NHTSA Complaint #766683 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

ON 8/30/02 I TOOK MY CAR TO IMMKE NW HONDA TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED DUE TO A HONDA RECALL. I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALER FOR THE WEEKEND BECAUSE I WENT AWAY ON A TRIP. WHEN I RETURNED SUNDAY NIGHT I HAD A VOICE-MAIL MESSAGE FROM JASON WHITE SAYING THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD NOT BE REPLACED AND THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT "BE TOUCHED" BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO IT. HE SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT RECONNECT THE SECURITY SYSTEM AND WOULD RATHER LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL I AGREED TO INCUR THE COST OF RECONNECTING IT. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WENT TO PICK-UP MY CAR WITH THE IDEA THAT I'D CALL HONDA ABOUT THIS. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I FOUND THAT THE SECURITY SYSTEM IN MY CAR HAD BEEN DISABLED AND THE IGNITION SWITH WAS NOT REPLACED. I CALLED IMMKE ABOUT THIS AND HAVE CALLED THEM SEVERAL TIMES SINCE ONLY TO GET PEOPLE BLAMING OTHERS AND NOBODY TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER (TERRI NADER)DOES NOT RETURN MY CALLS. I CALLED HONDA AND THEY SAY ITS THEIR POLICY NOT TO RE-CONNECT AFTER MARKET SECURITY SYSTEMS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T FIX THE PROBLEMS THEY CAUSE AFTER THEIR RECALL.*AK