1999 Honda Accord suspension problems

“The contact owns a 1999 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel was vibrating abnormally. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the alignment checked by an independent mechanic who determined that the passenger’s side subframe was extremely rusted, causing the vehicle to be out of alignment. The mechanic also advised the contact that the A/C drain tube had drained over the subframe on the passenger side and might have been a contributing factor to the extreme rusting of the subframe. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.”

“MY 1999 HONDA ACCORD V6 HAS A RUSTED SUBFRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY DRIPPING WATER FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE DRIVERS SIDE SUBFRAME IS IN PERFECT CONDITION. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH UNCOVERS SEVERAL NEWS STORIES AND OFFICIAL INQUIRIES TO HONDA FOR AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM. FURTHER NO DEALER OR MECHANICS UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO ME. AFTER SEEING THE EXTENSIVE RUST MISSING SECTIONS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT SEE THE DAMAGE WHEN CHANGING THE OIL. EVEN I CAN TELL THERE IS A PROBLEM. MY CAR IS NOW INOPERABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SAFE. AT THE MOMENT IT ONLY HAS 110K MILES OR APPROX 6K A YEAR. I DON'T SEE A RECALL FOR THIS YET THE ISSUE SEEMS COMMON.”

“THE FRONT SUBFRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH ON ONE SIDE ONLY. IT'S THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE AC DRAIN HOSE DIPS ON THE FRAME. THE CAR IS IN OTHERWISE GOOD SHAPE AND DOESN'T PRESENT ANY REAL ISSUES BUT THE RUST IS SO BAD THAT IT IS MAKING THE CAR VERY UNSAFE.”

“WHILE TRYING TO GET CV SHAFTS REPLACED, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRONT SUBFRAME REAR CROSSMEMBER, SPECIFICALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE, HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE TOP HALF AND WAS THUS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE SAME AREA THAT RUSTED AWAY IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN PIPE. IT STANDS TO REASON THAT THIS DRAIN PIPE DIRECTS WATER RIGHT ONTO THE SUB FRAME IN THIS SECTION, WHICH WOULD CAUSE IT TO RUST OUT FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE FRAME. MY SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR THIS IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) THERE ARE 316,000+ MILES REGISTERED ON THE ODOMETER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GARAGE KEPT. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT SURFACES EXPOSED TO ROAD DEBRIS, SALT, AND WATER SHOULD BE EQUALLY AS RUSTED. 2) THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY INTACT. 3) THE AFFECTED PORTION OF THE SUBFRAME IS ACTUALLY THE SUPERIOR (TOP) ASPECT WHICH IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE DRAIN PIPE, AS OPPOSED TO THE INFERIOR (BOTTOM) ASPECT, WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE ROAD. JUST 2 MONTHS BEFORE I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THIS INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR CV SHAFT SERVICE, I HAD A HONDA DEALERSHIP, SPECIFICALLY CLASSIC HONDA LOCATED IN STREETSBORO, OHIO PERFORM A FRONT SWAY BAR BUSHING SERVICE AND I…”

“BEGAN HEARING UNUSUAL NOISE FROM RIGHT FRONT TIRE AREA WHEN TURNING. UPON INVESTIGATING, DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS WORN EXCESSIVELY AND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT SUB-FRAME IS ROTTED OUT. NO OTHER PART OF THE FRAME IS ROTTED ONLY THE RIGHT FRONT. APPARENT CAUSE IS A DESIGN FLAW WHERE THE A/C DRAIN TUBE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY OVER THIS SUB-FRAME AND CAUSES IT TO PREMATURELY RUST AND ROT OUT. I CANNOT GET AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE SUB-FRAME IS TOO WEAK. I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE SUB-FRAME WILL LIKELY FAIL CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.”

“I RECENTLY BOUGHT A CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER AND WAS GOING TO DO MY BRAKES ON IT AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME IS ROTTED OUT DOE TO WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONER HOSE SITS THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZARD DUE TO THE MOTOR CAN DROP OUT OR MY NEW DRIVER COULD GET INTO A ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS NO RUST VERY CONCEREND WHY HONDA HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THIS IT IS ALL OVER UTUBE DUE TO FAILURE OF THIS PART HONDA NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO FOR NOT LOOKING AT THERE VEICHLES PROPERLY YOU SEE IT WHEN YOU DO AN OIL CHANGE SOMEONE IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY GET HURT OR DIE PLEASE HAVE THEM RECLL THIS SAFETY HAZARD FOR ALL HONDA OWNERS”