NHTSA Complaint #11141609 — 2005 HONDA CIVIC

I PAID $4,200 IN A CASHIERS CHECK 9/12/2018 FOR A CAR. OWNER TOLD ME IT HAD BEEN TESTED AND LOOKED OVER BY HIS MECHANICS AND THAT IF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION OCCURRED THAT IT WAS UNDER A GUARANTEE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, 9/13/2018, I HEARD STRANGE SOUNDS FROM ENGINE AND CAR FREQUENTLY JERKED FORWARD. TOOK IT TO SOUTH TACOMA HONDA TO INSPECT VEHICLE FOR $143.13. WAS TOLD VALVES NEED TO BE ADJUSTED AND WOULD COST NEARLY $500. WENT TO DEALERSHIP AND THE MANAGER NAMED CHOCOLATE. TOLD ME TO TAKE CAR TO 161 GARAGE TO GET FIXED OVER WEEKEND. THAT MONDAY WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T COMPLETE JOB AND TO HAVE HONDA COMPLETE JOB. CHOCOLATE RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO GET CAR TO HONDA TO HAVE THEM ADJUST THE VALVES AND HE WOULD PAY FOR IT WHEN IT WAS FINISHED. HE DID NOT SHOW BACK UP AND BOTH MYSELF AND THE HONDA SERVICE REPS HAD TO CALL HIM FOR PAYMENT. WORKED OUT PAYMENT IN THE MORNING IF HIS DEALERSHIP AGREED. HONDA REP CALLED DEALERSHIP ASKING REPEATEDLY FOR AN OWNER OR MANAGER AND NEVER GOT STRAIGHT ANSWER. WHEN EXPLAINING MY SITUATION AND INQUIRING AUTHORIZATION FOR PAYMENT FROM CHOCOLATE, PERSON ON PHONE FROM THE DEALERSHIP BEGAN BAD MOUTHING THEIR OWN EMPLOYEE SAYING HE WAS A NOBODY AND ADMITTED THEY LIED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE CAR TELLING THE HONDA REP 'SO WHAT.' WAS ABLE TO TAKE CAR BUT WAS TOLD ME TO RETURN IF THE PAYMENT WAS NOT MADE THE NEXT MORNING. THAT MORNING, 9/18/2018, MY GIRLFRIEND AGREED TO DRIVE ME TO WORK AND GO BACK IN IF HONDA CALLED. BUT CAR DIED ON THE FREEWAY NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENT AND WAS HARD TO BRAKE. WE WERE LUCKY WE HAD BEEN CLOSE TO SHOULDER SO I COULD VEER AWAY FROM CARS AND OFF THE ROAD. WE HAD TO GET IT OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE HONDA IN RENTON COSTING ANOTHER $15. THEN $148.50 INSPECTION FEE FROM HONDA RENTON AFTER SERVICE REPS FOUND MAJOR ENGINE ISSUES WITH CYLINDER 3 CAUSING THE VALVES TO COME LOOSE OVERNIGHT.