NHTSA Complaint #10425139 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC

FIRST THING THIS MORNING I TRIED TO SET MY CRUISE CONTROL AT 65 MPH, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. THE SPEED OF THE CAR KEPT DECREASING, DESPITE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SET THE CRUISE. I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE AND TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO DRIVE, AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. IN ADDITION, AS I TRIED TO INCREASE MY SPEED, THE CAR MADE A LOUD HUMMING SOUND AND THE RPMS ON THE DASH BEGAN TO INCREASE. THEN AN INDICATOR LIGHT TURNED ON; AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES, MORE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON, MY BRAKE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY, AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. MY GAS PEDAL ALSO STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. AT THIS POINT, AS I WAS GOING UPHILL I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP THE CAR. SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE HOOD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MIDAS IN SALT LAKE CITY AT 875 EAST 2100 SOUTH. THE SERVICE PEOPLE TOLD ME THE CARS ENGINE HAD HEATED SO THAT IT MELTED THE EQUIPMENT UNDER THE HOOD. LATER, AFTER A DISCUSSION WITH THE HONDA CORPORATE OFFICE, I FOUND OUT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED IN AUGUST 2010 FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BLOCKS OF 2006, 2008, AND SOME 2009 CIVICS. THE HONDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID A LETTER HAD BEEN SENT TO CIVIC OWNERS. HOWEVER, MY EXPERIENCE TODAY SHOWED ME THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS PROBLEM. I COULD HAVE A LIFE-THREATENING ACCIDENT TODAY, AND WHEN THE ISSUE IS SO GRAVE HONDA SHOULD CALL CAR OWNERS TO ALERT THEM TO THE RECALL. A LETTER SENT OUT ONE TIME IS NOT ENOUGH. THE MIDAS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES TOLD ME THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RECALL IN THEIR DATABASE, WHICH PROVES HOW POORLY THIS ENTIRE MATTER HAS BEEN HANDLED. THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES OUT THERE DRIVING THESE CIVICS. GET YOUR CARS CHECKED OUT, AND LET HONDA KNOW THAT THEY MUST TAKE BETTER CARE AND FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS! *TR