NHTSA Complaint #10508474 — 2001 HONDA CIVIC

VEHICLE IS A 2001 HONDA CIVIC EX AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. REGULAR SERVICE, NO MAJOR REPAIRS PRIOR. ON DAY OF INCIDENT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SUDDENLY AND WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN RPM BUT GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE. BROUGHT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP BY TOW TRUCK AND CODES WERE RUN BY DEALER ON 4/15/2013. CODE FOR "INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE" WAS FOUND. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS $4500. CONTACTED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 4/15/2013 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT REPAIR COST REDUCTION. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPORTED THAT DUE TO VEHICLE AGE AND MILEAGE A GOODWILL REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED, NO EXTENDED WARRANTY AVAILABLE AS VIN NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL OR 2006 HONDA TRANSMISSION SETTLEMENT, NOR COST LOWERED BY DEALER VIA INTERVENTION FROM CORPORATE OFFICE. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT SHE WAS AWARE OF MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT SINCE NO OFFICIAL RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *I REQUEST THE NHTSA TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION OF THIS PROBLEM AS MANY NORMALLY DRIVEN 2001 HONDA CIVICS ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHICH MAY BE DUE TO A TRANSMISSION DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE MANIFESTING AFTER 10-12 YEARS AND/OR >90,000 MILES. HONDA VEHICLES ARE KNOWN FOR RELIABILITY AND LONGEVITY, IN SOME CASES LASTING WELL BEYOND 200,000 MILES AND 12 YEARS OF TROUBLE-FREE DRIVING. MANY ARE NOW FACED WITH JUNK YARD OR SALVAGE DUE TO THE PROBLEM OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR