NHTSA Complaint #10807969 — 2006 HONDA ELEMENT

SEE HONDA SAFETY RECALL NO. R44. PUB NHTSA 2010-08-05 SAME ISSUE AS DESCRIBED. THE INTERLOCK LEVER OF THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY UNEXPECTEDLY DEFORM, WHICH CAN ALLOW THE INTERLOCK FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO BE DEFEATED. REMOVAL OF THE IGNITION KEY WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR OF A VEHICLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN SHIFTED TO THE PARK POSITION CAN ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS THAT MY CAR ROLLED WHILE I WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE A FEW TIMES BEFORE I FIGURED OUT I WAS LEAVING THE CAR IN DRIVE WHILE EXITING BECAUSE I LEAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE UNTIL I JUMP OUT. THIS WAS SCARY AND NEARLY DISASTROUS, BECAUSE WITH THE CAR ROLLING BACKWARD, IT IS A DUKES OF HAZARD MOVE TO JUMP BACK IN THE CAR WHILE GETTING IMPACTED BY THE DOOR, THEN LAUNCHING INTO THE SEAT AND HITTING THE FOOT PEDAL BRAKE. IT IS A FRIGHTENING HAZARD, BUT THE $800-1K TO FIX IS A BARRIER TO MANY PEOPLE. I CHOOSE TO ALWAYS USE THE PARKING BREAK INSTEAD OF PAY THAT MUCH. I FIND THIS A FRIGHTENING PROBLEM THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE SAFETY ISSUE HONDA KNOWS ABOUT AND SHOULD FIX.