NHTSA Complaint #10236624 — 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH ON INTERSTATE 65 NEAR MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA THERE WAS A SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN OUR 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY RESULTING IN THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKING UP AND THE VEHICLE SKIDDING TO A HALT. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE INTERSTATE. WE EXITED THE VEHICLE QUICKLY AND CALLED 911. A COUPLE OF SQUAD CARS RESPONDED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. WE COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION SO WERE UNABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE PLACE. THERE WERE SOME CLOSE CALLS BUT NO ACCIDENTS FROM OTHER VEHICLES TRYING TO AVOID OUR STRANDED MINIVAN. EVENTUALLY GOT THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP IN MONTGOMERY (MCCONNELL) WHERE WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS INDEED LOCKED UP AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH BOTH DRIVE SHAFTS AND BOTH FRONT TIRES. WE CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS BECAUSE (IN OUR VIEW) THIS IS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. WAS INITIALLY TOLD NO BECAUSE OUR MILEAGE OF 100594 WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY AND OUR 2002 MODEL YEAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED TRANSMISSION WARRANTY GIVE TO MODEL YEARS ENDING IN 2001. AFTER A WEEK OF HAGGLING AMERICAN HONDA DID NOT ADMIT TO THIS BEING A DEFECT BUT DID AGREE TO COVER 80% OF THE REPAIR COST THROUGH GOODWILL. OUR FINAL BILL WAS $1301.71 FOR A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION, 2 NEW DRIVE SHAFTS AND 2 NEW TIRES. *TR