NHTSA Complaint #10633829 — 2002 ACURA TL

IN SEPT 2008 I BOUGHT THE 2002 ACURA TL WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM ORIGINAL OWNER. IT HAD 48,440 MILES ON IT. THE SAFETY PROBLEM E.G. UNEXPECTED SUDDEN JERK FOLLOWED BY CAR SHOOTING FORWARD DID NOT HAPPEN UNTIL AROUND 09/06/2014. ON 09/08/2014 I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS (AHM) AT 1-800-382-2238 (OPTION 4) AND WAS ADVISED BY [XXX] TO SEND THE CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED ACURA DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. HE SAID THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING 109,000 MILES AND 7 YEARS 9 MONTHS ON 2002 ACURA TL WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BUT IT HAD EXPIRED. HE ALSO SAID AS MY CAR HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT HE COULD PRESENT THE CASE TO MANAGEMENT. CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT KILL SOMEONE DUE TO CARS SUDDEN JERK AND UNEXPECTED SHOOTING FORWARD IF DRIVING, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER KEARNY MESA ACURA AT 5202 KEARNY MESA ROAD, SAN DIEGO, CA 92111-1801 (TEL 858.430.5600). THE DEALER SAID IN ITS WRITTEN 3-PAGE DIAGNOSIS THAT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED AT $4,400+TAX. THEIR TECHNICIAN SAID MY CAR HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AS THE OTHER EARLY ACURA TLS THAT HE HAD WORKED ON. I FAXED THE 3-PAGE DEALER DIAGNOSIS PAGES TO AHM. TODAY 09/16/2014 [XXX] OF AHM AT 1-800-382-2238 [XXX] INFORMED ME THAT HER DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO HELP CITING THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. I ASKED HER TO APPEAL MY CASE AS I FELT THE REP SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE PERSON TO MAKE A DECISION ON IT. I FEEL AHM SHOULD HELP ME BECAUSE AFTER ALL IT WAS THE WELL-KNOWN 2002 TL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DESIGN FLAW WHICH CAUSED MY HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. FOR 6 YEARS SINCE I BOUGHT IT I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 11,411 MILES, SO I FEEL IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR THAT AHM REFUSED TO HELP ME. I AM UNABLE TO PAY THE $4,400+TAX FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. BUT IF I DO NOT HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, HOW DO I GO TO WORK OR SHOP FOR FOOD? I AM PLEADING TO NHTSA TO HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR