NHTSA Complaint #10650039 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE CONDITION WAS FIRST NOTICED SHORTLY AFTER AQUIRING THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT WHILE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A TURN. THE VEHICLE STEERING WAS NORMAL AT FIRST AND THEN SUDDENLY REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. HEAVY BRAKING WAS REQUIRED TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS EXPERIENCE, AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION, I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BOTH DIRECTIONS WHILE STOPPED AND AT LOW SPEEDS, (APPROXIMATELY 0-10 MPH) AND NOTICED THE CONDITION CONSISTANTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES. I THEN PARKED THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS WITHIN THE MIN AND MAX LEVELS. AFTER RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE LATER THAT DAY, THE STEERING WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE CONDITION HAS SINCE COME AND GONE SEVERAL TIMES (APPROXIMATELY 1-2 TIMES / WEEK) AND MY HONDA DEALER HAS JUST SHRUGGED IT OFF SAYING THAT IF I CAN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM WHILE AT THEIR SHOP, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH A 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT EVEN WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED BY HONDA TO THEIR DEALERS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE, BUT THE DEALER STILL REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE SAFETY ISSUE ARRISES ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE VEHICLE DRIVES IT AS WHEN MY MOTHER USED MY VAN TO TRANSPORT MY THREE CHILDREN. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUR INTO TRAFFIC SHE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN HER LANE. FORTUNATELY THE OTHER DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID HER. I UNDERSTAND THAT VEHICLE COMPONENTS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO LAST FOREVER AND I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH REPAIRS. HOWEVER, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHICH THEY ARE VERY RELUCTANT TO CORRECT. DATE & MILEAGE ARE APPROXIMATE. *TR