NHTSA Complaint #10234126 — 2005 HONDA CIVIC

FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED IT, THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD PERIODICALLY FLUCTUATE. IT WAS ONLY EVER NOTED ON THE SERVICE REPORTS ONCE. THIS MENTION OCCURRED BEFORE THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THE ONLY NOTE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WAS THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE NEEDLE FINALLY FROZE ON 80MPH IN 12/06. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $80 JUST TO TELL ME THE SPEEDOMETER'S ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THAT IT WOULD COST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, AND THAT NONE OF THE WORK WOULD BE WARRANTED, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HAD BEEN A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. WHEN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THIS EITHER, I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THEIR ONLY OFFER WAS TO PAY FOR THE PARTS, NOT THE LABOR. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. SOME TIME LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL NOTIFYING ME OF A CLASS-ACTION LAW SUIT FILED AGAINST AMERICAN HONDA FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS I'M HAVING WITH MY CAR. I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR TO TRY ONCE MORE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT AN INCONVENIENT LOSS OF TIME, IT'S ANOTHER $80 I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT THEY'VE TOLD ME BEFORE. TALKING TO AMERICAN HONDA IS AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF TIME. THE SECOND ELECTRICAL ISSUE INVOLVES THE RADIO AND CD PLAYER. I HAD A NEW CD IN ONE DAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY STOPPED PLAYING AND THE DISPLAY FLASHED "HOT", SPITTING THE CD OUT. THE CD ITSELF WAS SO HOT IT MELTED THE TOP PORTION. STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY ROLLED ME RIGHT ON THROUGH SERVICE, BRUSHING THE PROBLEM OFF AS INSIGNIFICANT. THIS CAR IS A FIRE HAZARD. BECAUSE OF AMERICAN HONDA, I AM OPERATING A VEHICLE WITHOUT A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING SPEEDOMETER, WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW. *TR