NHTSA Complaint #10787874 — 2005 HONDA CIVIC

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL FIXED. SHORTLY AFTER THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG WAS FIXED THE AIR BAG DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINS ON TO THIS DAY. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG RECALL WAS FIXED I RECEIVED A SECOND RECALL NOTICE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE SECOND RECALL I INQUIRED ABOUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYING ON. THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THE RELAY LOCATED IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT WOULD COST $403. UPON MY RESEARCH OF THE INTERNET AND SPEAKING WITH OTHERS WHO ALSO HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL AIR BAGS WERE FIXED, IS SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. HONDA DISAGREES THAT THIS IS ANY CAUSE THAT THEY HAVE DONE....JUST COINCIDENCE THAT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS ARE FIXED. HONDA CLAIMS THAT IT IS A RELAY SWITCH LOCATED IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE. IT JUST SEEMS TO BE SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM AFTER THE AIR BAGS PROBLEM IS FIXED. I TRIED TO TELL THEM ALSO THAT MY CAR HAS A LIFE TIME WARRANTY ON THE SEAT BELT. THEY DECLINED TO FIX IT, SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. SO I ASKED THEM WHAT IT MEANS SINCE THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON IN THE DASH. HONDA SAYS THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT, SINCE THE AIR BAGS CANNOT TELL THAT THE SEAT BELT IS BUCKLED. SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DASH LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THEY TRIED TO FIX THE AIR BAGS. THE REMEDY FOR THIS ACCORDING TO HONDA IS A NEW SEAT BELT BUCKLE OF WHICH THEY WILL NOT COVER IN THE LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AUTO MAKERS HAD TO FIX SAFETY FEATURES THAT MALFUNCTION.