NHTSA Complaint #10465509 — 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY

HAD NOTICED RECENTLY THAT WHEN SWITCHING GEARS THE VAN "JUMPED" AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SEEMED TO VIBRATE/SHAKE. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER MUCH INVESTIGATION, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEING WORKED ON IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE HAD BEEN FOLLOWED COMPLETELY SO THIS WAS A COMPLETE SHOCK -- AT LEAST UNTIL I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH, SAW THE RECALL NOTICE OF OVER 1-MILLION HONDA ODYSSEY TRANSMISSIONS (HOWEVER MY VIN # DIDN'T COME UP!) AND SAW JUST HOW MANY TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS THERE WERE FROM OTHER OWNERS ALSO NOT PART OF THE RECALL. BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WAS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, I CHOSE MY RECOMMENDED LOCAL AAMCO SHOP TO DO THE REPAIRS. CALLED HONDA AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO "GOODWILL" CLAIM BECAUSE (A) THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DO THE REPAIR AND (B) THE TRANSMISSION IS ONLY WARRANTIED BY HONDA FOR 36/36,000 (NO WONDER!!). HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP HAD TOLD ME THAT HONDA RARELY PROVIDES "GOODWILL" CLAIMS AND IF THEY DO, I'D BE LUCKY TO RECEIVE $400, SO CONSIDERING THE DEALERSHIP WAS OVER $2000 MORE FOR JUST THE TRANSMISSION WORK, I COULDN'T RISK HAVING THE DEALERSHIP DO THE REPAIR TO LATER FIND OUT THAT HONDA WOULD REJECT A "GOODWILL" CLAIM. *TR