NHTSA Complaint #10680731 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, THE ENGINE WOULD FREELY REV TO THE REDLINE BUT THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS GOING UP A HILL WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS ROLLED BACKWARD, ALMOST INTO TRAFFIC AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. AT THE DEALER BIG ISLAND HONDA, THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE MALFUNCTION AND COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE DROVE THE CAR HOME. THE NEXT DAY WE DROVE IT AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM FLARED UP AGAIN. THIS TIME WE MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE DEALER IN TIME WHILE RISKING OUR LIVES TO GET IT THERE. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE ISSUE WAS DISCOVERED AND THE CAR WASN'T RELEASED TO US WHEN THEY RECOGNIZED THAT THE ISSUE COULD INDEED CONTRIBUTE TO CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SHUTTING DOWN ALL ENGINE OPERATION WHILE DRIVING! I WAS SHOCKED SINCE I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER WHO UNDERSTANDS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN MACHINES. THEY TOOK TWO WEEKS TO DIAGNOSE ISSUE AND REPLACE COMPUTER CHIP. IS THIS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT, DESIGN FAILURE, OR LIFE ENDANGERING MALFUNCTION? *TR