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Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • rfreitasrfreitas Member Posts: 63
    Interesting... You should post that information on this Ody Trans website too:

    www.odysseytransmission.com

    I think they would find that info useful...
  • hilapat12hilapat12 Member Posts: 26
    This is what the trans shop Hardshift's told me that they do...Have put new trans on Odyssey's with 300,000 miles.

    Thanks for the coffee tip!
  • autowriteautowrite Member Posts: 226
    Is HARDSHIFT under a franshise? I checked google for Guelph, Ontario, Canada and could not see this name.
  • hilapat12hilapat12 Member Posts: 26
    No it isn't. It is a local shop in Johnstown Ohio. Maybe they could recommend another shop closer your way? Good luck!
  • autowriteautowrite Member Posts: 226
    Thanks, but since this is an independant shop I cannot use him. I would need to travel back to his place of business if anything went wrong.
    There was talk on this forum a few years back about using National Transmissions which are in both the United States and Canada.
  • rooanddoorooanddoo Member Posts: 1
    Foxfire,

    Can you elaborate more on what your mechanic used for rebuilt transmission? Do you have any model #'s to provide so I could give them to my mechanic to make sure I get the right parts?

    Thanks!
    Josh
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    ody, 156k miles
    tranny started acting up around 130k , acting on tip here, i cleaned 2 sellooids, went fine for few thousands miles, back worse, did it again, second time did not improve much better, with total replacemnt of fluid everytime. third time, replaced fluid, cleaned selloids , were dirty, and this time installed inline filter.
    this time, it drove much better, but still have problem shifting from 2 to 3 if car under 40 miles per hour. so, u shift to 2 gear, getcar over 40 n go back to D, no problem.
    if this does not amuse u, here is the kick, it has been driving like this without any change for last 5k miles.
    i am sure every other white guy would v changed the tranny long ago, but i cant afford it, so it is working now , hahaha
    dan
  • jcornish1187jcornish1187 Member Posts: 3
    Here is my tragic story of our Honda Odyssey experience...

    Honda Odyssey 2003 was purchased used on 10/31/06. (No mention of a recall)
    Jan 22, 2008 The Van began to slip gears.  Had it towed to Aamco for transmission repair due to free towing.  Charged $3062.06 to rebuild transmission.

    April 10, 2009 Van again began to slip gears. Took back to Aamco and needed another rebuilt transmission and 3 mos out of warranty. Charged us $1587.55.

    June 22, 2010 Van is packed with the entire family going to our vacation destination in SC in the middle of a down pour, the transmission again begins to slip.  Called the local Aamco and they picked up the van.  Same story, needed another rebuilt transmission in the amount of $2406.59.
    After spending our vacation week with phone calls to Honda Corporate and Aamco to no avail, we had to borrow money from relatives in order to get our family back home.   

    July 20, 2011 Van is again packed with entire family to travel to NC vacation.  30 minutes outside of our hometown, Louisville, Ky it happened AGAIN!  13 months after last repair. Had to call a relative to pick is up off the side of the highway to return home.  Unsure what to do at this point...we had the Van towed to our nearest Aamco dealer.  We fortunately were able to borrow a car from a family member and continue with our vacation trying not to despair.  The new tab from Aamco is $2835.60.

    No assistance from HONDA Corporate nor Aamco Customer Relations.  They are very, very hard to speak to.  Just leave a message and wait to see if anyone calls you back.   This would make it $9891.80 in four years for FOUR transmissions.

    Update:  01/11/13  Odyssey transmission fails once again on the way out of town and has been towed back to Aamco since they agreed to give us a 3 yr warranty.!

    There is a reason that these transmissions are not lasting. I wouldn't feel right to try to resell this car to another person. This is not right, this is not fair, this is not safe and HONDA should back their products and stop ignoring this issue.
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    wow, and i thought i had it bad>
    even with much less troubl, i put 5 bibles on top of each other, and swor not to buy honda again,,
    you need a ladder to swear
    dan
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,382
    honestly, the issue seems to be more with AAMCO, not Honda. No idea what the initial issue was, or if you could have gotten consideration from Honda (certainly possible for that new a car)

    but once you let AAMCO go at it, Honda wasn't going to do anything.

    and after the first time, why let them keep charging you every year, when it must have been obvious they had no clue what they were doing?

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • jcornish1187jcornish1187 Member Posts: 3
    The transmission kept failing right beyond the 1 yr warranty w Aamco. (We have been at 3 different Aamco dealerships) We had no other alternative but to get it fixed. I went after Aamco w Consumer Complaint and finally was given a 3 year warranty which it is finally being fixed 'no charge' this time. Yippee!

