I respectfully request that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles investigate Rick Case Honda for a repair I believe was performed negligently and the dealership's refusal to accept responsibility. On December 2, 2025, Rick Case Honda performed a cylinder head replacement on my 2023 Honda Civic before selling it at auction. I later purchased the vehicle on March 16, 2026, from Newton Nissan South, which had acquired it through the auction. Several months later, the engine developed an oil leak. Newton Nissan South diagnosed the leak at the front crankshaft seal using UV dye and referred me to Honda of Murfreesboro for warranty repair. During disassembly, Honda of Murfreesboro discovered a broken timing chain tensioner retaining bolt inside the engine. I met with the Service Director and a Honda North America Field Technical Specialist, who showed me the failed parts, including the broken bolt, broken tensioner, wear marks on the timing cover, and grooves in the engine block consistent with prolonged movement before the bolt failed. I was advised that this bolt requires only 7-9 ft-lbs of torque and that improper installation can cause delayed failure. Honda of Murfreesboro advised that the last repair involving removal of this component was Rick Case Honda's December 2, 2025 repair. Since then, no repairs have been performed in that area of the engine, only routine maintenance and diagnosis of the oil leak. Rick Case Honda has denied responsibility based primarily on the passage of time and changes in ownership, despite being the last dealership to perform this engine repair. I respectfully request that your office investigate whether Rick Case Honda failed to perform the repair according to Honda specifications and improperly refused responsibility for the resulting engine damage. I am seeking repair of my vehicle and any other relief deemed appropriate.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11747700 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

During a controlled low-speed autocross event (~55 mph entry), I applied the brake pedal firmly to decelerate for an upcoming turn. The vehicle failed to decelerate at anywhere near its rated capability. Despite full, sustained pedal application, the car would not slow adequately, departed the course, and struck a barrier, resulting in a total loss. No injuries occurred. This happened on smooth, dry pavement where 100+ other vehicles braked normally. The failed system appears to be the electronic brake control (ABS/VSA) and/or its input signaling. Event Data Recorder (EDR) data was professionally extracted and shows: accelerator at 0% for ~3.5 seconds before impact (ruling out pedal misapplication); ABS logged ACTIVE while stability control was "not engaged"; and peak deceleration of only ~0.67 g with a momentary 0.00 g dropout, versus this model's documented ~0.9–1.0 g capability. Notably, the service-brake switch intermittently read OFF while ABS was simultaneously active — a signal inconsistency, since ABS modulates driver-applied pressure. This indicates a possible brake-switch/signal-integrity or ABS/VSA control anomaly that reduced or withheld commanded braking. Safety risk: complete loss of expected stopping power at speed. Had this occurred on a public road with a pedestrian, crossing traffic, or a stopped vehicle ahead, it could have caused serious injury or death. The vehicle was under the 3-year/36,000-mile warranty with a stock, unmodified brake system. Prior symptom: on the immediately preceding run, dashcam footage shows an abnormal brake hop/oscillation, which may have been an early sign of the same fault. The vehicle, EDR data, and synchronized dashcam footage are preserved and available for inspection. The manufacturer extracted the EDR but has not yet performed a root-cause teardown. No dealer, police, or insurance inspection has occurred. Root cause: UNKNOWN pending modulator interrogation.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761048 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov