NHTSA Complaint #10761493 — 2005 HONDA PILOT

AFTER COMING HOME FROM WORK I NOTICED A DRIP LINE IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I TURNED AROUND I SAW A POOL OF MILKY RED LIQUID UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD I SAW THAT THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE WAS IN FACT OVERFLOWING WITH THIS MILKY RED LIQUID. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SERVICE STATION I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER FAILED IN THE RADIATOR CAUSING THE COOLANT TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 2005 PILOT AND THAT NOW THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT AT A COST OF $2500 PLUS THE COST OF REPLACING THE RADIATOR AND LINES, TOTAL BILL $3500. I AM TOLD AND I HAVE SINCE RESEARCHED THAT HONDA IS AWARE IF THIS ISSUE AND HAS NOT AT LEAST WARNED OWNERS THAT THE RADIATOR WILL MOST CERTAINLY FAIL, HAD THEY INFORMED ME I WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I RECENTLY CAME BACK FROM A 1500 MILE ROAD TRIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS LUCKY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE ROAD AT SPEEDS OF 70MPH. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONDA HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE AFTERMATH OF A KNOWN FAULTY PART AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO NEED.