NHTSA Complaint #10193882 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

I PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY AND THE HONDA CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY IN MARCH OF 2007. I WAS PLANNING A TRIP FROM TEXAS TO WEST VIRGINIA WITH A FRIEND AND OUR THREE KIDS, ALL UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE. IN ALABAMA, WE REALIZED THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS RELEASING HOT AIR. I CALLED THE HONDA DEALERSHIPS IN ALL THE MAJOR CITIES WE PASSED THROUGH. SINCE IT WAS A SATURDAY ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, NO ONE WOULD HELP US. I CALLED HONDA CARE AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE VAN WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. WHEN I ARRIVED IN WEST VIRGINIA, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. THE TECHNICIANS THERE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE VAN'S CONDENSER THAT "MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK." I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER EITHER MY FACTORY WARRANTY OR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY $633.52 TO GET IT FIXED. I SPOKE TO REPRESENTATIVES AT GUNN HONDA, WHO ADVISED ME TO CALL HONDA. I CALLED THE HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER. THE REGIONAL MANAGER CALLED ME AND GAVE A SEEMINGLY REHEARSED SPEECH OF HOW THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. AFTER A SEARCH ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. I AM VERY DISTRAUGHT TO THINK THAT NO ONE HAS STEPPED FORWARD TO PROTECT THE HARD-WORKING CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY FROM SUCH A SCANDALOUS CONSPIRACY. I AM AN ARMY VETERAN WHO SERVED TIME IN IRAQ. MY HUSBAND IS ACTIVE DUTY, STATIONED IN HAWAII, SET TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN. WE CANNOT AFFORD A PLANE TICKET FOR HIM TO COME HOME BECAUSE I HAD TO USE ALL OF OUR SAVINGS FOR THIS. WHY ARE PEOPLE BEING DECEIVED ABOUT HOW GREAT HONDA IS AND HOW THE ODYSSEY IS THE NUMBER ONE MINIVAN, AND NOT BEING WARNED ABOUT SUCH AN EXPENSIVE DEFECT IN THE DESIGN? WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? AM I TO JUST LET THIS ORGANIZATION TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME?