NHTSA Complaint #10232705 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD EXL STARTED TO RUST THROUGH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL LIP THIS PAST WINTER. THE CAR HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED WITH THE RECORDS TO PROVE SO. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED AT THE BACK EDGE OF THE LEFT REAR DOOR AND REPAIRED AT THE BODY SHOP BOTH JOYCE HONDA AND GRECCO AUTO BODY ARE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE GRECCO AUTO GROUP SELLING & REPAIRING HONDAS. THE HONDA FACTORY REP. SAID THE REAR QUARTER PANEL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BUT THAT THE RUST WAS DUE TO THE ACCIDENT AND SUBSEQUENT REPAIR AND THEREFORE HONDA WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. THE HONDA DEALERS BODY SHOP AND STATE FARM INSUR. CLAIMS REP. MAINTAIN THAT THE RUST WAS FAR BEHIND THE AREA THAT WAS REPAIRED AND WAS NOT DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SMALL DENT BY THE DOOR JUST ABOVE THE BODY TRIM LINE AND THE RUST AT THE VERY TOP OF THE WHEEL OPENING. IN ESSENCE, THE SERVICE MANAGER OF JOYCE HONDA AND THE FACTORY REP (WHO WOULD NOT GIVE ME A BUSINESS CARD OR NAME) SAID THE RUST IS A RESULT OF THE REPAIR AND NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. WHILE GRECCO AUTO BODY AND THE AUTO INSPECTOR FOR STATE FARM INSURANCE SAID THE RUST IS FAR TO THE REAR OF THE REPAIRED AREA AND NOT THE RESULT OF THE REPAIR. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT THE DEALERS BODY SHOP TO AVOID A SITUATION AS THIS WHERE NO ONE IS ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT A PROBLEM. THUS THE THREE ENTITIES OF THE SAME BUSINESS, HONDA MOTOR CO., JOYCE HONDA DEALERSHIP, AND GRECCO AUTO BODY ARE BLAMING EACH OTHER AND MY CAR CONTINUES TO PREMATURELY RUST THROUGH. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RUST, THE CAR, AND THE ITEMIZED REPAIR AS WELL AS CONTACT INFORMATION OF PARTIES INVOLVED. I AM EXPECTING HONDA TO HONOR THE RUST PERFORATION WARRANTY. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE CATALYTIC WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON JULY 10, 2009. NOW LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT NEEDED TO REPLACED AGAIN. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER HONDA WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THE REPLACEMENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER. UPDATED IVOQ 12/28/10