NHTSA Complaint #10321298 — 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY

I OWN A 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY. I AM SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR KNOWN TRANSMISSION ISSUES. HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND WITHOUT A RECALL, DECIDED TO SIMPLY EXTEND THE WARRANTY FROM 5YRS TO 7YRS, KNOWING THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD RUN INTO PROBLEMS AFTER THE 7YR MARK, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE 6YR MARK. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. AS THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, I WAS TOLD TO JUST IGNORE IT, AS IT MUST HAVE COME ON AFTER FILLING UP GAS, AND NOT TO WORRY, AS IT WILL GO OFF AUTOMATICALLY. FINALLY I TOLD THEM TO CHECK THE CODES, AND NOW THEY TELL ME IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT, AS JUST BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS ON, THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT "DEAD" AND TO CONTINUE DRIVING UNTIL I NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS. WELL, AFTER A 4HR ROAD TRIP, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TCS LIGHT CAME ON, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM, UNTIL I STOPPED AND HAD TO MAKE A LT HAND TURN. AS I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION, THE VAN HESITATED, AND THEN JERKED FORWARD. HAD THE DELAY BEEN ANY LONGER, MY FAMILY AND MYSELF WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT HONDA, AND NOW 18MONTHS LATER, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. WHY KEEP REPLACING A TRANSMISSION KNOWING IT WILL ONLY LAST ANOTHER UNDER 2YRS. MY ONLY OPTION IS TO SELL THIS VAN, BUT IT'S NOT FARE TO THE NEXT UNFORTUNATE PERSON. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR