NHTSA Complaint #10313569 — 2007 ACURA MDX

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) 2007 ACURA MDX 34,000 PREDOMINANTLY HIGHWAY MILES FRIDAY EVENING, AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A CAR WASH, I HEARD A CLUNK, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP WITH A "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM ALARM" AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND FOUND A BELT PULLEY (LATER IDENTIFIED BY ACURA AS A "CRANK PULLEY) LAYING IN THE ROAD JUST BEHIND THE CAR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS NOT TURNING, EXPLAINING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THAT THE OUTER RIM OF THE PULLEY IS COMPRESSION FIT ONTO THE HUB AND THAT THE PULLEY CAME APART AT THIS COMPRESSION FIT. THE HUB REMAINED CONNECTED TO THE CRANK, BUT WITHOUT THE HUB THERE IS NO TENSION PROVIDED TO THE SERPENTINE BELT AND, HENCE NO POWER STEERING (OR ALTERNATOR OR A/C FOR THAT MATTER). THE LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP PROVIDED A SIMPLE REPAIR REPLACING THE PULLEY, BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY IT FAILED. I CONTACTED ACURA'S REGIONAL CASE MANAGER [XXX] AND ASKED FOR A CASE NUMBER [XXX] )TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM AN ANALYSIS OF THE FAILED PART. WHY DID IT FAIL (ROOT CAUSE) AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES? [XXX] REPLIED "THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN", "I'M CLOSING OUT THIS CASE". I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. HAD MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER OR OTHER WEAKER PERSON BEEN DRIVING IN A MORE CRITICAL SITUATION, LOSING THE POWER STEERING WHILE MOVING COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC EVENT. THE CAR CARRIER DRIVER TOLD ME THAT HE PICKED UP AN MDX WITH A MISSING BELT PULLEY JUST LAST WEEK. I UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS NOT THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE, BUT ITS IS ENOUGH TO INCREASE MY LEVEL OF CONCERN. *TR