NHTSA Complaint #10513252 — 2011 HONDA CIVIC

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER, UNDER MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD, BECAUSE THE A/C WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT "ROAD DEBRIS" PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE CONDENSER COIL, WHICH IS THE VERY FIRST THING BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER. NOTHING IS VISIBLE THAT WOULD PROTECT THE DELICATE COIL FROM NORMAL DRIVING. INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I CALLED SEVERAL LOCAL DEALERS, ALL OF WHICH ADMITTED THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I CALLED HONDA, AND WAS ADVISED THEIR POSITION IS NOT TO OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AS THEY DO NOT FEEL THIS IS AN EQUIPMENT OR DESIGN FLAW. SINCE THERE IS NO RETROFIT AVAILABLE, NOTHING PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM THE DAMAGE HAPPENING AGAIN, AFTER A COSTLY REPAIR BILL. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE, AND FOUND A SETTLED CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT BETWEEN HONDA AND HONDA OWNERS FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. "SPECIFICALLY, THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT THE CONDENSER WAS PLACED IN A POSITION THAT WAS VULNERABLE TO CONTACT FROM ROCKS, PEBBLES AND OTHER ROAD DEBRIS DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON PAVED ROADWAYS, AND THAT HONDA FAILED TO DESIGN THE VEHICLE EITHER TO WITHSTAND THIS IMPACT OR WITH A GUARD OR GRILL THAT WOULD PROTECT THE CONDENSER DESPITE THE 'CLEAR VULNERABILITY' OF THE CONDENSER TO THIS DEBRIS CONTACT." - ALIN V. HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD. ET AL., CASE NUMBER [XXX]. THE LAWSUIT SETTLED IN SEPTEMBER 2011. THIS LAWSUIT DID NOT INCLUDE CIVICS, BUT LOCAL DEALERS AND VEHICLE BLOGS SHOW THAT THIS IS, AND HAS BEEN, A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FROM BACK BEFORE THIS LAWSUIT . HONDA CLAIMED I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL THEM WITH THIS ISSUE. I AM TRYING TO WORK THIS OUT WITHOUT PARTICIPATING IN A CURRENT CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT INVESTIGATION FOR THIS ISSUE, FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL. IT IS VERY DISTRESSING THAT HONDA WAS WELL AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AND FAULTY/FLIMSY MATERIAL CAUSING THIS ISSUE, AND DID EXACTLY NOTHING TO PREVENT FUTURE ISSUES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR