NHTSA Complaint #10025722 — 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY

WE WERE IN THE FIRST DAY OF A 10 DAY TRIP IN OUR 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TCS LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. (THE VAN HAD BEEN IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THE TCS LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IN MAY, 2003 AND HAD ALSO BEEN CHECKED OUT PRIOR TO THE TRIP TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN GOOD SHAPE). THREE HOURS INTO OUR TRIP, THE LIGHTS COME ON AND WE'RE DEALING WITH AN OUT OF TOWN HONDA DEALER. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION DONE IN A TIMELY MANNERAT THE OUT OF TOWN DEALERSHIP AND WE NEEDED A VAN DUE TO A DISABLED CHILD AND NO VANS WERE AVAILABLE FOR RENT. THEREFORE, WE WERE LEFT WITH THE ONLY CHOICE WE FELT WE HAD WHICH WAS TO PURCHASE A NEW HONDA ODYSSEY (03) AT THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER WE GET HOME AND RESEARCH THIS ISSUE, WE FEEL THAT HONDA HAS BEEN LESS THAN FAIR AND HONEST. WE CALLED THE 800 NUMBER FOR HONDA CUSTOMER CARE. WHAT A JOKE! THEY FELT THAT THEY OWED US NOTHING, SINCE WE NO LONGER OWNED THE 99 HONDA. THEY ARE NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE 99 ODYSSEY IN TERMS OF TRANSMISSION. THEIR VERY WORDS WERE "WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS...THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE 99 ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION...IT IS ONLY YOUR OPINION." IN ADDITION, NOW WE HAVE THIS EXPENSIVE CAR PAYMENT AND ARE WONDERING WHAT IF THIS TRANSMISSION FAILS US ON THE ROAD? NO LONGER CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS A GREAT AUTOMOBILE COMPANY! ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, WE WERE TREMENDOUSLY INCONVENIENCED, BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY. *AK