NHTSA Complaint #10258945 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX HAS HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM OF THE ACCESSORY LIGHTS GOING OUT THAT CONTROL THE RADIO AND HVAC CONTROLS. IT IS ACTUALLY A TRANSISTOR ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD BLOWING THAT CONTROLS THE CONSOLES LIGHTING. HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAS PUT OUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ABOUT THIS FOR 7 YEARS OR 105,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. IF THE WARRANTY IS OUT, THE COST TO FIX IT THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP IS $700-900, NOT SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE THESE DAYS CAN AFFORD, AND BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEIR SAFETY IS DECREASED. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, THEY REALLY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX ANY THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. MULTIPLE TIMES I'VE TRIED TO CHANGE MY TEMPERATURE OR RADIO SETTINGS AND WHILE TRYING TO SEE THE DISPLAY ALMOST GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE MESSAGE BOARDS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE AND HOW MUCH OF A SAFETY CONCERN THIS IS. AN ANONYMOUS USER POSTED THIS ON THE BOARDS: : "CAN'T VIEW ANYTHING ON THE RADIO DISPLAY OR CENTER CONTROLS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST THE HEAT OR A/C AND CAN'T SEE WHAT I'M DOING. HONDA SHOULD DEFINITELY FIX THE ISSUE. IT REALLY IS A SAFETY PROBLEM." MORE DETAILS HERE: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HONDA/ACCORD/2003/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/STEREO_BACKLIGHT_BLEW_CANT_JUST_REPLACE_THE_BULB.SHTML. *TR