NHTSA Complaint #10394234 — 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY

ON APRIL 1, 2011, OUR HONDA ODYSSEY (MODEL YR. 2002) EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT JERKING / THUMPING MOTION UPON ACCELERATION AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. IT FELT AS IF THE VAN WAS HIT FORM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. WE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO REST THE VAN, AND TO TRY AND REGAIN OUR CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT AGAIN. ONCE ON THE ROAD THE SAME JERKING SENSATION OCCURRED ONCE MORE. IT TRULY FELT UNSAFE TO DRIVE FROM THEN ON. THE HONDA ODYSSEY WAS PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL HONDA DEALER AND MAINTAINED 100% BY THE DEALER. ON MONDAY APRIL 4, 2011, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS "COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE'. BASED ON INTERNET RESEARCH AND AUTOMOBILE FORUMS, APPARENTLY TRANSMISSION FAILURES ARE QUITE COMMON FOR THESE MODELS. THE DEALER QUOTED US A PRICE OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.) TO REPAIR OUR VAN WHICH HAS 99,720 MILES LOGGED. HONDA IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT. WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO OR WHERE TO TURN NEXT, BUT I'M NOT GIVING THE DEALER ANOTHER DIME. THIS IS BAD NEWS FROM A MANUFACTURER THAT BOASTS ABOUT QUALITY & RELIABILITY IN THEIR MARKETING. I GUESS THOSE DAYS ARE GONE. BAD NEWS' *TR