What 241 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Odyssey

I STOPPED AT A T-INTERSECTION AND TURNED RIGHT. AS SOON AS I MADE THE TURN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN SHIFTING ODDLY. IT WAS GOING TO VERY HIGH RPMS BEFORE IT WOULD SHIFT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, BUT THE ENGINE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. WE WERE ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD SO I BEGAN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER. I CHECKED MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW THE CAR BEHIND ME FLASHING THEIR LIGHTS AND HONKING THEIR HORN. AT THAT POINT I NOTICED SMOKE IN THE REAR VIEW. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND AS SOON AS I DID, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES. MY PREGNANT WIFE AND I GOT OUR THREE LITTLE CHILDREN OUT OF THE CAR EXTREMELY QUICKLY AND THEY GOT BACK DOWN THE ROAD A WAYS TO GET AWAY FROM THE BURNING VEHICLE. I BEGAN THROWING CAR SEATS AND OTHER THINGS OUT OF THE CAR AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT WITHIN TWO MINUTES AFTER I STOPPED THE CAR, THE FLAMES WERE TO BIG TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR IT. THE CAR BURNED EXTREMELY FAST AND THE FIRE WAS EXTREMELY HOT, COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11040001

I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY, STOPPED, GETTING READY TO PULL IN TO THE GARAGE. I HAD STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THEN I PRESSED THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR AND WAITED FOR THE GARAGE DOOR TO GO UP. WHILE THE GARAGE DOOR WAS STARTING TO GO UP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STILL PRESSED, THE CAR SUDDENLY, UNINTENTIONALLY, UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED BY ITSELF INTO THE GARAGE DOOR CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO BREAK ON THE GARAGE DOOR AND THE GARAGE DOOR TO BREAK OFF OF ITS TRACKS. IT IS UNKNOWN THE COMPONENT OR SYSTEM THAT CAUSED THE SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, OR SPEED CONTROL. BUT SOMETHING CAUSED A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED.

NHTSA ODI 10925655