NHTSA Complaint #10464766 — 2007 HONDA PILOT

I HAD TAKEN MY 2007 HONDA PILOT EX 4WD TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE THE A/C UNIT LOOKED AT BECAUSE MY AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. THE HONDA SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAD CALLED ME BACK A FEW HOURS LATER TO REPORT A HOLE ON MY CONDENSER THAT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED. THIS REPAIR BY HONDA IS APPARENTLY NOT COVERED UNDER HONDA CARE WARRANTY. ON THE HONDA CARE WEBSITE, IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE CONDENSER IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY REPAIR. THERE IS NO "FINE PRINT" INDICATING OTHERWISE. HONDA CLAIMS THAT THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO A "FOREIGN OBJECT" LIKE A ROCK OR PEBBLE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT GRILL IS AN OPEN DESIGN THAT EXPOSES THE RADIATOR AND A/C CONDENSER UNIT. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THERE IS THE STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT ANY "FOREIGN OBJECT" CAN HIT THAT ARE. HONDA HAD QUOTED ME AT $700+ DOLLARS ON THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT THE REPAIR COST MUST FALL ON THE CONSUMER TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES ON A REPAIR THAT IS CLEARLY NOT AT FAULT OF ANY DRIVER AND IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW ON THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND APPARENTLY THERE IS ALREADY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE 2004-2007 HONDA ODYSSEY VEHICLE LINEUP THAT HAS A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE WITH AN OPEN FRONT GRILL DESIGN. *TR