NHTSA Complaint #10749696 — 2009 HONDA CR-V

ON JULY 31, 2015, WHILE EXITING I-95 NORTHBOUND CROSSING FROM THE FLORIDA TO GEORGIA STATE LINE FROM HIGH DENSITY HIGH SPEED VACATION TRAFFIC, MY 2009 HONDA CR-V SERPENTINE (DRIVE) BELT SNAPPED. I IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER STEERING AND OTHER FUNCTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRIVE SERPENTINE BELT. I WAS TRAVELING AT LEAST 45 MPH AS I HAD JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY; MY KNUCKLES WERE WHITE I WAS GRABBING THE STEERING WHEEL SO HARD TRYING TO ASSESS, AT HIGH SPEED AND WITH VEHICLES IN FRONT AND BEHIND ME GOING THE SAME SPEEDS, HOW TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG GIRLS WERE WITH ME AND I FEARED THAT ME AND MY ENTIRE FAMILY WERE BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION CLEARLY IDENTIFIED A FAILED AIR-CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR CLUTCH, THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF HONDA TSB 12-072 (SERVICE BULLETIN SB-10056005-7115), THAT MY VIN IS THE SUBJECT OF HONDA'S EXTENDED WARRANTY ASSOCIATED WITH TSB 12-072. THE COMPRESSOR CLUTCH CAUSED THE COMPRESSOR TO WIND-UP/DAMAGE THE BELT WHEN IT COULD NOT TRAVEL OVER THE DRIVE WHEEL OF THE COMPRESSOR. THE ONLY WARNING WE HAD, IN HINDSIGHT, WAS WE LOST AIR CONDITIONING EARLIER IN OUR TRIP TO FLORIDA AND THE AC WAS BLOWING WARM AIR AND THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE COMPRESSOR AREA. MY ENTIRE FAMILY WAS TERRIFIED BY WHAT HAPPENED HERE - THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT THAT PRESENTS AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO SAFETY AND SHOULD BE A RECALL, NOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY 1 MINUTE EARLIER, I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEED BY CAR OR, WORSE, TRUCK. GIVEN THE NUMEROUS BLOG POSTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THE HONDA DEALER SERVICE TECH WHO SAID HE SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT CAN RESULT IN THE DRIVE BELT GETTING DESTROYED BY A FAILED AC COMPRESSOR CLUTCH, IT SEEMS THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.