Bought 2005 Honda Civic Sedan LX on March 25, 2008 from Bay Ridge Honda in Brooklyn, NY. Car was running fine until we had the car inspected in late January of 2011. In early February, while at a stop sign, with my foot on the brake, waiting for a car facing me to turn into a parking lot to my right, my Honda Civic’s engine started revving and shot my car forward with my foot still on the brake as I desperately trying to stop the car. I bounced off the car facing me, and smashed right into a rather large SUV, causing considerable damage to my bumper, fender, right head light..and side panel. Also causing damage to the SUV’s rear door.. We just missed smashing into people…
Took the car to a body shop, explained what happened, and they repaired the car and it cost me $1100 to repair. I would have driven the car back to the Honda Dealership, but I was so afraid of going that many miles with a car that was a problem. But, a week after it was repaired, I did decide to chance bringing it back to dealership … They held car for over 2 weeks, leaving me, someone who is disabled, and depends on the car to get around from place to place, without a car, they told me I HAD to come in and drive the car with a factory representative..
Between the time I had it repaired and then brought to Honda at bay ridge…the problem reappeared, and it seemed to happen when the car was going at slow speed…and the problem, too, was/is that this problem happened intermittently, making it even more frightening to use..never knowing when the car would rev up and accelerate…
When driving with factory rep for a half hour, the problem did not replicate itself, and unfortunately, the factory rep and customer service at Bay Ridge REFUSED to do anything further..After taking it home, things were okay for awhile. Then in a short time thereafter, when at a local strip mall, while looking for parking, I tried to stop as two women with their many children crossed in front of me…I stepped on the brake, and the car revved itself up like a race car…, it started to shoot towards the women and children. I quickly turned the car wheel to the right to avoid hitting the group by braking again…and the brakes worked this time..
My wife has always been in the car with me when these episodes have happened….and it has been very frightening driving a car that one never knows when it will decide to accelerate again….knowing I could kill someone. Then 2 weeks later….we were in another shopping mall’s parking lot when this happened again…twice! I took the car back to Bay Ridge Honda on May 26, 2011. They kept the car again over two week, told me they would be working on it…and then told me that they were told NOT to touch the car…and that I HAD to wait for the factory rep..at HIS convenience (I work, and cannot take off from my job at a moment’s notice and/or frequently).
I kept an ongoing phone communication with that dealership, and was told that the factory rep would be in at a certain time and day..and then told he was on vacation..and the stonewalling began..I contacted HONDA AMERICA…case # N012011-04-12000-42—after getting absolutely nowhere at the dealership, being treated as if I was making up stories..when it would have served me no purpose to do so…being that this car is how I get to see my daughters and my granddaughters who live 50 or more miles away from my wife and I We live in Brooklyn, NY and both daughters live in Long Island.
The person who was the caseworker for our situation talked to me in the most disrespectful and unprofessional manner. He started to question me about my previous automobile, which made it obvious that for whatever the reason, Honda was looking into my driving background, which also makes me think that Honda may have something to hide….and was looking for ways to discredit me, which I find extremely offensive and criminal. My car, which I am afraid to drive, which my wife is afraid to be passenger, sits on the side of my apartment building…
I am at a loss as what to do..I am a very experienced and good driver. I know what happened with the car, and if need be, you can speak to my wife whom I have already told you has been in the car at every terrifying occurrence. I will not drive this car…I will never allow anyone in this car. This car, as far as we are concerned is a Death Mobile. We were lucky not to have taken anyone’s life…I would like someone to take care of this very terrible situation, this problem….and as soon as possible because I need my car to travel. I do not wish to go to the media, but if that is what I have to do..then I will. I am also thinking of speaking to a lawyer..But…I am allowing Honda to redeem itself by coming up with a fair and complete solution to this dangerous problem..
I reiterate I am a disabled man who relies heavily on his car to get to and from….This has been not only an inconvenience but a travesty and I am quite surprised that a company like Honda would go out of their way to NOT help a customer, especially with a car such as this..
