NHTSA Complaint #10244672 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TREATMENT I RECEIVED FROM HONDA OF AMERICA. I WAS IN A MINOR ACCIDENT ON JUNE 11 2008. THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE TIE ROD BREAKING ON MY 2006 HONDA CIVIC AS I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE MECHANICAL FAILURE CAUSED MY CAR TO VEER INTO 2 PARKED CARS CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO EACH. THE ATTENDING OFFICER STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE RESULT OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND DID NOT ISSUE ANY TICKETS. THE BODY SHOP OWNER ALSO AGREED THAT A MECHANICAL FAILURE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THIS PROMPTED ME TO INFORM HONDA OF AMERICA OF THE ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE BROKEN TIE ROD. HONDA'S RESPONSE WAS YOU WILL BE CONTACTED IN 2 TO 3 WEEKS. IN THE MEAN TIME THE CAR WAS NOT FIXED AS EVERYTHING WAS ON HOLD WAITING FOR HONDA'S RESPONSE. IN FACT THE CAR WAS NOT FIXED UNTIL 7/24/08, 43 DAYS LATER. CONTACT WAS MADE BY CHRISTIAN K. SKJERVOLD OF M.A. JORDAN CO. INC. LOCATED IN MINNEAPOLIS MN. MR. SKJERVOLD VISIT WAS VERY UNPLEASANT. HIS ONLY OBJECTIVE WAS TO BADGER ME INTO ADMITTING THAT I HAD SOMEHOW BROKEN THE TIE ROD MYSELF. I AM 81 YEARS OLD AND DRIVE QUITE CONSERVATIVELY. HE SUGGESTED REPEATEDLY THAT PERHAPS I HAD BEEN DRIVING RECKLESSLY AND DAMAGED THE CAR BEFORE HAND. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE WOULD BE IN CONTACT IN 2 WEEKS. I HEARD NOTHING UNTIL I CONTACTED HIM IN LATE SEPTEMBER. A WEEK LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HONDA STATING THAT BASED ON THEIR INVESTIGATION THE TIE ROD HAD BROKEN AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT CONTRADICTING ALL OF THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE LETTER GOES ON TO STATE THAT TIE ROD WAS NOT BROKEN BUT WAS BENT IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS PURE FABRICATION AND I HAVE ALL OF THE BROKEN PARTS IN MY GARAGE TO PROVE IT. IF THIS IS THE WAY HONDA HANDLES THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM I WILL ASSUME YOU HAVE A FILE ON THEM ALREADY. PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR DATA BASE. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO FOLLOW UP WITH HONDA WOULD ALSO BE APPRECIATED. *TR