NHTSA Complaint #10276026 — 2007 HONDA RIDGELINE

ON 6/25/2009 I REPORTED TO MY HONDA DEALER MY AC WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY AND THE A/C FAN WAS CONTINOUSLY RUNNING EVEN WITH THE A/C OFF. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NO LOANER CARS AVAILABLE AND I SHOULD RETURN ON WED EVENING 7/1/2009 TO DROP OFF ME CAR FOR REPAIRS. . ON MONDAY AM @ 11:04 (ROSELAND NJ POLICE REPORT) I STARTED MY RIDGELINE AND SMELLED A VERY ACRID ODOR A FEW MINUTES LATER MY CAR INTERIOR FILLED WITH SMOKE AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND LEAVE MY CAR. BY LUCK I FLAGGED DOWN A PASSING POLICE CAR AND HE PUT OUT THE FLAMES AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MY CAR HAS 29,400 MILES+/- AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.THE HONDA DEALER EXPLAINED TO ME THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM TO BE IN SOME SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE FAN MOTOR, PLEASE TELL ME HOW THIS PART HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AND WHY THEY LET ME LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH OUT WARNING ME TO NOT OPERATED SUCH A DANGEROUS CAR . I HAVE FOUND OTHER OCCASIONS ON THE INTERNET WHERE SIMILAR RIDGELINE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS THANKFULLY THE ONLY TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERS NOW. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS A SAFE CAR.THEY TELL ME THEY WILL FIX IT AS GOOD AS NEW. DUH! IT BURNED AS A NEW CAR. THIS DEFECT HAS A POTENTIAL FOR GREAT TRAGEDY. *TR