NHTSA Complaint #10197030 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

1998 HONDA ACCORD EX 4-DOOR: HORN FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD (NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING), HORN USUALLY DOES NOT WORK. ISOLATED THE MALFUNCTION AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING SHAFT IS ONLY INTERMITTENTLY GROUNDED, AND THE HORN REQUIRES THAT GROUND IN ORDER TO FUNCTION. THE HORN (AND THE STEERING SHAFT GROUND) OPERATES PERFECTLY WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS CAUSING THE LOSS OF GROUND. THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE HAS ALREADY HAD TWO DIFFERENT RECALLS FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 2 OTHER PEOPLE WITH IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS, AND ONE OF THEM HAS ALREADY HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH A WORKING HORN. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. *TR