ATTENTION ALL ISUZU AXIOM, ISUZU RODEO AND HONDA PASSPORT OWNERS, THERE IS NOW AN FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OPEN INTO OUR PROBLEM.
If you have not received this e-mail from Mr. Rinehardt, then copy this letter, answer the questions and send photos and mail it to him. I am doing certified mail to ensure receipt of this. If you go further into the carcomplaints site, you will see the letter actually mailed to Isuzu and Honda.
They are investigating with a possible recall for this vehicles.
Dear Mr. L,
My name is Derek Rinehardt. I am a federal investigator with the Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. We are conducting a
formal investigation of 1998 through 2002 model year Isuzu Rodeo / Axiom, Honda Passport vehicles for a potential safety related defect involving the
rear suspension lower link components separating from the frame due to corrosion.
Thank you for filing a complaint with us in April. It is helpful to our investigation. As we gather more details it is sometimes necessary to contact the complainants for additional information.
Your complaint suggests that your vehicle may have experienced the condition we are investigating. If you wouldn't mind, please answer the questions below (even if you no longer the vehicle) to supplement the information you have already provided us. The questions may seem trivial
and some may be redundant to your complaint but are very important to us.
1. If you did not provide the VIN of your vehicle with your
complaint please do so.
2. Are you the original owner?
A) When was the vehicle purchased?
B) Has the vehicle been primarily driven in you current state of
residence?
3. What was the date of the incident?
4. Were you the driver of the vehicle when the incident occurred?
A) Were there other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the
incident?
5. Please describe in detail the specific occurrence when you
became aware that the lower link failed in your vehicle.
6. Please also answer the following to supplement the prior
information you have provided.
A) Approximately what time did the incident occur?
B) What were the weather conditions at the time of the incident?
C) Warning Signs:
i) Were there any warning signs alerting you to an impending issue
with your vehicle?
Ii) If there were warning signs please describe the warning signs.
(i.E. Noise, etc.)
iii) How long prior to the failure did you notice the warning signs?
D) Which component failed (right or left)?
E) How many miles were on your vehicle at the time of the failure?
F) How fast were you traveling when the failure occurred?
G) What type of road were you traveling on (i.E. Two lane road,
highway, residential street, etc)?
I) If you recall the exact location please provide that information
(for example the intersection of ABC Street and XYZ lane)
h) What were the traffic conditions? (Light, moderate, heavy)
i) Were you able to maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road?
I) Was your vehicle stranded in a lane of traffic?
J) If the vehicle was left inoperable did the vehicle require
towing?
I) How long did it take for a tow truck to arrive? Where was the
vehicle towed?
K) At the time of the incident were you using your vehicle to tow a
boat, trailer, etc?
7. Has the issue been corrected on your vehicle? If so how was it
corrected?
8. Did you report the issue to Isuzu / Honda? If so what did Isuzu
/ Honda say in their response to you?
Also, please feel free to add any additional relevant information
(including pictures). Thank you again for filing your complaint and
contributing to our investigation.
Best Regards,
Derek L. Rinehardt
Safety Defects Engineer / Federal Investigator
U.S Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Defects Investigation, Vehicle Controls Division
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
W48-219, NVS-213
Washington, DC 20590
Office: (202) 366-3642, (877) 536-8368 x63642
Fax: (202) 366-1767
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 AT 6:16 AM
