NHTSA Complaint #10661496 — 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN. ON 11/07/2014, VAN FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WAS ON. I HAD VAN TOWED TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE ECL CODE WAS P0730. THEY SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE ON VAN WAS 62000. I HAD TO PAY AROUND $3500 FOR HAVING THE DEALER REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD THE SERVICE ADVISOR TAKE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGED TRANSMISSION. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE 3RD GEAR HAS HEAT DISCOLORATION & IS BURNED UP. IN ADDITION HE SAID, CLUTCHES WERE BURNT UP. I HAVE THE PHOTOS OF THE 3RD GEAR DISCOLORATION & ALSO HAVE THE DAMAGED PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. SINCE MY VAN HAS LOW MILEAGE, I CONTACTED HONDA BUT THEY REFUSED ANY HELP SAYING WARRANTY PERIOD ON VAN HAD EXPIRED. I ALSO CONTACTED HONDA'S RECALL DEPT, SINCE I FELT THAT THE BURNT 3RD GEAR WAS RELATED TO TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING PER 2004 HONDA RECALL RELATED TO 2001 TO 2004 VANS. HONDA SAID THAT RECALL WAS FOR 2ND GEAR & MY DISCOLORATION WAS ON 3RD GEAR. THIS WAS LIKE SPLITTING HAIRS; SINCE INTERNAL DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION WAS DUE TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING. HONDA REFUSED TO TAKE ANY OWNERSHIP OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE & REFUSED MY PLEA FOR ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE $3500 I HAD TO PAY HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION. I STILL FEEL, WITH THE LOW MILEAGE ON MY VAN & WITH THE HEAT DISCOLORATION OF PARTS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, HONDA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION & THE COST TO THE REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE 2004 RECALL LETTER CLEARLY STATES "IF HEAT DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION". THE LETTER FURTHER STATES THAT "THIS WORK WILL BE DONE FREE OF CHARGE". I TRULY FEEL HONDA IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE INTENT OF THE 2004 RECALL LETTER. *JS