To Whom It May Concern:
Hello, my name is Andrew Hwang and I would like to file a formal complaint about
the service provided to me by my local dealership. The absuridty of this issue has
brought me to contact you directly and I ask that you bring immediate attention to this
matter. The following is an accurate rendition of my case:
Vehicle Make: Honda
Vehicle Model: Prelude Base
Vehicle Year: 1998
Transmission: 5 Speed Manual
Mileage: 43,xxx
Background Information: The car was purchased not too long ago, used, from
Honda World in Westminster, CA. At the time, it had just shy of 38,xxx miles. No
problems were encountered with the vehicle until two days ago.
On Thursday, February 14, 2002, at 8:00 AM, prepared for my routine trip to work,
I encountered a problem with the transmission. Starting the car, everything seemed
normal and no problems were encountered, since the car was driven and was fine the night
before. However, after the car had started, the clutch pedal stayed in the depressed
position, disengaged, even after my foot had been completely removed from the pedal.
Seeing no possible way to get to work, I immediately called my local AAA towing service
and had my vehicle towed to the nearest Honda dealership. This was a small, local
dealership and upon their inspection, they claimed the problem lay in the clutch
fluid level. Their claim also included that the 1997 and 1998 Honda Preludes have a
common problem with the clutch fluid leaking out. They were a small dealership however
and said they could not honor the Honda Care Extended Warranty. I then had the vehicle
towed to a larger dealership, Weir Canyon Honda.
At Weir Canyon, the technicians verified the problem and assured me it would be
attended to and I could return the next day (Friday, February 15, 2002) and pick up the
car. This is where my case begins.
Upon returning to Weir Canyon Honda this afternoon (February 15, 2002), the
technicians promptly surprised me by claiming they ahd lost my set of keys with my
alarm system controller, CLUB Antitheft Key, and keychain. Surprised and dismayed, I
promptly asked them to make me a new set of keys and replace the alarm system and provide
a new set of alarm controllers. Needing to return to work as soon as possible, I used the
spare set of keys I had and proceeded to exit the dealership. Putting the car into
reverse, I found that the shifter would not go into the slot for reverse. Trying numerous
times with the incredulous technicians watching, I finally got the shifter into the slot
and proceeded to back out, apparently thinking it was my own personal error. Upon releasing
the clutch slightly to back out, the shifter popped out of the slot and repeatedly did
this and finally, I got out of the car and approached the technicians. They're response
was that they would have to take apart the transmission which would cost me around eight
hundred dollars and see what was wrong. I told them I had the Honda Care Extended Warranty
and they responded that I would have to wait until Tuesday (February 19, 2002) before
they could contact Honda Care to check and see if the inspection and replacement of the
transmission would be covered by the terms listed in the warranty.
This process exasperates me in that normal people do not have the time nor energy
to be playing games with the dealership and their lack of knowledge of the services they
offer. I do not have time to wait for the dealership to contact Honda Care after the
weekend to check and see if it was under the terms to inspect the transmission under
warranty. I was promptly offered a ride back home where immediately I searched for a way
to return to work. This is completely absurd and I faintly considered taking legal action.
The car previously had no problems whatsoever and taking it in to have the clutch fluid
refilled apparently takes the technicians at the dealership a full day, and requires the
loss of my set of keys and the destruction of my transmission. Normal, working people
like myself have a vehicle which they need to commute to and from work, and I have no time
to deal with the dealership and allow them to mess up my car and then ask that I wait
four days to see if the problem, which was their fault, is covered by the warranty which
I purchased with the car not half a year ago in order to have a peace of mind.
In short, my complaints that result from this troubling experience are as follows:
1. The loss of my personal property.
2. The unnecessary amount of time it takes for servicing.
3. The problems that resulted from allowing the dealership to service my vehicle.
4. The slow process of obtaining the terms of service of the Extended Warranty.
5. The dealership's lack of knowledge of the service which they themselves offer.
I would like to see my complaints seen to by the Honda-USA division personally.
Please let me know if you need any more information concerning my case.
My e-mail address is:
ice1cube@hotmail.com
My home phone number is: (714)572-1670
Thank you for your attention to this matter. ~ Andrew Hwang [ice1cube@hotmail.com]
P.S. It is clearly noted on your website (
www.honda.com) that the transmission is covered
by the extended warranty under the Powertrain guarantee. This exasperates me even further,
please see to it that your US dealerships are well informed and know what they sell and the
services that people pay for before they sell them. I experience friendly and amiable
attention when buying a car, but when faced with servicing and out-of-the-blue problems
such as this, I am faced with inexorbable indifference.
Hope you get your problems solved.
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