NHTSA Complaint #10560160 — 2012 HONDA FIT

ON 12/31/2013 I PARKED MY HONDA FIT 2012 IN THE PARKING GARAGE OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES AT 6AM AND LEFT IT THERE WHILE MY LITTLE GIRL HAD SURGERY. WHEN I RETURNED TO IT AT 4:30, I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. THE LIGHT ON THE FOB FLASHED, SO I KNEW IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE KEYED LOCK ON THE CAR ON THE DRIVER'S HANDLE. I TRIED TO PUT THE KEY INTO THIS MECHANICAL LOCK, BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO HALF-WAY AND WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. I CALLED THE HONDA CARE LINE WHO SENT A TOW TRUCK WHOSE DRIVER TRIED FOR HALF AN HOUR OR SO TO UNLOCK THE DOOR THROUGH THE WINDOW, THEN SAID HE COULDN'T DO IT AND LEFT. I CALLED THE HONDA NUMBER AGAIN; THEY SENT ANOTHER TRUCK WHOSE DRIVER TRIED FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR OR SO, THEN LEFT. I CALLED MY CAR INSURANCE COMPANY, STATE FARM, WHO SENT A AAA TRUCK WHOSE DRIVER ALSO TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE AIR BLADDER DEVICE IN THE WINDOW, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. AT THAT POINT I ASKED HIM TO BREAK THE SMALL, FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW. HE DID SO, THEN HE WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, RAISE THE HOOD AND JUMP THE BATTERY TO START MY CAR. THE HOOD CAN'T BE OPENED EXCEPT BY THE LATCH INSIDE THE CAR. HOW IS IT LEGAL FOR A CAR TO BE BUILT WITHOUT A WAY TO LIFT THE HOOD TO JUMP THE BATTERY? AS LONG AS I COULDN'T OPEN THE DOOR, I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET INTO THE CAR WHEN THE BATTERY IS DEAD. I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN ANY EXPLANATION ABOUT THIS OR ABOUT WHY THE CAR CAN'T BE OPENED IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD. FOR OVER THREE AND A HALF HOURS MY CHILD WHO'D JUST HAD TWO SURGERIES SAT IN A WHEELCHAIR WHILE THE PEOPLE I'VE PAID TO HELP ME WERE UNABLE TO UNLOCK MY CAR.THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWHERE. FORTUNATELY I WAS IN A PARKING GARAGE AND NOT IN A PARKING LOT OR ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. *TR