NHTSA Complaint #11005102 — 2008 HONDA CR-V

DRIVER WAS PARKED/IDLING IN PARKING LOT WHEN LOUD EXPLOSION HAPPENED. DRIVER THOUGHT SOMEONE HAD REAR ENDED HER. TWO BYSTANDERS WERE CONCERNED AND CAME OVER TO CHECK ON DRIVER. THEY SAID NO ONE HAD HIT HER. THEY FOUND A FILTER, GASKET AND A PIECE OF INSULATION UNDER THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION DRIVER SAW THAT THE FRONT BUMPER HAD PARTIALLY BLOWN OUT FROM THE CAR, IT WAS DETACHED UNDER THE HOOD, UNDER THE GRILL AND AROUND THE WHEEL WELL. ALSO A LARGE CHUNK OF WHEEL WELL IS MISSING. CAR WAS TOWED TO DRIVER'S MECHANIC. MECHANIC DETERMINED THE A/C COMPRESSOR EXPLODED, SUBSEQUENTLY BLOWING SHRAPNEL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, RUINING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AS WELL AS CAUSING SAID BODY DAMAGE. MECHANIC ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE FILTER, GASKET AND SOCK HAD BLOWN OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE A/C COMPRESSOR, THE BLAST FROM THE EXPLOSION WAS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE BODY DAMAGE. A COMPLETE REPORT FROM A BODY SHOP WILL BE OBTAINED TODAY. DRIVER WAS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MASSIVE DAMAGE DONE AND HOW EASILY SOMEONE NEAR THE CAR AT THE TIME COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. DRIVER WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HER RESPONSE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF SHE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT THE TIME OF EXPLOSION. DRIVER IS A GRANDMA, SHE MEETS UP WITH HER DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER IN VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE 7 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN IN THE BLAST RADIUS. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH HONDA TO WHICH THEY QUICKLY DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST HONDA AND WON IN 2012 REGARDING EXPLODING A/C COMPRESSORS IN 2008 CRVS. HOWEVER HONDA WAS ABSOLVED OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAID VEHICLES AFTER 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. THE CRV IN QUESTION HAS 120,000 MILES.