NHTSA Complaint #10454820 — 2009 HONDA CIVIC

THE VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW FROM A HONDA DEALERSHIP IN WAUKESHA WIS. ON 11-28-2008. ONE YR. AFTER PURCHASE WE NOTICED THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, WHEN BACKING UP, BRAKING. THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DRIVER WOULD NEED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH GREATER FORCE, AND THEN SHIFT AUTO. TRANS INTO NEUTRAL. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER 3 SEPARATE TIMES, AND THEY INDICATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION PER THEIR SUGGESTION WE PURCHASED THE RUBBER ALL WEATHER HONDA FLOOR MATS AT A COST OF $110.00. I DOUBTED THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. IN NOVEMBER 2011 THE SAME PROBLEM WAS EXPERIENCED A FOURTH TIME IN A PARKING LOT. WHILE WAITING IN A PARKING LOT THE ENGINE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY, AND MORE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE CONTINUING PROBLEM. ON 11-29-2011 WE LEFT THE CIVIC AT THE DEALER, AND WAYNE NICKLAS THE (AHM) WOULD ALSO EXAMINE THE CAR WITH A MECHANIC. THE MILEAGE WAS 26,526. MR. NICKLAS MET WITH US. HE EXPLAINED HOW THEY CHECKED THE TIRE DEPTH, PRESSURE, AND THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE CAR. I THEN ASKED FOR SPECIFICS ABOUT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, AND HE INDICATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO MR. NICKLAS, THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL ENGINE CODE, AND IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR LONG ENOUGH FOR THE COMPUTER TO RECORD IT. HE DENIED OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED WITH CIVICS. WE FOUND SIMILAR CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FILED ON WEB SITES WITH CIVICS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS. IT WAS SUGGESTED WE TRADE IN THE VEHICLE. WE FELT UNSAFE IN CONTINUING TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE HONDA DEALER LEFT US HANGING, AND OFFERED US NO FURTHER HELP WITH TRADING IN THE VEHICLE. WE INCURRED A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS WHEN WE TRADED IN THE CIVIC AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. RESEARCH FOUND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE BY ANY MEANS. *TR