NHTSA Complaint #10420033 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

WE OWN A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY, WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2005. WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT IN APRIL OF 2008. FIRST THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT, THEN THERE WAS AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. WE HAD MANY OIL CHANGES AT THE DEALERSHIP AND FAITHFULLY CHANGED THE OIL WHEN THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR TOLD US TO. BUT THEN, IT WOULD DUMP TWO QUARTS OF OIL WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. FOR INSTANCE, ON MAY 23RD, 2010, WE HAD A OIL CHANGE AT THE HONDA DEALER WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM, IN ANTICIPATION OF A 400 MILE TRIP. THE CAR STARTED ACTING UP ON OUR WAY THERE AND WE ENDED UP SPENDING THE MAJORITY OF JUNE 14TH SITTING IN A DEALERSHIP. WE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AND ALMOST MADE IT HOME BEFORE THE CAR STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN. WE LIMPED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, BUT IT REQUIRED TOWING TO THE HONDA DEALER IN SANTA CRUZ, CA FOR MORE REPAIRS. THEY ACCUSED US OF NOT MAINTAINING THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TWO QUARTS LOW, YET WE CHECKED THE OIL BEFORE IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS FULL IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE WE CHECKED THE OIL WHILE IT WAS OFF. IT WASN'T EVEN DRIVEN IN BETWEEN UNTIL THE DEALER DID DIAGNOSTIC ON IT. THEN THEY TOLD US ALL CARS NEED A VALUE ADJUSTMENT AT 80,000 MILES. WE HAVE SPOKEN REPEATEDLY WITH HONDA OF AMERICA AND HONDA CARE AND THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY ACTED SURPRISED WITH OUR PROBLEMS. THEY DENY THAT THEY KNOW OR SUSPECT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, YET A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALS MANY PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SEVERAL MODELS OF HONDA CARS WITH OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS. *KB