NHTSA Complaint #10824641 — 2004 HONDA ELEMENT

THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY 2004 ELEMENT ROCKS NOTICEABLY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE SEAT FRAME. COST WAS $2300. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT HONDA ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN #03-032 (ATTACHED). THE WORK INVOLVES REPLACING SEAT BUSHINGS. I TOOK THE SB TO THE DEALER, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE FRAME WAS TOO BAD, AND THAT THE WORK WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. LOOKING AT THE SERVICE BULLETIN, THE BUSHINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED PROTECT THE FRAME. THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THE DESIGN FLAW REQUIRED THEM TO BE REPLACED. I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, AND CANNOT SAY IF THE WORK WAS EVER DONE. IN EITHER CASE, THE FAILURE OF THE BUSHINGS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE FRAME. PRESENTLY, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT AND THE SEAT IS LOOSE. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, IT IS MY CONCERN THAT THE MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT COULD RESULT IN SHEARING OF THE BOLTS, CAUSING THE SEAT TO COME APART. SINCE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS NOT A RECALL, BUT A SERVICE BULLETIN, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THERE MAY BE MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WITH LOOSE SEATS. AS A SAFETY CONCERN THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO INSPECT THE FRAME FOR DAMAGE AND REPLACE IF DAMAGED. I AM PUTTING TODAY'S DATE IN THE DATE FIELD BELOW, BUT THIS IS A CHRONIC ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.