NHTSA Complaint #753592 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY, I NEEDED TO BRAKE FOR THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND BEGAN TO BRAKE, THE PEDAL STARTED TO PULSE AND THE FRONT END TO SHAKE. THE BRAKES COMPLETED LOCKED UP AND BEGAN SMOKING HORRIBLY. YOU COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ENGAGED WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE BEING PLACED UPON THE PEDAL. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED, IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. HONDA FIXED IT STATING IT WAS AN ABS HYDRAULIC PROBLEM. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. BRAKES COMPLETED LOCKED AND WERE SMOKING. VEHICLE AGAIN WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. HONDA SERVICE STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WAS CAUSING THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO FAIL. THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER TO SEE IF THIS WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. QUITE FRANKLY, I'M NOT SURE THAT I WANT TO TRUST ANYTHING WITH THE CARS' CURRENT BRAKING SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY TWICE, MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY A THIRD TIME.*AK