NHTSA Complaint #10266431 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

I HAVE A 2006 HONDA CIVIC AND MY AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. IM NOT SURE QUITE WHEN, AS I DIDN'T USE MY A/C ALL WINTER. AT SOME POINT ON A HOT DAY IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR I WENT TO TURN IT ON AND IT SIMPLY DID NOT WORK. I TOOK IT TO SOUTH BAY HONDA (WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) AND WAS TOLD THAT A PEBBLE HIT THE CONDENSER, RENDERING MY A/C USELESS. (WOW. MUST HAVE BEEN SOME PEBBLE)... I WAS TOLD IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. ESTIMATED COST: $1214.00 I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF CASES OF HONDA VEHICLES WITH THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THE A/C. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DESIGN FLAW!! THE FRAGILE CONDENSER IS NOT PROPERLY PROTECTED AGAINST DEBRIS LIKE IT SHOULD BE. DID HONDA, A SUPPOSEDLY "TRUSTWORTHY" AND "REPUTABLE" COMPANY, OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT ROAD DEBRIS IS UNAVOIDABLE? SEEMS THAT A SIMPLE PROTECTIVE SCREEN WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNLESS HONDA HAS A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM... OR AT THE VERY LEAST REPAIR THE PROBLEM ON CARS THAT ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. EVEN IF I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, IF LEFT UNPROTECTED, THE UNIT WOULD BE VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE AS SOON AS I DROVE AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP! THAT IS RIDICULOUS! IF A MERE PEBBLE CAN RUIN THE CONDENSER, IT SHOULD [XXX] WELL BE PROTECTED! I WANT MY A/C REPAIRED - AT NO COST. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (IN FACT I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY). I WOULD LIKE THEM TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE CONDENSER UNIT AS WELL AS INSTALL A PROTECTIVE DEVICE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE VEHICLE DESIGN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE TEMPERATURE IS RISING WHERE I LIVE, BEING IN THE 90'S THIS PAST WEEK. IT CAN BE TORTURE TO DRIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS! PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS!!!! *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR