NHTSA Complaint #10736167 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

WHILE I WAS CHANGING THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXLE OF A BROKEN CV JOINT BOOT LAST YEAR (JULY 2014), I NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED OUT (ABOUT 60% CAME THROUGH AND OFF WHEN I PUNCHED THE AREA WITH A SCREW DRIVER) WHERE THE STABILIZING BAR BRACKET AND LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT ARE MOUNTED TO THE FRAME. THE PROBLEM AREA OF THE SUBFRAME IS RIGHT UNDER THE DRAIN HOLE FOR THE A/C EVAPORATOR. THE SUBFRAME TO THE DRIVER SIDE IS CLEAN AND HAS NO RUST ISSUE. THE LOCATION OF THE RUST AREA SUGGESTS THAT IT MAY BE RELATED TO THE DRAIN HOLE OF THE A/C SYSTEM OR/AND SOMETHING SIMILAR (SUCH AS RAIN) THAT HAD LED TO WATER STAYING IN THE AREA. THE RUST IS GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. I CHECKED IT TODAY (JULY 23, 2015) AFTER NOTICING YELLOWISH DRIPPING MARKS LEFT ON THE DRIVER WAY. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR THE DAY BEFORE WHEN THERE WAS A HEAVY RAIN. THE CAR WAS PARKED ON THE DRIVE WAY (UP HILL ABOUT 15 DEGREES) OVER NIGHT. WHEN SHE PULLED THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE NEXT DAY, WE SAW YELLOWISH WATER DRIPPING FROM UNDER THE CAR. SO, I LOOKED AT THE AREA. FOR SURE, IT'S GETTING WORSE THAN LAST YEAR. I PUNCHED AROUND AND GOT ABOUT A COUPLE OF SPOONFULS OF RUST OFF THE FRAME. I USED MY PRY BAR TO PRY AROUND THE AREA AND I CAN SEE THAT THE FRAME IS GETTING VERY WEAK. NOW I CAN SEE THE RUST IS PROGRESSING OVER TIME. AS THE AREA IS GETTING MORE RUSTED, THE STRUCTURE IS LOSING ITS STRENGTH. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND/OR THE STABILIZING BAR WILL COME OFF THE FRAME, CAUSING DISASTER ON THE ROAD. I SEARCHED THE INERNET ON THE ISSUE ("HONDA ACCORD SUBFRAME RUST"). THE ISSUE SEEMS VERY COMMON. THERE MUST BE A DESIGN FLAW (A/C DRAIN OR RAIN WATER) WITH THE CAR. IT SEEMS THAT THE ISSUE HAD NOT BEEN UNDERSTOOD AND TAKEN CARE OF BY HONDA. I AM URGING SOMEBODY LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AND HAVE HONDA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. THANKS.