NHTSA Complaint #10467835 — 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY

WITH LESS THAN 27,000 MILES OF DRIVING THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE AIR INTO THE BRAKE LINES THROUGH THE VSA MODULE. BLEEDING THE BRAKES REVERSES THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. TWICE THE PERFORMED THE "RECALL" SERVICE WHICH TEMPORARILY RESTORED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO LIKE NEW SERVICE. THE RECALL FIX BLED THE BRAKE LINES TO PURGE THE AIR AND COVER THE CAP WHICH ADMITTED THE AIR WITH A SILICONE SUBSTANCE. THE THIRD TIME THE DEALER SAID THE SOFT PEDAL WAS "NORMAL" DESPITE THE FACT THAT BLEEDING THE BRAKES REVERSED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE VAN WITH RECURRING BAD BRAKES PROBLEM HAS A FAILED VSA MODULE, THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THE MODULE NOW NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OVER $1400. THIS IS A FAULTY PART WHICH THE DEALER OR HONDA DID NOT CORRECT. I HAVE SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BARELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AFTER SEVERAL FRIGHTENING NEAR ACCIDENT INCIDENCES I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE VAN AS THOUGH THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES. THE FAILED VSA MODULE ALSO AFFECTS STEERING THE VEHICLE. IT WORKS IN THE BACKGROUND AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE STEERING HAS BEEN AFFECTED. I KNOW MINIVANS ARE HARD TO STOP. MY DODGE CARAVAN HAD A LONG STOPPING DISTANCE AND WORE THE BRAKE PADS DOWN IN 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES. THERE NEVER WAS A SOFT PEDAL PROBLEM WITH THOSE BRAKES. I WAS VERY PLEASED TO BUY A VAN THAT HAD "GOOD BRAKES" BUT AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ODYSSEY DEFECT HAS JEOPARDIZED MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND OTHERS BY REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE FUNCTIONS AND HONDA'S INABILITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS RECURRING PROBLEM OR TO FIX THE ISSUE BY REPLACING THE INTEGRAL BUT FAULTY PART OF THE VEHICLES SAFETY SYSTEMS. TAKING THE AIR OUT OF A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WITHOUT PREVENTING RECURRENCE IS IRRESPONSIBLE. PLACING CUSTOMERS LIVES AT RISK IS SHAMEFUL. *TR