NHTSA Complaint #11183604 — 2005 HONDA ACCORD HYBRID

I STARTED TO NOTICE THIS ISSUE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT USED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. DURING THE WINTER TIME WHEN IT WAS PARTICULARLY COLD OUTSIDE, I NOTICED THAT MY POWER BRAKES WOULD START WORKING WHEN I FIRST START UP THE CAR. EVENTUALLY, I WOULD DISCOVER THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER CHECK VALVE WAS STICKING AND PREVENTING THE POWER BRAKES FROM BEING ACTIVE WHEN STARTING A VEHICLE IN THE COLD WEATHER. IT WAS VERY CONFUSING AT FIRST BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE STORED POWER BRAKES IN THE VACUUM BOOSTER FROM THE DAY BEFORE THAT WOULD BE USED UP WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT. HOWEVER, AS I WAS MOVING FORWARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY WANTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, I FOUND THAT THE POWER BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND WOULD NOT GO DOWN AND I HAD TO JAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN. HOWEVER, ONCE THE CAR ENGINE HAD BEEN ON FOR A WHILE, I WOULD HEAR A CLICK NOISE (PROBABLY THE CHECK VALVE UNSTICKING) AND THEN POWER BRAKES WERE RESTORED FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUTE. I EVENTUALLY HAD THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE REPLACED (WHICH ALSO CONTAINED THE CHECK VALVE) AND NO LONGER HAD THIS ISSUE. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE HOSE CONFIRMED THAT THE CHECK VALVE WAS FAULTY BECAUSE THE OLD HOSE WOULD NOT ALLOW AIR THROUGH WHEN THEY TRIED TO BLOW THROUGH IT FROM EITHER DIRECTION.