NHTSA Complaint #10498525 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

THE DRIVE BELT AUTO-TENSIONER PIVOT BOLT BROKE WHILE THE CAR WAS TRAVELLING. THE DRIVER NOTICED A LOUD MECHANICAL SOUND AND LATER DISCOVERED THE DRIVE BELT AUTO-TENSIONER PIVOT BOLT WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE DRIVER WAS LUCKY THE BELT DID NOT BREAK, THE WATER PUMP PULLEY DID NOT BREAK FROM THE FRICTION, OR THE BOLT FLY INTO THE ENGINE. IN EITHER CASE WE DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE 2006 CIVIC MODEL AND HAD A TSB 09-007, STARTING JANUARY 30, 2009, UNTIL JANUARY 30, 2012. WE HAD TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, WHERE WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO COVER ALL COSTS, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON PART OF THIS MODEL CAR. WHAT IS WORSE, MANY TIMES THE BOLT WILL BREAK AGAIN. I AM AFRAID OF THIS HAPPENING AND A POSSIBILITY OF LOSING CONTROL OVER THE CAR SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. ALL I ASK IS HONDA REOPEN THIS TSB ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS TO FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE MODELS AND POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT FOR FIXING THE FLAW. *TR