NHTSA Complaint #10052758 — 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY

I HAD LEASED A BRAND NEW, 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY IN SEPTEMBER, 2003 FROM BAYRIDGE HONDA IN BROOKLYN, NY. I PICKED UP THE CAR ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2003. ON SEPTEMBER 9, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS SURGING, ON THE VERGE OF STALLING. THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE AND AT THAT TIME RESET THE COMPUTER, I BELIEVE. I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE THE SAME DAY AFTER BEING TOLD THAT IT WAS FIXED. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE I WAS WAITING ON A RED LIGHT, AND THEN STARTED STALLING ON STOP SIGNS AND WHILE MAKING TURNS. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON OCTOBER 23, 2003. ONCE AGAIN, I PICKED UP THE CAR THE SAME DAY AFTER THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS FIXED. THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WHERE THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL IN THE SAME SITUATIONS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK, WHICH I DID ON OCTOBER 25, 2003. YET AGAIN THEY HAD ME PICK UP THE CAR TELLING ME IT WAS FIXED. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE STALLING STARTED AGAIN, AND THIS TIME A LOT MORE OFTEN. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 15, 2003 AND IT HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THEN - FOR 3 1/2 WEEKS. I HAD CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THEIR ANSWER IS THAT THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, WHICH DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE CAR STALLED MANY TIMES WHEN I DROVE IT. I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE PICKING UP MY CAR AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, AS NOTHING WAS DONE ON IT BY THE DEALER. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR THAT STALLS IN TRAFFIC, WHILE WAITING ON TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC. I HAD TRIED RESOLVING THIS WITH THE DELEARSHIP, AS WELL AS WITH HONDA OF AMERICA BUT ALMOST 4 WEEKS THE ONLY THING THEY ARE TELLING ME IS THAT THEY CANNOT DIPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WILL CONTINUE DRIVING MY CAR MEANWHILE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP OR ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE ME AND I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. SINCERELY, LANA KRICHMAR-LIVERANT, PH.D. *AK