NHTSA Complaint #11192284 — 2016 HONDA ACCORD

I DRIVE A 2016 HONDA ACCORD EX-L V6 WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL IS FAILED, AND IS CAUSING A COUPLE OF NOISES. THERE IS A CHATTERING NOISE DURING CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT INTO FIRST GEAR FROM A STOP TO A ROLL. THIS IS DUE TO THE EXCESS RADIAL PLAY IN THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL'S ARC DAMPER SPRING MECHANISM. AFTER THOROUGH RESEARCH, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SERVICE LIFE OF DUAL MASS FLYWHEELS, SPECIFICALLY THE ARC DAMPER SPRING MECHANISM, IS RATHER SHORT DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE NATURE OF THE DESIGN. THE CAR I DRIVE STARTED EXPERIENCING NOTICEABLE FAILURE WITH ONLY ABOUT 17,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I AM AN EXCELLENT DRIVER, WITH YEARS OF MANUAL TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MANY CERTIFIED HONDA DEALERSHIPS ON LONG ISLAND, AND THEY ALL HEARD THE NOISES THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL WAS MAKING. HOWEVER, ALL CERTIFIED HONDA MECHANICS, DESPITE HAVING TEST DRIVEN THE VEHICLE, FAILED TO EVEN DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AS ANY PROBLEM. OTHER MECHANICS WHO ARE NOT HONDA CERTIFIED AGREED WITH THE FACT THAT THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL HAS FAILED. DURING ALL PHASES OF DRIVING, THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL RATTLES REGARDLESS OF GEAR SELECTED (INCLUDING NEUTRAL) AND CLUTCH POSITION. EVER SINCE THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL FAILED (17,000 MILES), ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS REASONABLY WARM OUT (APPROX. 70 DEGREES F), RATTLING PERSISTS, AND THE CHATTERING I MENTIONED BEFORE PERSISTS. THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL CHATTERS EXCESSIVELY, AND IS ACCOMPANIED BY A VERY DELAYED ENGAGEMENT TIME FROM STOP TO A ROLL INTO FIRST GEAR. THE SYMPTOMS OF DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL FAILURE AND CLUTCH FAILURE MAY APPEAR SIMILAR, BUT THE WAYS OF DIAGNOSING THE FAILURES ARE DIFFERENT; THE CLUTCH SHOWS NO SIGNS OF FAILURE. I AM WORRIED THAT BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE, MY VEHICLE WONT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP QUICK ENOUGH IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. ATTACHED IS A DOCUMENT I FORWARDED TO HONDA, WHO IGNORED IT.