[Mr JP]

Well guys below is my letter to Honda beacuse of the smashed foglight issue which they have refused to help!

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHERE I SHOULD BE SENDING THIS FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT? i.e Chief exec or national managing director for huk?


And so the letter...


Dear ………….




I am writing to you in regards to an issue that has recently occurred with my Honda Civic Type – R GT (Registration ..........).
After buying the car last year I have enjoyed almost 12 months of pleasant motoring… until now!
After ignoring and not pursuing warranty claims with some slight issues with the car such as “dash rattles” and “windscreen rattles” etc I have recently suffered the following problem which I feel my warranty needs to cover and I cannot let it go. Although NO official announcement has been made by Honda it is more than well documented on www.civinfo.com (the leading owner’s forum) that there is a problem with foglights fitted to the new Civic. I used my fog lamps for the first time on Saturday 3rd May for approximately one and a half hours and then decided to wash the car using cold water immediately after driving. It was just as I hosed the car, the cold water made contact with the hot fog lamp glass, and it cracked and shattered. This is obviously not normal. I CAN confirm the breakage was caused by this and there was no previous damage or impacts from stones or the like. I did find it a little strange that glass would be implemented 4 inches from the ground when the headlights further up are polycarbonate and thus stronger (Perhaps a design fault?).
I proceeded to my local dealer where I purchased the vehicle, at G&M Honda in Gravesend, Kent and Gary the service manager agreed with my opinion that the glass fog lamps are poorly designed by Honda, and he proceeded to submit a warranty claim for me based on what I have stated. After arriving home I received a phone call to say the warranty department had rejected my claim, to my amazement.
I was then advised to call Honda UK. The owner’s forum aforementioned mentions that the HUK advisor Kiran (female) is well aware of the problem owners are having and HAS previously arranged replacements and gesture of goodwill compensation for other owners for the same fog light issue. Therefore I felt it would be appropriate to speak to her because of her experience is this matter. When I called her she said she would look into it and call me back, and to her credit she did call promptly, however only to explain nothing could be done, and that customer services can do no more! After contesting this she said she may be able to arrange something for me similar to previous claims from owners supported by HUK, and that she would call me back…
And so the call came and to my disbelief only to say again I have to foot the bill entirely! Kiran conceded that gesture of goodwill’s and credits have been given previously but that each case is judged on its own merit, even though I have an identical problem to the other owners and have never once made a claim before – surely my case would deserve some merit? Is this good customer service? To tell me there have been successful claims previously, and HUK compensation awards, but that I don’t deserve equal rights? This I find incredible, I’ve owned Honda cars for some years and never once complained or claimed a defect utilizing the Honda warranty and the moment something does happen I am left feeling severely disappointed, and regrettably feel I might have to sell my car because I cannot accept the poor service that has been displayed in this case. I cannot afford to replace the fog lamp myself and feel that in principle my 3 year warranty should cover this due to the fact I did nothing other than try and clean my pride and joy.

Overall I would like a resolution that suits both parties… to allow me to continue my loyalty in Honda as I would like to do, and for me to feel justice has been done and restore my faith in Honda, after, I hope, will be the correct solution.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Regards,








James Padgett