NHTSA Complaint #10468897 — 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY

WHEN MY DAUGHTER DISCOVERED THE TRANSMISSION IN THE INDICATED VEHICLE COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME SHE ELECTED TO STOP DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS MODEL WAS ONE OF MANY BY HONDA THAT WAS SUBJECT TO UNDISCLOSED FAILURE TYPE BUT IT CAN BE ASSUMED THAT FAILURE COULD INCLUDE LOCKUP, LOSS OF POWER TO THE WHEELS, ETC.. HONDA ELECTED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY BUT HONDA USA AND THE DEALER (HONDA OF MIDDLETOWN, NY) STATE THERE WAS NO RECALL AS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. WE BEG TO DIFFER IN THAT HAVING YOUR WHEELS LOCK UP AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC INCLUDING INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS DOES LOSS OF POWER IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS WON BY CONSUMERS IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AND NOTICES WERE SENT TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. THE DEALER DID NOT NOTIFY MY DAUGHTER, SON-IN-LAW OR MYSELF WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2007. THE DEALERSHIP AND HONDA ARE REFUSING TO FIX THIS ISSUE AS THE VEHICLE IS PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND AGAIN BOTH CLAIM THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. INTERNET RESEARCH SUGGESTS THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO "COVER UP" THIS ISSUE TO PREVENT HARM TO THE HONDA REPUTATION, MULTIPLE EXAMPLES OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AND OF COURSE THE DENIAL THAT A TRANSMISSION FAILURE REPRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ATTEMPTING TO GET THE CAR FIXED AS THEY HAVE 3 YOUNG CHILDREN, AN INCOME JUST ABOVE POVERTY LEVEL FOR THE FAMILY SIZE AND NO RESOURCES TO PAY FOR THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT MUST BE MADE TO MAKE THEIR VEHICLE ROADWORTHY. *TR