NHTSA Complaint #10369687 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

ON JULY 12, 2010, I TOOK OUR 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY) MEL RAPTON HONDA FOR THE BRAKE RECALL REQUESTED BY HONDA AMERICA. I WAS CALLED AT 12:20 P.M. BY YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. AT 2:00 P.M., I ARRIVED, PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO MAITA TOYOTA TO PICK UP MY HUSBAND WHERE HE WAS HAVING OUR TOYOTA SERVICED. AS I APPROACHED THE VERY FIRST STOP LIGHT AT FULTON AND THE ENTRANCE TO I-80, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND WITH MY FOOT PRESSED COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. I RAN THE STOP LIGHT, AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT HIT ANYONE. AT THE SECOND LIGHT I CAME UPON AT AUBURN AND FULTON WAS GREEN AND I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I ONCE AGAIN COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CONCRETE PARKING BARRIER, SCRATCHING THE FRONT RIGHT BUMPER. I PROMPTLY CALLED MY HUSBAND AND INFORMED HIM I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE MY ASSUMPTION WAS THE BRAKES WERE FULLY INSPECTED AND FUNCTIONAL PRIOR TO ME LEAVING MEL RAPTON HONDA. I CALLED BACK TO MEL RAPTON SERVICE DEPARTMENT, LEAVING A MESSAGE FOR THE SERVICE ADVISOR ANTHONY MOTLEY THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT WITH MY BRAKES. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME BACK ASKING THAT I DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO MEL RAPTON, EVEN THOUGH I STATED I BELIEVED THAT I HAD NO FUNCTIONAL BRAKES BEYOND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I CAUIOUSLY DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK, I HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES TWICE IN ORDER STOP THE VEHICLE AND AVOID RUNNING ANY MORE RED LIGHTS OR HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. I WAS SHOCKED THAT YOUR SERVICE ADVISOR SUGGESTED THAT I DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THERE WAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE VSA MODULATOR LIGHT CAME ON AS I DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK. THEY SAID THEY "REPAIRED" THE VSA AND BRAKES, BUT NEVER THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, MEL RAPTON REFUSES TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR REPAIRS AND HONDA AMERICA ISN'T HELPING. *TR