NHTSA Complaint #11057799 — 1999 HONDA ACCORD

WHILE TRYING TO GET CV SHAFTS REPLACED, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRONT SUBFRAME REAR CROSSMEMBER, SPECIFICALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE, HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE TOP HALF AND WAS THUS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE SAME AREA THAT RUSTED AWAY IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN PIPE. IT STANDS TO REASON THAT THIS DRAIN PIPE DIRECTS WATER RIGHT ONTO THE SUB FRAME IN THIS SECTION, WHICH WOULD CAUSE IT TO RUST OUT FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE FRAME. MY SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR THIS IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) THERE ARE 316,000+ MILES REGISTERED ON THE ODOMETER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GARAGE KEPT. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT SURFACES EXPOSED TO ROAD DEBRIS, SALT, AND WATER SHOULD BE EQUALLY AS RUSTED. 2) THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY INTACT. 3) THE AFFECTED PORTION OF THE SUBFRAME IS ACTUALLY THE SUPERIOR (TOP) ASPECT WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE DRAIN PIPE, AS OPPOSED TO THE INFERIOR (BOTTOM) ASPECT, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE ROAD. JUST 2 MONTHS BEFORE I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THIS INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR CV SHAFT SERVICE, I HAD A HONDA DEALERSHIP, SPECIFICALLY CLASSIC HONDA LOCATED IN STREETSBORO, OHIO PERFORM A FRONT SWAY BAR BUSHING SERVICE AND I RECEIVED A COMPLEMENTARY INSPECTION. FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SWAY BAR BUSHING LOCATION, THE BUSHINGS ARE HELD AGAINST THE FRONT SUBFRAME REAR CROSSMEMBER VIA BRACKETS THAT BOLT IN. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE HONDA TECHNICIAN WHO SERVICED MY VEHICLE LOOKED AT THE DAMAGED SUBFRAME. NOT ONLY DID THEY FAIL TO DETECT THIS ISSUE DURING THE SERVICE, THEY ALSO FAILED TO DETECT THIS ISSUE DURING THE INSPECTION FOR WHICH I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THEY LOOK AT THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION TO ASSESS SAFETY. IF THIS SUBFRAME WOULD HAVE FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION, TAKING AWAY MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THROWING DEBRIS.