NHTSA Complaint #10078756 — 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY

IN APRIL, OUR FAMILY TOOK A RIDE (SPEEDS TO 50 MPH). OUR VAN'S ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP AT STOP LIGHTS TO APPROX. 5000 RPM'S. WE HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES VIOLENTLY IN ORDER TO STOP, THEN PARK. (DEPRESSING THEM ONCE DIDN'T SLOW IT DOWN ENOUGH.). *AK AFTER A FRIGHTENING DRIVE, AND SIMILAR EPISODES ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER (APPROX. 5 MILES AWAY), THE ENGINE HAD QUIT RACING. THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE ANYTHING, BUT MENTIONED THAT PERHAPS MY HUSBAND HAD PRESSED BOTH THE BRAKE AND THE GAS TO CAUSE THIS. NO WAY! NOT AFTER DRIVING THE VAN FOR FOUR YEARS. IN MAY, WE DROVE TO COLORADO (FROM INDIANA). AFTER THE FIRST 3 HOURS, WE PULLED OFF THE HWY., THE ENGINE ROARED WHEN WE SLOWED TO ABOUT 30 M.P.H.. AGAIN, WE PUMPED THE BRAKES, TERRIFIED THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO STOP. THE BRAKES ARE BARELY EFFECTIVE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE JUST CHECKED. A COLORADO DEALER TRIED TO PUT THE VAN ON THE COMPUTER TO FIND A PROBLEM CODE, NONE EXISTED. THEY COULDN'T HELP. ONCE HOME,I BROUGHT THE VAN TO OUR DEALER AGAIN. THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NO SERVICE WAS LISTED ON THE RECEIPT (ALTHOUGH HONDA USA CLAIMS THEY DID SOMETHING WITH THE THROTTLE BODY DURING THAT VISIT). THIS WEEK, I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT A STOP SIGN, AND IT HAPPENED AGAINL. THE NEXT DAY, I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT (COLD ENGINE). ONCE STOPPED OR ALMOST, IT BEGAN REVVING (50000 RPM'S). I PUT IT INTO "PARK" AND IT SLOWED DOWN IMMEDIATELY. HONDA USA INFORMED ME THAT THEY CAN'T HELP ME. IF THE PROBLEM ISN'T DUPLICABLE IN THEIR SHOP(S), IT CAN'T BE DIAGNOSED. I AM TERRIFIED FOR THE LIVES OF MY 2 CHILDREN THAT FREQUENTLY DRIVE WITH ME. PLEASE UNDERSTAND: ONCE YOU ARE ABLE TO STOP THE VAN, AND PUT IT INTO PARK, IT NO LONGER REVS OR FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO TAKE OFF. THE PROBLEM VANISHES ONCE I STOP AT A DEALERSHIP. IT OCCURS ONLY SPORADICALLY. I NOTICED AT LEAST TWO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE; ONE DATED JULY 18, 2001, ANOTHER JUNE 12, 2000.