NHTSA Complaint #10374014 — 2003 HONDA CIVIC

MY 2003 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID HAS A HISTORY OF THE TRANSMISSION/CAR SHUDDERING AND SLIPPING DURING ACCELERATION. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING REGULARLY SINCE JULY 26, 2005 AT 40,440 MILES. ON ONE OCCASION AFTER HAVING THE CLUTCH REPLACED, TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND MANIFOLD WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY OF MY SON DRIVING THE CAR HAD IT IGNITED. THE SPOKESMAN AT THE HONDA DEALER IN PORTLAND OREGON SAID MY SON WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE, THE SHUDDERING ISSUE HAS CONTINUED REQUIRING REGULAR TRIPS TO THE HONDA DEALER. EACH HONDA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE I HAVE COMPLAINED TO HAVE SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE HONDA OF AMERICA HAS NOT AUTHORIZED A FIX TO THE DEFECT OTHER THEN TO BURNISH THE START CLUTH AND CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS HAS ONLY BEEN A BAND AID FIX WHICH HASN'T WORKED FOR SOME TIME NOW, BUT ORIGINALLY USED TO WORK FOR ABOUT 2-3 THOUSAND MILES AT WHICH POINT THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND HONDA IS USING A BAND AID APPROACH TO MASK THIS SERIOUS DEFECT UNTIL THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, AT WHICH POINT, THEY QUICKLY SAY THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE (APPROX $3,400 TO $4,000 DOLLARS). HONDA OF AMERICA CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THEIR NEW TRANSMISSIONS BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO USE THIS FIX ON EXISTING CARS LIKE MINE UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TOLD THIS BY HONDA REPRESENTATIVES. ALL THIS IS DESPITE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM IN JAPAN, INDIA, AND INDONESIA. PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHY HONDA OF AMERICA HAS NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS SERIOUS DEFECT IN THEIR HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2003 CVT TRANSMISSIONS. *TR