NHTSA Complaint #10450089 — 2005 HONDA PILOT

DRIVING ALONG AND CLOSE TO HOME FELT A POP AND NOTED THE TEMP GAUGE IN HOT RANGE OF MY 2005 HONDA PILOT. I HAVE 77,565 MILES ON IT. IN MY DRIVEWAY NOTED A GRAY LIQUID UNDER FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. ON INSPECTING IN ENGINE AREA NOTED THE GRAY LIQUID OVERFLOWING FROM RAD OVERFLOW CONTAINER. OIL LEVEL OK BUT NOTED NO TRANNY FLUID IN IT. TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LOCATED IN THE RADIATOR HAD FAILED, MIXING UP THE FLUIDS. TOTAL COST $1900 WITH MULTI FLUSH. I HAD COVERAGE OF TRANSMISSION IN EFFECT BUT HONDA SAID NOT PART OF TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ATTORNEY NOW WORKING ON THIS CASE FOR ME. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHIFTING POORLY BEFORE AND NOW WORSE. TOOK TO HONDA DEALER TO CHECK OUT. THEY SAID NO PROBLEM THAT THEY NOTICED. WITH ONLY A FEW WEEKS LEFT ON THE WARRANTY I TOOK IT TO A PROFESSIONAL TRANNY CENTER AND PAID $50 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE REPORT NOTED AN INTERNAL FAILED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND A NEED TO REPLACE OR REBUILD UNIT. BACK TO THE HONDA DEALER WITH THE REPORT. THEY LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AND AGREED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT. UNDER HONDA CARE THEY REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT. MY CASE WITH HONDA PAYING ME BACK FOR THE INITIAL REPAIR IS STILL BEING HANDLED BY MY ATTORNEY. I FEEL THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TRANSMISSION UNIT. NO ONE AT HONDA IS ABLE TO TELL ME IF MY REBUILT IS UNDER ANY KIND OF EXTENDED COVERAGE. STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER. *TR