1997 Honda Passport

WHILE HAVING EXHAUST WORK DONE THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE FRAME ON MY 1997 HONDA PASSPORT WAS RUSTED. THE DEALER DESCRIBED IT AS 100% RUSTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (ABOUT 1 FOOT LONG BEHIND THE FRONT TIRE) AND 50% ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE DEALER SAID THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO HONDA AMERICA AND RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE LOCAL DEALER STATING THAT HONDA WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING, BUT NEEDED TO HAVE ALL THE REPAIR COSTS DOCUMENTED. THEY SAID IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT ANYTHING ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, LIKE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES COULD BE REUSED. I THEN RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING PHONE MESSAGE FROM HONDA AMERICA: ''THIS IS MICKI CALLING FROM AMERICAN HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE.... THE BODY SHOP DID PERFORM A VERY THROUGH INSPECTION AND, BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS AMERICAN HONDA WOULD NOT BE OFFERING ASSISTANCE ON THIS REPAIR. OUR MAIN CONCERN WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE RUST THAT HAS RUSTED THE FRAME WAS CAUSED BY AN ABNORMALITY IN THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED OR THE MATERIALS THAT WERE USED. AND WHEN THEY LOOKED UNDERNEATH THEY REALIZED THAT THE ENTIRE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR HAS BEEN CORRODED BY ROAD SALT '' AH, BRAKE LINES, TRAN.. COOLER LINES, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THESE VERY CORROSIVE '' HIGHLY CORROSIVE MATERIALS USED. THEY CERTAINLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU DRIVE THE CAR THEY DON'T FEEL THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE, BUT THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT AMERICAN HONDA WOULD ASSIST YOU IN THE REPAIR GIVEN THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE ENVIRONMENT. I DIDN'T FIND ANY OTHER INSTANCES OF RUSTING FRAMES FOR THE THIS PASSPORT AND HONDA WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THOSE IF THAT HAD BEEN THE ISSUE THAT IT WAS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT AND I DO KNOW THAT YOU LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS THE RUST BELT OF THE UNITED STATES... IN EFFECT, HONDA SAYS THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE AFTER 7 YEARS ON MICHIGAN ROADS, EVEN THOUGH THE BODY HAS NO RUST AND IT RUNS WELL. *JB