1997 Honda CR-V

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A PASSING MOTORIST ALERTED CONSUMER TO THE FLAMES AND SMOKE SHOOTING OUT IN A BIG BALL FROM UNDERNEATH OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OF THE HIGHWAY, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A LARGE WHOLE IN IT. MECHANIC INSTALLED A REBUILT ENGINE.*AK

ON JUNE 29, 2004, MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR FENDER BENDER IN BURBANK. THIS WAS A LOW-SPEED, REAR-END COLLISION THAT SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN BOTH DRIVERS EXCHANGING INSURANCE INFORMATION AND GOING THEIR SEPARATE WAYS. INSTEAD, I RECEIVED AN HYSTERICAL PHONE CALL FROM MY WIFE, WHO WAS BEING TREATED BY PARAMEDICS FOR SEVERE SHOCK AND BURNS TO HER FACE AND ARMS. WE SPENT THE NEXT 6 HOURS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT ST. JOSEPHS HOSPITAL. THE SOLE CAUSE OF THESE INJURIES WAS THE IMPROPER DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIRBAGS IN HER 1997 HONDA CR-V. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, PARAMEDICS THOUGHT HER NOSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN BROKEN BY THE DEPLOYING AIRBAG, WHICH HAD ALSO CAUSED ABRASIONS ON HER FACE AND LACERATIONS INSIDE HER MOUTH. THIS MORNING, SHE IS BEING TREATED AT THE GROSSMAN BURN CENTER, IN VAN NUYS, AND WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT SHE MAY HAVE TO UNDERGO SURGERY FOR A SKIN GRAFT ON HER RIGHT HAND. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL ATTORNEYS ON THE SUBJECT, I HAVE LEARNED THAT AUTOMAKERS, SUCH AS AMERICAN HONDA, MAKE IT ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO OBTAIN LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR ANY POTENTIAL LAWSUIT BY SIMPLY MAKING IT TOO EXPENSIVE TO SUE. LAW FIRMS ARE NOT WILLING TO INVEST THE $50K TO $100K REQUIRED FOR THIS KIND OF LITIGATION UNLESS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIX-FIGURE AWARD. SINCE MY WIFES WOUNDS WILL EVENTUALLY HEAL, WITH SOME SCARRING TO HER ARMS, ANY AWARD IN A JURY TRIAL WOULD PROBABLY NOT MEET THAT STANDARD. FOR THAT REASON, LAWYERS WONT CONSIDER TAKING ON HER CASE. IT APPEARS TO BE COMMON PRACTICE FOR AUTOMAKERS TO INSTALL AIRBAGS THAT ROUTINELY DEPLOY IN LOW-SPEED COLLISIONS. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE COMMON PRACTICE FOR THOSE SAME AUTOMAKERS TO IGNORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED IN THESE OTHERWISE MINOR MISHAPS, AND PROVIDE ZERO COMPENSATION FOR THE PAIN AND SUFFERING VICTIMS HAVE ENDURED.*AK

CAR HAS HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. WHEN YOU TURN SHARP EITHER DIRECTION IT MAKES AN AWFUL WHINING NOISE. WHEN YOU REACH AROUND 60 MPH THE STEERING COLUMN STARTS SHAKING AND YOU CAN FEEL THE CAR SHAKING UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND BEING TOLD THAT IT JUST NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT AND HAVING THIS DONE 3 TIMES THE VEHICLE STILL ISN'T FIXED. ALSO IN JULY OF 2003 ONE OF THE TIRES LOST IT'S TREAD IN ONE GIANT PIECE WICH FLIPPED UP AND SEVERELY DAMAGED THE HATCHBACK, BUMPER AND RUNNING LIGHTS. BRIDGESTONE TIRE. GOING LESS THAN 30 MPH AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE INSIDE DOME LIGHT HAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND DOESN'T WORK EXCEPT MAYBE ONE DAY IN 3 YEARS. *AK

THE SRS (AIR BAG) LIGHT IN MY 1997 HONDA CRV HAS BEEN ON FOR LAST 4 YEARS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO DIFFERENT DEALERS DURING THIS TIME. THEY INITIALLY JUST RESET THE LIGHT. LATER THEY SUSPECTED ONE OF THE SENSORS. EVEN LATER ONE OF DEALER CHANGED THE BATTERY. FINALLY THEY HAVE DECLARED THAT THE SRS CONTROLLER UNIT MUST BE BAD AND SHOULD BE CHANGED AT THE COST OF $825. I HAVE CONTACTED AMERICA HONDA CORP BUT TO NO HELP. FROM THE INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE SHOP WHERE I TOOK MY CAR I HAVE LEARNED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN CRV. AIR BAG ARE ESSENTIAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND SHOULD CARRY LONGER WARRANTY. HONDA DIAGNOSTIC DOESN'T SEEM TO GIVE DEFINITE CODE ALSO AND HENCE THE DEALERS CAN'T FIX IT IN ONE SHOT AND HAVE GIVEN ME SO MANY RUNS AND NOW WILL COST ME SO MUCH. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD LIVE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND INVESTIGATE THE SRS PROBLEM.*JB

CONSUMER CITED THE POOR OR LACK OF SERVICE BY THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS THE POOR QUALITY OF HIS VEHICLE. *LA THE CONSUMER HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE CAP WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON ANOTHER OCCASION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED, WHICH HAS SINCE FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, SHE NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A JACK. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER WHEN THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THERE WAS A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE BELT TENSIONER WAS NOT PROPERLY ADJUSTED. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ADJUSTED. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FLUID WAS REPLACED, THE RIGHT CV BOOT WAS LEAKING AND THE TURN SIGNALS DID NOT CANCEL. *JB

A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS ISSUED; HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO DISCONNECT ALARM SYSTEM, AND WILL ONLY RECONNECT THE ALARM SYSTEM AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK THE DEFECT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO SIT FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT COULD BE RESTARTED. BOTH DEALERS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH UNLESS THE CONSUMER PAID TO HAVE THE ALARM REINSTALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER NOT TO REINSTALL THE ALARM. *NLM

CONSUMER WAS CHARGED TO HAVE ALARM RECONNECTED AFTER RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED.*MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL 02V-120000 PERFORMED (IGNITION SWITCH). THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL STATING THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO RECONNECT THE ALARM. THE CONSUMER REFUSED REPAIRS UNDER THOSE CONDITION. THE VEHICLE'S POWER OUTLET WAS CONSTANTLY LOOSE. *NLM