2001 Honda Odyssey

HONDA MOTOR CO. (HONDA) SOLD ME AND EQUIPMENT WITH A NEW VEHICLE, THAT IF USED AS SUCH, WILL DAMAGE THE VEHICLE AND WILL CONSTITUTE HAZARD TO OTHERS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. HONDA SOLD ODYSSEY - EX MINIVAN ALONG WITH A STANDARD PACKAGE THAT CONTAINED A ROOF RACK / CARRIER AMONG OTHER PERIPHERALS. I TRIED USING THE ROOF RACK / CARRIER AS PROVIDED WITH THE VEHICLE ON AUGUST 15, 2001, THE LOAD THAT I CARIED ON THE ROOF SLIPPED AND ALMOST FELL OFF THE VEHICLE INSPISTE OF MY BEST EFFORT IN TYING THE LOAD ON THE SET OF TWIN RACKS PROVIDED WITH THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE SOFT UNDERNEATH OF THE LOAD THE VEHICLE ROOF WAS NOT DAMAGED DUE TO THE LOAD SLIDING OFF THE ROOF. I CONTACTED HONDA TO FIND OUT HOW BEST TO USE THE CARRIER RACK PROIVDED WITH THE VEHICLE. HONDA REPRESENTATIVE VERBALLY INFORMED ME THAT THE ROOF CARRIER / RACK AS ORIGINALLY PROVIDED WITH THE HONDA ODYSSEY - EX MINIVAN CAN NOT BE USED, BUT HONDA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. BASICALLY, MY COMPLAIN IS THAT HONDA SOLD ME AN EQUIPEMENT WITH THE NEW VEHICLE THAT IF USED AS SUCH WILL DAMAGE THE VEHICLE, THE LOAD WILL MOST LIKELY FALL OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR OTHER DRIVING ON THE ROAD.

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WITH TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND FOOT LIGHTLY ON BRAKE PEDAL, EASING UP TO CURB AT A "SLOW WALK" SPEED, THROTTLE WENT FULLY OPEN, CAR LURCHED OVER CURB THROWING DRIVER BACK INTO SEAT. BEFORE DRIVER COULD RESPOND BY BRAKING, THE CAR TRAVELED APROX. 20 FEET UP AN EMBANKMENT AND HIT A WATER PIPE RISER COMING TO A STOP. DRIVER PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED REVING AND TIRES STOPPED SPINNING.*AK

THE CHILD WAS PLAYING WITH KEY RING WITH REMOTE CONTROL FOR DOOR LATCHES WHEN CHILD HIT REMOTE. THIS CAUSED DOOR TO START CLOSING WITH PARENT IN DOOR FRAME. DOOR HANDLE WAS GRABBED TO PREVENT DOOR FROM CLOSING. BUT DOOR KEPT CLOSING UNTIL STOPPING. CONSUMER'S ARM AND WRIST WAS PULLED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP & INFORMED BY MECHANIC, NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT REMOTE CONTROL LOCKS ON DOOR.*AK

NOTICED VEHICLE LEAKING OIL APPROX. 2 1/2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. APPOINTMENT MADE FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK. SEAL WHERE OIL PAN ATTACHES TO ENGINE WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED OR DEFECTIVE. THIS WAS REPLACED ON AUGUST 8, 2001. APPROX. 2 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THIS I NOTICED MORE OIL LEAKING FROM VEHICLE IN GREATER QUANTITY THAN THE FIRST INCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING PARTS SINCE 8/31/01. I AM TOLD THIS TIME IT IS THE REAR MAIN SEAL (CRANK SEAL BETWEEN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION) THAT IS LEAKING AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE PULLED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 1030 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. ***DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WAS NOTIFIED OF PROBLEMS, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED BY LEESBURG HONDA-1 CARDINAL PARK DRIVE S.E. LEESBURG, VA 20175 703-777-1982. *AK

