NHTSA Complaint #11398698 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF RECALL. 2006 CIVIC: ENGINE DOES NOT START, AND THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM MAKES CAR INOPERABLE, ESPECIALLY IF THE BATTERY RECENTLY WENT DEAD AND THE ENGINE WAS JUMP-STARTED. THE DOME LIGHT IN MY CAR, 2006 CIVIC EX SEDAN, WAS LEFT ON THE AND BATTERY WAS DEAD, AND THEN CAR WAS JUMP STARTED. AFTER THAT THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM PREVENTED THE CAR FROM STARTING. 1. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT (HONDA DEFECT CODE: 03217) REPORTED IN MANY, MANY POSTINGS AND COMMENTS ON THE INTERNET, OVER MANY YEARS, FROM 2006 UNTIL RECENTLY, BOTH HERE IN THE U.S. AND IN THE UK. SEE EXTRACTS FROM NUMEROUS INTERNET REPORTS IN ATTACHMENT (INTERNET REPORTS - PROBLEM.DOCX). 2. THERE IS NO WARNING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OR INFORMATION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THIS CAR, OR ANY NOTIFICATION FROM HONDA, ON THE CORRECT WAY TO JUMP START THE CAR TO AVOID THE PROBLEM. SEE JUMP STARTING SECTION IN ATTACHMENT (2006 EX OWNER'S MANUAL.PDF) 3. HONDA HAS ISSUED: "SERVICE BULLETIN - AUGUST 2, 2006 06-036 - IMMOBILIZER INDICATOR IS BLINKING, ENGINE WON'T START SYMPTOM THE ENGINE DOES NOT START, AND THE IMMOBILIZER INDICATOR IS BLINKING (ESPECIALLY IF THE BATTERY RECENTLY WENT DEAD AND THE ENGINE WAS JUMP-STARTED). PROBABLE CAUSE THE IMMOBILIZER IMOES CODE HAS BEEN ERASED. VEHICLES AFFECTED: 2006 CIVIC 4-DOOR LX AND EX (USA-PRODUCED) ' FROM VIN 1HGFA1...6L000001 THRU 1HGFA1...6L118712 CORRECTIVE ACTION REPLACE THE UNDER-DASH FUSE/RELAY BOX (MICU - MULTIPLEX INTEGRATED CONTROL UNIT) 2006 CIVIC EX 4-DOOR A/T ' P/N 38200-SNA-A32, H/C 8356198" SEE THE COMPLETE HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 2009-08-23_151940_IMMOB.PDF IN ATTACHMENT (SERVICE BULLETIN 06-036.PDF) COST OF REPAIR TO CUSTOMER - APPROX. $700-$800. AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED SIMPLY FOR JUMP STARTING A CAR WITH A DEAD BATTERY - A NORMAL PROCEDURE THAT ANY CAR CAN SOMETIMES NEED. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED.