NHTSA Complaint #10409148 — 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY

2--3 HONDA ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM: I PURCHASED A 2003 ODYSSEY BRAND NEW IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002. THE VAN WAS GREAT FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE ELECTRIC DOORS STARTED TO STICK AND WE HAD SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A CHECK-UP RIGHT BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT ABOUT 34K MILES (WARRANTY EXPIRES AT 36K). THE DEALER LOOSENED THE DOORS AND EXPLAINED THAT THE HEAT IN FLORIDA REQUIRED US TO PLACE A LITTLE OF LITHIUM GREASE IN THE GASKETS ON THE DOORS. THE DEALER DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT SINCE I HAD ALREADY STARTED TO HEAR ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I MADE SURE THEY NOTED THE COMPLAINT ON THE WORK ORDER. AT 40K MILES BANG! TRANSMISSION OUT! WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE CALLED US TO LET US KNOW THAT HONDA WILL PROVIDE US A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE $1000 INSTALLATION. MY WIFE AND I HAD LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO PAY. WELL, THE VAN NOW (6/28/2033) HAS 119K MILES AND I JUST LEFT IT AT A MECHANIC SHOP TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. I WILL COST $1200, AND THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE I CAN DO RIGHT NOW. I HAVE TO PRACTICE MY HOUDINI SKILLS AND MAKE $1200 POP OUT OF THIN AIR. THIS ISSUE IS A REAL SHAME BECAUSE THE VAN IS AWESOME. HONDA COULD BE EMBRACING THEIR PROBLEMS AND CAPITALIZING IN BUILDING LONG TERM CUSTOMER LOYALTY. INSTEAD, I JUST WANT TO PLACE THE HONDA LOGO IN THE TRAIN TRACKS, THE WAY I PLACED SMALL COINS IN THE TRACK TO FLATTEN THEM WHEN I WAS A KID. I HOPE WE CAN GET SOMETHING TO HAPPEN THOUGH THE COURTS ABOUT THIS. *TR