Hey annunC8 - like minds, but you obviously type faster.

 

BULLLLLLLSH!T? Wow! Do you know the situation well enough to be able to so assuredly assume anyone is lying? Granted, kids are capable of anything... especially in an age when they're taught they can't possibly do anything wrong, they're entitled to everything (simply by virtue of the fact they're breathing), yet, responsible for nearly nothing. Still... you feel comfortable enough to so resolutely state someone is lying?

That just might be a little -- as you so eloquently put it -- "BULLLLLLLSH!T", on your part!

And, with all due respect, considering you live in a free nation, then considering some of the avatars you choose to display, I would be a little more hesitant in prescribing "reality checks" to others if I were you! (Sorry, I couldn't resist! Don't get serious on me... only joking around!)

 

Yeah, I may type faster... but I'm obviously a man of few words too!

 

Kid could be truthful or not, right? Even the nicest, sanest of kids will sometimes do stupid things in a car, and will then afterwards lie about it (from fear of losing driving privileges) to stay out of trouble... So maybe the kid did, and then again maybe he didn't..

But I don't think that means anything here except maybe to the OP and his son?
What I do thing tho is that if the initial accident was not caused by the catastrophic failure of an OEM car part, it would be very difficult to convince an auto manufacturer that any resulting damage from an auto accident should be their responsibility...
(Even if indeed that was actually the case here...)

But then again if you're convinced that the safety of the car failed, or didn't operate that way it should've, I would think that it's almost an obligation on your part to complain about this to the manufacturer!

Years ago Ford built some cars where the gas tank in the rear had only a very thin upper covering, -so thin that sometimes gas would leak out into the car's trunk! (I had a Ford Falcon where this happened!) And if one of these cars got rear-ended, sometimes, as a consequence of these cheesy thin walled fuel tanks, they would burst into a flaming explosion!! While the gas tank obviously didn't cause the rear-ender, this was certainly a case where the resulting severe damage occurring in an accident was the fault of the manufacturer!

 

Quote:

But then again if you're convinced that the safety of the car failed, or didn't operate that way it should've, I would think that it's almost an obligation on your part to complain about this to the manufacturer!

And I did. Initially I called Honda, and talked to a representative. Their reply in summary was “sorry your son crashed the car, but since he did that we won’t cover the door latch”. We had a long discussion but in my opinion the really were not interested. So, since a new passenger door was going to be installed (frame only) that would be a good time to install a new door latch. I wrote Honda a letter and included pictures of the car. My original post shows the letter that I sent. They called me and said “Sorry but NO”. Remember, I’m not asking them to be responsible for the damage…I only wanted a new door latch. Is this starting to sound similar to other customer warnings that went unheeded?

Perhaps, but remember that that opened door skimmed the water that was in the swell, splashing the interior (and also bending the door all the way around). So I think that the door was opened already. Also, the door edge did not impact (or catch) anything, like the ground. My thinking is that the door started to open as the car left the road, but that's a guess.

I’m a long time Honda consumer, but this incident has really shaken my confidence in the Fit and frankly pissed me off with Honda’s attitude. My goodness…I’m asking for a new door latch!! How cheap.

 

You may be asking for a new door latch and not a new door, you're still asking Honda to give you something for free because of a story that sounds very questionable that you have no way to prove.

And annunC8, you know his story is ridiculous. I don't know what DID happen, but I know what DIDN'T happen. The passenger door didn't go flying open for absolutely no reason, like he keeps saying it did. Can you tell me how the hell a bouncing car is going to shake lose a latch with no weight anywhere to pull it open??? You know the kid is lying, it doesn't take a rocket scientist.

Just a cynical person.

 

Hey AnnunC8... reality check!!! Obama smoked cigarettes and wore funny hats.

 

OP, if you think what happened is a defect in the door latch, you should report it to the NHTSA: Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), File A Safety Complaint If they get enough complaints, they may investigate, but if nobody reports it, they won't know.

I've never had a door that was securely closed ever open on me though, and I've spun my old 1997 Honda Odyssey at 60mph (also overcorrecting after a swere)... so this does seem worrying.

 

So say Honda gives you a new door latch and you determine that it's identical to the "faulty" one you are replacing. So that means every Fit door latch must be defective. You then start a campaign to let the world know that all Fit door latches must be of a faulty design so they need to be redesigned and replaced. The dealership is the face of Honda and they gave you a new door latch without big HONDA admitting there is anything wrong. I'd say HONDA made it right with you in their own way without admitting any problems that could really cost them.

 

What exactly is there to prove or disprove? No impact and no impact damage per photos and insurance assessment report. A neighbor saw the accident (I think I mentioned this) and I talked with this person. There was an opportunity to discuss with both the insurance claim adjuster (who carefully examined the vehicle) and the Honda repair dealership…but didn’t.

