NHTSA Complaint #714676 — 2000 HONDA CIVIC

RIGHT PULL & WANDERING EXPERIENCED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OCT. 1999. RETURNED FOR ALIGNMENT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. ALIGNMENT DONE, STILL SLIGHT RIGHT PULL AND DEFINITE WANDERING STILL PRESENT. RETURNED TODAY FOR RECHECK. MECHANIC TEST DROVE WITH ME IN CAR. HE ACKNOWLEDGES WANDERING/WASHBOARDING, BUT CLAIMS HE DOESN'T FEEL IT IS ABNORMAL. ANOTHER MECHANIC TOOK ME OUT FOR A DRIVE TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF PROBLEM, ME OR THE CAR. MECHANIC DETERMINED UNUSUAL WASHBOARDING. STATES WILL CONTACT HONDA TECH. FOR ASSISTANCE WITH PROBLEM. AFTER I LEFT, SVC. WRITER AND SECOND MECHANIC TOOK ANOTHER CIVIC FOR TEST DRIVE. EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM WITH HAVING TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT STEERING TO KEEP VEHICLE IN ITS OWN LANE. CALLED ME JUST BEFORE 5PM P.S.T. TO ASK ME WHAT I WOULD DO IF THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CIVIC'S SINCE ANOTHER NEW CAR ON THE LOT DROVE THE SAME WAY. I RESPONDED STATING I SAW NOTHING IN THE PURCHASE CONTRACTS THAT WARNED ME OF A "STEERING CHARACTERISTIC" THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH, NOR DID I KNOW HONDA MADE THEIR CARS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE CASTER OR CAMBER ADJUSTMENTS CORRECTED. IF I KNEW THIS CAR WAS GOING TO HANDLE AS POORLY ON THE FREEWAY AS IT DOES, I WOULDN'T HAVE PURCHASED IT. THE SPECIFICATIONS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL CANNOT POSSIBLY BE MET DUE TO THE LACK OF FORESIGHT BY HONDA. I HAVE A COPY OF THE ALIGNMENT SETTINGS BEFORE THE FIRST ALIGNMENT WAS INITIATED AS WELL AS THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST ALIGNMENT, WHICH ARE UNACCEPTABLE BASED ON THE UNSTABLE, UNPREDICTABLE STEERING AND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS EXHIBITED BY THIS "NEW" CAR. IF HONDA CAN NOT FIX THIS CAR CORRECTLY SO AS NOT TO SHORTEN THE LIFE OF THE TIRES OR PUT UNDUE STRESS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION, REAR SUSPENSION, AND RELATED WHEEL BEARINGS, THEN THEY CAN JUST TAKE THIS CAR BACK AND REIMBURSE ME FOR MY PURCHASE. I HAVE ALREADY WASTED 3 HOURS BUYING THIS CAR AND OVER 5 HOURS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DEALING WITH THE CURRENT PROBLEM. *