NHTSA Complaint #10159807 — 2003 HONDA PILOT

FIRST, I HAD BOTH: A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A DEER AND A REAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR AND NONE OF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE IMPACT ON BOTH OCCASIONS WAS NOT A SEVERE/HARD IMPACT, THEREFORE AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN. THEY MUST BE WAITING FOR A FEW CONSUMERS TO DIE BEFORE RECALLING THESE AIRBAGS AND A LAWSUIT. IT COST ME OVER $3K TO FIX THE DAMAGES ON BOTH ENDS. ANYWAY, MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON SINCE THIS PAST APRIL. I TOOK MY PILOT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEED MY "CABLE REEL" REPLACED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE COST TO FIX MY PILOT WOULD BE $400=$300 LABOR + $100 PART AND IT IS THERE WAY OF ROBBING ME BLIND. I TOLD THEM TO NOT PERFORMED THE FIX UNTIL I GOT A SECOND OPINION. THEY DID RESET THE LIGHT FOR ME BUT THE SRS LIGHT CAME BACK MINUTES AFTER THEY RETURN IT TO ME. WELL, THE SECOND OPINION AT LEESBURG HONDA DEALERSHIP CLOSE TO MY HOUSE WANT TO RAPE MY WALLET OF $1000 +. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY AIR BAG IS BAD AND THAT I NEED TO REPLACE IT OR I WILL FAIL MY VA INSPECTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE MECHANICS AND SPECIALIZE IN REPAIRING BROKEN\DAMAGE CAR EQUIPMENTS. THEY ARE NOT ENGINEERS AND CAN NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHY MY AIR BAG WOULD GO BAD. THE LIMITED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER SINCE I AM OVER MY 3 YRS\36K MILES. SO BASICALLY TO GET MY CAR FIX, I HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART THAT WAS SOLD TO ME AS NEW WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. WHO SHOULD I BELIEVE OR WHICH DEALERSHIP KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING? *JB