NHTSA Complaint #10170309 — 2003 HONDA CR-V

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND STARTING HEARING MY ENGINE MAKE STRANGE GRINDING-LIKE NOISES. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE, BUT IT WOULD COME AND GO SO I KNEW THAT WASN'T IT. I STOPPED A FEW MILES LATER AND WHEN I PULLED IN THE PARKING SPACE AND STOPPED, THE ENGINE MADE AN INCREDIBLY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART IT AND IT MADE THE SAME LOUD NOISE AND DIED AGAIN. WHEN I TURNED OFF THE A/C, IT STARTED OKAY, BUT THEN TURNING ON THE A/C KILLED IT AGAIN. APPARENTLY, THE A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED, AND CONTAMINATED THE COMPLETE A/C SYSTEM. THE COMPLETE A/C SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS LUCKY IN THAT THE HONDA SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP APPARENTLY REALIZES THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THE 2003 CR-V; HE HAD HAD FOUR OTHER 2003 CR-V''S COME IN FOR REPAIR FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OVER THE COURSE OF ONLY A FEW MONTHS. HE WAS ABLE TO GET HIS DEALERSHIP TO COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS. MY 2003 CR-V WAS BOUGHT FROM A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP THAN THE ONE WHERE WE HAD THE REPAIRS DONE, SO THERE WAS BASICALLY NOTHING HE COULD DO TO HAVE THEM COVER THE LABOR. WE ENDED UP PAYING $1074.76. I FEEL THAT HONDA SHOULD HAVE COVERED THIS COMPLETELY, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THE SAME THING. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA DIRECTLY AS HE SUGGESTED, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF RESPONSE. THIS IS OUR SECOND MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. THE FIRST ONE WAS WITH THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM (ALSO COST OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS). BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN OUR NEIGHBOR'S IDENTICAL VEHICLE.