[markster]

Brand new car, with 2 miles, and the car drifted to the right.
Went back to the dealer twice, the first time they do an alignment, they say it is fixed. We leave.

I go on the freeway and the car still drifts right.

Back to the dealer.

They see a bulletin about subframe bolts being off on some Accords, they tighten them. they road test, but not on a smooth freeway.

We leave, the car still pulls right at freeway speeds.

I dropped it off today for the third time. But this time we are there because the engine is hesitating on and off.

I think I've spend about 15 hours at this dealership, 5 hours to purchase the damn thing and 10 hours, waiting around for service. We have also gone back to the dealer one other time for floormats because they ruined our stock ones with greese, another trip to remove the dealer sticker, and a trip to have them disable the alarm that we didnt' buy.

This sucks because I've owned/operated 4 other Honda and they were all great cars and now I get a lemon.

I'm going back in a few hours, I hope they have fixed everything but something tells me they haven't.

The car has 1,200 miles now.

Any help/advice would be appeciated.

BTW, this was the worst sales department I've ever delt with. I'll never buy a car there again.


(I will not mention the dealer until I get all of this resolved - so please don't ask)

 

[princess]

Uhh, welcome to the forum here.....markster.....

So sorry to hear about the problems with your car. Did you search through the "factory direct" area for bulletins that may apply?

The cutting out may be the EGR thing????

The pulling can be alignment, frame, tires, rims..... most often it's tires. With a pinch of wear their flaws are more apparent. Try rotating & see if it's different.

Did they ADD an alarm? The V6's come with one from the factory, don't they?

Please keep us informed on how this all plays out, 'K?

 

[markster]

Uhh, welcome to the forum here.....markster.....

So sorry to hear about the problems with your car. Did you search through the "factory direct" area for bulletins that may apply?

The cutting out may be the EGR thing????

The pulling can be alignment, frame, tires, rims..... most often it's tires. With a pinch of wear their flaws are more apparent. Try rotating & see if it's different.

Did they ADD an alarm? The V6's come with one from the factory, don't they?

Please keep us informed on how this all plays out, 'K?

could you please tell me how to seach factory direct, is it a website?

they rotated the tires on the car the first two times, so the tires have been eliminated. on our first visit, the tech said it could be the suspension, but once they found the subframe bolts bulletin and tightened them, they never checked the suspension.

I just got a call from the service manager. He said that they can not confirm that the car lags while driving and that the car's alignment is within standards and that they did a second road test, but I don't believe them as they say the road tested the car after the first visit and it still had a problem.

My wife and I are really frusterated. We called 1-800-999-1009 Honda Customer Service and filed a report, told them it has been three visits, blah, blah, but so far nothing. They told us they are going to have a case manager contact the dealer to check up on them. I have a feeling they are just going to give them the same old line they gave me, that they checked everything and everything appears to be fine.

I'm not sure what I should do? Our options are to contact a lawyer that specializes in lemon laws and, or file a complaint with the BBB and, or try to deal with the district manager.

Yes, the V-6s come with the alarm, but we had it disabled because we didn't want to pay $500 for it.

What is the EGR thing? It sounds fancy.

 

[princess]

In this site there's an area called "factory direct" where many service bulletins are located. The title of each thread usually has the bulletin#, year & a brief description.

At the top of this page click "accord forums" then scroll down to "factory direct" then take a look at the threads there.

Other models, such as the Pilot have an EGR update. They symptoms are cutting out while going down the road, like on the freeway. It's a computer controlled unit having to do with emissions. If the dealer hooked your car up to a diagnostic computer it would show a code if it's the problem.....most of the time.

I'm not that familar with the SF area dealers, more east bay....far east. You do not have to take it to the dealer of purchase, so if you're getting too frustrated, take it elsewhere!!

They charged extra for the alarm that comes stock? That's a new one for me!

I think it's too early to say the car's a lemon.... but the dealer may be!!

 

[Inspector1]

Welcome markster!!

Here's a link to factory direct
http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=28

Would the service manager ride with you on Highway??

Does it pull right when your in the far left lane or on another road??

Did they swap Left frt to Right frt on the rotate??
You could always mark the inside of tires w/chalk or paint stick to verify the rotate....

Sometimes service writers " do not communicate" customer problems to tech's.

If they charged you 500 bucks for an alarm that came from factory and you have it in writing that would be a NAIL in the coffin for me and I would be standing in the owners office with my attorney and the troubleshooter from a local news station....

Good Luck and keep us posted

I1

 

[anysia]

yeah, they charged extra for a stock alarm? i'd definitely look into that one! it sounds a bit fishy!

and definitely try another dealer for service. and insist that if they can;t replicate the problems, that they go on a test drive with you so you can show them. maybe also insist on driving another one on the lot to show them how it differs.

 

[stevel]

my dealer also had an "add on" alarm on the cars when I got mine, wanted something like $500 for it. I had them take it out... my service guy told me flat out that, yeah the car has one from the factory, they are just offering another level of security if you want it..... as far as calling a lawyer, don't do that yet, let Honda know that if you're not satisfied, then you will and see what happens.... Audi for instance will generally bend right over if you mention the words, lemon, buyback, or lawyer..... don't know about honda though..... I do know that CA is the top state in being anti-manufacturer, pro-customer in these cases....

