NHTSA Complaint #10238411 — 2004 HONDA CIVIC

1. NO PRIOR WARNING, OTHER THAN A SLIGHT LURCH WHILE ACCELERATING WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY EARLIER THE SAME DAY. 2.&3. TRANSMISSION FAILURE/ P0370 INCORRECT GEAR RATIO RESULTING IN A PULLING LURCHING SENSATION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE PAST 10MPH WITHOUT AVOIDING THE LURCHING, HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST RESIDENTIAL AREA THEN GET IT TOWED IN THE MORNING TO A MECHANIC WITHIN 3-4 MILES OF WHERE I WAS PARKED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS INDEED ON AND WAS TURNED OFF ONCE THE ERROR CODE WAS RETRIEVED BY THE TRIPLE A MECHANIC, WHO RECORDED IT AS A P0370 INCORRECT GEAR RATIO ISSUE. AS IT IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, HONDA'S POLICY IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ENTIRELY. AT THIS POINT, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE IT WAS A FAR MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED. HOWEVER, SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS OFF NOW AND WITH IT, THE ERROR CODE, HONDA'S SERVICE CENTER HAS STATED THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE BY THEM UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REAPPEARS AND THE LURCHING OCCURS AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THAT WHETHER THAT HAPPENED ON A SIDE STREET OR FREEWAY, IT WAS OF NO CONCERN TO THEM AND THAT THE SITUATION WAS OUT OF THEIR HANDS. THE SITUATION I HAVE WITH MY CAR MIRRORS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE MANY 2001 HONDA CIVIC OWNERS, HENCE MY CONCERN AND FRUSTRATION WITH THE AIRPORT MARINA HONDA DEALERSHIP. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT I WILL HAVE TO FORCE A LURCHING, JERKING CAR SAFELY OFF THE FREEWAY BEFORE HONDA WISHES TO DEAL WITH MY VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR