NHTSA Complaint #10296969 — 2008 HONDA PILOT

I OWN AN 2008 HONDA PILOT (AUTOMATIC) AND WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS VEHICLE'S INABILITY TO HOLD IN GEAR ON AN INCLINE. THE PILOT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN IN DRIVE WITHOUT STOPPING ON AN UPHILL INCLINE, AND WILL ROLL FORWARD WHEN IN REVERSE ON A DOWNHILL INCLINE. I LIVE NEAR SAN FRANCISCO AND DRIVING IN THAT AREA IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE IN AN AUTOMATIC THAT WILL NOT HOLD ITS GEAR. IT IS WORSE THAN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE GEAR ENGAGEMENT WITH A CLUTCH. I AM FORCED TO DRIVE WITH MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT ON THE ACCELERATOR IN ORDER TO AVOID ROLLING BACKWARDS INTO FOLLOWING VEHICLES OR CROSS TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT WITH NOT JUST MY VEHICLE BUT WITH ALL HONDA PILOTS PRIOR TO 2009, AS HONDA ADVERTISED THE 2009 MODEL WITH A NEW 'ANTI-ROLLBACK' FEATURE. THE 2008 MODEL IS LACKING THIS FEATURE, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER AUTOMATICS OF ALL OTHER TYPES AND SIZES AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. IN MY RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING CALLED A 'TORQUE CONVERTER' THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE RETROFITTED OR MODIFIED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE HONDA DEALER IN MY AREA BUT WITH NO SATISFACTION. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE. AFTER ONE DAY IN S/F, STUCK ON AN UPHILL SLOPE IN GRIDLOCKED TRAFFIC, I COMPLETELY BURNED OUT MY BRAKES AND NEARLY STRUCK CARS BEHIND ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND RECOMMEND A METHOD OF RECOURSE AS I CAN NOT SEEM TO GET HONDA TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO MY CONCERN. THANK-YOU. *TR