NHTSA Complaint #10495205 — 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY

MY ODYSSEY LOST POWER/WOULDN'T ACCELERATE/WOULDN'T SHIFT AS WE APPROACHED THE TOP OF A 7% GRADE. WE PULLED OVER, SHUT THE CAR OFF AND CHECKED FLUIDS ETC.. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. WE TRIED TO GET GOING AGAIN AND THE VAN WOULDN'T GO. WE SAT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND TRIED AGAIN, AND THE VAN GOT GOING AGAIN PERFECTLY FINE. WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO HONDA WHEN IT BROKE DOWN AGAIN. HONDA DIAGNOSED IT WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER. THE ATF FLUID WAS BURNT (MY ODYSSEY HAS THE ATF FLUID COOLER TOO). THE TECH SAID THE VCM (ECO MODE, VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT) INCREASES THE LOAD/STRESS ON THE VEHICLE AND IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR OF THE BREAK DOWN. MY ODYSSEY HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AT HONDA Y HONDA SPECS/RECOMMENDATIONS. I HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION MY TRANS WAS GOING OUT (NO GEAR SLIPPING ANYTHING. IT DROVE FINE UP UNTIL IT BROKE DOWN) I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR, AND THEY FAILED TO EVEN OFFER ANY SORT OF HELP. FROM WHAT I'VE GOOGLED, HONDA ODYSSEYS HAVE COMMON TRANS/TORQUE CONVERTER ISSUES AND AMERICAN HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS ON THE ODYSSEYS. AFTER THIS, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER HONDA. *TR