2000 Honda Civic

ACCORDING TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 20V-027, MY VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG THAT, IF DEPLOYED IN AN ACCIDENT, COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL ME. HONDA STATES THAT FREE RECALL INSPECTIONS AND FREE REPAIRS WILL NOT BEGIN FOR ONE YEAR, AS ALTERNATIVE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO UNTIL THEN? I TRAVEL AROUND 200 MILES WEEKLY FOR WORK, AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. I FEEL LIKE I'M RISKING MY LIFE EVERY TIME I STEP IN MY CAR NOW. WOULD I BE BETTER OFF JUST REMOVING THE AIRBAG MYSELF?

I WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR, WEATHER RELATED ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MILES PER HOUR IN HEAVY SNOW. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT WHICH CAME UNLATCHED UPON INITIAL IMPACT WITH A GUARD RAIL ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. MY CAR THEN CROSSED THE ROAD AND WENT INTO A DITCH, STRIKING SOME LARGE BOULDERS. THAT IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT, DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CAR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED AND DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS INJURED WITH A BROKEN RIGHT ARM, BROKEN RIGHT LEG, NINE BROKEN RIBS AND SIGNIFICANT LACERATIONS TO MY HEAD AND RIGHT EAR FROM IMPACTING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND FRONT WINDSHIELD. I SPENT 12 DAYS IN A CRITICAL CARE UNIT AND 18 DAYS IN A REHABILITATION CENTER FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY. I HAD TO HAVE PLATES AND SCREWS INSTALLED IN MY LEG AND ARM TO REPAIR THE BROKEN BONES. MY HUSBAND INSPECTED AND TESTED THE DRIVER SEATBELT AND WHILE IT DID APPEAR TO HOLD ON SOME SOLID LATCHES OF THE BELT, WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE IT FAIL AND COME UNLATCHED AFTER HEARING A SOLID CLICK/LATCH SOUND AND THEN PULLING WITH HAND STRENGTH ON THE BELT HAVING IT COME UNLATCHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE DRIVER REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND HER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A TIMELY MANNER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S HEAD STRUCK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. WHEN IT DEPLOYED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG CAUSED SKIN ABRASIONS ON THE LEFT FOREARM THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,589.

THIS IS REGARDING MY HONDA CIVIC 2000, PLEASE LET US KNOW THE AIR BAGS AND THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACEABLE. LET ME KNOW WHOM TO CONTACT. YOUR EARLIER REPLY IN THIS REGARDS WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED. VIN# [XXX]. I CALL HONDA AND LOCAL DEALER NO RESPONSE. PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS REGARDS. THANKS ON HONDA WEBSITE **********************CONTENT START**************************************************************************************** A MESSAGE TO OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT TAKATA AIRBAGS 10/28/2014 REVISED: 11/06/2014 HONDA IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND MAKING CLEAR THAT WE STAND BEHIND THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS. WE WANT TO REASSURE OUR CUSTOMERS THAT HONDA HAS AN ONGOING CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCEDURE THAT ADDRESSES EACH CUSTOMER'S NEEDS AND CONCERNS. FOR CUSTOMERS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF TAKATA AIRBAGS IN CERTAIN HONDA AND ACURA VEHICLES, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WILL MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR, AS APPROPRIATE, THE REPLACEMENT OF AIRBAG INFLATORS AND THE PROVISION OF OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TEMPORARY ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. FOR ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE OF OUR VEHICLES AND IS CONCERNED, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO VISIT RECALLS.HONDA.COM OR CALL 1-800-999-1009, OPTION 4, AND RECALLS.ACURA.COM OR CALL 1-800-382-2238, OPTION 4. WE ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS WITH AN AFFECTED VEHICLE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED AT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. ***************************************CONTENT END************************************************************************ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE CARS SAFETY BELTS HAVE HAD TROUBLE RETRACTING FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. I WAS UNAWARE OF BEING ABLE TO REPORT SAFETY ISSUES, OR WOULD HAVE MUCH SOONER. MOST RECENTLY THE LOW BEAMS WENT OUT. THE SRS LIGHT IS ALSO ON. THE CARS HORN IS WIRED INTO THE SRS SYSTEM. SO YOU LOOSE TWO MAJOR SAFETY FEATURES AT ONCE. VERY BAD DESIGN. THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD BEEN LOOSE FOR YEARS. THE SKID PLATE/FLOORBOARD CRACKED AND ALLOWED THE BOLTS OR HARDWARE TO CORRODE. I RAN THE VIN AND WAS SURPRISED NO RECALLS ARE AVAILABLE, AS THE PROBLEMS MY FAMILY IS EXPERIENCING HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON SIMILAR HONDA'S. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT AND WOULD POP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING THE SRS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE SRS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED IT DEACTIVATED THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE INJURY DURING A CRASH. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT HAVE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED SINCE THERE WAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY. THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SRS LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE DEACTIVATING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON SEAT BELTS BUT NOT ON THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 155,000.