Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

jim53703 · January 2012

If you've had a transmission fail and needed to replace it, PLEASE, file a complaint with the NHTSA here:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm  

 There have been more than 224 complaints filed under 6 powertrain categories. Honda will only be held accountable when the NHTSA forces a mandatory recall.

Consider contacting your State Senator as well:
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/f_two_sections_with_teasers/states.htm-    

Finally, consider contacting this legal group, ask them to expand their class action suit:    http://classactionlawsuitsinthenews.com/class-action-lawsuit-complaints/h- onda-odyssey-torque-converter-class-action-lawsuit-complaint/

planetarytras · January 2012

yes that is remove, rebuild, and reinstall. tip to tail out the door. The stealerships get a pretty penny, somewhere in the range of 4000-5000. I dont agree with gouging peoples wallets like that. so 2400-2800 is what i get, and the 400 dollar price difference on my quotes are mainly if there is hard part damage. for example the second gear teeth occasionally break and senarios like that.

planetarytras · January 2012

the codes you described are control issues and not transmission mechanical issues. Lets hope for the best. I honestly think that the very cold temps you were driving in may have effected the charging system or possibly something electrical like a power relay doesnt like the cold weather. this is actually common. One last note, when the ecu/tcm has a code set, depending on the code, the computer will go into what is called "limp mode". the computer will no longer adapt to driving situations and run on a set value.this is why the trans will start shifting very hard because the limp mode setting for the transmission basically disables addaptive control over the pressure control solenoid and will allow the line pressure to be maximum pressure. this is designed to get you home. If you were to clear out the trouble codes, and they didnt reappear immediately it would more than likely start shifting normal again. This is of coarse if there is nothing mechanically wrong or electronically wrong with the transmission/engine. i would like to know what the dealer says about your situation. the way you described the loss of radio/navigation, that doesnt sound like a transmission failure alone. It really sounds like a power loss like it was the alternator, or power relay or ignition switch or something like that. good luck, let us know.

bcwatchdog · January 2012

I filed my complaint with NHTSA today. Will do other things you recommend shortly.

blackexv6 · January 2012

February 2012 Motor Trend Long Test Article

2011 Odyssey Touring Elite, 6 months old, 14999 miles

"...we'll have the technicians look at the transmission as well. Over time, shifting has become rough, and occasionally upon acceleration between first and second gears, the transmission seems to be shuddering."

planetarytras · January 2012

one thing no one has pointed out are drivers habits. automatic transmissions,no matter how well designed, can only take so much abuse before failing prematurely. these odysesee vans have 240 hp with 200 ft lbs of torque coming out that crank shaft if not more. thats double the power of cars from tbe 80's and 90's. so when one mashes the throttle leaving every green light that is creating stress and heat on the clutch frictions and gear train. 2nd gear takes the most load compared to any other gear so its no mystery why its the most failed gear on every auto trans. another driving habit that will damage trans is not letting vehicle warm up a at least a couple of minutes befor putting in drive or reverse. one has to think that the fluid settles overnite and the pump and converter will drain back into the sump. waiting just a couple of minutes before throwing it into gear can prevent premature failures because thst gives the fluid a little time to warm up, thin out and lubricate the geartrain, torque converter and friction materials. i watch customers pick up their cars after repairs and i observe their driving habits. most throw the trans in drive before the starter motor stops spinning. they pull out on the street and floor it like they are qualifying for the daytona 500. a lot of these premature honda odysee trans failures could definately be attributed to driver behavior, lack of servicing, improper service methods( trans flushing machines do more harm than good), improper fluid, and of coarse design flaws, but i see more issues with the nuts behind the wheel.

longo2 · January 2012

My Odyssey transmission has been doing all of the above since the first day I drove it, brand new, off the lot. First time I had ever felt a jolt and had the whole van jump, when first put in reverse at idle. $alesman said "don't worry, they all do that"

Indeed they do, after sitting all night in cold temps, the a/t fluid seems do have drained down and when it's put in reverse, the whole tranny slams together with a bang.

I now start the van, and after a few seconds slip it into neutral let it sit there for a few more seconds then put it in reverse....no lurch, thud or slam.

I am also careful on the 2 to 3rd shift not to be standing on the gas, I dump the a/t fluid every 2nd motor oil change and have added a Magnefine filter on the fluid return line.

Will any of this save me from the inevitable tranny failure...probably not, but I have done all I can to prolong it. :sick:

blackexv6 · January 2012

Seriously you're going to say driving habits are causing torque converter judder?

That's ludicrous you must work for Honda. That motor trend van only has 15k miles.

My neighbor beats their '04 Sienna into the ground and it never had a transmission issue after 120k miles.

superchicken · January 2012

Our 2004 EXL van (purchased new) experiences a shuddering sound when lightly accerlating anytime between 25-50 mph. At higher rpm's and in 5th gear at highway speeds--no noise or shuddering. Anyone else experience this and able to resolve the problem?

hilapat12 · January 2012

Has it always done this or just recently? How many miles?

superchicken · January 2012

Van has 150,000 miles. It started 1.5 years ago at +/- 120,000 miles. I took it to the honda dealer at that time and was told to wait until it got worse (it has) as without a code, they would have to take the transmission apart to figure out the problem---big money to make a diagnosis according to the dealership.

jodlton5 · January 2012

First of all when you go to a dealer they should be able to drive the vehicle and be able to diagnose what is going on. Why would they pull the transmision apart to find the problem when this is a known problem. When they drive it and know it is the transission. You do one of two things you have the transmission rebuilt or you put in a remanufactured one from Honda. Just another way to stick it to you at a dealer. I have an 05 and bought it knowing the problems with these transmissions. Still love the van and thank goodness that my husband works on Honda/Acura. We rebuild these transmissions ususally around the 100k mark but have seen them go to 200k as well. Never know.

upsetcusty · January 2012

Dropped off my 2011 Odyssey for transmission issues. Dealer acknowledged Honda knows problems exist, but would not put that in writing. I am supposed to get a call when they have a software fix or new part. Less than a year old, rethinking my Suburban sale. This issue appears to have been around forever. Wish I would have researched better....potentially loads of money down the tube.

rfreitas · January 2012

I noticed the 2011 issues being reported on this site as well:

http://www.odysseytransmission.com/ProblemCases/2011Page1

You should add your case there too.

planetarytras · January 2012

well tell me then, how long have you been working on cars/vans professionally. i have 25+years in the field.driving habits will surely affect the life and function of a transmission undoubtedly. A transmission can burn up in the matter of minutes. So on a cold weather start up, one could easily destroy a clutch pack by not letting the fluid circulate and heat up. The post above Most transmission designs dont allow lube flow in park position, but will provide needed lubrication in neutral. 3 to 5 minutes at idle in park or neutral will not only prolong the life of the trans, but will also prolong the life of the engine as the same principals of cold thick oil apply.this has always been the case, as some transmissions have a temperature controlled fluid bypass valve that actually allows the clutchs to slip a bit more when cold as to heat up the fluid faster by way of friction.other systems dont allow the torque converter to lock up as to heat the converter and fluid up faster so the converter clutch wont get damaged from fully applying. when the friction material(tcc clutch) is cold, it is hardened and brittle, same goes for all the other clutch packs. So yes, driver habits have a lot to do with the reliability of the transmission. there are always defects when you make millions of vehicles and that should definately be addressed and resolved in a better manner than what honda is doing. If you dont get satisfaction from the dealership you have your car at, than go to another dealership. I personally will never buy a new car, never work at a stealership(dealership). The last new car i bought was in 07, a pontiac grand prix GXP and i had to sue gm because it was a lemon. I know first hand how devious and ridiculous the dealership and auto company can be. i wouldnt have them service my lawnmower, let alone any of my vehicles after the treatment i recieved. i sued, and won the case. If i treated my customers like that when i rebuild their transmissions i would be out of business. i warranty everything i service/repair and i perform the upgrades that honda and others cant/wont perform.Every transmission has its flaw. even the toyotas that a lot of people praise here. Toyota has a gear train assembly built with a non replaceable undersized thrust bearing. when that fails the gear train is 1100 bucks on top of the cost of the standard rebuild.These also fail prematuraly at low mileage, and others last 100k.So one just picks their poison.

