NHTSA Complaint #10159865 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

ON FEBRUARY 24, 2004 HONDA ISSUED A RECALL - "ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LOW-BEAM TERMINAL ON THE HEAD LIGHT WIRE HARNESS CAN OVERHEAT AND COULD CAUSE THE LOW BEAMS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING." - I GOT THE RECALL NOTICE AND TOOK MY CAR FOR A FIX ON MAY 11, 2004 AT CONICELLI HONDA (AUTHORIZED DEALER AND SERVICE CENTER). A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS LATER ON JUNE 13TH 2006, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING IN MY CAR. I AM DRIVING - RETURNING BACK FROM THE MALL - AND THE LIGHTS JUST GO OUT. I HAVE TO DRIVE ON HIGH BEAM. IN THE MORNING AS I GET IN THE CAR - I SMELL BURNT PLASTIC. I TOOK MY CAR TO PEP BOYS WHO COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED BOTH BULBS BIT THE LIGHT STILL WOULDN'T WORK. I CALLED HONDA OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AS RECALLS ARE SERVICED ONLY ONCE. THEY SUGGESTED I SHOULD TALK TO CONICELLI. I CALLED CONICELLI AND THEY SAID THAT THIS WILL HAVE TO BE INVESTIGATED AND PAID-FOR SEPARATELY AND COULDN'T SCHEDULE ME BEFORE JULY 3RD (TODAY IN JUNE 14TH). I AM UPSET ABOUT THE FACT THAT NEITHER HONDA NOR ITS DEALER IS WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT THE PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED STILL EXISTS (EITHER IT WASN'T PROPERLY FIXED OR THE FIX WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH). ON TOP OF THAT - THE EARLIEST THEY CAN LOOK AT MY VEHICLE IS AFTER 18 DAYS. *NM