1997 Honda Accord

SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM INDICATOR LIGHT ALWAYS GOES ON WHEN WE DRIVE THE CAR, WHICH MEANS THE SYSTEM HAS A PROBLEM AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE SRS IF THERE WERE A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURERTOLD OWNERS TO HAVE THE SRS CHECKED AFTER 10 YEARS OLD OF THE CAR. MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 42000 MILES ON IT. I GUESS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FAILURE.*AK

THE "SRS" SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED LIT. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC (A HONDA SPECIALIST) WHOSE COMPUTER TESTING INDICATED THAT THE SRS CONTROL UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE.HE STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES AND SUGGESTED I SPEAK TO HONDA HEADQUARTERS, WHICH I DID. PLEASE NOTE THAT A FRIEND WITH THE SAME MODEL CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SRS LIGHT STAYING ON.HAVING EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND CONCERNS OVER SAFETY ISSUES, I WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THAT I MUST TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND PAY FOR THIS VERY COSTLY PART ($600+), AND THAT THEY MUST MAKE DIAGNOSIS THERE FOR HONDA TO CONSIDER "GOOD WILL" REIMBURSEMENT. WHEN I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT., THE WOMAN ANSWERING THE PHONE SAID SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER HONDA AND HAD TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED! UPON BRING CAR INTO DEALERSHIP, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SRS CONTROL UNIT NEEDED REPLACEMENT,AS THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL. I PRESENTED DOCUMENTATION AS TO MY METICULOUS SERVICE RECORD WITH THIS VEHICLE AND ARGUED THAT THIS PART SHOULD NOT FAIL, NOT HAVING BEEN A REGULAR USE PART AND CERTAINLY SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 50,000 MILES. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE PART, BUT NOT TAX OR LABOR. MY TOTAL EXPENSE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND SERVICE COST $450.00. I WAS QUITE DISSATISFIED AND ATTEMPTED TO PURSUE THIS WITH HONDA AMERICA ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, EXPRESSING MY CONCERNS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEMATIC PART IN NUMEROUS HONDA VEHICLES, FROM ANECDOTAL ACCOUNTS, AND THAT I FELT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND ONE THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THEY DID NOT WISH TO PURSUE THE ISSUE WITH MY MECHANIC OR STUDY THE OLD PART TO EVALUATE THE DEFECTIVE MECHANISM. THE REP AT HONDA AMERICA SAID "YOU DIDN'T HAVE ALL YOUR MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALERSHIP" WHICH IN MY VIEW SHOULD NOT AFFECT THIS PARTICULAR PART'S FAILURE AND WHICH DISREGARDS THE CAREFUL AND TIMELY SERVICE THIS CAR HAS GOTTEN. THEY SIMPLY SAID, "IT'S PAST YOUR WARRANTY PERIOD AND IT IS A 5 YEAR OLD CAR!".*