NHTSA Complaint #10533942 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A TRAFFIC JAM WHICH WAS CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT, THE CAR BROKE DOWN WITH NO WARNING. THERE WAS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND NEARLY IMMEDIATELY THE CAR STOPPED WORKING ENTIRELY, SO STRANDED FOR 3 HOURS ON THE HIGHWAY WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED - ALL THE PLASTIC PIECES I.E. DIPSTICK WERE MELTED, ALONG WITH PARTS OF THE RADIATOR - THE FILLER CAP WAS CLEARLY MELTED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THERE WAS ANY OVERHEATING OCCURRING DURING THE PROBLEM - AGAIN, A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THEN THE CAR IMMEDIATELY STOPPED RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY. LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL/TSB FOR THIS MODEL HONDA FOR THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKING AND OVERHEATING. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF OVERHEATING AT ANY TIME AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT ALLOW EVEN FOR NURSING THE CAR TO THE NEARBY EXIT. IT IS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THE CAR WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC - JUST BARELY, STILL IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP "FIXED" THE ENGINE, PROVIDED HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND REFUSED TO FIX ANYTHING THE MELTED ENGINE DESTROYED (RADIATOR) THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP (DEALERSHIPS AND OTHERWISE) MULTIPLE TIMES FOR OTHER ITEMS "NOT COVERED" WITH THE MELTED ENGINE TSB SO I WILL BE REPORTING ANTICIPATED BREAK-DOWNS IN HORRIBLE TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING HERE AS NEEDED. *TR