NHTSA Complaint #10178817 — 2002 HONDA CIVIC

ON NOVEMBER 4, 2006, I WAS TURNING THE CORNER GOING UP A RAMP WHEN MY 2002 HONDA CIVIC EX STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP IN THE RIGHT TURN POSITION. I WAS HEADING OFF OF THE RAMP TO THE RIGHT WHEN I JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL BACK STRAIGHT TO FIND THAT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND MY OTHER CAR KEY ON THE SAME RING WERE BENT TERRIBLY AND UNUSABLE. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE OTHER CAR KEY HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN LODGED IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOCK UP AND, AFTER A JERK FROM ME, BENT AND FREED THE WHEEL. UPON LOOKING AT THE COLUMN, THERE ARE 2 HOLES IN THE COLUMN ITSELF, AND 2 HOLES IN THE CRUISE CONTROL CONSOLE ON THE STEERING WHEEL THAT IT APPEARED TO ME THE KEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN LODGED IN. I STARTED THINKING OF THE MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS IF I HAD HIT SOMEONE OR MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER WERE TRAVELING WITH ME. SO I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND SPOKE WITH KENITRA. SHE SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALER, WHICH I DID, AND SHE WOULD FOLLOW UP. WE THEN SPOKE AGAIN AND SHE SAID THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENING TO THIS VEHICLE. SHE SAID SHE HERSELF WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT HER FRIENDS 2002 CIVIC TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THE KEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN LODGED AND COULDN'T FIND ANY CONCEIVABLE PLACE. SHE SAID THAT THE BEST SHE COULD FIGURE IS THAT MY KNEE EITHER BUMPED THE KEY OR THAT I HAD TOO LONG OF A KEYCHAIN, OR TOO MANY KEYS ON THE RING. I TOLD HER THAT MY KNEE DID NOT BUMP THE KEY AND THAT THE KEYRING WAS AN AVERAGE LENGTH AND I HAD OWNED AND USED IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DIDN'T FEEL THAT HONDA TOOK MY CONCERN SERIOUSLY OR REALLY CHECKED INTO THIS. IT REALLY HAPPENED AND WAS TERRIFYING. I AM AFRAID IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN.