NHTSA Complaint #10177617 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

RECENTLY THE BACK LIGHT ON THE RADIO/HVAC/CLOCK PANEL WENT OUT. AFTER CHECKING ALL FUSES IT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE A BLOWN FUSE. SERVICE ADVISOR/MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $200-$400 TO FIX AND THAT THE RADIO UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS LED ME TO CONDUCT MY OWN RESEARCH AND WAS SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON NEWER MODELS OF HONDA ACCORDS ('03 AND NEWER). I ALSO LEARNED FROM NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS THAT THEY'D RECEIVED THE RUNAROUND FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. HOWEVER, SEVERAL INDICATED THAT AFTER MAKING NUMEROUS CALLS TO HONDA OF AMERICA THE COMPANY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. IT APPEARS TO BE A WIRING PROBLEM, WHICH COULD, IN MY OPINION, LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. AS A SINGLE PARENT I PURCHASED THE HONDA FOR MY DAUGHTER, WHO ATTENDS COLLEGE SOME 700 MILES AWAY FROM HOME AND REQUIRES A SAFE AND RELIABLE VEHICLE. SINCE HONDA OF AMERICA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THEY REALLY SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO OWNERS. *JB