2000 Honda Civic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. NEITHER THE DEALER WAS NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, MY CAR WAS RECALLED. BECAUSE OF THE CAR'S HISTORY, THE AIR BAG INFLATOR IS MORE LIKELY THAN AVERAGE TO KILL ME IF IT ACTIVATES (EXPLODES). THE DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA (THERE ARE SEVERAL) CANNOT OBTAIN REPLACEMENT PARTS...NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM...FOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS. THIS DELAY IS DUE TO MANUFACTURING ISSUES AND THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. MY CAR IS NOT DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF AN ON/OFF SWITCH FOR THE AIR BAGS. THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE EXPLODER DISABLED UNTIL REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS IN MY AREA WILL DO THIS, WITHOUT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FROM THE NHTSA. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FINS A WAY TO ASK THE NHTSA TO SEND ME A WRITTEN DEACTIVATION AUTHORIZATION. ALSO...THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NEED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW THIS (DISABLING THE BOMB IN MY STEERING WHEEL) CAN BE DONE WITHOUT AFFECTING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE CAR. I WOULD NEED APPROVED DIRECTIONS FROM THE NHTSA TO GIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANICS. ALTERNATELY, I CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR ON A DAILY BASIS, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ACTIVE, DEADLY, EXPLOSIVE DEVICE...FOR THE NEXT 18 TO 24 MONTHS. *TR

I RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL FROM HONDA FOR NHTSA RECALL 20V-027 ON MARCH 18, 2020 THAT STATES THAT HONDA IS UNABLE TO INSPECT/REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. I EMAILED THEM AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH A FREE (SAFE) LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL THEY COULD FIX MY UNSAFE VEHICLE. THEY CALLED ME ON THE PHONE TODAY, MARCH 24, 2020 (1-888-234-2138) AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE, AND THAT THEY WERE SORRY, BUT THE REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE MIGHT TAKE ANOTHER YEAR FROM TODAY. I DON'T FIND THIS ACCEPTABLE, THAT I HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT INJURE OR KILL ME.....FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

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.