NHTSA Complaint #10396993 — 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY

BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2010, MY HONDA ODYSSEY (VIN# [XXX]) BEGAN TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED RANDOMLY AND INTERMITTENTLY, AND SEEMED TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. ON 12/21/10, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BLOOMFIELD HONDA, AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING PUMP SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (41,200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER), HONDA REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS SYSTEM AND REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. IN 2008 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY (VIRTUALLY THE SAME BODY STYLE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE, VIN#[XXX]). AT APPROXIMATELY 36,000 MILES, THE STEERING PUMP SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OF THIS MODEL, AND I BELIEVE IT TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR