NHTSA Complaint #11128168 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

GOT OFF THE ROAD FROM NY TO MD LAST NIGHT AND NOTICED A BIT OF A COOLANT SMELL. NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT WAS GOING TO TAKE IT INTO JIFFY LUBE FOR AN OIL CHANGE ANYWAYS, WOULD HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT. TURNS OUT THAT IT WAS A LEAK FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK. ALSO TURNS OUT THAT HONDA HAD NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THIS ERA OF CARS AND DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL, ONLY A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 10-048, WHEREAS OWNERS WERE COVERED WITHIN 10 YEARS OF PURCHASE, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. SINCE THE PROBLEM DID NOT MANIFEST ITSELF WITHIN THOSE 10 YEARS, I WOULD HAVE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING TO BRING IT IN (DESPITE BEING SERVICED AT HONDA DEALERSHIPS IN THE INTERIM). THE CAR ONLY HAS 63K MILES ON IT AND IT'S PATENTLY ABSURD TO THINK THAT A DEFECT THAT THEY NOTICED HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE ON IT, PUNISHING LOW VOLUME DRIVERS--AS IN, HAD WE DRIVEN MORE FREQUENTLY, THE DEFECT WOULD'VE REVEALED ITSELF EARLIER, PERHAPS WITHIN THE WINDOW, AND PERHAPS SAVING US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AND URGE HONDA TO CHANGE ITS POLICY REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THIS ERA OF CIVICS.