NHTSA Complaint #10270019 — 2002 HONDA CR-V

ADD ME TO THE LIST OF OWNERS WHO SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC HONDA CR-V AIR COMPRESSOR FAILURE. IT'S A 2002 WITH 136K MILES. IT'S IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION, WELL KEPT BY PREVIOUS OWNERS. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND I HEARD A TINNY GRINDING SOUND. I PULLED OVER AND LIFTED THE HOOD. DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT NOTICED THE AC WAS BLOWING WARM AIR. I CALLED BANKSTON HONDA (THE CLOSEST DEALER TO ME IN COPPELL, TX), WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $3,100 TO REPAIR, BUT THAT I SHOULD CALL AMERICAN HONDA AND OPEN A CASE WITH THEM, SINCE THEY MAY AGREE TO COVER SOME OF THE COST. APPARENTLY THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE, ONE THAT HONDA APPEARS TO BE IGNORING FOR THE TIME BEING (AT LEAST UNTIL THEY'RE HIT WITH A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT). WITH 100 DEGREE WEATHER, A WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN, THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN SURVIVE WITH A CAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE AC. WE CHOSE A 2002 HONDA CR-V BASED ON INCREDIBLY CONSISTENT POSITIVE FEEDBACK (SAFETY, RELIABILITY, VALUE RETENTION, ETC.). SO FAR THIS HAS BEEN THE ONLY ISSUE. OUR FAMILY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY $3,100 TO REPAIR THE AC. WE REALLY NEED AMERICAN HONDA TO STEP UP AND AT LEAST PAY FOR THE PARTS. AMERICAN HONDA HAVE GIVEN ME A CASE NUMBER (N012009-05-2601731) AND ASKED THAT I WRITE THEM TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED SO THEY CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THEY'LL COVER ANY OF THE COST. I HOPE THEY AT LEAST PAY FOR THE NECESSARY PARTS. IF THEY COME THROUGH, THEY'LL CEMENT THEIR REPUTATION AND I'LL CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND HONDA TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IF THEY CAN'T OFFER ANY HELP, I'LL NEED TO JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO TRY TO RECOUP SOME OF THE COST. THIS IS CLEARLY A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM, ONE THAT HONDA WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO OWN UP TO. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TO THIS URL AND FILE THEIR INFO, IF ONLY TO PRESSURE AMERICAN HONDA TO DO THE RIGHT THING: HTTP://WWW.HONDA-LAWSUIT.COM/ THANKS, DON MONTALVO COPPELL, TX 2002 HONDA CR-V (136K MILES). *TR