NHTSA Complaint #10426765 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

HONDA SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WAS "ALMOST KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY" DRIVING MY CAR: FIRST INCIDENT: 9/19/2011 (MON EVENING) CAR LURCHING IRREGULARLY AT HIGHWAY AND TOWN SPEEDS; DIFFICULTY GETTING INTO GEAR AND TROUBLE REVERSING. TOOK IT TO DEALER THAT NIGHT. 9/20/2011 (TUES): DEALER REPORTED NOT BEING ABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. NOTHING CAME UP ON DIAGNOSTICS. NO SERVICE LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER ASKED TO KEEP IT ONE MORE DAY. 9/21/2011 (WED): DEALER STILL UNABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM, THEY DROVE IT AROUND BUT CLAIMED NOTHING UNUSUAL. SERVICE MANAGER ASKED IF HE COULD DRIVE IT HOME. I OK'D. EMPLOYER ANNOYED. SECOND INCIDENT: THAT NIGHT THE SERVICE MANAGER, DROVE IT HOME, BECAUSE IT WASN'T ACTING UP AT THE GARAGE, AND DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED NOTHING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS. HE, [XXX], SAID HE "ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD ON THE HIGHWAY" ON HIS WAY HOME. HE SAID REPEATEDLY THAT HE WAS ALMOST KILLED. THAT'S RIGHT THE HONDA SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE ALMOST WAS KILLED!!! WHICH IS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME OR ANY OTHER HONDA ACCORD OWNER. IF THIS HAPPENED IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, I'D BE DEAD IN A DITCH (IT'S NEW ENGLAND SO THOSE DAYS ARE COMING). THE CAR LURCHED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND AT LOW SPEEDS. IT LURCHED SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING DOWN. IF I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND JUST APPLIED SOME GAS TO THE PEDAL, THE TACHOMETER (RPM) NEEDLE JUMPED AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE. ONLY UNTIL THE SERVICE MANAGER GOT IT BACK TO THE SERVICE GARAGE (9/22) DID ANY SERVICE LIGHTS COME ON. HOW CONVENIENT. THEIR PROPOSED SOLUTION: STEP ONE: REPLACE TRANSMISSION FLUID (MATERIAL, PARTS, LABOR) = $120 STEP TWO: REPLACE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID (PARTS LABOR, ETC) = $500 FAILING THAT: STEP THREE: REPLACE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. EST. COST: $4300 TOTAL POTENTIAL COST: APPROX $5.000.... OR MY LIFE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL IS IN ORDER AND ASAP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR