Problems With My Civic And Honda Does Not Care

[alankarm@sancha]

Dear Sir/Ma'm,

I have a Civic S MT Regn. no. RJ 01 CA 2905,in the name of Alankar Marble & Granites, bought from Pinkcity Honda at Jaipur in Sept. 2006.

I had faced a problem of the alternator/engine belt breaking due to the breakage of the bolt connecting the belt tensioner/adjuster to the engine. this was rectified after 3-4 days of my car breakdown, due to non availability of parts like the belt, the tensioner bracket and the bolt. They put in a FABRICATED bolt, a new belt and the same tensioner bracket (as none was in stock) with the assurance that nothing could go wrong now. This all was done on /05/09.

This all was reported to you also, in my earlier communications.

Now I am sorry to say that the same problem has recurred on my way to work at Kishangarh from Ajmer, today afternoon. I was left stranded in sweltring heat on the highway. We had to push the car to safety and shade and leave the driver behind to take care of the car. I have now reached Kishangarh in someone else's car, and will now request some persons to help me tow the car back to Ajmer so that the car can once again be repaired by the Company's persons, coming from the dealer at Jaipur.

Now it pains me very much to say that my car CIVIC is a very defective piece of engineering from Honda. I feel that I have been cheated by Honda. If you see from the begining since the purchase, I have regularly been facing some problem or the other with this vehicle. All these have been well documented with letters and communication to you.

1st there was some tyre problem, 2 tyres had to be replaced under warranty, due to iriver wear (irregular bumps on the sides). According to the tyre company persons, the defect was not with the tyres but with the suspension system.

Then was the problem of rear suspension noise. Accoding to your company people this was due to the car having very soft suspensions. I feel that now since we can not hear the noise so regularly, the problem has not rectified itself, but is just waiting to rear its head in the way of suspension repairs at any future point. Or we might have got used to the noise itself, and are overlooking it.

Then comes the problem of the serpentine alternator belt on 09/05/09 Saturday night. This happened late at night, on a remote highway, with my wife and kids present. I had to call friends from Ajmer, to get the car to safety at their house, waking them at that ungodly hour of a Saturday/Sunday night. The car was finally repaired, keeping the same damaged bracket of belt tensioner/adjuster, and fabricating a bolt from a local bolt, by the persons of Pink City Honda who had come to Ajmer. I was assured that this was the end of my troubles, and no more problems would be faced by me from these items. I must point out that the persons from Pink City came on Tuesday (12/05/09) with a wrong belt (CRV's) and no bolt, or bracket. Even though I had told them what the requirements were, after geting the car examined by local mechanics. The tensioner bolt attatching it to the engine body was found broken, which resulted in the tensioner coming loose and breaking the belt. This could also have damaged the water body or the water body pulley. The problem was finally rectified using the same bracket, a new belt(right sized this time) and a fabricated bolt(??? why??) as there was no bolt or bracket in stock, and they were not ready to remove a bolt or bracket from a new car standing in the showroom. This was done on Wednesday or Thursday at Ajmer, after a wait of 4-5 days.

I had specifically taken the car to Jaipur on 16/05/09, for a service and full check up, so that I faced no further problems. The bracket or the original bolt were still not available, but I was assured that there was no problem with the vehicle now.

But that was not to be. Today on the 11th of June, while on my way to work at Kishangarh, from Ajmer, the same defect cropped up. I am absolutely shaterred by the event. The car has suffered the same problem again.

There are also the problems of the driver side window lifter switch giving problems, the wiper blade having been replaced twice already (we are in Rajasthan, how much rain or wear and tear do we have) and I think they require to be replaced again, The problem of the broken stud of wheel, which was rectified on the last visit to the workshop.

I had taken the vehicle to Delhi on the 29th May as we (my whole family) were flying out of India. We had left the vehicle standing at my aunt's place till the 7th June. We reached Ajmer on 8th.June at 4 a.m. This I am telling you to point out to you that how many days my car has worked since the defect cropped up in the 1st place (about 15 - 20 days only), and what would have happened if this 2nd failure had happened on that day. We would have been in dire straits.

I feel very cheated to have been sold such a defective car by Honda and their dealer Pink City. This was not expected from a carmaker of Honda's stature.

This car is so unreliable, I am scared to even think of taking it for any long drives now. My faith in Hoda is completely shattered. (and I have had so many Honda cars, and still have 3 Honda Citys, in my house at Ajmer).

I don't know what to do, due to this defective car, and I don't think Honda cares. I might have to take recourse to other measures now, since the defects are cropping up at so regular and short intervals. This is causing all sorts of tensions, hardship and MONETARY loss to us. With a car that is so expensive, and with such high priced spares and replacement cost, I now think that I can do without a Honda. I also have Toyotas (Corolla and Innova), and have seen their service back up (I have never been disappointed). They, I now feel are deservedly the real no.1 in the world. While for Honda, they should be ashamed that they claim to be a premium and reliable (legendary) car company.

