NHTSA Complaint #10596544 — 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY

IT WAS THURSDAY, EARLY EVENING, AND I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN'S POWER CUT OUT. THE ENGINE WENT DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT JUST SUDDENLY CUT OFF FOR NO REASON. I WAS ABLE WITH DIFFICULTY TO STEER IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE IGNITION "OFF" AND CALLED MY HUSBAND THINKING I MIGHT NEED AAA TO COME TOW THE CAR. AFTER THE VAN SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO START AGAIN, BUT IT SOUNDED TERRIBLE AND THE ENGINE'S ENGAGEMENT FELT WEAK. I WAS A FEW MILES FROM AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND DECIDED TO SLOWLY DRIVE IT THERE AND LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON MY VAN OF WHICH I WAS UNAWARE. I LOOKED UP THE RECALLS ON THE NHTSA SITE THAT HONDA AND ISSUED AND NOTICED THAT MY VAN'S VIN NUMBER WAS IN THE RANGE THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I CALLED LOCAL HONDA DEALERS ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS THE HONDA CORPORATE NUMBER. EACH SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VAN'S VIN WAS IN THE BATCH THAT WAS RECALLED AND EVEN THOUGH THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED WAS THE REASON FOR THE RECALL, THEY DID NOT FEEL OBLIGED TO ASSIST WITH THE VAN'S REPAIR. NEITHER THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER NOR HONDA CORPORATE WOULD GIVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY FELT THEY DID NOT NEED TO SHOULDER ANY OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT COSTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW. CAN CORPORATIONS LIKE HONDA REALLY GET AWAY WITH IGNORING THE LAW? AFTER PAYING FOR A $4,600 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT THEM. *TR