NHTSA Complaint #10935280 — 2004 HONDA ACCORD

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, EXITING THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND ENTERING THE FREEWAY, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE WITHOUT MOVING THE SHIFTER DOWN TO THE D3 GEAR FIRST. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR USING THIS METHOD TO THE NEAREST TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR SEVERAL MORE TIMES ON THE DRIVE TO THE REPAIR FACILITY. IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY THIRD CLUTCH AND A REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $3200-3400 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I CHOSE A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP, WITH AN EQUALLY GOOD REPUTATION, AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR $2700. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP 3 TIMES AFTER THE REBUILD WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS. THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE RECURRING SLIPPAGE. RESEARCH REVEALS THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHER HONDA ACCORD OWNERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME ISSUE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PARTS FAILING IN A MAJORITY OF INSTANCES. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR FROM A DEAD STOP, IN MOTION AT SLOW SPEEDS OR MODERATE SPEEDS WITH NO DETECTABLE PATTERN. THE TRANSMISSION FAILING WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, POTENTIALLY FATAL, DRIVING SITUATION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. HONDA HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION ALREADY BUT NOT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. *TR