NHTSA Complaint #10410266 — 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY MODELS HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION DURABILITY. HONDA SPOKESMAN [XXX] STATED THAT FOUR-SPEED MODELS WERE AFFLICTED WITH A BAD BEARING THAT COULD BREAK APART, SCATTERING FRAGMENTS OF METAL THAT CLOGGED FLUID PASSAGEWAYS IN THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING IT TO SHIFT ERRATICALLY.[11] HONDA RESPONDED TO THE PROBLEMS BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION ON U.S.A. '99-'01 MODELS TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (160,900 KM). A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT FURTHER EXTENDED COVERAGE TO 109,000 MILES (175,400 KM) OR 93 MONTHS FOR SOME '99-'01 ODYSSEYS IN THE U.S.A.[12] CANADA IS NOT INCLUDED. THE FIVE-SPEED AUTOMATIC WAS FIRST INSTALLED IN ODYSSEY IN THE 2002 MODEL, BUT GENERAL RELIABILITY OF THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT IMPROVE UNTIL 2004 ACCORDING TO CONSUMER REPORTS.[XXX], A SPOKESMAN FOR ACURA, SAID THAT THE FIVE-SPEED MODELS TYPICALLY WERE DAMAGED BY PREMATURE WEAR OF THE THIRD-GEAR CLUTCH PACK. AS THE CLUTCH FRICTION MATERIAL ABRADED, IT SCATTERED BITS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE, CLOGGING FLUID LINES AND CAUSING ERRATIC SHIFTING. DRIVERS MIGHT SUFFER SLIPPING, POOR OR NO SHIFTS, OR SUDDEN DOWN-SHIFTS FROM 5TH GEAR TO 2ND GEAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR