NHTSA Complaint #10487499 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BOLT HAS BROKEN 5 TIMES IN THE PAST 30,000 MILES. THIS REQUIRES REMOVING THE BROKEN BOLT AND REPLACING THE BOLT, TENSIONER ASSEMBLY, SERPENTINE BELT, WATER PUMP AND/OR PULLEY EACH TIME. HONDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IN FEBRUARY 2009, I RECEIVED A "PRODUCT UPDATE: REROUTING THE DRIVE BELT" WHICH ALSO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE BOLT. PRIOR TO THIS, ON OCTOBER 3, 2007 AT 35,954 MILES I TOOK THE CAR TO HONDA BECAUSE OF A WHINING NOISE AND THEY REROUTED THE BELT - BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE BOLT. IN ADDITION TO THE NOVEMBER 23, 2009 INCIDENT ABOVE, THE BOLT ALSO BROKE MAY 20, 2010 AT 78,198 MILES, AND AGAIN ON OCTOBER 12, 2010 AT 81,895 MILES AND THAT TIME WAS FIXED BY WADE RAULERSON HONDA, GAINESVILLE, FL. WHEN IT BROKE ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 AT 98,000 MILES I WAS IN GAINESVILLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO HONDA OF GAINESVILLE BUT THEIR ESTIMATE WAS $850 AND INCLUDED A NEW WATER PUMP WHICH WE LATER FOUND IT DID NOT NEED. SO I HAD IT TOWED 25 MILES BACK TO WILLISTON AND MY SON, AN EXPERIENCED MECHANIC REMOVED THE BOLT AND REPLACED IT, THE TENSIONER AND BELT. ON NOVEMBER 13, 2012 AT 101,000 MILES, THE BOLT BROKE AGAIN AND HE HAD A MORE DIFFICULT TIME REMOVING AND REPLACING IT. ALL THE REPLACED PARTS HAVE BEEN HONDA PARTS. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE THIS TIME, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING AND THE ENGINE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. I WILL NEVER HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE OR FOR ANY DISTANCE AGAIN BUT, NOW THAT I'M LIVING MOSTLY ON SOCIAL SECURITY, I CANNOT AFFORD CAR PAYMENTS. I EXPECTED THIS HONDA TO LAST ME AS LONG AS I WOULD NEED A CAR. THE REPAIR COSTS I'VE PAID HAVE BEEN $1,800 AND DON'T INCLUDE MY SON'S LABOR. *TR