NHTSA Complaint #10572813 — 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY

WE OWNED A 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY . THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL FOR YEARS AT HONDA DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 120K MILES ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE WE WERE PLANNING TO USE THIS VEHICLE FOR A LONG TIME. LAST TIME I HAD ANY WORK DONE ON THIS CAR WAS IN 12/31/13 AT A HONDA DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A MAJOR SERVICE. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE EVENT THAT LED TO THE FIRE ON THE VEHICLE. AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER ODYSSEY ON I-280/CA-85, SHE STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS/GAUGE ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME SHE REALIZED THAT CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN SHE INSTINCTIVELY LOOKED AT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON THE DASHBOARD, IT WAS NORMAL (ABOUT HALFWAY UP) DUE TO THIS SYMPTOM, SHE WAS FORCED TO PARK THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT THIS POINT, MY WIFE ORDERED BOTH OF MY KIDS IN THE CAR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON THE HIGHWAY. SHE DID EXIT THE VEHICLE AS WELL. AS THE SMOKE FROM THE CAR CHANGED FROM WHITE TO BLACK, SHE CALLED 911. AS SHE WAITED FOR THE FIRE ENGINE TO ARRIVE (WHICH ACCORDING TO HER TOOK 10 MINUTES), WHOLE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE FROM BUMPER TO BUMPER. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THERE WERE POLICE CARS AND FIRE TRUCKS. TWO LANES ON CA-85 WAS CLOSED. MY WIFE AND MY KIDS WERE IN SHOCK AND WERE CRYING. I TOOK MY WIFE AND KIDS HOME AFTERWARDS. WE LOST PERSONAL ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT IN THE CAR SUCH AS GLASSES, JACKETS, AND OTHER ITEMS. SANTA CLARA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL BE OPENING UP A CASE. I CAN NOT STOP TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE REASON WHY THIS FIRE OCCURRED ON THE VEHICLE. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INDICATION THAT THIS WOULD OCCUR EXCEPT FOR THE LAST MINUTE DASHBOARD INDICATION. CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT/SERVICED AT HONDA, WE ARE BEGINNING TO LOSE FAITH ON HONDA VEHICLE/SERVICE IN GENERAL. *TR