    Aamco fixes transmissions all the time. WHY won't a transmission work in my 2003 Odyssey!

    They have tried to add an exterior fan to keep the transmission fluid cool and obviously that did't work either.

    I guess we will try to trade this sucker in once we get it back. Really, who would want it.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Really what you should be happy about is that when AMCO "fixes" it his time you will have a chance to get rid of it. An old used Ody with a 3 year warranty on the tranny should still sell for 4 or 5 thousand.

    If I were you I would keep the Honda repair history out of your sales pitch.

    Make sure the AMCO warranty is transferable so you can sleep at night with out fear of the new owner driving the old van through your living room window.
  • jcornish1187jcornish1187 Member Posts: 3
    Oh It is NOT transferable....
  • odysseynomoreodysseynomore Member Posts: 6
    I found these links about a defect investigation and a petition about Honda Odysseys transmissions; maybe if we all complain to HOnda at the same time they will stop ignoring us and will finally accept their responsability by making a second recall.

    Defect investigation:
    http://www.wcclaw.com/CM/ClassActions/ClassActions58.asp

    Petition
    http://www.change.org/petitions/american-honda-motor-company-inc-admit-recall-an- d-fix-1999-through-2012-honda-odysseys?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_- share&utm_campaign=url_share_before_sign
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    why did they close the list?
    dan
  • odysseynomoreodysseynomore Member Posts: 6
    I know the NHTSA closed the investigation about these tranys because according to them they do not represent a hazard.
    This is what they say
    '“Transmission failure can occur for any number of reasons, such as a defect, wear or improper maintenance,” Ms. Aldana wrote. “While overall transmissions complaints are high, the agency does not see a trend of transmission failures that indicate a continued safety consequence related to the original recall or any new defect.”

    Honda, meanwhile, has said that the transmission problems occurred on models built more than five years ago and that “the vast majority of our customers have positive experiences with their vehicles.”

    The link I posted is about an investigation that could lead to a class action. I hope they didnt close that one also.
  • rfreitasrfreitas Member Posts: 63
    Interesting, I didn't know there was a new class action possibly in the works. I wonder when they started that....

    Did you post that info on this site?
    http://www.odysseytransmission.com/
  • odysseynomoreodysseynomore Member Posts: 6
    There is not a class action yet, it is a defect investigation by an LA lawyers firm. My guess is that if they find good arguments to start a class action, they will. I hope they do
  • pbug56pbug56 Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2002 EXL Navi whose tranny died at 90k miles at 8 plus years (time wise past the extended warranty). We had told the dealer that it was rough while still covered by they said that it was 'fine' - IOTW the car still moved and there were no codes. I ended up paying for the Honda rebuild (not knowing better). Since then, maybe 10-15k miles into the rebuilt, I added a Haydn cooler and magnefine filter and the new Honda fluid, and will change the filter and fluid once a year. I can't afford a new car anymore and am hoping that we can make this trannie last a lot longer then most Honda rebuilts.
  • surfsalterpathsurfsalterpath Member Posts: 20
    ....how do you make a word a link like that?
    'amount' underlined
    and click on it to take you to the junk web page? thanks :)
  • yuk8888yuk8888 Member Posts: 16
    is there any 2013 ody owner experience transmission problem? I am considering getting one. but this transmission issue scares me.
  • odysseynomoreodysseynomore Member Posts: 6
    The Odyssey's high-tech features and a notoriously weak automatic transmission not only bump the sticker price, but foretell pricey repairs to come.

    The choice between a Toyota Sienna and a Honda Odyssey is a toss-up. According to TrueDelta, which collects maintenance data from drivers, both minivans hit the shop less often than the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan. The Sienna is the smarter choice, though, because of its simplicity

    The Press is finally recognizing that Hondas (weak transmissions) have problems that would end up costing you $$$$$$.
    This is a good piece of proof if you are su
    ing Honda on your own.

    http://autos.ca.msn.com/editors-picks/twelve-cars-that-will-go-300000-km-or-more- #image=11
  • pbug56pbug56 Member Posts: 9
    We've heard stories of people pulling out of the dealer lot with brand new 2012's and already experiencing rough shifting and other problems. I've no verification, though. Supposedly the Ody now uses the trannie built for the Pilot, supposedly nowhere near as bad as the earlier Ody trannies. But these trannies are designed for high efficiency using many gears / clutches in a small case without any 'spare' fluid flow and I would think that they too are at high risk for failure, but who knows. My guess is that until the Ody goes to a (well tested) CVT that they will still wear out prematurely. So good luck!

