NHTSA complaint: 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY AND WAS DRIVING ON THANKSGIVING EVENING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY. IN FLORIDA BACK TO MY HOME IN ORLANDO. DURING THIS TRIP THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SUDDENLY...AND THEN MY TRANSMISSION HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. LEADING UP TO THIS THE MINIVAN WAS DRIVING NICELY. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE SPEWED OUT TRANSMISSION FLUID ONTO THE ENGINE AND THERE WAS A HORRIBLE BURNING SMELL. THE CAR DECELERATED, AND I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO STEER IT ONTO THE SHOULDER. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC CLOSE BEHIND...SO I AVOIDED A COLLISION. AFTER THIS EVENT, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT MY HONDA ODYSSEY WAS RECALLED FOR A FAULTY TRANSMISSION. RECALL ID 04V176000. THE DEALER IS COGGIN HONDA ORLANDO, AND THEY NOW ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS RECALLED. THEY WERE INSTRUCTED BY HONDA AMERICA TO INSTALL A MODIFIED OIL JET KIT. OBVIOUSLY...THIS FIX WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. MY OUTCOME IS THAT MY FAMILY WAS STRANDED FOR HOURS UNTIL WE COULD GET THE VEHICLE TOWED. I'M AWARE THAT COUNTLESS OTHER 2003 ODYSSEYS HAVE HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SOME OF THEM INVOLVE CRASHES, INJURIES AND DEATHS. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF HONDA'S FAULTY TRANSMISSION DESIGN, AND THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO PROPERLY FIX THE PROBLEM? I'M ANGRY BECAUSE NEITHER HONDA AMERICA OR COGGIN HONDA TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL. I NEVER WOULD HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IF I HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RECALL? DOESN'T THIS VIOLATE MY RIGHT TO FULL DISCLOSURE O
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation