NHTSA Complaint #10169143 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

DECEMBER 2004: REC'D A LETTER FROM HONDA, INC. STATING: CERTAIN 1998-99 ACCORDS DO NOT MEET STATE AND FEDERAL EMISSIONS REGULATIONS. DURING SOME DRIVING CONDITIONS, YOUR VEHICLE MAY EMIT A LEVEL OF EMISSIONS ABOVE STANDARDS SET BY THE EPA AND CARB. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, YOUR HONDA DEALER WILL ADJUST THE AIR BLEED SCREW ON YOUR VEHICLE'S THROTTLE BODY. THIS WORK WILL BE DONE FREE OF CHARGE". <P> APRIL 2005: TOOK CAR TO ADDRESS THE RECALL/ISSUE. DURING THIS TIME THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DETERIORATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST FOR THIS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $900. THE CAR HAD AN 80,000 MILE WARRANTY, BUT THEY DETECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE ODOMETER STANDING AT 81,181. <P> I TOOK MY CAR TO MY NORMAL MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME I SHOULD ASK THE DEALER TO HONOR THE WARRANTY, BECAUSE HE KNEW FOR A FACT THAT A LOT OF HONDA ACCORDS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. I DID AS HE SAID, AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY RETROACTIVELY. <P> JANUARY 2006: I AM INFORMED THAT IN 1998 AN AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED BY HONDA, THE EPA AND THE CARB. THEY ADMIT THAT THE CARS HAVE ISSUES WITH THE EMISSIONS AND OFFER CAR OWNERS AND EXTENDED WARRANTY, FREE INSPECTIONS AND FREE REPAIRS, INCLUDING ALL PARTS AND LABOR. UNFORTUNATELY ALL HONDA OWNERS ARE NOT TREATED ALIKE, SINCE THE COSTS THEY COVER ARE ONLY FOR CERTAIN 1995, 1996 AND 1997 MODELS. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO ME SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE FROM HONDA ACCORD OWNERS. <P> I AM SEEKING A REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER PLUS ALL LABOR. THE RECALL OF THE THROTTLE BODY AIR BLEED SCREW COULD VERY WELL HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE CONVERTER TO EXPIRE PREMATURELY, AMONG OTHER UNKNOWNS. I AM OF THE OPINION THAT HONDA INC. SHOULD RETROACTIVELY HONOR THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY ON MY 1998 ACCORD. *NM