NHTSA Complaint #10678656 — 2014 HONDA ACCORD

WE SMELLED FUEL WHEN DRIVING TO CHURCH ON A SUNDAY. THINKING IT WAS SOME LEFTOVER FUEL SPLASHED, WE CONTINUED BUT THEN THE SMELL BECAME REALLY INTENSE. SO WE TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TOWARD HOME. UPON ENTERING OUR STREET, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLED TOTALLY OUT AND CAME TO A STOP IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! WE ROLLED IT OVER TO THE SIDE, IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET; THEN STARTED CAR AGAIN AND WENT SLOWLY DOWNHILL TO THE HOUSE; CAR STALLED AGAIN JUST OUTSIDE OUR HOUSE, WE COULD NOT GET IT INTO DRIVEWAY, VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL; WE PUSHED IT TO GET IT PARKED ON THE STREET. TRIED AGAIN LATER THAT DAY TO START THE CAR BUT IT WOULDN'T START, VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL AND GASOLINE LEAKING ONTO THE STREET. CAR TOWED TO HONDA DEALER NEXT DAY; AFTER TECHNICIANS EXAMINED THE CAR THEY CONCLUDED "RODENT DAMAGE" TO THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE FUEL TANK. THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE DAMAGE AS IT "WASN'T MANUFACTURER DEFECT." ALSO CALLED NATIONAL HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OPENED A CASE; BUT THEY WOULD NOT AGREE EITHER TO COVER ANYTHING. WE WERE VERY LUCKY WE WEREN'T ON A HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE WHEN THIS SUDDENLY STALLED OUT, WE COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED AS THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH NO WARNING! THE FUEL LINE LAST PORTION LEADING INTO THE TANK IS MADE OF RUBBER, IT IS NOT METAL OR HARD PLASTIC LIKE THE REST OF THE LINE AND THEREFORE SUBJECT TO SOMETHING SHARP PUNCTURING IT--WHICH IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN IN OUR VIEW. THE NEW PART THEY PUT ON IS SAME AS THE OLD, THE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE IS NO SHIELD UNDER THE FUEL TANK AREA TO KEEP THINGS FROM UNDERNEATH GETTING UP IN THERE. HONDA SHOULD AT LEAST COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR (WE PAID $684.09), CAR IS ALMOST BRAND NEW. AND WE BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, CAR CAN SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR