NHTSA Complaint #10403329 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC

TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE 4/30/2011 AT HONDA DEALER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERFORMED REFLASH CAMPAIGN 10-034 WITHOUT ASKING. PREVIOUSLY HAD DECLINED THIS SERVICE AND IS NOTED IN SERVICE RECORDS NOT TO PERFORM THIS SERVICE EVER. CAR PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED SINCE THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. CAR WILL NOT RELIABLY ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY FROM STANDSTILL (RED LIGHT) OR WHEN MERGING INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AT 40-50 MPH. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, VEHICLE MAY OR MAY NOT MOVE AT ACCEPTABLE SPEED CAUSING THE POTENTIAL TO ENTER TRAFFIC WITH INADEQUATE POWER TO GET UP TO SPEED OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PERFORMANCE IS NOW INCONSISTENT AND YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT MAY NOT ACCELERATE AS NEEDED. THE ENGINE WILL REV VERY HIGH BUT THE CAR WILL ONLY GO 5-10 MPH WITH PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. HONDA DEALER HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. I AM LIMITING DRIVING THIS CAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS THIS CAR IS UNSAFE IN TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. ALSO, THE AUTO-STOP FEATURE DOES NOT WORK AS PRIOR TO THE REFLASH, ENGINE IDLES MUCH HIGHER AT STOPS AND DOES NOT CUT OFF. THIS HAS DECREASED GAS MILEAGE SIGNIFICANTLY.