NHTSA Complaint #10276578 — 2009 HONDA CIVIC

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2009 HONDA CIVIC LX IN DECEMBER OF 2008. IN MARCH 2009, ONLY 3 MONTHS AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE AND ONLY 3,000KM TOTAL ON THE VEHICLE, I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN INCONSISTENT AND DISCONCERTING PROBLEM AFTER DRIVING THIS CAR OFF THE LOT. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO HAVE AN INTERMITTENT STARTING ISSUE WHERE ON RANDOM OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ONCE TRYING TO START IT, IT CRANKS, LIKE IT IS TRYING TO TURN OVER TO START FOR A RANGE OF 5-15 SECONDS. IT EVENTUALLY STARTS ON THE 2ND OR 3RD ATTEMPT. I HAVE CONSULTED IN THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF TAKING THE CAR IN, THE DEALERSHIP AND HONDA CANADA WANTED TO INSTALL A COMPUTER RECORDER ON MY CAR TO TRY TO GET THE PROBLEM RECORDED, SINCE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE NOISE. AFTER HAVE THE RECORDER INSTALLED FOR JUST OVER A MONTH, THE PROBLEM FINALLY REPRODUCED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THEY TOOK OUT THE MONITOR TO HAVE IT SEND FOR AN ANALYSIS. I HAD MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS THE WORST ONE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID IT CRANK FOR ABOUT 8 SECONDS, IT JUST DIED - DID NOT CATCH OR KEEP CRANKING. I CALLED 2 WEEKS AFTER TO GET AN UPDATE IN WHICH I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE AFTER LEAVING A MESSAGE FOR GEORGE (HEAD OF SERVICE). I CALLED AGAIN 2 WEEKS LATER IN WHICH GEORGE STATED HE HAD HEARD BACK A FEW DAYS PRIOR BUT WAS TOO "BUSY" TO CALL ME. HE STATED THAT THE RECORDER SAID IT WAS 8 SECONDS AND STARTED, AND 2 TIMES WHERE IS WAS 5 SECONDS AND STARTED. HE THEN TOLD ME IF I WAS NOT HAPPY TO DEAL WITH HEAD OFFICE AND WE WOULD CONTACT TECH SUPPORT. I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM GEORGE, 2 BUSINESS DAYS LATER, AFTER TRYING TO CONTACT HIM. I SPOKE WITH HEAD OFFICE WHO TOLD ME THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR MY CAR NOT TO START. I AM STILL IN THE DARK AS TO WHAT THE ISSUE COULD BE, AND I'M TIRED OF SPECULATING. FOR ALL I KNOW IT COULD BE THE OEM BATTERY WITH THE INSUFFICIENT COLD-CRANKING AMP RATINGS, THE MAIN FUEL RELAY OR A FAULTY CAM/CRANK SENSOR. *TR