blackexv6 · January 2012

If you are talking about driving habits meaning trashing the vehicle & flooring it on every launch then I agree with you. Although my former company had a fleet of Camry's that were driven rough & were rock solid reliable.

My wife & I are careful drivers and service our Odyssey at all required intervals. Actually, we change the transmission fluid every 30k miles which is above the factory recommendation.

I think you are misinformed that only a few dozen people are having transmission problems due to poor driving habits. This is our 3rd Honda since 2003 with a bad transmission.

February Motor Trend is reporting hard shifting and torque converter judder at 15k miles. Is this another so called "driving habit problem"?

evines · January 2012

Bad driving habits don't explain why my 2012 Touring Elite is displaying this behavior after only 268 miles. In fact, I noticed it during the test ride with 2 miles on the van, but couldn't reproduce the problem until after I brought it home. This is a design flaw by Honda.

charitykw · February 2012

I am on my 3rd failed transmission from Honda with my 2001 Odyssey. It seems they go out every 60,000-80,000 miles. The first two were replaced with a fight all the way, but nevertheless replaced. Now they absolutely wont replace it because they go by the cars milage and years, not the transmissions. I'm so frustrated and definitely would like to be a part of a class action suit if it ever comes to be. I have 3 children and thought this would be a wonderful family car, and assumed reliable since it's Honda, but I have been hugely dissapointed. I want to know if there is anything I can actually do. It's not fair for a large coorporation to make the consumer who believed in their product suffer and have to deal with this. I have been out of a car with 3 children, including and infant, for 9 mo now. Very sad this can happen with no reprucussions. I want to do something about this, not just for myself, but to not let them get away with this.

autowrite · February 2012

:confuse: Is it only on the 6-speed Touring models that this occurs or does the 5-speed models have the problem, as well?
:confuse:

donethat_1 · February 2012

I share your frustration. Be sure to share your story on the Honda facebook page. There are still consumers that believe this vehicle is a great vehicle. The best thing is to hit Honda where it counts...the pocket book. If you share your story with as many consumers as possible this will certainly send a powerful meesage. There are still having tranny issues with the 2011/2012 models.

http://www.facebook.com/hondaodyssey

surfsalterpath · February 2012

https://www.facebook.com/groups/224748094257241/284918771573506/?notif_t=group_a- ctivity

01intrigue · February 2012

Based on the numbers you provide, you have gotten around 200,000 miles (3 times 60-80K) on your 2001 Ody, without having to pay for a transmission replacement. If that's correct, I'd say you've done great. Car parts wear out, and don't last forever. Sounds like it's time to buy another vehicle. (Our 2006 has 125K on it with no problems yet, so not all Ody's are bad.)

frustrated59 · February 2012

I have a 2012 Odyssey that I purchased in October 2011 that is having the same problems. The engine lugs when accelerating, the eco light is on and off constantly and causes the car to vibrate terribly, once when we had been driving all day we stopped at a traffic light and the car would not go when my husband accelerated, then finally lurched forward and started. We had five lights that we had to stop at on the way home and it did the same thing each time. At this point we had owned the car for about a month. We took the car in the next day and of course it was not doing it anymore. We have now had it happen 4 more times. We took it in after the 3rd time again and a technician had me take it out and tell them what was happening. He agreed that there was hesitation on acceleration. He told me that Honda was working on a fix for this and the he would call me to bring it in when they had the software update. This was December 15th and I still have heard nothing. I think it is the torque converter. I am a realtor and actually had a client that I was taking out for showings ask me to take them back to their car so they could follow me, they did not feel safe in my car. I just called them again and told them that it needs to be fixed now. I traded in a Ford Expedition and feel the same as you, wish I had kept it. I traded it in because it was almost at 100,000 miles and did not want to have to deal with maintenance issues. I have had more on the BRAND NEW HONDA than I ever did with the Expedition. :mad:

