NHTSA Complaint #10537440 — 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE KEY WOULD FREQUENTLY FALL OUT OF THE LOCK, OR GET STUCK IN THE LOCK. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE INTERLOCK LEVER IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. WE WERE UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY BRING OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS OUR SOLE SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION. WHILE I WAS AWAY IN CALIFORNIA ATTENDING MY AUNT'S MEMORIAL, THE KEY TO THE VEHICLE FAILED TO FUNCTION WHETHER IN PARK OR OTHERWISE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER BROKE THE KEY OFF IN THE LOCK TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, BECAUSE THE SWITCH WOULD NOT PROPERLY RELEASE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER TO APPLY THE RECALL REPAIR TO THE INTERLOCK LEVER *AND ANY OTHER NECESSARY PART OF THE IGNITION SWITCH* PER THE RECALL NOTICE. AFTER REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE DEALER AND HONDA CORPORATE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PART OF THE REPAIR COST, EVEN THOUGH THE NOTICE CLEARLY STATES THAT REPAIRS TO THE INTERLOCK LEVER AND *ANY NECESSARY PART OF THE IGNITION SWITCH* SHOULD BE COVERED AT NO COST. [XXX] IN THE CASE MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF AMERICAN HONDA CORPORATE (HE REFUSED TO GIVE ME HIS LAST NAME, BUT INDICATED THAT HE WAS THE ONLY [XXX] IN THAT DIVISION) AND [XXX] AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, CROWN HONDA OF GREENSBORO, BOTH REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR AND FORCED US TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR THE REPAIR IN ORDER TO RELEASE MY VAN. THE RECALL NOTICE CLEARLY STATES THAT NOT ONLY THE FAULTY INTERLOCK LEVER BUT ANY NECESSARY PART OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT WAS STILL SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE THAT THIS WOULD BE COVERED AT NO COST. APPARENTLY, HONDA DOES NOT FEEL THAT IT HAS TO HONOR THE RECALL NOTICE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER MINOR MECHANICAL ISSUES EXISTING IN THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR