NHTSA Complaint #11451030 — 2009 HONDA ACCORD

The bolt that secures the Serpentine Belt tensioner broke off at the engine block. This disables the power steering and the alternator. This is the third time this has happened. Fortunately for me it has happened when I could stop the car without wrecking it. Without power steering it is all most impossible to steer. I have learned that this is a problem with several Honda models. The tensioner is hydraulic and is secured with one bolt. Honda has issued service bulletins about the problem, but they still break. If mine had gone out at road speed or in traffic I may have been seriously hurt or killed. Some other Honda models come with a spring tensioner, and apparently work OK. I have found a lot of information about this problem on Honda forums. Arlington Car Care, in Upper Arlington, Ohio has been great to me in researching the problem and fixing mine 3 times at their expense. I feel Honda should recall cars with this tensioner and replace it with a spring tensioner that is safe. I wonder if the hydraulic unit is affected by cold weather, making the tension too strong and overpowering the single bolt. The shop has been able to get the broken bolt out of the block so far but it has been problem getting it out. Honda recommends bleeding the tensioner 3 times at installation and oiling the bolt and using a washer between the tensioner and the block. In my opinion tensioner was under designed and needs a fix.