NHTSA Complaint #10267988 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

WE WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH MYSELF, WIFE AND GRANDDAUGHTER WHO WAS IN THE BACK SEAT, IN OUR 2003 HONDA EX ACCORD V6 WITH 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION WAS MODERATE TO HEAVY WITH SEMI-TRUCK AND TRAILERS IN FRONT OF US AND BEHIND US. WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65MPH IN DRIVE WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WENT FROM DRIVE TO LOW GEAR. THE AUTOMOBILE LOCKED UP THE BACK TIRES AND MADE A SCREECHING SOUND AND THE SMELL OF BURNT RUBBER AND HEAT WAS PREVALENT INSIDE THE CAR. AFTER NEARLY BEING HIT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, WE PUT ON OUR EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND PROCEEDED TO THE NEXT OFF RAMP. ALTHOUGH AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO DRIVE IN THE HIGH GEAR, THE DRIVE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO BACK TO LOW. AFTER CALLING A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE OUR CAR DELIVERED TO HONDA DEALERSHIP, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE OVERALL COST TO US WITH RENTAL, TOW, AND NEW TRANSMISSION WAS APPROXIMATELY $3,700.00. WE WERE NOT REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THIS WAS NOT USER ABUSE OR NORMAL WEAR AND IN MY OPINION THIS FAILURE CAN ONLY BE CHARACTERIZED AS A HONDA ENGINEERING DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE.*TR