NHTSA Complaint #757587 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

IN JANUARY 2000, I TOOK MY HONDA IN TO THE TRICKET DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A STICKING GAS PEDAL REPAIR. THE MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 35, 187. THE PEDAL WOULD STICK AND REQUIRE A HARD PUNCH WITH THE FOOT TO COME LOOSE. THE DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE AND TOLD ME IT WAS CAUSED BY A HONDA FLOOR MAT. THIS RESOLVED THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME. I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT. ON JANUARY 16, 2002 I TOOK THE HONDA INTO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED MY GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I USED NO FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP CLEANED THE THROTTLE AGAIN WITH A CHARGE TO ME OF $35.18 WHICH SEEMED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED WHY THIS ELEMENT HAD FAILED TWICE, AT FIRST I WAS TOLD IT WAS BAD GAS, THEN THE DEALERRSHIP ADMITTED 98-99 HONDA ACCORDS HAD RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS PEDAL STICKING. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE GAS PEDAL DID NOT NORMALLY STICK WIDE OPEN. I GUESS DANGEROUS IS A MATTER OF OPINION. A GAS PEDAL STUCK HALF WAY DOWN COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I CALLED THE NATIONAL HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE, I WAS TOLD TO GET THE THROTTLE CLEANED AS PART OF MY NORMAL MAINTENANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER HONDA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS DILEMMA. IT APPEARS TO ME TO BE AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW AND HONDA SHOULD BE CORRECTING IT. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT LATER MODEL HONDA ACCORDS. I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO PURCHASE A NEW PROBLEM. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU COULD PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. BY THE WAY, MY HONDA IS A "LX" MODEL. *AK