NHTSA Complaint #10349694 — 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY

ON AUGUST 9, 2010, OUR 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY EX STALLED WHILE WE WERE IDLING ON AN OPEN DRAWBRIDGE, ON HWY 42 IN STURGEON BAY, WI. THIS IS A TWO LANE BRIDGE, PROBABLY NEARLY A MILE LONG, WITH NO SHOULDER, SO WE WERE LOOKING AT A MAJOR TRAFFIC PROBLEM HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR ABOUT A MINUTE LATER AND DRIVE OFF THE BRIDGE. TWO DAYS LATER, AUGUST 11, THE CAR STALLED WHILE MOVING ON PORT WASHINGTON RD, IN GLENDALE, WI. AT THAT POINT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. THIS TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP IN THE RIGHT LANE OF 4 LANE ROAD, AND WERE AGAIN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, THIS TIME WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS. THE HONDA DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TRACED THE PROBLEM TO THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND REPLACED THE SWITCH. WE HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN 2004, WITH THE ODYSSEY ONCE STALLING ON A BUSY FREEWAY AT 60 MPH IN THE CENTER LANE. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS RECALL IN EFFECT FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL NEEDS TO RENEWED FOR THIS PROBLEM AS THESE SWITCHES SEEM TO LAST ABOUT 5 YEARS AND THEN GO BAD AGAIN. WE ARE LUCKY WE DID NOT NEED TO BE TOWED A MILE ACROSS A BRIDGE, WITH 4 MILES OF CARS BACKED UP BEHIND US. *TR