    BTW, NYTIMES had an article a while back on this, but Consumer Reports still doesn't seem to want to admit to the problem, and when subscribers contact them, they are pretty much told what to do with their report.
  • akabanroshakabanrosh Member Posts: 8
    I bought a 2001 Honda Odyssey in Aug 2001 and in June 2009 the transmission had to be replaced at 98000 miles (within extended warrnty on miles and 2 months outside the extended warranty on months.

    Now it is 145000 miles and this winter since January (I live in NJ) I notice that when it is cold and the engine is cold and I start driving without warming up around 20-25 mph the engine revs (possibly because the gear shift from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd doesn't happen smoothly). I want to forestall any major problems with the tranny since I hope to use it for another couple of years.

    What can I do? Do I flush the transmission? In some other post in this thread, someone had recommended using Amsoil ATF. What do you think?
  • pgnagelpgnagel Member Posts: 60
    Service the transmission if it hasn't been done in the last 20,000 miles. Use the Honda fluid. Our 1999 Odyssey has 215,000 miles and I service the trans annually.

    If that doesn't do the trick then have the 2nd then 3rd gear pressure switches replaced. They wear out and lead to hard shifting due to higher than normal engine rpm.
  • akabanroshakabanrosh Member Posts: 8
    Took it to the Honda dealer who had installed the replacement transmission in June 2009 (36 month/36000 mile warranty). It is now little over 43 months and around 47000 miles on this transmission. They say that the transmission is slipping and will have to be replaced ($5500) and that replacing the fluid/flushing the transmission would not do anything. Asked about the pressure switches and they said that it is not the problem.

    Is slipping due to broken gear teeth? Are their transmissions so badly built that they fail in such a short time?

    Any advice on furtehr course of action? :mad: :lemon:
  • pbug56pbug56 Member Posts: 9
    A lot of us are of the opinion that the rebuilds not only don't fix the original problem that causes them to fail, but that they also do the rebuilds in a way that ensures that they wear out prematurely. I've seen a number of people who have replaced their Ody trannies more often then they replaced their tires. The only answer I've heard of is to add a tranny cooler and Magnefine in hope of extending the life of these rebuilds.

    If you are going to spend the money though, get something like a Jasper rebuild instead of one done by Honda.
  • hilapat12hilapat12 Member Posts: 26
    Honda dealers put the same trans in when they replace. You need to go where they recognize the problem and fix it before they rebuild it. my 2002 went almost 200,000 miles before i had the trans rebuilt...the business is well aware of the problem they said with the odyssey trans. i guess only time will tell with my rebuild...good luck!
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    for anyone, is the second and third pressure switch the samething as the linear and other ( can not remember the name of it) selonoid> ??
  • akabanroshakabanrosh Member Posts: 8
    I did further research and found this link in another forum:

    http://www.odyclub.com/forums/9-problems-concerns/47181-transmission-slips-when-- cold.html

    where it states that this is not a problem but by design.

    I tried to independently verify this and found a reference to
    "DELAYED UPSHIFT AFTER COLD START" in

    http://autosmash.com/tsb/TSB_HONDA_ODYSSEY.html

    but no further details.

    I am now going to try warming up the engine before I start driving. Will post in a week as to how this goes.
  • pgnagelpgnagel Member Posts: 60
    Switches send information to the ECU. The solenoids change gears. They are not the same.
  • pgnagelpgnagel Member Posts: 60
    Have your transmission fluid level and condition checked. I diagnosed a sloppy, slipping transmission today. It was low on fluid. We added fluid and now it's happy again. It has a leak that needs to be fixed, but that is s lot less expensive than buying another transmission.

    IF YOU HAVE TO WARM UP THE CAR BEFORE DRIVING IT YOU PROBABLY HAVE LOW FLUID. GET IT CHECKED TODAY.
  • pgnagelpgnagel Member Posts: 60
    Take it to an independent, local (i.e. NOT a chain) shop for another assessment. I prefer finding one that only does transmission work. A dealer will ALWAYS recommend replacing the unit. That's the only way they can offer a warranty.

    Slipping is caused by worn clutches. Broken gear teeth are extremely unusual because all the gears are always engaged regardless of what 'gear' the car is in. Yes, I know the first gen 5-speed units had issues with the second gear overheating, but that's been fixed.

