05/2006 IS DATE INFORMED BY DEALER OF PROBLEMS. NOTICED CAR SQUEAKED/CREAKED A LOT WHEN TURNING. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER FOR 75K CHECKUP AND ASKED HIM TO EXAMINE SUSPENSION. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT BOTH OF MY FRONT STRUTS LEAKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THAT ONE MOTOR MOUNT WAS CRACKED, AND THAT BOTH OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CAR WAS MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH OWNER'S MANUAL AND SERVICED ALMOST ENTIRELY BY SAME DEALER FOR 5 1/2 YEARS. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WITHIN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (3-6 MONTHS BETWEEN PRIOR MAJOR AND MINOR CHECKUPS AND THE CHECKUP THAT DISCOVERED THESE PROBLEMS AND 5 1/2 YEARS FOR THE CAR AGE) ARE CAUSE FOR CONCERN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY COULD HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO CAUSE A DRASTIC LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. BASED ON MY PRIOR OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH A 1992 HONDA CIVIC AND RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THUS, I BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF MY 2001 HONDA CIVIC'S SUSPENSION MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THE ASSUMED DEFECT MAY BE DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, SINCE 2001 WAS WHEN HONDA STOPPED USING DOUBLE-WISHBONE SUSPENSION IN THEIR U.S. CIVICS IN LIEU OF OLD SUSPENSION TYPE. *NM