NHTSA Complaint #10760673 — 2012 HONDA CIVIC

THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC DUE TO RODENT DAMAGED WIRES AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DAMAGED WIRES WERE HIDDEN, OUT OF SIGHT, IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, UNDER THE AIR FILTER HOUSING. THE DAMAGE SEEMED TO BE WHERE THE WIRES WERE EXPOSED NEAR A CONNECTOR (NOT COVERED BY BLACK PLASTIC PROTECTIVE SHEATH). THE ENGINE ROOM WIRING HARNESS P/N# 32200-TR0-A00 WAS REPLACED BY HONDA TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE SPEED IS JUST A BEST GUESS AS I WAS RIDING THE BRAKE PEDAL IN TRAFFIC AND NOTICED THAT MY DASH WAS LIT UP WITH ERROR CODES AND THE ENGINE WENT SILENT. I AM POSTING THIS HERE BECAUSE THE INTERNET IS FULL OF RODENT DAMAGED WIRE CASES AND SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THE CAUSE IS THE MATERIAL BEING USED IN TODAY'S AUTOMOBILE WIRE INSULATION. THERE ARE COMMENTS THAT SOY AND PLANT BASED, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS ARE BEING USED INSTEAD OF PETROLEUM BASED PLASTICS, WHICH MIGHT ATTRACT RODENTS (OR MAYBE JUST EASIER TO CHEW THROUGH?). CAR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY HAVE SWITCHED TO SOMETHING THAT ATTRACTS RODENTS OR IS MUCH EASIER TO DAMAGE BY RODENTS. CAR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD DESIGN RODENT PROOF WIRING AND NOT LEAVE WIRES EXPOSED AND UNPROTECTED NEAR CONNECTORS. IF RODENT DAMAGE CAUSES A CAR TO STALL AT THE WRONG TIME OR LOSES AN IMPORTANT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS LIGHTS AT NIGHT, OR ELECTRIC STEERING, IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. MANY OTHER CAR COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO HONDA FINDING THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF MY CAR'S PROBLEM. PEOPLE SHOULD BE AWARE THAT RODENT DAMAGE IS COVERED BY YOUR AUTO INSURANCE, "COMPREHENSIVE" COVERAGE, WHICH MOST PEOPLE THINK OF AS COLLISION AND "COMP.", BUT IS SUBJECT TO YOUR COMP'S DEDUCTIBLE. RODENT DAMAGED WIRES CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR IF THEY HAVE TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS INSTEAD OF JUST SPLICING SOME DAMAGED WIRES (IN MY CASE WAS $APPROX $1,700 TOTAL).