NHTSA Complaint #10140291 — 2000 HONDA PASSPORT

BOUGHT NEW 2000 HONDA PASSPORT (ISUZU RODEO) OCTOBER 2001. JULY 2002, APPROXIMATELY 11K MILES STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, DESCRIBED TO MECHANICS AS CLUNKING,BANGING, NOISE & IN REVERSE,VEHICLE HESITATED. (I HAVE CONCERNS DOCUMENTED)REPORTED PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES BUT TOLD COULD NOT DUPLICATE."THEN,NOV 2004,PREVIOUSLY CONDITIONS WORSENED & TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 45K MI. TOWED TO MIKE'S TRANSMISSION WHO INSTALLED REPLACEMENT TRANS. WEEK LATER GOT VEHICLE & WITH IN A MONTH,TRANS LIGHT CAME ON & CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAVE HAD TO TAKE CAR IN ALMOST EVERY MONTH TO GET TRANSMISSION FIXED,AT LEAST 10X IN LESS THAN 1 YR. I WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE BY ONE MECHANIC & TOLD I SHOULD TRADE CAR IN B/C PASSPORTS "ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM" & THEY KEEP "REPLACING DEFECTIVE PARTS" IN MY VEHICLE WITH NEW DEFECTIVE PARTS". COUPLE DAYS LATER, THE TRANS LIGHT CAME BACK ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO MILLER HONDA & PAID FOR A 2ND OPINION & WAS TOLD TRANS WAS SHOT & FLUID IN TRANS WAS "BURNT".CALLED MIKE'S & THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANS AGAIN. A FEW DAYS LATER,GOT VEHICLE BACK. LAST THURSDAY,LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER RECEIVING NEW TRANSMISSION WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY IN FAR LEFT LANE AT 70 MPH & LOST ALL POWER FROM GAS PEDAL TO ENGINE. CARS SPEEDING PAST ME AS I UNCONTROLLABLY LOST SPEED. MANEUVERED ACROSS 5 LANES & EXITED. FRIDAY, FOUND OUT FLEX PLATE/FLY WHEEL SEVERED,CONNECTS ENGINE TO,GUESS WHAT,TRANSMISSION!3 MECHANICS TALKED TO NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE,EXTREMELY UNUSUAL.SO UNUSUAL THAT WARRANTY CO WON'T COVER B/C THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT,NOR IS IT LISTED ANYWHERE IN THEIR BOOKS. SO,TO HAVE A VEHICLE,COST IS $1,766. I'M SO UNBELIEVABLY UPSET I'VE BEEN SITTING AT HOME,WITH NO TRANSPORTATION,CRYING. IS IT UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT A NEW VEHICLE SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 3 YEARS?(BOUGHT VEHICLE 10/01, TRANS FAILED 11/04)MECHANICS CAN'T BELIEVE TRANS FAILED AT 45K MI (HAD BEEN COMPLAINING OF PROBLEMS AS EARLY AS 11K MI)NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO OWN RODEO/PASSPORT HAVE SAME PROBLEM.WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR HONDA/ISUZU RECALL THIS VEHICLE?*JB