forcedfirebrd · February 2012

Add our van to the list. 90k miles and the transmission started slipping badly yesterday. Wife almost got stranded with our 4 children on the way to school, luckily she wasn't far and limped home at 15mph as it would not shift out of 1st. 2001 Odyssey with less than 90k miles.

superchicken · February 2012

It turns out the the van was slipping in/out of gear between 3 & 4. We had to have the transmission re-built for a cost of $2,000 from a local shop with much experience rebuilding and replacing Odyssey transmissions. He compared Honda van transmission problems to the Chrysler Van transmission problems that Used to Be common (based on what he sees at his shop). He's redone many Odyssey transmissions lately.

autowrite · February 2012

Just in case I missed it, what's the name of the local shop and is it part of a franchise? If so what is the franchise name?

johnmanyjars · February 2012

charitykw is right to be angry. If this were a domestic vehicle that had it's transmission replaced 3 times, there would be a huge uproar on the forum. Unfortunately, some models have a worse performance (statistically) than others. All major OEM's are designing for a 200,000 mile life and a failure at less than 150K miles shows there's something wrong in either design or manufacturing. Don't drink the Kool-Aid, they all have their winners and losers.

01intrigue · February 2012

Maybe now they are designing for 200K, but that 2001 Odyssey was designed in 1999-2000 timeframe, 12 years ago. And most domestic 2001 vehicles would have been in the junk yard after two transmissions.

rfreitas · February 2012

People defending Honda, Interesting thread here:

http://www.odysseytransmission.com//ProblemCases?msgId=910

imidazol97 · February 2012

>most domestic 2001 vehicles would have been in the junk yard after two transmissions.

It's broad stretches like this statement that lured many people into buying Hondas despite their long record back into the 90s of transmission failures.

I have had many cars to 150,000 and now to 190,000 on a 1998 Buick with NO transmission failures. They were all GMs. And if I had failure at 60-, 70-, 80K, and even earlier, I would have been upset just like these owners have been who post here.

Many relied on past reputation perpetuated. The best source is an old timer mechanic in his own shop that you patronize. Stop and ask him about various cars and brands you are thinking about buying, new or used. Better yet, take the potential purchase of a used car to him for an inspection. Money well spent. And if a trans on a used car does go out, he will direct you to the best replacement in terms of actually fixing the problem instead of putting in another bad transmission. Won't be a $6000 replacement.

Best thing the unhappy owners can do is spread the word among their friends about the longevity of the transmission problems.-- how the company did not redeign the problem trans and how the replacements were the same problematic units and the company put the same problematic trans in for years.

longo2 · February 2012

I have had a few infromative e-mails back and forth with Larry, and he does have a good take on the Ody a/t problems.
Honda certainly knows what the weak spots are in their units too, but as he says, the fixes are patented and to change out all the parts would be opening up the company to a billion dollars worth of lawsuits.

If Honda admitted to the issues and started bringing back the 100's of thousands of the Odys that went out the door with a/t's doomed to fail they would have to take a couple of years off to catch up.

I also think that the Honda Z1 a/t fluid they used was crap, and the company has now quietly changed over to a synthetic without much fan fare. This is after the dealerships claiming that the world would end 10 seconds after using anything else. HOnda doesn't even sell the Z1 anymore.

I bought a new 2003 Ody and paid $34,000 for it thinking, like everyone else, it was a bullet proof unit. Wish I had of Googled, "HOnda Odyssey transmisson Problems" back then.

