1997 Honda Civic

THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, ONLY FAILURE OF THE SRS CONTROL UNIT OF MY 1997 HONDA CIVIC DX HATCHBACK (3 DOOR) WITH 46,000 MILES. I'D SAY IT'S REASONABLE TO DEMAND THAT SAFETY EQUIPMENT BE COVERED FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. FOR MY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS CONTROL UNIT FOR THE AIRBAGS), WHICH I'VE *NEVER* USED, TO COST ME $760 TO REPAIR IS OUTRAGEOUS! IT'S PROBABLY AN $80 COMPUTER PART. *NM

THE SRS SYSTEM IN MY HONDA CIVIC EX 1997 WENT OUT WHEN I HAD FIRST PURCHASED THE USED CAR IN JUNE 2004 WITH AROUND 145,00 MILES ON IT. I HAD A NEW SRS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PUT IN . IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS AND THE SYSTEM HAS GONE OUT AGAIN. I NOW HAVE TO FIX IT AGAIN AND MY CAR SPECIALIST HAS TOLD ME THAT THE PRICE HAS DOUBLED ON THE PART, AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN HONDA CIVICS. *NM

1997 CIVIC DX SRS READINESS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. *TS ***NAR*** THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED A SRS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE. THE DEALER RESET THE SRS UNIT. A YEAR LATER THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TOT HE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE SRS CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM

ON AUGUST 04, 2004, I VISITED THE HONDA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) READINESS INDICATOR LAMP OF MY HONDA CIVIC 1997 DX HAD TURNED RED. WHEN THEY CHECKED MY CAR, THEY SAID THAT THEY GOT A DTC CODE OF 08-5 FROM THE SRS MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT MEANT SRS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIPS RESET THE SRS UNIT. A YEAR AFTER, THE SAME CONDITION RECURRED. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT SRS CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IF NO ACTION WERE TAKEN, THE UNCORRECTED ILLUMINATION OF THE SRS READINESS INDICATOR LAMP CAN HINDER THE DETECTION OF POTENTIAL VITAL AIRBAG SYSTEM OPERATION OF COMPONENTS SUCH AS AIRBAG MODULE, CRASH SENSOR AND WIRING INTEGRITY. THE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE AND PART COSTS HAS DETERRED ME FROM SERVICING THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE PARTS AND SERVICE IS OVER $800.00. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN ANY INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT WHEREIN THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I BELIEVE THAT THE SRS CONTROL UNIT SHOULD BE GUARANTEED THROUGHOUT THE LIFE TIME OF THE VEHICLE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. NOWADAYS, WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR, I DO NOT FEEL AS SECURE AS I DID, FOR I AM UNCERTAIN IF THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY AT ALL, IN CASE I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I SPOKE WITH AMERICAN HONDA'S CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE TODAY, 4/10/2006. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING, THAT I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE TO GET IT REPAIRED. *NM

THE SRS (AIRBAG) COMPUTER STOPPED WORKING ON MY 1997 HONDA CIVIC EX FOR NO REASON AND AFTER NO INCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THIS MEANS THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF A CRASH. THE COMPUTER PART NUMBER IS 77960-S04-N81. THE PRICE FOR THE PART ALONE IS $697 AND LABOR IS AN ADDITIONAL $150. I CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY OFFERED ME A 25% DISCOUNT BECAUSE I HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY MORE SINCE RECORDS INDICATE THAT I ONLY OWN ONE HONDA AND BECAUSE THEY COULD ONLY SHOW ME GOING TO THE DEALER FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS FOR MAINTENANCE. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE SEAT BELTS, BUT NOT THE AIRBAGS. THE CASE MANAGER (CAROLYN) TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO OFFER ME THIS. WHEN ASKED WHY THE SEAT BELTS WERE COVERED AND NOT THE AIRBAGS (WHICH ARE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE OF THE CAR AND REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW), SHE SAID THAT IT WAS A BUSINESS DECISION. SINCE HONDA SELLS SO MANY CIVICS AND SINCE THE CAR IS DURABLE ENOUGH TO BE DRIVEN FOR MANY MILES, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY RISK TO MANY PEOPLE IF EVEN A SMALL FRACTION OF THESE COMPUTERS GO OUT. COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT THE REPAIR IS A THIRD OF THE TRADE IN VALUE OF THE CAR AND HONDA'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ADEQUATELY REMEDY THIS PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.*JB

(1) NORMAL DRIVING OF MY 1997 HONDA CIVIC 4 DOOR DX (2) THE SRS LIGHT IS NOW ILLUMINATED AND HAS STAYED ILLUMINATED FOR THE LAST YEAR - THIS MEANS MY AIRBAGS DON'T WORK. - DEALER CHECKED IT OUT ($90 CHARGE) AND SAID THAT MY SRS UNIT IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND CAN'T TELL ME WHY - CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED - NO PROBLEMS WITH IT OTHER THAN THIS DEFECT (PRETTY HUGE DEFECT). (3) I'VE LODGED A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS AND NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK ON THEM. SEVERAL PEOPLE POST TO MESSAGE BOARDS WITH SAME PROBLEM - THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED - I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR AND AM CURRENTLY RIDING IN A DANGEROUS ONE BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. COST TO FIX THIS IS > $1000... PLEASE HELP. *NM

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED PRIOR TO AN IMPACT. THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DRIVER COULD NOT SEE THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THIS VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN IN ANY PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL OWNER, SO SHE DID NOT CONTACT A LOCAL SERVICE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNED THE VEHICLE.*AK