NHTSA Complaint #10357477 — 2009 HONDA FIT

I PURCHASED A HONDA FIT IN JULY OF 2009. I HAVE DRIVEN IT 5800 MILES. THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT HAS RECENTLY OCCURRED: 1. IN AUGUST OF 2010 MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. 2. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY HONDA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT RODENTS HAD EATEN THE WIRING. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND THAT THE COST TO FIX IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS $1000. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS SHOCKED. 3. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME I DISCOVERED THAT THE COVERING ON THE OXYGEN SENSOR WIRING AND THE COVERING ON THE WIRING TO THE FAN HAD ALSO BEEN CHEWED ALTHOUGH THE WIRING WAS STILL INTACT. 4. HERE IS WHAT IS SO SHOCKING ABOUT THIS SITUATION. MY 2009 HONDA FIT IS PARKED 30 FEET FROM MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT. THE 5 YEAR OLD ELEMENT HAS NO SIGN OF RODENT ACTIVITY AND HAS NO WIRING PROBLEMS. I CALLED THE AMERICA HONDA MOTOR CO. CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER AND REPORTED THE ABOVE. THE REPORT HAS BEEN GIVEN A CASE #. I ALSO DID A GOOGLE SEARCH [AUTOMOBILE WIRING AND RODENTS/HONDA WIRING AND RODENTS]. THE SEARCH TURNED UP MANY REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM IN HONDA AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER MANUFACTURER'S AUTOMOBILES. THE SEARCH ALSO UNCOVERED MANY REFERENCES TO THE RECENT USE OF SOY IN AUTOMOBILE WIRING COVERING. IF THIS IS TRUE IT COULD EXPLAIN WHY MY 2005 ELEMENT HAS NOT BEEN ATTACKED WHILE MY 2009 FIT HAS BEEN. IT WOULD ALSO INDICATE A GLARING DEFECT IN SOME AUTO ELECTRICAL WIRING. I AM NOW DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM BY LEAVING MY FIT IN WITH MY DOGS AND LETTING THEM URINATE ON THE TIRES. AS OF NOW THIS SEEMS TO BE WORKING. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A LOUSY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. IN SUMMATION, I NOW HAVE NO ABS. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $1000 FOR RODENT DAMAGE TO WIRING THAT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY RODENT ATTRACTIVE WIRE COVERING AND MAY REOCCUR. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM. THAT IS WHY I AM REGISTERING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA). UPDATED IVOQ 10/15/10 *TR