NHTSA Complaint #10493061 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN A 2 LANE ROAD AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A NOISE AGAIN. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED WITHIN ONE YEAR. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO TURN LEFT INTO A GAS STATION AND THE ENGINE WENT DEAD AND POWER STEERING WAS LOST. COULD NOT RE-START THE ENGINE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. INVOICE SAYS SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER PIVOT BOLT IS BROKEN WHICH CAUSED BELT DAMAGE, WATERPUMP PULLEY DAMAGE, TENSIONER DAMAGE, ETC. DUE TO THE DAMAGE, ONE HELICOIL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER TORQUE SO THEY HAD TO USE A SECOND ONE INSIDE THE FIRST ONE. NOTE ON THIS INVOICE SAYS "IF PROBLEM RECURS ENGINE BLOCK REPLACEMENT WILL BE NECESSARY." HONDA SENT OUT A TSB ABOUT THIS ON JANUARY 30, 2009 #09-007 THAT SAYS "THE CURRENT ROUTING OF THE ENGINE DRIVE BELT CREATES EXTRA FORCE ON THE DRIVE BELT AUTO-TENSIONER. IN RARE CASES, THIS EXTRA FORCE COULD BREAK THE AUTO-TENSIONER PIVOT BOLT, CAUSING AN ENGINE NOISE OR A LOSS OF POWER STEERING." I DID NOT RECEIVE A CARD IN THE MAIL SAYING THAT MY CAR WAS BEING RECALLED FOR REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS TIME THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURY WHEN MY CAR WENT DEAD WHILE I WAS TURNING LEFT ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR