NHTSA Complaint #10795347 — 2005 HONDA ACCORD

OWNER:I HIT A DIP WITH THIS ACCORD 3.0 WITH VTEC ENGINE WAS DRIVING DOWN STREET WHEN CAR MADE FUNNY NOISE AND THE STEERING GOT HARD TO TURN. PULLED OVER AND FOUND POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING. DROVE IT TO SHOP ORDERED HOSE THEN DROPPED HOSE WITH FLUID AT REPAIR SHOP. TECHNICIAN: POWER STEERING HOSE BROKE HARD AND OLD LEAKING FLUID EVERYWHERE CAUSING CERPINTINE BELT COME OFF. THE HARDENED POWER STEERING HOSE BROKE DUE TO FACT THAT BREAKING OF 2 PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT TO BRACKET BOLTS IN BRACKET CAUSING ENGINE TO RAISE DURING ACCELERATION AND PULLING ON HOSES. CAR DROVE IN OK. AFTER REPLACING BRACKET AND HOSE NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM BEHIND TIMING BELT AND REMOVED TOP COVER. FOUND WATER PUMP LEAKING WEEP HOLE AND FOUND IDLER PULLEY AND BOLT CAME LOOSE AND FELL OFF.(IDLER PULLEY HAS A SPECIAL BOLT WITH WASHER END THAT IF DONT WIGGLE THE PULLY WHILE TIGHTENING CAN TIGHTEN PULLEY TWEAKED AND NOT COMPLETE ALSO USE LOCTITE) ALSO FOUND THE HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT TO BE OVER TORQUED MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE WITHOUT SPECIAL OCTAGON HOLDING TOOL. OF COURSE CUSTOMER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HOW SO MANY THINGS ARE WRONG WHEN ALL HE SAW WAS BROKEN POWER STEERING HOSE.(WHICH WHEN FLUID LEAKS CAN ALSO CATCH CAR ON FIRE) NOW WE SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF WATER PUMP AND TIMING KIT BUT CUSTOMER WANTS VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND FEELS WE CREATED THESE OTHER PROBLEMS ON PURPOSE WHICH LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO DO LABOR FOR FREE JUST TO PROVE IM NOT! THE LIFT OF ENGINE AND FLUID LEAK CAUSED SEVERAL BUSHINGS TO COME APART. HE MUST HAVE HIT DIP HARD.