 

[BenjiBoy650]

If you want good service you need to go across at least one bridge, more like 2. There are no good dealers on the Peninsula May I ask what dealer charged you for an alarm installed from the factory, so that I can tell everybody I know not to buy from them?

 

[markster]

Welcome markster!!

Here's a link to factory direct
http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=28

Would the service manager ride with you on Highway??

Does it pull right when your in the far left lane or on another road??

Did they swap Left frt to Right frt on the rotate??
You could always mark the inside of tires w/chalk or paint stick to verify the rotate....

Sometimes service writers " do not communicate" customer problems to tech's.

If they charged you 500 bucks for an alarm that came from factory and you have it in writing that would be a NAIL in the coffin for me and I would be standing in the owners office with my attorney and the troubleshooter from a local news station....

Good Luck and keep us posted

I1

I never asked the service manager to ride in the car. Maybe I should, I've only had two tech ride with me and test it out.

Oh no, we didn't pay the $500 for the alarm. We don't have it in writing. They were calling it stealth or something like that. We have a contract that says we declined it, and then we had to go in and have them disable it because we didn't buy it. I didn't know that Accords came with stock alarms. Maybe I should dig deeper into this issue.


As far as the tire rotation, they are really vague on their reports, they just say they rotated them but don't say exactly what they did.

 

[princess]

I think the lemon law here is 3 times in to fix the exact same problem....so make sure each work order is written up the same every time you take it in for this problem. It's not 3 different problems!

 

[BenjiBoy650]

I never asked the service manager to ride in the car. Maybe I should, I've only had two tech ride with me and test it out.

Oh no, we didn't pay the $500 for the alarm. We don't have it in writing. They were calling it stealth or something like that. We have a contract that says we declined it, and then we had to go in and have them disable it because we didn't buy it. I didn't know that Accords came with stock alarms. Maybe I should dig deeper into this issue.


As far as the tire rotation, they are really vague on their reports, they just say they rotated them but don't say exactly what they did.

You should have buttons on your keys for the central locking. Those engage your alarm as well. Press lock twice within 5 seconds and the horn SHOULD go off to tell you the alarm is armed.

 

[markster]

whoops....

yes, the car pulls from all lanes, faster,center and right the hardest....

actually in the right lane it feel like it dives....


also, factory alarm? I didn't know my car came with one.

I just thought it came with the report door openers with keys, with the panic button....

 

[markster]

You should have buttons on your keys for the central locking. Those engage your alarm as well. Press lock twice within 5 seconds and the horn SHOULD go off to tell you the alarm is armed.

really, I didn't know that. I heard the horn, but I just thought that was a confirmation honk that your car was locked.

 

[markster]

If you want good service you need to go across at least one bridge, more like 2. There are no good dealers on the Peninsula May I ask what dealer charged you for an alarm installed from the factory, so that I can tell everybody I know not to buy from them?

they wanted $850 for this spray stuff on the paint and interior

$500 for stealth (engine imbolizer) , fenderwell trim and door edge guard

I really don't want to disclose the dealership's name until this is closed and done with, if I do give their name they could claim I tarnished their business on the net and use it as ammunition.

 

[markster]

wait, does the engine immobilizer come with the factory alarm?

 

[princess]

If you press the lock button on your key once it locks up, the second time quickly, it beeps the horn to confirm that it locked.

Push unlock once it only unlocks the drivers door, the second time unlocks passenger doors, hold & it rolls down the windows. (not up!)

It's standard on the V6. It's in the base price from the factory & dealers that charge extra without adding another alarm should be reported!!

When armed/locked if someone opens the doors or removes the stereo the horn will beep & beep. It won't do it forever, it's timed.

 

[BenjiBoy650]

wait, does the engine immobilizer come with the factory alarm?

Yes. Princess mentione the alarm is timed, this is true. This prevents your battery from dying I suppose.

 

[Inspector1]

You will always have a stronger right pull from center and right lanes due to crown in road but not as extreme as you mention..

Is you hesitation intermittent?? Maybe when then disabled their high dollar alarm they got into something else.....

You should also note that your car has an ignition system immobilizer.. see the green light in cluster when you turn key to run position??

I'm still puzzled on pulling..... Does your car have OEM wheels and tires or did they install custom wheels and tires......just a guess since they installed an additional alarm that you really don't need..

do you have Bridgestones or Michelins??

Go to a tire dealer and have them test drive with you and get their opinion on pulling....

I1

 

[BenjiBoy650]

I was thinking if the hesitation is intermittent or a once in a while thing, it might just be VTEC. Supposedly in the 4 cylinder models, the first time VTEC engages you will feel it cut power once. I feel this in my car, and it's a normal occurence for me, but then again mine has 117K. My friend had this problem with his then-new 2001 Accord as well though.

 

[princess]

That's the idea. The plan being the sound will scare off a thief, but won't make you come out to a dead battery if you didn't hear it.

Great ideas I1! I hadn't thought of undoing something by mistake when "undoing" the alarm..... very possible! A tire shop could be helpful with the pull.