NHTSA Complaint #10432210 — 2004 HONDA PILOT

I OWN A 2004 HONDA PILOT WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED WITH 106000 MILES AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER/VIBRATION THAT OCCURS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. THE VIBRATION BEGAN OCCURRING AT ABOUT 90,000 MILES. AT SPEEDS OF 35-45 MPH THE VIBRATION OCCURS UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION AND CONTINUES UNTIL I EITHER PUSH DOWN HARDER ON THE GAS PEDAL OR LET OFF IT COMPLETELY. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THRU NHTSA HAS FOUND 43 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER OR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE ON THE HONDA-MADE ACURA AND HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF AN ACURA RECALL. THE DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS. MY HONDA PILOT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE PART RATHER THAN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND HONDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL OR INITIATE AN OWNER NOTIFICATION AND GOODWILL CONSIDERATION FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT TO PREVENT POTENTIAL HARM TO PASSENGERS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS ON THE ROAD. AVERAGE COST TO THE CUSTOMER FOR SUCH A REPAIR IS BETWEEN $3,000-$5,000 ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINTS FILED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE PUBLICLY ADDRESSED BY HONDA AND SHOULD NOT BE A BURDEN THAT HONDA CUSTOMERS SHOULD BEAR. *TR