NHTSA Complaint #11352076 — 2020 HONDA CRF1100D4

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES AN HOUR, IN TRAFFIC, WHEN ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RECEIVING ADEQUATE FUEL. REVS WERE LIMITED TO 4K AND INCOMING TRAFFIC BEHIND ME NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION, DUE TO MY SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS. UPON TAKING TO SHOP, A WHITE PASTE-LIKE SUBSTANCE WAS FOUND COVERING SOME OF THE KEY WELDS INSIDE THE GAS TANK. THIS SUBSTANCE FLAKES OFF AND CLOGS THE FUEL FILTER. IN MY CASE, THIS HAPPENED WITHIN THE FIRST 4,000 MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING ERROR IN WHICH THE HEAT OF WELDING CAUSES A SPECIAL GAS TANK LINING TO CORRODE AND FLAKE OFF. UNLESS PROACTIVE MEASURES ARE TAKEN BY THE CUSTOMER BEFOREHAND - IDEALLY AT OR NEAR THE TIME OF PURCHASE - THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THIS BIKE MAKES IT *UNSAFE TO RIDE*, AS THIS SITUATION CAN OCCUR AT ANY MOMENT AND IS BEYOND CONTROL OF THE RIDER. PREVENTION AND/OR REPAIR FOR THIS DEFECT REQUIRES AN UNDUE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT ON THE PART OF THE OWNER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN SAFETY. THE ATTACHED IMAGE IS TAKEN FROM THE FUEL FILTER HOLE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GAS TANK, AND SHOWS THE INNER SURFACE OF THE TANK ITSELF. IN THE IMAGE YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THEY WHITE "PASTE-LIKE" SUBSTANCE SURROUNDING THE TANK'S WELDS, AND SEE HOW IT IS STREAMING OFF DUE TO EXPOSURE TO GASOLINE. THE NHTSA SHOULD CONSIDER OFFICIALLY INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS CLEARLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT MANUFACTURING PROCEDURES, AND BUYERS SHOULD CONSIDER THEIR OWN SAFETY BEFORE PURCHASING THIS MOTORCYCLE. UNTIL THIS SITUATION IS RESOLVED VIA RECALL AND CORRECTION OF MANUFACTURING PROCEDURES, THIS MOTORCYCLE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE.