NHTSA Complaint #10168593 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

SINCE BUYING MY CAR 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX V6 COUPE IN 03. I HAD EXHAUST PROBLEMS, RADIO REPLACEMENT, PARK AND BRAKE SENSOR REPLACEMENT, POWER OUTLET WIRING PROBLEMS AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE UP DURING HEAVY RAINSTORMS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED A FEW ACCIDENTS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NO PROBLEM. LAST THURSDAY MY CAR SEEMED TO BE HESITATING BEFORE SHIFTING INTO EITHER 2ND OR 3RD. I COULDN'T TELL FOR SURE. LATER THAT NIGHT, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP INTO & OUT OF THE LOW GEARS WHILE STARTING & STOPPING AT LIGHTS. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE (ONLY REV UP). AFTER SOME TIME, THE CAR JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND BACK INTO A DITCH. AFTER GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD, TRAVELING APPROX 60 MILES PER HR, I EASED OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR POWERFULLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE SEAT BELT, I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. MY DOG WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME & THROWN INTO THE DASH, THEN THE FLOOR. THE TIRES BARKED. THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY UP SHIFTED TO A HIGHER GEAR. I MADE IT HOME THAT NIGHT AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DOING OK. I ARRIVED AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APT FOR NEXT WEEK. LESS THEN 10 MILES AWAY THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT OUT OF 3RD GEAR AND THEN WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. I DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT MY EXPENSE, AND I WAS PRETTY MUCH AT FAULT BECAUSE I HAD NOT COMPLETED ALL MY SERVICE AT HONDA. I EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO MAKE IT TO THEM DURING THEIR BUSINESS HOURS. SO, SOME OF MY NORMAL OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT OTHER LUBE CENTERS. I THEN ASKED HIM ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION RECALL AND HE SAID THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY PROBLEM. AFTER WAITING MORE THAN HR WHILE HE CUT UP WITH EMPLOYEES, I SPOKE TO THE LOCATION MANAGER AND ASKED ABOUT TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION UNTIL I COULD CONTACT AMERICAN HONDA, AND HE SUGGESTED I BUY A NEW CAR. *JB