NHTSA Complaint #11686916 — 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY

On [XXX], while driving in traffic, my 2018 Honda Odyssey suddenly and without warning shifted itself into Park. The vehicle slammed to a stop in the middle of an intersection, stranding my family and creating a serious risk of collision and injury. The vehicle would not move afterward and had to be towed from the scene. After the failure, the dashboard displayed multiple warnings: “Transmission Problem,” “Stop Driving When Safe,” “Emission System Problem,” and *“Blind Spot Information System Problem.” The gear shift indicator also blinked. The Odyssey has remained undrivable since the incident. The vehicle is at Stockton 12 Honda in Sandy, Utah, where the dealer confirmed a hard transmission failure (RO #[XXX]). Honda Corporate opened two cases (#[XXX] and #[XXX]). Despite my repeated calls and emails, Honda’s assigned case manager verbally denied coverage on Sept 12, 2025, stating the denial would only be reflected in Honda’s internal case notes. This failure is identical to the defect described in NHTSA Recall 19V-299, in which the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) can reboot due to low voltage and cause the transmission to shift into Park while driving. Although my VIN is not currently flagged, my Odyssey EX-L uses the same ZF 9-speed transmission and TCU as affected trims. I have a tow record, witnesses, and video evidence documenting the event. The vehicle remains disabled, leaving my family without safe transportation. This is a serious safety defect that should require investigation and expansion of the existing recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)