I hope to hear from you as soon as possible with a reply that is satisfactory to me…
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Bought 2005 Honda Civic Sedan LX on March 25, 2008 from Bay Ridge Honda in Brooklyn, NY. Car was running fine until we had the car inspected in late January of 2011. In early February, while at a stop sign, with my foot on the brake, waiting for a car facing me to turn into a parking lot to my right, my Honda Civic’s engine started revving and shot my car forward with my foot still on the brake as I desperately trying to stop the car. I bounced off the car facing me, and smashed right into a rather large SUV, causing considerable damage to my bumper, fender, right head light..and side panel. Also causing damage to the SUV’s rear door.. We just missed smashing into people…
Took the car to a body shop, explained what happened, and they repaired the car and it cost me $1100 to repair. I would have driven the car back to the Honda Dealership, but I was so afraid of going that many miles with a car that was a problem. But, a week after it was repaired, I did decide to chance bringing it back to dealership … They held car for over 2 weeks, leaving me, someone who is disabled, and depends on the car to get around from place to place, without a car, they told me I HAD to come in and drive the car with a factory representative..
Between the time I had it repaired and then brought to Honda at bay ridge…the problem reappeared, and it seemed to happen when the car was going at slow speed…and the problem, too, was/is that this problem happened intermittently, making it even more frightening to use..never knowing when the car would rev up and accelerate…
When driving with factory rep for a half hour, the problem did not replicate itself, and unfortunately, the factory rep and customer service at Bay Ridge REFUSED to do anything further..After taking it home, things were okay for awhile. Then in a short time thereafter, when at a local strip mall, while looking for parking, I tried to stop as two women with their many children crossed in front of me…I stepped on the brake, and the car revved itself up like a race car…, it started to shoot towards the women and children. I quickly turned the car wheel to the right to avoid hitting the group by braking again…and the brakes worked this time..
My wife has always been in the car with me when these episodes have happened….and it has been very frightening driving a car that one never knows when it will decide to accelerate again….knowing I could kill someone. Then 2 weeks later….we were in another shopping mall’s parking lot when this happened again…twice! I took the car back to Bay Ridge Honda on May 26, 2011. They kept the car again over two week, told me they would be working on it…and then told me that they were told NOT to touch the car…and that I HAD to wait for the factory rep..at HIS convenience (I work, and cannot take off from my job at a moment’s notice and/or frequently).
I kept an ongoing phone communication with that dealership, and was told that the factory rep would be in at a certain time and day..and then told he was on vacation..and the stonewalling began..I contacted HONDA AMERICA…case # N012011-04-12000-42—after getting absolutely nowhere at the dealership, being treated as if I was making up stories..when it would have served me no purpose to do so…being that this car is how I get to see my daughters and my granddaughters who live 50 or more miles away from my wife and I We live in Brooklyn, NY and both daughters live in Long Island.
The person who was the caseworker for our situation talked to me in the most disrespectful and unprofessional manner. He started to question me about my previous automobile, which made it obvious that for whatever the reason, Honda was looking into my driving background, which also makes me think that Honda may have something to hide….and was looking for ways to discredit me, which I find extremely offensive and criminal. My car, which I am afraid to drive, which my wife is afraid to be passenger, sits on the side of my apartment building…
I am at a loss as what to do..I am a very experienced and good driver. I know what happened with the car, and if need be, you can speak to my wife whom I have already told you has been in the car at every terrifying occurrence. I will not drive this car…I will never allow anyone in this car. This car, as far as we are concerned is a Death Mobile. We were lucky not to have taken anyone’s life…I would like someone to take care of this very terrible situation, this problem….and as soon as possible because I need my car to travel. I do not wish to go to the media, but if that is what I have to do..then I will. I am also thinking of speaking to a lawyer..But…I am allowing Honda to redeem itself by coming up with a fair and complete solution to this dangerous problem..
I reiterate I am a disabled man who relies heavily on his car to get to and from….This has been not only an inconvenience but a travesty and I am quite surprised that a company like Honda would go out of their way to NOT help a customer, especially with a car such as this..
I hope to hear from you as soon as possible with a reply that is satisfactory to me…
Sincerely Steven bentley
- Steven B., Brooklyn, NY, US