NHTSA Complaint #10767531 — 2005 HONDA ACCORD

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. I WAS ON MY HOME FROM WORK AND HAD STOPPED TO PURCHASE A FEW ITEMS. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. I HAD BEEN IN THE STORE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD THE LOUDSPEAKER ASKING FOR THE OWNER OF A 2005 GOLD HONDA ACCORD TO COME TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNTER. WHEN I APPROACHED THE PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER, HE ASKED ME TO LOOK OUTSIDE TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE ON FIRE WAS, IN FACT, MY CAR. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE OF MY CAR AND TWO VEHICLES FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. HONDA INSISTED IT WAS MY FAULT, BUT I FOUND OUT MUCH LATER THAT ENGINE FIRES HAD OCCURRED IN OTHER 2005 ACCORDS. STATE FARM GAVE ME THE REPLACEMENT VALUE FOR THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO PURCHASE A CAR OF EQUAL VALUE. THE HONDA ACCORD WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I FELT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED FOR THE ENTIRE COST OF THE CAR. PLUS, IF THE FIRE HAD OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I MIGHT NOT BE HERE WRITING THIS LETTER TO YOU. I WAS JUST RECENTLY MADE AWARE OF SOME OF THE RECALLS FROM HONDA FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AND COMPENSATE ME FAIRLY FOR MY LOSS. I HAVE THE VIN NUMBER AND ALL OF THE PAPERWORK FROM STATE FARM, INCLUDING PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO CAR TAKEN AFTER THE FIRE. *TR