NHTSA Complaint #10628266 — 2010 HONDA CIVIC

PLASTIC PART OF CAR KEY HOUSING FELL FROM THE METAL PART OF THE KEY AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. AT HOME, AFTER THE KEY HOUSING FELL TO THE CAR FLOOR, I EXAMINED IT. THE PLASTIC KEY HOUSING HAD FINE CRACKS WHERE METAL PART OF KEY WAS SUPPOSED BE SECURED WITH A TINY SCREW THAT WAS STILL IN THE METAL KEY. THE FINE CRACKS WAS ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE HOUSING TO OPEN AND SLIP OFF THE METAL KEY. APPARENTLY, THE METAL END OF THE KEY ISN'T LONG ENOUGH TO BE A LEVER WHEN TURNING ON THE IGNITION. THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE KEY TWISTED WHEN TURNING ON THE IGNITION AND RESULTED IN THE CRACKS AT THE BASE OF THE KEY. WITHOUT THE PROGRAMMED CHIP ATTACHED TO THE METAL KEY, THE IGNITION SHUTS OFF. *TR