NHTSA Complaint #10971712 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

MY VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING COOLANT DUE TO A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. HONDA HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE, AND THE LETTER ACKNOWLEDGES THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE CAUSING THIS ISSUE. THE WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE WAS EXTENDED TO TEN YEARS, BUT MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY A LITTLE OVER ELEVEN YEARS SINCE PURCHASE, AND HONDA DECLINED ANY ASSISTANCE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE ENGINE CRACKING IN THIS MANNER RIGHT AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. FURTHER, DESPITE BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL 2006-2008 MODELS AND CERTAIN 2009 MODELS, THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS ONLY OFFERED AFTER THE CRACK/OVERHEATING EVENT OCCURS, AND OWNERS HAVE NO ABILITY TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE UNDER THIS WARRANTY WITHOUT EXPERIENCING A PRIOR FAILURE. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR OWNERS IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON SITUATION BEYOND THE TEN-YEAR WARRANTY EXTENSION.