I now change the a/t fluid using a synthetic every second motor oil change, have added a Magnefine inline filter to catch the clutch pack debris and liquid metal, don't drive it like a sports car, had the pathetic oil squirter recall installed, and know that in spite of all this it will still fail, soon.

If I am lucky enough to be in Utah when it does , I will get Larry to do his re-build using all the new patented aftermarket parts to replace the Honda crap. The engine will outlast the rest of the Van, but that doesn't help when it's hooked to a boat anchor transmission. :mad:

superchicken · February 2012

It was rebuilt by A&B Tire in NE Ohio---not a franchise or part of a chain.

01intrigue · February 2012

First of all, no one makes better transmissions than GM; I consider them the standard, so I agree with your Buick example. I've been watching the posts here, as a 2006 Ody owner. My point is that nearly all the problems with Ody transmissions are with those thru 2004, until they redesigned the Ody in 2005 model year. So telling everyone to avoid ALL Odys is not a responsible message to convey. The Ody weighs in at over 4500 lbs empty, and perhaps those 1999-2004 Odys did not have a tranny to adequately handle the 4500 lbs plus the 1000 lbs. in people and the 200 lbs. of stuff that folks pack into and on top of their Ody (hey, I'm guilty of this too on our 2006.) If someone has gotten 200K miles without having to pay for any tranny replacements, I'd say they got a decent deal, and looking at the lack of complaints on 2005-2010 models, I'd reco buying one of those to replace it.

donethat_1 · February 2012

ODY model years 2004-2009 has a class action lawsuit for the tranny as well. This is an ongoing issue and not just the early model years. In addition, the ODY is not recommended by Consumer reports and Motor Trend tested the van and said the following, "February 2012 Motor Trend Long Test Article 2011 Odyssey Touring Elite, 6 months old, 14999 miles "...we'll have the technicians look at the transmission as well. Over time, shifting has become rough, and occasionally upon acceleration between first and second gears, the transmission seems to be shuddering."

tonny239 · February 2012

my odyssey 212300 miles and still going like new

stickguy · February 2012

you certainly got your money's worth.

points out an important fact. Not every unit is going to fail early. Maintenance and usage also play a part in longevity.

I have a 2005 that just turned over 70K. We are considering replacing it next December (2012) when it should have ~ 78K on it, and a big part of the decision to do it then or keep it a couple more years (up to 100K or so) is whether I trust the tranny.

Now, a class action settlement where they extend the warranty on the trans to 10/100 or so would help sway the decision! Though my wife is also ready to move into something smaller, if I can get away without paying for it, all the better.

autowrite · February 2012

Consumer Reports did not say "not recommended" for the Odyssey. They just did not mention any words, one way or the other.

donethat_1 · February 2012

so the mere fact that they did not recommend the ODY does not suggest that it is not recommended? If it is not listed as a recommendation seems to me it points to the fact that it is not recommended and the Toyota is. In years past, they always seemed biased for the Honda. They finally have seen the light.

ramy1995 · February 2012

it all started in a cold cloudy day, about 2 yrs ago, when? oc three months after i bought it used from this guy who supposedly took care of it since new. i noticed that when it is cold outside, tranny is in a bad mood??) or someone mentioned something about some sensor somewhere ? how do it troublshoot that? or just i should shoot the car out?
drained , replaced fluid twice, no good so far.
live in dc area ,

dd09 · February 2012

Is this a problem with just the touring models? Wouldn't the extended warranty take care of this? I'm looking at the 2012 elite but this is scary! Is there anything I could do to protect myself before I make the deal?

