NHTSA Complaint #10748315 — 2013 HONDA CR-V

I NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE DURING COLD STARTS FROM THE ENGINE THAT CONTINUED WELL INTO THE SUMMER. I REPORTED IT TO MY HONDA DEALER (BILL PAGE/FALLS CHURCH, VA) AND REFERRED TO THE WELL DOCUMENTED VTC ACTUATOR PROBLEM REPORTED ON THE INTERNET BASED ON VIDEO AND AUDIO SIMILARITIES IN THE NOISES I WAS HEARING. THE DEALER BEING AWARE OF THE PROBLEM REFRAINED FROM ANY INVESTIGATION OR CORRECTION UNTIL THEY RECEIVED A CORRECTIVE SOLUTION FROM HONDA. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO HONDA AMERICA AND THE DEALER LATER IN 2015 AFTER MY HONDA DEALER TECHNICIAN REPTD NO SOLUTION HAS COME FROM HONDA. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM HONDA REGARDING MY COMPLAINT SUGGESTING THE VTC ACTUATOR PROBLEM IS LIMITED TO ALASKA AND I SHOULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DEALER TO INVESTIGATE. AS A RESULT TO A SWITCH TO SYNTHETIC OIL AT THE DEALER THE NOISE SEEMS TO HAVE GONE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM HAS NOT DAMAGED THE ENGINE OR WON'T REAPPEAR IF I DECIDE TO RETURN TO CONVENTIONAL OIL. THE OFFICIAL POSITION BY HONDA VS. THE DEALER SEEMS TO PROMOTE A STAND-OFF TO COMPENSATE FOR A LACK OF A FULLY RELIABLE SOLUTION IN THAT THE DEALER IS TOLD NOT TO INITIATE REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM UNTIL A SOLUTION IS DISTRIBUTED BY HONDA WHILE HONDA CLAIMS THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNIVERSAL AND IS TRYING TO MINIMIZE ITS SCOPE; LEAVING CONSUMERS IN THE MIDDLE TRYING TO MAKE THEIR CRVS OR OTHER MODEL HONDAS RELIABLE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I WILL CONTINUE PURSUIT OF A FIX WITH HONDA AMERICA BUT FEEL NHTSA SHOULD PRESSURE HONDA TO ADDRESS THIS WELL KNOWN AND PUBLICIZED FAULT WITH SOME SORT OF PERMANENT FIX. FOR A MANUFACTURER WHO CLAIMS THEIR VEHICLES ARE HIGHLY RELIABLE HONDA APPARENT DECEPTION REGARDING THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND I HOPE NHTSA FORCES THIS ACTION TO OCCUR. I ALSO PROVIDED NHTSA WITH A COPY OF MY 7/25/15 LETTER TO AMERICAN HONDA.