NHTSA Complaint #10500576 — 2013 HONDA ACCORD

I HAVE PURCHASED A 2013 HONDA ACCORD TOURING MODEL. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM (FCW) WHICH HAS A RADAR SENSOR IN THE GRILLE. THE SYSTEM ALERTS CAN BE SET FOR LONG, NORMAL OR SHORT. WHEN SET FOR LONG THE ALERT SHOULD COME ON ABOUT THREE CAR LENGTHS AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AHEAD. IF THE SYSTEM DETERMINES A COLLISION IS POSSIBLE, IT SHOULD GIVE BOTH VISUAL & AUDIBLE ALERTS, INCLUDING A HEADS-UP WARNING THAT FLASHES ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE FCW SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING AS IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. IN FACT IT ONLY ALERTS @ RANDOM TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN CHECK IT OUT ON HIGHWAYS, MAIN STREETS & LOCAL STREETS. HE COULD ONLY GET THE SYSTEM TO GIVE AN ALERT ONCE WHEN THE CAR AHEAD WAS STANDING AT A RED LIGHT. THE ALERT CAME WHEN WE WERE ABOUT ONE CAR LENGTH AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AHEAD. HE TRIED IT AGAIN @ THE NEXT RED LIGHT & IT DID NOT GIVE ANY ALERT. I HAVE TESTED THE SYSTEM AT ALL SPEEDS & DISTANCES DRIVING BEHIND A CAR DRIVEN BY MY WIFE, NO ALERTS. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE SYSTEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING & HE WOULD CALL AMERICAN HONDA TO GET INFORMATION ON HOW THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK. HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH AMERICAN HONDA & AT THIS POINT IN TIME THEY DO NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING THEM OR ANY THIRD PARTY CHECK OUT THE FCW SYSTEM. *TR