NHTSA Complaint #11278784 — 2018 HONDA PILOT

ON 11/2/19, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOWED THE MESSAGE "TRANSMISSION PROBLEM" ON THE DASHBOARD. AFTER THIS MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY STAY IN FIRST GEAR. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PARK THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS JUST UNDER 16 MONTHS OLD AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN BACK ON, I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE GEARS ONCE AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED HONDA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP, WHICH WAS OURISMAN HONDA IN TYSON'S CORNER VIRGINIA. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A SERVICE ADVISOR AT OURISMAN HONDA ON 11/4/19. HE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND NO REPAIR WAS MADE. WHEN I TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED, THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A "COMPUTER GLITCH" AND THAT SIMPLY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM IF IT HAPPENED IN THE FUTURE. I TOLD HIM THAT IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE TO HAVE TO RESTART A VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN EXHIBITS A "STICKY CLUTCH", DELAYED GEAR SHIFTING (SOMETIMES AS MUCH AS 2 SECONDS OF DELAY BEFORE THE GEAR IS SHIFTED), AND OFTEN TIMES A "CLUNK" IS HEARD WHEN THE GEAR IS CHANGED. THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS IN EARLY GEARS (3RD, 4TH, AND 5TH GEAR) WHEN I LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AT APPROXIMATELY THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION IS READY TO SHIFT TO THE NEXT HIGHEST GEAR.