NHTSA Complaint #764570 — 2002 ACURA RSX

REAR BUMPER COVER FALLING OFF. THE REAR OF THE CAR HAS A LARGE PLASTIC COVER THAT EXTENDS THE WIDTH OF THE CAR AND COVERS THE BUMPER FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TAILLIGHTS. THE TOP OF THIS COVER IS HELD IN PLACE BY A SERIES OF CLIPS THAT ARE PART OF TWO METAL STRIPS BOLTED TO THE CAR. THESE CLIPS ENGAGE SET POINTS ALONG THE BUMPER COVER. THE CLIPS, PARTICULARLY THOSE DIRECTLY BELOW THE TAILLIGHTS, DO NOT PROPERLY HOLD THE BUMPER COVER. IT DISCONNECTS FROM THESE CLIPS, SAGS BACKWARD AND DOWN FROM THE CAR AND CAUSES THE TOP OF THE BUMPER COVER TO VIBRATE AGAINST THE TAILLIGHTS, REMOVING PAINT AND PLASTIC FROM THIS AREA. THOUGH UPON FAILURE THE BUMPER COVER IT STILL ATTACHED TO THE CAR ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE COVER, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT IF ENOUGH TIME PASSES AND SAG IS CREATED, THE BUMPER COULD FALL AWAY FROM THE CAR SINCE IT WOULD NOT BE ATTACHED ALONG THE TOP. THIS COULD CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE CARS FOLLOWING AN RSX IN SUCH A FAILURE. WE PURCHASED OUR RSX IN JULY OF 2001. SINCE THEN BUMPER ISSUES HAVE BEEN ON GOING, HAVING REPEATEDLY DISENGAGED IN THE METHOD DESCRIBED. IT HAS BEEN RETURNED TO AN ACURA DEALER (WIER CANYON ACURA) EACH TIME. IN JULY WE CONTACTED ACURA CLIENT SERVICES. I WROTE ABOUT THIS INFORMATION TO JASON COX VIA FAX, DISCUSSED IT VIA PHONE AND ON JULY 12, 2002 SENT A LETTER TO MR. KOICHI AMENIWA, PRESIDENT AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS COMPANY. I ALSO SET UP A WEB SITE WITH PICTURES OF THE CAR AND ITS FAILURES AT HTTP://RSX.OBRIENS.NET SO HONDA AMERICA COULD SEE THE PROBLEMS. THEY SEEM DISINTERESTED AT BEST.*AK