NHTSA Complaint #10862600 — 2014 HONDA CR-V

WE HAVE 4 INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO START THE CRV BECAUSE OF A LOW BATTERY PROBLEM. THIS NECESSITATED USING A JUMP STARTER TO START THE CAR. I HAVE MEASURED THE VOLTAGE WITH A MULTI METER AND AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE THE VOLTAGE WILL BE ABOUT 12.4 VOLTS AND THE NEXT MORNING IT WILL BE ABOUT 11.8. MY LOAD TESTER INDICATED A WEAK RATING. SO OBVIOUSLY IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BOUGHT THE CAR TO HONDA SUBARU OF SANTA FE IN NM ON 4/20/16 AND DEALT WITH JAMES THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THAT THEY PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE BATTERY OPERATED WITHIN SPECS. UPON ARRIVING HOME, 100 MILES AWAY, THE SAME SUB STANDARD CONDITION REOCCURRED. CONTACTING JAMES WITH MY SITUATION, JAMES SAID THAT BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS WITHIN SPECS HE WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. MAYBE 12.4 VOLTS IS ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN CAUSING A SURFACE CHARGE BUT IF IT DROPS TO 11.8 OVERNIGHT SOMETHING IS ASKEW. IF THEY HAD PERFORMED A LOAD TEST THAT PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN EVIDENT. WE NOW CARRY A JUMP STARTER WITH US BUT MY WIFE IS NOT ABLE TO USE IT WHICH I CONSIDER A SAFETY PROBLEM. JUDGING FROM ALL OF THE PROBLEMS ON THIS SITE, HONDA SHOULD BE MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE NEEDS OF ITS CUSTOMERS. AFTER READING THESE POSTS, MOST POTENTIAL BUYERS OF HONDA PRODUCTS WOULD HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS. WE TRAVEL FULL TIME IN A MOTORHOME AND WILL NEED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP.