NHTSA Complaint #10609549 — 2012 HONDA ACCORD

TWICE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS MY CAR'S ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION. IT ONLY MADE A BUZZING SOUND. I RETURNED THE KEY TO THE RESTING POSITION AND TRIED AGAIN. BOTH TIMES IT STARTED. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALER TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL. (NO. IT'S NORMAL FOR A CAR TO START WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY.) HE GAVE ME A COPY OF A HONDA "SERVICE NEWS ARTICLE" DATED "OCTOBER 2001" ENTITLED "STARTER RELAY BUZZES." IT READS, "IF YOU TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH VERY SLOWLY TO START THE ENGINE, ALL HONDA MODELS EXCEPT PASSPORT HAVE THIS LITTLE QUIRK: THE STARTER RELAY BUZZES. IF YOUR CUSTOMER COMPLAINS ABOUT IT, DON'T SPEND YOUR TIME TRYING TO FIX IT; THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WRONG. JUST TELL YOUR CUSTOMER TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH A LITTLE FASTER, AND THE RELAY WON'T BUZZ." *TR