NHTSA Complaint #768533 — 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE VAN BEGINS SHAKING, THEN STALLS WHEN CRUISING AT ANY SPEED BETWEEN 50-60MPH. THIS ALSO OCCURS AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, THE CAR IS INCREASINGLY FAILING TO START IN 1ST GEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO TURN LFT ACROSS TRAFFIC. ALSO, WHEN BRAKING TO SLOW THE CAR (NOT STOP IT) IT WILL SUDDENLY SHIFT TO A LOW GEAR, THROWING THE DRIVER INTO THE STEERING WHEEL (WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE SEATBELTS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY TIGHTEN OR OTHERWISE RESTRAIN THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS). IT IS LIKE A 20MPH HEAD-ON-COLLISION. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, THIS IS A DESIGN FEATURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THE TRANSMISSION IS OPERATING NORMALLY AND ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE "FEATURES" NOT PROBLEMS. NICE TO KNOW HONDA HAS ENGINEERED A "GIVE THE DRIVER WHIPLASH" FEATURE INTO THE CAR, AS WELL AS A FEATURE TO CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL AT THE STATE HIGHWAY SPEEDLIMIT. I SUPPOSE IT IS TO HELP HONDA'S BOTTOM-LINE BY HAVING ODYSSEY OWNERS BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR REGULAR REPAIRS AFTER BEING REAR-ENDED BY OTHER CARS ON THE FREEWAY. PLEASE NOTE, ALL PROBLEMS STARTED AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED THE DVD PLAYER WE PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF SALE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE HONDA DVD SYSTEM, BUT WE ARE PRETTY SURE IT IS NOT. MR