NHTSA Complaint #725988 — 2000 ACURA INTEGRA

TWO SMALL HORN BUTTONS ARE LOCATED IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE 3:00 AND 9:00 POSITIONS RATHER THAN IN THE CENTER AS WITH OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED. AS I WAS PROCEEDING PAST A MINI-BUS THAT STOPPED IN THE LEFT HAND LAND IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, THE BUS CHANGED LANES ABRUPTLY INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE. I BRAKED HARD, TURNED TO THE RIGHT, AND TRIED TO SOUND THE HORN. WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED FROM STRAIGHT AHEAD IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCATE THE HORN BUTTONS WITHOUT LOOKING AWAY FROM THE ROAD. I SUGGEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER BE DIRECTED TO PROVIDE A STANDARD CENTER LOCATION FOR THE HORN BUTTON SUCH THAT IT CAN BE FOUND WITHOUT LOOKING. IN THE SECOND OCCURENCE I TRIED TO FASTEN A CHILD CAR SEAT INTO THE READ SEAT. WHILE ADJUSTING THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT FOLDED OVER INSIDE THE SLOT OF THE MALE BUCKLE, JAMMING. IT TOOK OVER 10 MINUTES OF WORKING AT THE BELT TO FREE IT. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE FRUSTRATED BY THIS AND NOT USE THE SEAT BELT IF IT OCCURRED. TWO REMEDIES COULD BE PROVIDED. ONE WOULD BE TO MAKE THE OPENING IN THE BUCKLE FOR THE BELT SMALLER, OR USE A THICKER BELT, SUCH THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BELT TO FOLD OVER. THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO MAKE THE BUCKLE SLOT OPENING WIDER SUCH THAT THE BELT IF IT FOLDED OVER COULD BE MORE EASILY RELEASED. *AK