NHTSA Complaint #10778339 — 2001 ACURA CL

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NO. (VIN): 19UYA42441A... SUMMARY: THE VEHICLE SUB-FRAME IS ROTTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONER OUTPUT DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FRAME DRIPPING ON IT TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS OK AND SHOWING NO SIGNS OF RUST. I FEEL THIS IS AN ENGINEERING ISSUE NOT CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. ACURA LOCAL SERVICE AND CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES DO NOT DISAGREE WITH MY CONCLUSION BUT WILL NOT OFFER ANY REPAIR COMPENSATION TO HAVE THE SUB-FRAME REPLACED. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN INSPECTING THE FRONT BRAKES WITH THE FRONT WHEEL REMOVED. OTHERWISE, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN KNOWN UNTIL A CATASTROPHIC FRAME COLLAPSE.THEY SAID THE FRAME SEEMED TO BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND AT THIS TIME BUT IT DEFINITELY WILL NEED REPLACEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THEY SAID THEY FOUND ONLY TWO OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT A SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 01 TO 04 CL'S. ACURA TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE AGE, NO COMPENSATION CAN BE OFFERED. I AM A LOYAL ACURA CUSTOMER HAVING PURCHASED 4 OF THEIR VEHICLES IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT ONE A 2015 TLX MODEL. THIS DIDN'T SEEM TO MATTER TO THE ACURA CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE. MY HOPE IS THAT BY IDENTIFYING THE ABOVE PROBLEM, IT WILL HELP PRESERVE PRESENT AND FUTURE ACURA BUYERS AND SAVE AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A FRAME COLLAPSE WITH LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. SINCE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN CAUSED BY AN ENGINEERING DEFICIENCY, I FEEL ACURA SHOULD AGREE TO SUPPORT ALL OR SOME REPAIR COSTS AND NOTIFY CURRENT OWNERS OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE PICTURES OF AFFECTED AREA.