NHTSA Complaint #10469038 — 2008 HONDA CIVIC

THIS SUMMER, FROM THE MONTH OF MAY ONWARDS, I FELT DIFFICULT IN BREATHING, BLURRED VISION AND SOMETIMES A SUDDEN CHEST PAIN WHILE DRIVING MY CIVIC WITH AC RUNNING, IT BLEW COOL BUT NOT COLD AIR, AND THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES THAT I ALMOST FELL OFF AND MY BODY BECAME OFF BALANCE WHILE WALKING AROUND AFTER DRIVING THE CIVIC. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE I AM GETTING OLD, 46YRS. BUT. LATER , I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A FREON LEAK WITHIN THE CAR WHEN AC IS ENGAGED . A TIF 5000 DETECTOR WAS USED TO CHECK AND CONFIRM THE PRESENT OF R134A IN THE COOL AIR INSIDE THE CIVIC. THE CHECK WAS CARRIED OUT UNDER CONDITION THAT AC SYSTEM IS BLOWING CLOSED CIRCULATIUON AIR WITHIN THE CAR. I FELT THAT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT MIGHT POST A GREATER RISK OF AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS FOR ELDERLY DRIVERS AS THE R134A, FREON, IS POISONOUS AND ONCE THE DRIVERS UNAWARE OF ITS PRESENT AND INHALE IT AND PHYSICALLY LOSE CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLES. ESPECIALLY ELDERLY ONES ARE MORE VULNERABLE AND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. THERE ARE MANY ACCIDENTS MIGHT BE DUE TO THIS TYPE OF AC DEFECT. THE PUBLIC OR THE INVESTIGATORS MAY HAVE NOT REALIZED THIS IS ONE OF THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS, AS THE CRASHES MAY HAVE PHYSICALLY DESTROY ALL THE EVIDENCES OF DEFECTIVE AC SYSTEM. I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY HONDA AUTOMOBILES BUT ALL CARS IN THE USA. *TR