On 8 October 2009, I sent the letter below to the indicated Honda dealerships and the national office. The letter addresses losses that I experienced as a direct result of a cleaning rag left in my fuel system during a repair. To date, I have received a call from King Honda in Auburn, Alabama where I purchased the car; the owner and sales manager offered to advocate on my behalf with the regional manager. I subsequently received a call from a person who identified himself as the regional manager; he addressed the issue by reading a portion of my warranty to me and informing me that my issue was not covered under thw arranty. There was no offer of compensation during the call, and it was suggested that I pursue legal action to recover my losses. Here is the content of the letter:
Mark Adams, General Manager
Gary Smith Honda
225 Miracle Strip Parkway SW
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Forrest T. McConnell III, President
McConnell Honda
2840 Eastern Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
Scott Davis, General Manager
Treadwell Honda
1175 East I-65 Service Road South
Mobile, AL 36606
Kenny Culligan, Sales Manager
King Honda World
973 Opelika Rd
Auburn, AL 36830
Dear Sirs:
On January 24, 2009, I purchased a Certified 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid from King Honda World. My purchase included a service contract and gap insurance. I chose King Honda World because my family has been purchasing Honda automobiles from this dealership for over 25 years. In fact, this is the third Honda that I have personally owned.
On March 19, 2009, my 17-year-old daughter inadvertently filled the gas tank of the Hybrid with diesel fuel while returning from a spring break trip to Pensacola (FL). The car would not run, of course, on this fuel, and the automobile was subsequently towed to Gary Smith Honda. The fuel system was serviced at this location, and the automobile was returned to me as fully repaired.
On March 25, 2009, I took the Hybrid to McConnell Honda because the “Check Engine” light was coming on less than a week after I had picked up the car from Gary Smith Honda. My service technician informed me that the catalytic converter must be replaced. In response to my inquiry as to whether this was related to the diesel fuel incident, I was told that there was absolutely no connection between the two issues. The converter was replaced under the existing warranty, and the automobile was returned to me as fully repaired.
On May 26, 2009, I took the Hybrid to McConnell Honda for “B” Interval service. The service was completed and the automobile was returned to me as fully serviced.
On July 16, 2009, I took the Hybrid to McConnell Honda because there was a noise each time I started up the air conditioner. My service technician informed me that the compressor must be replaced. The parts were not immediately available, so I rented a car to ensure that I had transportation to and from work. The service was completed, and the automobile was returned to me on July 20, 2009 as fully repaired.
On September 25, 2009, my daughter and I left Montgomery (AL) travelling to Mobile (AL) for a family funeral. En route to Mobile on Interstate 65 South, the Hybrid began “kicking” and finally began shutting down altogether. We were lucky enough to be able to finally creep off of the Interstate at Exit 67 (Highway 113, Flomaton Exit). I called Honda Customer Assistance and arranged for the car to be towed to Treadwell Honda. I subsequently received a call from my assigned service technician informing me that a red cleaning “rag” had been found in my fuel system, and that the “rag” had most likely been there since repair of the fuel system. I authorized this second repair of the fuel system. When the rag was removed (it is in my possession and the service technician has pictures of what was found), the car was still not performing correctly. Upon further examination, it was determined that my rear catalytic converter must be replaced. I was told by my service technician that the Honda Warranty Center was declaring this to be the result of the diesel fuel, but he was finally able to secure the converter without cost to me. When this statement was told to me, I reminded him that McConnell Honda had stated to me unequivocally that the failure of the catalytic converter was not related to the diesel fuel. The service was finally completed on September 29, 2009 (I drove a rental vehicle during this period), and the automobile was returned to me as fully repaired.
Please note that, since its purchase, this automobile has been serviced only by Honda. The carelessness of one or more Honda employees during this series of repairs not only jeopardized my life and that of my daughter while travelling on the Interstate but has also resulted in (1) automobile damage (fuel system and both catalytic converters), (2) towing expenses, (3) car rental expenses, and, (4) the loss of at least ten (10) miles per each gallon of gas I have purchased since the first fuel system repair as evidenced by the current “mpg” readings. Copies of all towing, repair, and rental documents related to these issues are attached.
My expectation, in writing this letter, is that Honda will fully and fairly recompense me for all losses, bad service experiences, and the overall bad ownership experience suffered since purchasing this vehicle. I believe that I should be able to expect such compensation from a company that prides itself in “…worldwide customer satisfaction”. This request is made without use of legal and/or media assistance because I believe that Honda will take all necessary steps to reinstate my faith in your company and your products.
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