THERE HAS BEEN NO INJURY TO REPORT AS OF YET. I FEEL THAT THE POWER CLOSING DOORS ARE VERY DANGEROUS. THEY EXERT A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE BEFORE THE PRESSURE SENSOR KICKS IN AND REVERSES THE DOOR. A CHILD COULD REACH UP GETTING IN THE VAN, PULL THE HANDLE AND INITIATE THE DOOR TO CLOSE. IF HE FALTERED, IT WOULD BE VERY EASY FOR A BODY PART (IE NECK) TO GET LODGED IN THE DOOR AND THE FORCE MECHANISM WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO REVERSE THE DOOR BEFORE INJURY OR DEATH TO OCCUR.*AK

THE 1999-2001 HONDA ODYSSEY ROOF TOP CARRIER CROSSBARS MAY BE UNSAFE. THE ROOF RACK CROSSBARS SOLD BY HONDA FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR USE WITH CARGO BOXES. THIS IS WHAT MANY PEOPLE ATTACH TO THEM. THERE IS NO WARNING ON THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS OR OWNERS MANUAL WARNING AGAINST USE FOR THIS PURPOSE. HONDA ADMITTED THE CROSSBARS MIGHT NOT WITHSTAND LIFT FORCES FROM THE BOX AND THE CROSSBARS COULD SEPARATE FROM THE SIDE RAILS AND DAMAGE THE VEHICLE OR VEHICLES FOLLOWING IT. HONDA SAID THEY WOULD OFFER NO REMEDY, WARNING OR SOLUTIONS. SOME OF THE MAJOR CARGO BOX MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THE CROSSBARS SHORTCOMINGS AND WILL NOT WARRANT THEIR BOXES OR ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE CROSSBARS, HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT ALWAYS DIVULGED BY THE SALEPERSONS AND WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT BE KNOWN IF BUYING A USED BOX. PLEASE MAKE HONDA SEND A WARING TO ALL PURCHASERS OF THE CROSSBARS AND INCLUDE THE WARNING IN THEIR OWNERS MANUALS, ADVERTISING LITEREATURE AND INSTALLATION/USE INSTRUCTIONS. THANK YOU. *AK

THE ROOF RACK CROSSBARS SOLD BY HONDA FOR THIS VEHICLE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR USE WITH CARGO BOXES. THIS IS WHAT MANY PEOPLE ATTACH TO THEM. THERE IS NO WARNING ON THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS OR OWNERS MANUAL WARNING AGAINST USE FOR THIS PURPOSE. HONDA ADMITTED THE CROSSBARS MIGHT NOT WITHSTAND LIFT FORCES FROM THE BOX AND THE CROSSBARS COULD SEPARATE FROM THE SIDE RAILS AND DAMAGE THE VEHICLE OR VEHICLES FOLLOWING IT. HONDA SAID THEY WOULD OFFER NO REMEDY, WARNING OR SOLUTIONS. SOME OF THE MAJOR CARGO BOX MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF THE CROSSBARS SHORTCOMINGS AND WILL NOT WARRANT THEIR BOXES OR ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE CROSSBARS, HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT ALWAYS DIVULGED BY THE SALEPERSONS AND WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT BE KNOWN IF BUYING A USED BOX. PLEASE MAKE HONDA SEND A WARING TO ALL PURCHASERS OF THE CROSSBARS AND INCLUDE THE WARNING IN THEIR OWNERS MANUALS ,ADVERTISING LITEREATURE AND INSTALLATION/USE INSTRUCTIONS. THANK YOU. ALBERT S. GUZICKI

POWER DOORS DO NOT STOP PROPERLY WHEN AN OBSTRUCTION IS MET. THIS ALMOST INJURED MY CHILD. I BELIEVE THAT THESE DOORS SHOULD AT LEAST MEET THE STANDARD OF A GARAGE DOOR FOR REVERSING/STOPPING. I AM TOLD BY THE SERVICE STAFF THAT THE SENSITIVITY CANNOT BE ADJUSTED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE HAZARD FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS MARKETED FOR FAMILIES WITH SMALLCHILDREN.*AK