    The issue with these trans axles is heat management. The van is really heavy, and the fluid needs more cooling than the factory cooler can provide. Get a Hayden brand (or similar) cooler installed, along with a Mangefine external filter. Service the transmission annually. These are solutions to the problem. My 1999 Odyssey with nearly 220,000 miles verifies that. I know several other people with Odysseys that are near 200,000 miles as well.

    These vans do require more maintenance than the manual states, but a few easy changes will help your van live a longer, healthier, less expensive life.
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    and if it is slipping like mf, does it help to add the extra cooling system or you have to fix the trans worn clutches first ??
  • nothappy39nothappy39 Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if anyone else had a problem with their Honda Odyssey AC. I have a 2011 Odyssey and Honda is saying the AC is not working because the compressor is damaged. They THINK that the compressor could have been damaged by a rock during normal use. The car is under warranty but the delearship is saying an exclusion for the warranty is road debris. The warranty says road hazard. Anyway, I am not happy that a 2 year old car is having such an expensive problem. Any thoughts???
  • autowriteautowrite Member Posts: 226
    At 299,268 kms I replaced A/C lines & compressor on my 2002. the dealer used used parts as the used warranty was better than a new part warranty and good for 5 years. The lines themselves wore out probably because of the winter road salt.
    I would be very bitter if I had your problem at only a 2011. I would write a letter to the President of American Honda and skip service depts.
    I did this with another item got excellent results from Canadian Honda.
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    Hi Vger,
    after changing atf in my odessye, 5000 miles ago, and installed in line filter, the fluide is so fitlthy now. today, I just pumped out all the fluid and refilled again with honda af, i cleaned those screens in linear n shift selonoid at least 3 times.
    about 400 miles ago, gas millege sudnly dropped to almost half.
    what are the signs for bad torque converter? could be the converter is going?
    whats involved in fixing the thrust bearing in tc?
    dan
  • cb10101cb10101 Member Posts: 2
    2001 Odyssey EX, 2nd owner
    This is the 2nd transmission and it broke apart (as per mechanic) at present miles: 156,500
    1st transmission changed at 89000 miles.

    What happened: This morning I was driving to office and after driving 50 miles, the cruise control wasnt able to generate any power and I could feel the gear slip. Then I turned off cruise and tried to hit the gas pedal. And then I felt burning smell, within couple of seconds I pulled over. I got the van towed to the mechanic. There was oil leak below the van as seen on the towing truck.

    The mechanic (goodyear service center) is saying it will cost 3900(with 100k mile, 5 yr warranty) for a fully rebuilt tranny or 2700 for a used tranny (1 yr 12k mile warranty).

    Please recommend what are the options I have. I am looking to get rid of this van. Should I go ahead and get it repaired and then resell or should I try to trade in with dealer for a new car? What can I expect as is (there are no other major issues with the van)? :confuse:
  • surfsalterpathsurfsalterpath Member Posts: 20
    best response I've seen so far!

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0fa11e/2333#MSG2333

    ================================================
    I live in a size-able city wherein there are 2 well known transmission shops that are held in high esteem as they have established an outstanding reputation over the past 30+ years.
    I had a good talk with one of the top 30 year veterans from one of these shops after having a transmission failure in my 03 Honda Odyssey. Here is what he told me.
    " Pursue the lawsuit if you must, but to get your tranny fixed properly, do not go to the dealership for the rebuild. Here's why: Honda is doing a repair not a rebuild. This means that if third gear has gone out, they will repair that one gear, throw it back together and call it a rebuild. No wonder people are having to take their tranny's back two and three times.
    Honda is using a very different clutch plate. It has a soft material that wears off quickly and gets slippery smooth. There is nothing else like it and yet the after market clutch plates are hard like they should be."
    He further told me that he had rebuilt hundreds of these with no failures or returns. So the key here is to NOT use factory clutch discs/plates, but quality after market discs. He also mentioned that the spline going down through the center of the tranny has a bushing in it that must hold air. He said most of the time Honda and others will not fix this. He spreads that bushing out till it holds air and he said that will last forever. If this leaks air, it can cause pressure problems in the tranny which results in shifting problems and possible slippage and failure. I asked if this was just a cheap under rated tranny for this vehicle prone to failure and that after having it fixed if he thought I should sell the van and move on to something different / better? He said NO! Honda makes a great vehicle and the motors in these vans is of the best in the industry. Once the tranny is fixed right, it will be worth keeping till you run it in the ground.
    I hope this helps and that you have good success in your future rebuilds.
    For a healthy cup of coffee try WholesomeCoffee.Info It will help with your transmission stress.
    ===============================================
  • cb10101cb10101 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for sharing this. I already read this. But, I am looking recommendation specific to my question. Any help is greatly appreciated. :(
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    I would expect your trade-in value to be between $1-2K at most based on you not being able to even drive it.

