NHTSA Complaint #10355754 — 2004 HONDA CIVIC

3 MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A HONDA CIVIC HYBRID FROM A DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA,VA. THE CAR DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN NOR START ON SEPT 4TH AND SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED A 2ND CLASS ALARM IN THE VEHICLE AND A BAD BATTERY, SO THEY FIXED IT ON SEPT 8TH THE CAR DIED AGAIN WHILE I WAS AT WORK SO I HAD TO HITCH A RIDE HOME. SO ON SEPT 10TH I CALLED THE SALES MANAGER IN VA AND TOLD HIM THE CAR WAS GIVING ME PROBLEMS. ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH I WAS GOING TO MAKE A TRIP TO SEE THE SALES MANAGER IN PERSON WHEN MY CAR QUIT WORKING WHEN I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A TURN INTO THE BP GAS STATION IN MD. MY MOTHER HAD TO PICK ME, WE THEN WENT TO THE VA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK TO GET THE CAR ON THEIR ACCOUNT. NOW AFTER 4 DAYS OF WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE CAR, THE GENERAL MANAGER FROM THE VA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS ALL MY FAULT, BASICALLY INSULTED ME AS A WOMAN SAYING THAT I SHOULD BE MORE EXPERIENCED,THAT I SHOULD'VE GOTTEN A WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE WHICH I HAD UNTIL THEIR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT TOLD ME 3 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR THAT THE BANK COULDN'T FINANCE THE CAR FOR THE WHOLE AMOUNT FINANCED. SO I SAID I JUST BOUGHT THAT CAR AND I HAVE ONLY MADE 3 CAR PAYMENTS. SO I FOUND OUT LATER THROUGH MY MECHANIC FRIEND THAT THE IMA BATTERY WAS ON IT'S LAST LEG AND THEY PROBABLY PUT A BAND-AID ON A GASH WHICH WAS THE LITHIUM BATTERY WHICH IS THE LIFE-FORCE OF THE CAR. THE COST IS 3450 HE TELLS ME. SO I ASKED THE GENERAL MANAGER IF YOU WEREN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE VEHICLE WHY DID YOU TOW MY CAR FROM OXON HILL,MD TO ALEXANDRIA,VA. HE HAD NO RESPONSE AND WENT ON TO SAY IF I WANTED THE CAR FIXED IT WOULD COME OF MY OWN POCKET AND THAT WAS THAT. I HAVE JUST PAID 550 FOR A USED IMA HYBRID BATTERY PACK AND MY MECHANIC FRIEND IF GOING TO INSTALL FOR ME. THE OLD IMA BATTERY WAS WORN OUT,RUSTED, THE LENGTH OF TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS EVERY DAY SINCE INCIDENT DATE, STILL NOT FIXED YET. *TR