NHTSA Complaint #10294401 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

I LEASED A NEW 2006 HONDA CIVIC, 2-DOOR COUPE IN APRIL 2006. TWICE WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE MILEAGE WARRANTY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR (PART #88380-SNA-A01ZA, H/C 8073496) FAILED. FAILURE IN THIS CASE MEANS THE UNIT SPLIT APART AT THE SEAM CONNECTED TO THE ARM THAT HOLDS IT TO THE HEADLINER. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE THE VISOR. EACH TIME THE VISOR WAS REPLACED IT LASTED APPROXIMATELY A YEAR BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. EACH PART REPLACEMENT WAS IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED JUST AFTER THE CAR WENT OUT OF THE 3-YEAR WARRANTY, AND BEFORE THE 36,000 MILE EXPIRED. I HELD OFF REPLACING IT BECAUSE I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. RECENTLY, I NARROWLY AVERTED AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY MY DEFECTIVE VISOR. IT WOULD NOT STAY UP AGAINST THE ROOF, FLOPPING DOWN 100% OF THE TIME, WHICH CAUSED ME TO MISS SEEING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION AFTER A TRAFFIC SIGNAL TURNED RED. LUCKILY, THE DRIVER CROSSING FROM MY RIGHT WAS ABLE TO SEE ME AND TO COME TO A STOP IN TIME. BUT I KNEW I COULD NOT DELAY REPLACING THE VISOR. A NEW VISOR COST ME CLOSE TO $70. THERE WAS NO AFTERMARKET PRODUCT AVAILABLE AND I DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO INSTALL A NEW VISOR MYSELF. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL BLOGS: WWW.USRECALLNEWS.COM AND WWW.CIVICFORUMS.COM AND WWW.HONDA-TECH.COM, FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. ALL REPORTED THE SAME THING: HONDA WILL NOT FIX THEM FREE OF CHARGE AFTER THE WARRANTY. AND THERE HAS BEEN NO REDESIGN OF THE PART. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE ITEM TO HAVE TO REPLACE ONCE A YEAR (ON AVERAGE), AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE VISOR. IT DROPS DOWN AND FULLY OBSTRUCTS VISION IN THE UPPER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD. SURELY THIS FACT, BACKED UP BY MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND THAT OF OTHERS, CONSTITUTES REASON FOR A SAFETY RECALL. BY THE WAY, I NOW OWN THE CAR WHICH IS A GOOD VEHICLE IN OTHER RESPECTS. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR