NHTSA Complaint #10505195 — 2005 HONDA PILOT

DRIVING AT APPROX. 30-35 MPH WHEN WITHOUT WARNING I EXPERIENCED HIGH RPM'S AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD THERE WAS FLUID EVERYWHERE, EVEN DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE PILOT TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LINES THAT RUN THE COOLANT HAD FAILED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID ANTI FREEZE HAD MIXED TOGETHER AND WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY! I HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED 27 TIMES IN ORDER TO COMPLETELY CLEAR THE SYSTEMS. THIS PROCESS COST ME $1000 AND THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT FAIL AS THEY HAD NO IDEA WHETHER THERE WAS INTERNAL DAMAGE OR NOT. WELL, IT DIDN'T WORK! THE TRANSMISSION IS MAKING NOISES THAT IT NEVER HAD BEFORE AND SHIFTING ALMOST AT WILL. MY DILEMMA NOW IS REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY ANYONE COULD ANTICIPATE THIS PROBLEM OR DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS WAS ENGINEERED. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS PILOT I DID SO BELIEVING THAT I WOULD BE THE ONE TO DECIDE WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE, NOT HONDA! I HAVE OWNED 4 HONDA'S IN THE PAST BUT THIS WILL BE MY LAST. *TR