NHTSA Complaint #10300073 — 2002 HONDA ACCORD

MY 2002 HONDA ACCORD LX-V6 HAS DEVELOPED PREMATURE FAILURE OF BOTH THE FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF HONDA V6 VEHICLES, FOR WHICH HONDA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB). MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOT A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM; THEY ARE NOT LISTED IN THE HONDA RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR HONDA ACCORDS UP TO 120,000 MILES AS AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR INSPECTED. MANY EXPERTS SUGGEST THAT MOTOR MOUNTS SHOULD OUTLAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR; HENCE THIS CLEARLY REPRESENTS A PREMATURE FAILURE OF A CRITICAL ENGINE SAFETY COMPONENT. THE BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS REPRESENT A 'SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT' AS DESCRIBED IN THE U.S. CODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301). A SAFETY DEFECT IS DEFINED AS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT THAT POSES AN RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AND MAY EXIST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES OF THE SAME DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE, OR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE. BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS (ENGINE MOUNTS) ARE DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED DUE TO WEDGED LINKAGES CAUSING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DRIVING WITH DAMAGED ENGINE MOUNTS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. THE ENGINE CAN ALSO SPIN FRONT WARD AND DAMAGE THE RADIATOR WITH THE FAN BLADES. THE NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZING BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS AS A 'SAFETY-RELATED' DEFECT. ON OCTOBER 15, 1971, NHTSA ISSUED A CONSUMER PROTECTION BULLETIN ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE "POTENTIAL RISKS" OF BROKEN GM ENGINE MOUNTS. *TR UPDATED 03/01/10 UPDATED 03/08/10 UPDATED 03/12/10