NHTSA Complaint #10318910 — 2007 HONDA CIVIC

IN NOVEMBER 2009, I PURCHASED A USED 2007 HONDA CIVIC FROM A USED DEALERSHIP IN ALPHARETTA, GA. IT WAS PURCHASED AS IS SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO VOYLES HONDA IN MARIETTA, GA FOR A TOTAL CHECK-UP. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AND GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT. IT HAD 74,960 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. ON MARCH 8, 2010, ON MY WAY BACK HOME FROM JACKSONVILLE, FL THE CAR STARTED TO DECELERATE QUICKLY. I WAS ON I95 NORTHBOUND WITH MY SON, AND IT WAS A VERY SCARY FEW MOMENTS FOR US. WE MANAGED TO PARK THE CAR ON THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CAR WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. WHEN WE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, THERE WAS NO SMOKE BUT THERE WAS A FUNNY SMELL. MY SON TOOK THE DIPSTICK OUT OF THE ENGINE AND IT WAS MELTED! WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO YULEE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THE ENGINE WAS GONE. AFTER STAYING IN A LOCAL HOTEL FOR THE NIGHT, MY HUSBAND PICKED US UP ON MARCH 9. WHEN I GOT HOME I MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO GRAINGER HONDA IN SAVANNAH. GRAINGER GETS THE CAR IN AND AFTER A $92.00 CHARGE FOR LOOKING AT IT, TELLS ME THAT THE ENGINE IS GONE AND THEY CAN GET ME A GREAT DEAL FOR $4,600.00 (A USED ENGINE WITH 19,000 MILES ON IT). WELL IN THE MEAN TIME, MY SON HAD BEEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON LINE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY 2006-2007 HONDA CIVIC OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HE FOUND HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 08-044 WHICH STATES THERE IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN SOME OF THESE ENGINES. THE BULLETIN ALSO STATES THAT CUSTOMERS THAT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THIS HAPPENS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR GOODWILL CONSIDERATION. I EXPLAINED SEVERAL EMPLOYEES OF GRAINGER HONDA BUT THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO 'TAKE DOWN' THE ENGINE AT A TUNE OF ABOUT $500-$600. HE SAID THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO PICK UP 25% OF THE COST. I TOLD HIM ABSOLUTELY NOT. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS A DEFECT THAT HONDA WAS VERY MUCH AWARE OF AND THAT HONDA SHOULD PAY FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR. I ALSO CONTACTED HONDA OF AMERICA AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. *TR