1991 Honda Civic

I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AT A LIGHT BEHIND ANOTHER CAR WHEN MY CAR WAS REARENDED. THOUGH I WAS WEARING BOTH SEATBELTS (SHOULDER AND LAP), THE SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO LOCK UP WITH THE IMPACT AND I WAS THROWN AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL, FRACTURING MY STERNUM. OF THE THREE CARS REARENDED, I SUFFERED THE ONLY INJURY. THE SEATBELTS ARE WARRANTED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR, YET HONDA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS ANY FAILURE, HAS NOT CONDUCTED ANY MEANINGFUL TEST OF THE SEATBELT FAILURE AND REFUSES TO HONOR THE WARRANTY AND REPLACE THE SEATBELTS. HONDA WOULD NOT COME TO AN ARBITRATED SETTLEMENT WITH THE CA DEPT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS OTHER THAN OFFERING ME A $100.00 DISCOUNT ON THE FULL PRICE OF BELTS AND INSTALLATION. I WANT HONDA TO HONOR ITS WARRANTY AND PAY FOR THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE BELTS. THOUGH THE CAR HAS OVER 150,000 MILES, IT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND IS OTHERWISE RELIABLE.*AK

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING THE HOOD TO FLY OPEN ON THE FREEWAY AND SLAM INTO THE WINDSHIELD. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE WINDSHILED WAS BROKEN. ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT IT COMPLETLEY SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND KNOCKING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OFF THE BODY OF THE VEHICHLE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I HAD TWO PASSENGERS WITH ME. I HAVE SINCE THEN SEEN ABOUT 20 OR MORE 1991 HONDA CIVICS WITH REPLACED HOODS AND LITTLE OR NO DAMAGE TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICHLE, THUS LEADING ME TO BELEIVE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER 1991 HONDA CIVIC OWNERS.

MY PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT BEGAN RETRACTING IF I WOULD BRAKE SUDDENLY, OR IF I WENT OVER A BUMP, AS THOUGH THE DOOR WAS OPEN. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO SAID IT WAS A DEFECT WITH THE DOOR LATCH AND HE HAD SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM BEFORE. ON 7/3/01, I SPOKE WITH MICHELLE ALBERT AT AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO AT (800) 999-1009 AS THE SEATBELTS ARE WARRANTIED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND THIS WAS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. SHE AGREED TO HELP ME WITH THE REPAIR JOB, FOR BETWEEN $100 AND $200. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AND SENT HONDA A COPY OF THE BILL. THEY SENT ME A LETTER BACK SAYING THEY HAD NO RECORD OF MY CONVERSATION WITH MICHELLE ALBERT, AND THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR ANY PART OF THE REPAIR. I SENT THEM ANOTHER LETTER STATING HOW DISAPPOINTED I WAS AT THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY. I FEEL THEY ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF THEIR SEATBELT WARRANTY ON A TECHNICALITY (I.E., THAT SINCE IT IS THE DOOR LATCH THAT IS CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO MALFUNCTION, AND NOT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ITSELF, THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO REPAIR IT). ALSO, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE CAR ITSELF, SINCE MY SMALL LOCAL MECHANIC HAS SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE, AND THAT HONDA SHOULD HONOR ITS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE A WORKING SEATBELT FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR.*AK

ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AUTO COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. THREE OF THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON MAIN ROAD STREETS, TWO OCCURRED AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD IT TOWED IN EACH OCCASION, TO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS SINCE I BROKE DOWN IN 5 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. AFTER DESCRIBING THIS INCIDENT TO A REPAIR SHOP, THE OWNER SAID THAT HONDA HAS A RECALL OUT ON IGNITION WIRE WHICH IS THE CONTINUOUS CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. HOW DO I GO ABOUT HAVING HONDA FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE RECALL. IT HAS ALREADY COST ME 5 TOWS, 5 MIS-REPAIRS, AND ALMOST A FREEWAY CRASH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.