The catalytic converter on my 4 cylinder 2003 Honda Accord EXL was replaced under the 8/80 warranty on 7/10/09 at Joyce Honda, Denville, NJ. The car had only 67,187 miles on it.
Now, less than a year latter and after only 18,348 miles on that genuine Honda replacement part, Aron Cooper, the Joyce Honda service manager, says it needs to be replaced. He says that the code P0420 came up after the mechanic diagnosed the reason for the check engine light to come on. That is an extremely short life span for such an environmentally important part. It is also an extremely short life span for an expensive part replaced under warranty.
Mat Hatch, the Honda factory Representative, said that Honda will not stand behind the replacement Catalytic Converter which is a Honda part, installed at a Honda dealership within the 8/80 warranty period. His rationale was that although the car is within the 8 yr. Time period, it is 5,535 miles over the 80K mile limit.
Marion from Honda Automobile Customer Service (N0108-1301412) says that although the replacement Catalytic Converter is within the 1-year parts warranty period it is slightly over the 12K mileage for the parts warranty.
Thus Honda refuses to acknowledge the unusually short life of the replacement part that was installed under the warranty. As a consumer I am suspicious of a genuine Honda warranty replacement part that lasts for less than a year and only 18,348 miles. As a citizen I am concerned that Honda won’t honor any reasonable longevity for an environmentally sensitive part. As an automobile enthusiast I am amazed that a manufacturer is providing a Catalytic Converter that last less than 18K miles.
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