NHTSA Complaint #10521839 — 2005 HONDA PILOT

ON 6/17/2013 DURING MY DAILY COMMUTE TO WORK I WAS DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED OF 65MPH WHEN I NOTICED THE "D" GEAR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO BLINK CONTINUOUSLY. WHEN I GOT TO WORK I LOOKED INTO MY OWNER'S MANUAL WHICH INFORMED THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND I SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I MIND YOU I JUST SPENT ALMOST $700.00 ON 6/15/2013 FOR SUSPENSION MAINTENANCE INFORMED THAT THIS ISSUE IS VERY POPULAR WITH THE HONDA PILOTS AND IT'S MOST LIKELY MY 4TH GEAR PRESSURE SWITCH FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THEY THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WILL COST $350.00 TO REPLACE THIS PART. WHEN I PREVIOUSLY LOOKED UP THE PART NEEDED AND HOW TO POSSIBLY DIY; I FOUND THAT THE PART ONLY COST BETWEEN $34.00 AND $40.00 AND A BEGINNER CAN CHANGE THIS PART IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. SO WHY IS THE DEALERSHIP CHARGING ME $350.00 TO CHANGE A PART THAT COST $34.00 - $40.00 AND AN HOUR LABOR; DOES TECHNICIAN MAKE $310.00 AN HOUR THESE DAYS?! HONDA USA KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PART ON THE HONDA PILOTS AND REFUSE TO CONDUCT A RECALL BECAUSE THEY RATHER CHEAT THEIR CUSTOMERS THAN HAVE A SMALLER BONUS! THERE ARE ARTICLES ON-LINE OF DRIVERS TRANSMISSIONS LOCKING UP BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS; HONDA AND ALL OTHER AUTOMOTIVE MAKERS NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL FAULTY PARTS WITHIN THEIR PRODUCT JUST ANY OTHER COMPANY. *TR