NHTSA Complaint #11119323 — 2016 HONDA CIVIC

MANUAL TRANSMISSION CIVIC LX BASE MODEL. WHILE I WAS SITTING IN DRIVER SEAT WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND THE AC ON. CAR SHIFT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND CAR WAS IDLING NORMALLY WITH ENGINE SOUNDING NORMAL. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN THAT MORNING AND IT WAS THE THIRD TIME I HAD TURNED THE ENGINE ON AND OFF FOR THE DAY.. CAR WAS IDLING NORMALLY FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES. THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY SLIPPED FROM NEUTRAL INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THE GEAR SHIFT NOR ENGAGING THE CLUTCH. SINCE I WAS SITTING BEHIND THE WHEEL WHEN THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND SITTING ON A LEVEL PARKING LOT AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED.....I INSTINCTIVELY PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE FORWARD MOTION STOPPED. CAR ACTED LIKE I HAD POPPED THE CLUTCH WHILE IT WAS IN FIRST GEAR. I ASSUMED IT HAD STALLED OUT SO I TURNED THE KEY TO RE-START THE CAR. BUT THE CAR ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND IDLING NORMALLY. THIS INCIDENT ONLY OCCURRED ONCE ON THE DATE OF 8-10-18 WITH 24,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. .NO ONE EXCEPT ME WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENING. I HAVE NOT YET INQUIRED ABOUT IT WITH THE DEALER. CAR IS 2 YEARS, 2 MONTHS OLD AND I PURCHASED IT NEW FROM A HONDA DEALER IN SOUTH FLORIDA. INCIDENT OCCURRED IN SOUTH FLORIDA. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE AND I'VE DRIVEN IT FOR 50 MILES SINCE AND STARTED AND STOPPED THE ENGINE 3XS SINCE WITH NOTHING UNUSUAL HAPPENING. I DID NOTICE THE SHIFT STICK WAS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY MORE DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO FIRST GEAR FOR 2 OR 3 TIMES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT. BUT THE EASE OF SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL. CAR WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT WHEN IT OCCURRED. UNKNOWN FAILURE IN TRANSMISSION AND I FIND IT REALLY ODD CONSIDERING THIS CAR HAS MANUAL TRANSMISSION.