NHTSA Complaint #10939649 — 2006 HONDA RIDGELINE

BOUGHT A USED 2006 HONDA RIDGELINE WITH ONLY 90K MILES IN DEC 2015 FROM A LOCAL DEALER. HAD IT LESS THAN ONE YEAR WHEN A SINGLE STEEL WASHER CORRODED WHERE THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE ATTACHES TO THE RADIATOR, CAUSING BOTH TRANSMISSION FLUID AND RADIATOR FLUID TO MIX. THIS RESULTED IN A NEW RADIATOR, LINES AND NOW TRANSMISSION FAILURE - ABOUT $4500 OF REPAIRS FROM A STEEL WASHER RUSTING! I'VE READ A LOT OF BLOGS AND THIS REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT HONDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR. HONDA SIMPLY STATES THIS ISSUE TO BE CAUSED BY "ENVIRONMENT" AND DENIES RESPONSIBILITY. ALL HONDA WOULD NEED TO DO IS HAVE PUT IN A WASHER THAT WOULDN'T HAVE RUSTED! SERIOUSLY A SMALL STEEL WASHER WORTH .15 CENTS IS GOING TO COST ME ABOUT $4500.00 IN REPAIRS! WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I'VE READ ABOUT ON BLOGS I'M SURPRISED MORE HAVEN'T LOGGED THIS WITH THE NHTSA. HONDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND I'M CONSIDERING SMALL CLAIMS COURT AGAINST HONDA OF AMERICA. THIS IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH OTHER HONDA'S, NOT JUST THE RIDGELINE. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT TURNING LEFT ON A CITY STREET. AFTER PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE GAS TO START MY TURN, I HEARD THE TRANSMISSION MAKE A FUNNY WHINE NOISE. I DROVE ABOUT A MILE AND PULLED OVER TO SEE FLUID POURING OUT OF THE RADIATOR FILLER RESERVOIR. MY INITIAL REPAIR COST ME ABOUT $1000 - NEW RADIATOR, ALL NEW LINES AND SEVERAL FLUSHES OF TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. MY MECHANIC SAID HE HOPED THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T GET ANY RADIATOR FLUID IN IT. I DROVE IT ABOUT A WEEK AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO FAIL. I TOOK THE RIDGELINE TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THE OWNER THERE WAS ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH THIS HONDA ISSUE. HE SAID MY TRANSMISSION IS BEGINNING TOAST AND A REBUILD IS AROUND $3500.00 - SO I HAVE THAT SCHEDULED TO BE DONE SOON.