NHTSA Complaint #10125796 — 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 1999 INTO CRESCENT CITY, CA ON A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD DOWNHILL IN 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN PULLING A SMALL CAMPING TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAD 102,606 MILES ON THE VAN - JUST SHORT OF THE 105,000 MAINTENANCE PERIOD WHEN THE SPARK PLUGS WOULD BE REPLACED. A SPARK PLUG HAD COME LOOSE AND STARTING PINGING UP AGAINST THE IGNITION COIL. THIS CAUSED THE IGNITION COIL TO FAIL AND BLEW THE IG COIL FUSE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO COMPLETING STOP. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED. I WAS ABOUT 20 MILES OUSIDE CRESCENT CITY WHERE I WAS TOWED INTO CRESCENT CITY. THE VAN WAS SERVICED BY KEN'S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR, 1250 6TH STREET, CRESCENT CITY, CA 95531, (707) 464-4955. THERE WAS NO HONDA DEALER IN TOWN AND GETTING PARTS WAS DIFFICULT. A NEW IGNITION COIL WAS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE HONDA DEALER IN EUREKA, CA ON FRIDAY JUNE 10. KEN'S REPLACED THE FUSE AND DETACHED THE BURNED-OUT COIL AND I WAS GOING TO MAKE MY WAY TO REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK TO CAMP ON 5 CYLINDERS ON THEN ON TO EUREKA ON JUNE 10 TO HAVE THE HONDA DEALER FIX THE VAN. HOWEVER, JUST OUTSIDE OF CRESCENT CITY THE SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN RIGHT OUT OF THE CYLINDER TAKE THE REMAINING PART OF THE IGNITION COIL WITH IT. THE THREADS FOR THE SPARK PLUG WERE COMPLETED STRIPPED OUT. I HOBBLED BACK TO KEN'S. KEN HAD TO INSTALL A THREAD REPLACEMENT WHILE I RENTED A CAR TO GET THE NEW IGNITION COIL FROM THE HONDA DEALER. THE HONDA DEALER COULD NOT RE-ROUTE THE PART (THEY CLAIMED) AND COULD NOT GET THE PART TO KEN'S UNTIL SATURDAY JUNE 11. KEN'S SUCCESSFULLY RETHREADED FOR A NEW SPARK PLUG, EVACUATED A PIECE OF THE OLD SPARK PLUG OR COIL THAT FELL INTO THE CYLINDER, PUT ON THE NEW COIL AND GOT ME BACK ON THE ROAD. KEN'S REPRTED TO ME THAT 2 OTHER SPARK PLUGS WERE LOOSE. THE MAINTENANCE PERIOD FOR REPLACEMENT OF SPARK PLUGS OF 105,000 MILE IS TOO LONG. I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH FATAL CONSEQUENCES FOR MY FAMILY.