I FEEL I HAVE BEEN SOLD A LEMON (A KNOWN DEFECTIVE CAR), and have paid through my nose for it.

Hope this letter makes it to the executives at Honda Siel and Honda Japan too, so that some permanent solution for my problem can be worked out.

Satyanarayan Garg
(Alankar Marble & Granites)
+91 9828053012 - cell

[aaggoswami]

What a story ?
How many times the belt can break down ?
There is something wrong with the car or the quality of parts installed in your car.
Being 2006, your car came with R18A1. I think they have timing chain and not belt. This must be alternator belt. Not known to fail so fast so many times.

No amount of letters/emails can make difference to these manufacturers in India as the judicial system is quite slow, unfair and inefficient.

[benbsb29]

Satyanarayan, this is definitely a case of you being sold a lemon.

As much as it hurts you, asking for them to lift parts off a new car for use on your car, may not be entertained. I dont suppose thats a good practice either.

Since you have the details and bills documented, why dont you file a case against Honda in the consumer court? Will eat up your time for sure, but what other respite do you have? Hasnt the parent company replied to your mails ever?

[sandeep108]

Again we have a dealer problem. The early civics were known for the problem with the belt auto-tensioner. The dealer in the first instance should not have done a 'patch' repair. Or if done, should have asked you to bring the car in for a permanent repair by replacing all the faulty parts.

I had the same problem twice (luckily no breakdowns, only increased noise alerted me) due to 'patch' (incorrect bolt) repair done by former notorious Honda dealer. The new dealer fixed it (he had to keep the car for a few days for the original bolt to be flown in) and now all is ok.

Escalate it to Honda customer care, they will ensure replacement of entire belt tensioner assembly, bolt, belt, etc. under warranty.

Though the civic did have enough early niggling issues, by now they have sorted out everything quite well, and your new car should not have given you this problem.

[Jaggu]

Wow another lemon story! I think you should seriously pursue the case and see what Honda can offer to compensate.

[SkyWalker]

this is scary! Hope Honda does something quick to compensate the owner and resolve the problems.

[pradster]

This is sad!
I hope you get compensated for the agony you suffered, the least they can do is to properly fix your car!!

[tanwaramit]

sad to see honda as a company doing little to help a user with the issues faced. Comeon Honda, if the product is defective, make up to it free or if wear and tear ask the customer to pay, but atleast do a good job and make the car for him to use without any worries. I dont think this is too much to ask for.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

sad to see honda as a company doing little to help a user with the issues faced. Comeon Honda, if the product is defective, make up to it free or if wear and tear ask the customer to pay, but atleast do a good job and make the car for him to use without any worries. I dont think this is too much to ask for.

This is a dealer issue, not Honda, as yet, let's see what Honda does

skoda - are you watching ?

[alankarm@sancha]

I must add that today the persons from Jaipur dealer have come and are working on the car. But they have got all used spares/ 2nd hand parts (without any information to me). I had been promised brand new unused spares for the work, but without informing me they have got parts from some old used or junked car. This is not acceptable.

They say that they will now place the order and get the parts in 4-5 days more (even after 1 month, I think they have as yet never placed an order for the parts). Now, they are putting in the old used parts, since I don't want another 5 day breakdown. But I feel that this is another evidence of their callous and taken for granted attitude. This sort of false promise or cheating is not expected from Honda.

I also want to know WHO bears the costs till date?? I have been paying till date, but what now??

WHAT DO I DO NOW??? I am disgusted.

[cruiser_1982]

@alankarm,

Must have been a painful Honda ownership.Looks like Honda's quality in India is slipping. Civic has most of the issues in Honda's India line up. I guess Honda Civic was never tested/setup for Indian conditions.

[vid6639]

It looks to me like a manufacturing issue and you got a lemon. Issues with clutch and gear and all drive related issues maybe due to faulty alignment of the drivetrain with the engine. If there's an error in alignment I'm guessing issues like this will pop up in the long run and not immediately.

Even the flywheel ring you say has developed play. You should push for new gearbox with clutch and flywheel.

[alankarm@sancha]

I must also point out that the car is under extended warranty (for whatever it is worth)

[HappyWheels]

Take a photo of the part being used and ensure that you get in paper that used parts are being put temporarily and that they will be changed once the new parts arrive.

[ImmortalZ]

Sad to hear you have so many problems. To fix your belt problem, you must push the service center to put in the genuine bolt. If they keep putting in fabricated ones and they keep breaking, the bolt is at fault. Same thing with the bracket. You should light a fire under the dealership's bottom. Stop e-mailing and start calling people at Honda.

Irregular tire wear is caused by a faulty alignment. You can get this done properly in a properly equipped tire shop with 3D alignment.