NHTSA Complaint #10535882 — 2003 HONDA CR-V

WHILE USING THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. EARLIER ON THE SAME DAY THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW FAILED TO MOVE WHEN I USED THE MASTER SWITCH TO CONTROL IT. THE BURNING SMELL CONTINUED TO WORSEN EVERY TIME I USED THE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH. MY MECHANIC TRACKED THE PROBLEM TO THE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH AND REMOVED IT. THE MASTER SWITCH HAD MELTED AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE HAD I CONTINUED TO USE IT. HONDA HAS SINCE ISSUED RECALLS ON THE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH FOR 2002-2006 HONDA CRVS, HOWEVER MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED; HONDA STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS VIN-SPECIFIC AND MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE RECALL ANNOUNCED ON OCT. 6, 2012 STATED "OVER TIME, EXPOSURE TO WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS CAN CAUSE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE SWITCH, WHICH ULTIMATELY CAN CAUSE THE SWITCH TO OVERHEAT AND MELT, DAMAGING THE SWITCH AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING AN ASSOCIATED WIRE HARNESS. ADDITIONALLY IF A SWITCH MELTS, IT COULD PRODUCE SMOKE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE, CREATING A RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY." THIS DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN MY 2003 CRV, YET HONDA HAS REFUSED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE STATING THAT IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. ON JUNE 28, 2013 HONDA ANNOUNCED AN IDENTICAL RECALL---THIS TIME FOR THE MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH IN THE 2007-08 HONDA FIT. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE REASON FOR THIS RECALL IS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE ISSUED FOR THE 2002-2006 CRVS, AND IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED IN MY 2003 CRV. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THESE DANGEROUS, RECURRING INCIDENTS IN HONDA VEHICLES AND EXPAND THE RECALL OF THE CRVS. MY REPAIR COST TOTALED $476 AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THAT AMOUNT BY HONDA. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOWEVER, IS THIS RECURRING SAFETY HAZARD TO HONDA DRIVERS. I HAVE THE MASTER SWITCH THAT WAS REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE AND AM WILLING TO PROVIDE IT FOR INSPECTION. *TR