donethat_1 · February 2012

walk away ASAP

ramy1995 · February 2012

yesterday i took my ody to the exclusivly transmission shop in herndon, va. he got in can, plugged all his gadgets and drove, and checked under hood, and brooded , and told me: i have no idea why your honda odyssey is doing whats doing. although, on average they rebuild five transmissions for odyessys per week at his shop. his conclusion was: it is not the transmission, it must be something else and counted eight difrnt posibilites.
van does not go in reverse unless you turn ignition off, then on, then drives in reverse like a charm. it will not shift over second gear no matter what, or even first gear. on take off , shudders and kicks like mule then drive normally. he mentioned the computer of car might be the vilon. but not sure. so, back to square one.
the van started acting up at 125k, and now at 145 still moving , but you dont want to be the guy driving behind me, used to slip and stall, then, now totaly difrnt symbtoms. is it the sellonieds??? anyone has any idea here? ???????????

odysseynomore · February 2012

My mechanic, an expert Acura mech, just changed the tranny on his 2005 MDX...by waht I see only ''expert drivers'' can drive the Odys and MDXs....I was forgetting, my Odys tranny was changed 2 yers ago with an original Honda tranny, and guess what, its already shaking.

joyce33 · February 2012

I have a 2008 Honda Odyssey. I took it in to dealer in 2010 for recall "transmission judder" issue. They fixed it with a "program update". The same problem has returned. Now they say it needs a new torque converter and they think I should pay $1800. I think not - since it is a recurring recall issue. I think the "program update" bought them time - so that my car could go out of warranty and now they say "your car is out of warranty". I think - if it was a known design defect - they are liable. I've read all the forums about Honda's atrocious handling of this issue - and I have just begun to fight. One step is to post/share on these forums. I plan to contact: BBB, attorney general, class action lawyer, NHTSA, and my Senator. Any other advise? :mad:

autowrite · February 2012

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Minivans/

dd09 · February 2012

Thanks for the info and so sorry for all your troubles. I'm being offered a lifetime warranty on the drive train. We keep our cars a long time so that was attractive to me. Do you think it's worth it? I've compared it extensively to the other mini vans and love the Odyssey otherwise.

frustrated59 · February 2012

No warranty is any good if they won't admit there is a problem. My 2012 Odyssey Touring has been in the shop 4 times since October. They originally said they had to wait for an update, they knew there was a problem. Since the update it is still lugging, shuddering and I feel is unsafe to drive. They say they can't duplicate anything except a "slight" hesitation which is normal for the car since because of the new emissions requirements. The mechanic that rode around with me said that Honda warned them that the 2012 Odyssey's would have more vibration and less power on acceleration because of these requirements. I still think that I should have enough power to accelerate and merge safely with traffic which, depending on how my transmission is acting each day, sometimes I don't. If I were you I would not purchase this van. They have my van right now, if they do fix it and I find that I am no longer having a problem, I will let you know. I did ask the mechanic if they had anyone else complaining about the 2012 models and he said yes, there were others.

fitz69 · February 2012

My 2001 Odyssey transmission was replaced by the dealer in June 2008. It now needs replacement again. This is after 55,000 miles and 3.5 years. Honda refuses to help. They quoted a price of $4200. It is not worth it to pay this much considering the value of the car.

Honda does not stand by their transmissions or work. A transmission should last longer. The company does not stand by their products.

I will not be buying an Odyssey. I would recommended that people buy a Toyota instead. My 1995 Corolla is still going strong.

dd09 · February 2012

Thank you soooo much!!! I feel like I dodged a bullet. I can't imagine your frustration. I'm not that keen on the Sienna so I thought I'd look into the Town & Country. Thanks again.

odysseynomore · March 2012

Odysseys tranny issues started in 1999 and 13 years later we are still complaining about their quality . I dont think, maybe im mistaken, that there is any other brand at this point in time with soooo many complaints about transmissions, and when you consider how many odyys are out there you can't denny that this is a big issue. Yes there have been lucky owners of oddys, but many of us have realized that this is not an urban myth...Odys do have transmission problems, more than any other car and in the age of the internet we the costumers can share our bad experience with this crappy van. My new honda tranny has not even 30K on it and you can already feel it cant take the heat. Maybe the frame of the car can las a very long time, but your tranny will most likely go somewhere before 150000Km, which by todays standards is a very low mileage for well maintained trannys.

Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

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