NHTSA Complaint #10509212 — 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY

IN 2009, AT 90,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY WE BOUGHT NEW. THE DEALER NEGOTIATED WITH HONDA A GOODWILL REPLACEMENT OF A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WHERE WE HAD TO PAY $1471.68. WE WERE NEVER TOLD OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT SHOULD HAVE COVERED ENTIRELY THE FIRST FAILED TRANSMISSION. SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE, WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON SCHEDULED AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON OUR CARS AT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. ON APRIL 12, 32,000 MILES LATER, THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP INTERMITTENTLY, THEN SERIOUSLY ON MY DRIVE HOME FROM WORK. IT SLIPPED IN LOWER GEARS AND WOULD NOT GO INTO HIGHER GEARS. I BARELY ESCAPED BEING REAR ENDED ON THE WAY HOME AND WAS LUCKY TO MAKE IT HOME. WHEN I CONTACTED HONDA AMERICA 7 DAYS AGO, IT TOOK HONDA OVER 1 WEEK BEFORE TELLING US THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANYTHING SINCE WE WERE OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES. WE ALSO OWN A 2001 HONDA ACCORD BROUGHT FROM THE SAME DEALER ON THE SAME DAY. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILED TRANSMISSION AT @ 90,000 MILES WITH THE ACCORD ALSO AND WERE GIVEN A GOODWILL OFFER BY HONDA THAT OFFSET THE COST WE HAD TO PAY. OUR 2001 ACCORD IS A TICKING BOMB WITH 120,000 MILES AND WE WILL NEED TO GET RID OF IT BEFORE IT FAILS ALSO. APPARENTLY THE ORIGINAL AND THE REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS ARE DEFECTIVE. I READ ONLINE THAT HONDA DID NOT REBUILD THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, BUT ONLY REPLACED THE GEARS THAT FAILED. ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT TRANSMISSION MECHANIC, THERE IS AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED BY A SOFT DISK COMPONENT THAT RUNS VERY HOT THAT CAUSES GEARS TO BE CHEWED UP AND EVENTUALLY FAIL. THIS MEANS THAT REBUILT DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING REINSTALLED IN THE CARS WHICH WILL FAIL AGAIN BECAUSE THE COMPONENT CAUSING THE PROBLEM WAS NOT REPLACED AND IT CONTINUES TO DAMAGE THE GEARS. WHAT RECOURSE IS THERE? *TR