    With the transmission repaired/replaced your van is worth about $2500 or so.

    So it comes down to whether or not you can afford a new car payment or not. $4K repair for a vehicle that is worth about half that and has over 150K miles seems kinda steep. Maybe you can try some other shops?
  • autowriteautowrite Member Posts: 226
    My 2002 has just over 321,000 kms (199,400 mi) on it. If I needed a new transmission I would just trade it, because a new transmission would cost about $4000 to $5000 and there could be alot more repairs in the future and not be covered under a new car warranty ( or 2-3 year old one by the dealer).
  • shisnowwolfshisnowwolf Member Posts: 1
    i just got my 2000 honda odyssey on monday , and i am geting the code po740, where i got it from told me to take it to there shop. i have got 2 fords from them and this did not happen. no i have to stop turn the van off set 5 min then trun it back on and if i am lucky i get up to 30 on the speed
  • pbug56pbug56 Member Posts: 9
    If you have the option to return the vehicle and get your money back - DO. A proper rebuild of this defective trannie will likely cost far more then the vehicle is worth. Numerous parts are fried because of a well known problem with these trannies.
  • prasadtprasadt Member Posts: 2
    Hi there,

    I also had a similar experience like the one you posted. Ours is a 2009 Odyssey. Yesterday, when parked at a drive thru', there was this noise from the front of the car which sounded like a tyre was becoming flat with intermittent sound. Just a few minutes back my daughter had complained that the A/c is not cooling. Thanks to your post, I believe the issue is AC relay too.

    The Battery Draining does not seem coincidental as mine also did not start next day morning. Battery is completely dead! Need to jumpstart and see.

    thanks,
    Prasad
  • prasadtprasadt Member Posts: 2
    Just came from the Honda service. The problem with AC relay in Odyssey is not covered by extended warranty. It is covered only for first 3 years only. The AC relay getting stuck drained the juice in the battery completely and looks like it affected some cells in it rendering it useless. Now, I have to replace the battery too.

    -Prasad
  • 1sthondaowner1sthondaowner Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 2013 Honda Odyssey early February. At around the last week of February (about 650 miles driven) there was evidence of transmission fluid leak on my garage floor. Brought the minivan at the dealership for the first month courtesy check. The dealership confirmed that the leak was due to a washer in the transmission pan and fixed it.

    On the first week of April I took the minivan for a weekend drive of about 300 miles. A week after the drive, more transmission fluid spot leaks on my garage floor. Today, April 17, I took the minivan back to the dealership to report the same transmission leak problem. This time the service consultant told me that the leak now originates from the transmission seals! Now I'm driving a cheap rental for next few days hoping that this problem gets fixed.

    The bottom line is that I'm just totally disappointed with Honda America and the Honda brand for the poor workmanship and reliability for this vehicle after just owning the vehicle for less that 2 and a half months with less than 1200 miles driven. I'm more worried now after I get the vehicle wondering what other surprises will crop up within the next three years/36000 miles before the warranty expires.

    I'm now having buyer's remorse and should have stayed with Toyota since I never had the same grief from Toyota since the 1980s whenever I buy a new vehicle from them.
  • pbug56pbug56 Member Posts: 9
    I"m getting used to hearing reports about brand new Ody's having tranny problems, some supposedly as the new owner is taking it home for the first time. Every time Honda announces better performance and better gas mileage for the Ody, I wonder what they broke to make it happen.
  • eng2eng2 Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2013
    I know what you mean, as my daughter had a 2002 Odyssey with 102,000 miles, and the transmission went. Even though it was under the 107,000 Honda had settled for it was passed the 7 years so we shelled out $4,600 for a new transmission, and when Honda refused to help out, I sold the car, and also sold my 2005 Odyssey with only 21k miles as I could not take a chance, and bought two Toyota Siennas instead. I refuse to deal with an organization that would not stand by its product on a known defect.
    The car was serviced regularly by the book at Honda.
  • ramy1995ramy1995 Member Posts: 39
    WHO CAN BLAME YOU
    sounds like honda is busted on ody
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