NHTSA Complaint #10324906 — 2002 HONDA CR-V

MY 2002 HONDA CR-V HAS A FUEL FILLER DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON. CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE OR OTHER WEATHER RELATED FACTORS CAUSE THE FILLER CAP TO LOOSEN AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. HONDA RECOMMENDS MANUALLY TIGHTENING THE CAP PAST "SEVERAL CLICKS" TO ENSURE A TIGHT SEAL AFTER FUELING. THE CAP LOOSENS ANYWAY ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GASOLINE FUMES FROM THE LOOSENED CAP. HONDA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL CAP TWICE AND ONCE GAVE ME A $ 300 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE PLASTIC GAS TANK FILLER PIPE WHICH IS APPARENTLY THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. TODAY WAS A WARM DAY AND THE LIGHT WAS ON ALL DAY AS I DROVE. THE ISSUE IS THIS: IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OFTEN COMES ON SPURIOUSLY, A DRIVER DOESN'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT MAY BE A LEGITIMATE WARNING FOR A SERIOUS ENGINE PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE LOOSE CAP CAUSES GASOLINE FUMES TO ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FILLER CAP ISSUE? *TR