But yea, you’re probably right…he had the door wide open driving home. I do that all the time too. Strange how you don’t want to think there could be a problem here. Maybe it was just this door latch, but maybe not. And don’t be a complete idiot...I’m not saying there is no reason. A door latch should have enough tension to resist opening during extreme maneuvers, including the car incurring a momentary zero g environment. But you probably don’t understand that situation.

I have four cars (Chrysler minivan, Ford truck, Toyota Corolla, and the Fit. And my wife says that the Fit door handles are easier to open than any of the other cars. I agree with her assessment.

 

It's good everyone is okay. But check out this video where they run the fit into an accord. Right to the very end the door stays on even after being crushed and destroyed.

YouTube - IIHS Crash Test Of Honda Accord Versus Honda Fit

To be honest I don't know why the fit scores a poor rating in that crash. The actual passenger compartment held up superbly. I guess the impact forces of hitting a tank (accord) are just too great?



Now here's a car with a faulty door latch...

YouTube - Toyota Camry vs Toyota Yaris - Crash test compatibilitŕ IIHS, Sicurauto.it

Did a million times worse than the Fit. Passenger compartment is completely compromised and the door blew off.



Anyway regardless of what you call the incident it simply is not something a warranty is designed to cover. The damage did not occur durring normal use.

Besides, I've done more J-turns, bootleggers, and 360s with this car than I care to admit and never once has a door flew open.

 

They definitely open and close very easily compared to anything else I've had (small trucks). I like that. My two year old can open them from the outside (not sure how good that is though). Mine lock automatically as soon as I start moving and unlock when I turn it off so even if they open easily when unlocked there is that safety backup.

 

The one thing that bothers me about this conversation is that the door opened. Maybe the Kid did something wrong, maybe it was entirely his fault, maybe not... does that part really matter? NO! What Matters is that there was no one in the passenger seat and no way for him to reach across and open it (especially during the accident), yet the door opened. The door should open on two different events, and only two different events: pulling the handle from the inside, and pulling the handle from the outside. (ok, and maybe in a horrific accident VS a Semi - Glad this didn't happen and all are ok). Flexing of the body shouldn't pop the door, or else you'd see half the AutoXers driving around with doors wide open. Since neither of these events seemed to happen (or are even likely possible), there is a problem.

The door itself opened, and no one opened it... THAT... IS a problem that Honda shouldn't be overlooking.

~SB

 

You don't know what actually happened. I don't know. Non of us do. Dad may not even know what happened. All we know is what the son told his dad and what dad told us.

A teenager being dishonest with his parents about how the car got damaged?
It happens.

 

The amusing thing here is that our arguments all come out the same: "How can the door open for no reason?!"

Yet the conclusions we draw are far different. I just tend to think that a tall tale is behind it rather than a tale of physics gone awry. Young boys more often do bizarre and unpredictable things than the laws of physics. That's my thought process. :]

 

A few things just don't add up.

Neighbor saw the accident - Doesn't mean that damage wasn't done before the accident but since there was water from the culvert inside the car, it is likely the door was damaged during the accident. Granted, we don't know what actually happened but if the passenger door did open during the accident, that simply is a problem. No matter what happened, whose at fault, etc... the door shouldn't open without input from the operator.

~SB

 

Maybe the GF kicked it at the moment he lost control?

 

I believe this is the position of Honda, based on my discussions with their representative. However, I don’t agree with it, and here’s why.

If the accident resulted in an impact that either smashed the door (and the latch) or resulted in such force that ripped the door off, then no argument. This is not normal use and the door latch is not expected to be covered. Case closed.

But there was no impact. Instead the car encountered mainly up and down forces. Someone mentioned “frame flexing”, but I don’t think this happened. The reason is that there were no frame alignment issues and no other doors opened. Although the passenger door hinges were bent, and the door stop was broken in half, the car door frame was still perfect, including where the hinges mount. No damage was incurred to the undercarriage, no wheel damage and wheel alignment was still fine. No rear or front bumper damage, nothing “popped” off, etc. So, if the car is able to sustain a certain amount of force without damage, shouldn’t the door latch tension is able to handle that? Thus, I feel that it falls within both a warranty issue and safety, with safety being the overriding factor. Granted, I have a new door latch, but no thanks to Honda.

This will most likely be my last post on this subject, but I wanted everyone to know what we experienced. Both with Honda and the Fit.

 

A few things on this.

First, first hand reports on what happened surrounding a teenager's accident are not exactly reliable. Sure he claims that the door was closed with no warning light, but can a party like Honda trust that? He's unreliable/inexperienced enough to have a single vehicle accident.

Second, hitting water counts as an impact. At any sort of speed, water is "solid" enough to do damage.

Third, you don't have any sort of evidence that the door latch assembly itself was flawed or that it malfunctioned. If the dealer determined that a spring was weak, or a hinge was sticking, then you might have a point. But honda presumably did impact testing with the fit and shouldn't have any reason to believe that their doors just fly open without cause.

 

Pulling a 180 isn't "normal use". Honda isn't responsible for what happened with your door or latch.

What I see is that you're looking to blame the door latch or the road design while denying that your son is at fault.