Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

mike4444 · February 2008

Got the Odyssey back after dealer said the Power Control Module needed replacing. They did 23 tests that indicated it was the problem (this is after reloading the software in Sep 07, then a week later replacing the speed sensor, all for the "low price of ~$700). It took a week for them to decide the PCM was the problem and replace it. I picked it up after paying $1032 for parts and labor. I drove it 1/2 mile and the TCS, Engine and D lights came on!! I turned around and drove it right back into the dealer. They refunded my $1032 and said they would fix it. Hmmm! The adventure continues.

pa10 · February 2008

I bought a new Ody last October and from day 1 my wife and I noticed a vibration from the undercarriage at around 45 mph and lasts to about 55mph. Dealer says there is no service bulletin and that the problem might be endemic to the 07 models. Has anyone with an 07 noticed this? It is disconcerting both from a mechanical perspective and from a trust-in-honda perspective.

Thanks folks!

gavanmom · February 2008

That was our first sign last year that our 07 EX had something wrong. It started on vacation and there was a bad valve in the transmission. They dealer tried alot of things but finally had to "listen" to the actual valve and insert some type of camera to see the problem. Honda shipped a new tranny and replaced that one.....which I believe was the start of our many problems. I don't mean to be discouraging, but we are on our third transmission and have multiple other issues now due to removing the first tranny. Our van is at the dealer right now for the last time (we just filled under the Georgia Lemon Law). Techs from Honda are looking at it now. We are just praying that this will resolve the many issues we have had for the past 8 months.

gavanmom · February 2008

UPDATE: :lemon: :mad: :lemon:

The field tech....?? drove our van today and of course said the transmission jerking you back and forth at almost every stop and downshift is a NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC of the Honda van's transmission. Not to mention the whistling windshield, the popping front end and the sloppy brakes!

WARNING:
Don't buy one of these pieces of junk unless you want to give yourself and anyone that rides with you whiplash!

I guess we will be seeing them in Arbitration because they have got me mad enough about this to go all the way to the Georgia Supreme Court.

headachenow · February 2008

WOW! I haven't posted on Edmunds since 2000 when I was searching for info on the new Solara convertible.. oh good times.. but now I am back and reading about the Honda Odyssey transmission problems and wishing I would have bought another Toyota. My 2003 van just "died" this past Sat-- in the middle of my birthday night out with my husband. The evening ended with a tow to the dealer and us getting a ride home from a friend and me yelling "F%$K" at the top of my lungs every hour til 2 am.
Anyway-my car has 80K and just under 5 years. $3500 the dealer says to fix it. I have a call into Honda Corporate and they are to "get back with me within two days".. okay- so its been more now. Thanks. I am just so depressed now cause its just horrible how service in the US has just declined so bad..

After reading most of these posts I feel like we won't get reimbursed and we will have a few long years ahead of us with Honda Odyssey problems. Anyone know if the Sienna is having any issues?? We may consider selling it once it's fixed. I wonder if anyone would even buy it after the transmission is replaced. I still can't believe that so may people are having issues and Honda isn't fixing the issue!! I am so pissed off. This is crazy. Class action--?? Count me in! :lemon:

gavanmom · February 2008

THIS IS FROM www.autosafety.org
It is worth lookinng into.

Secret Warranties

Secret warranties are a multi-billion consumer abuse. Every auto company makes mistakes in building cars. Whether they are design defects that affect every car or whether they are manufacturing defects which affect only some cars, they must be repaired. The only question is who pays for the manufacturers' mistakes, the manufacturer or the consumer. Although the auto manufacturer often establishes a secret warranty to pay for the repair, all too often it is the consumer who pays for the manufacturer's mistake because the consumer never finds out about the secret warranty. That's wrong and the Center for Auto Safety wants to change it.

In a 1987 report the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) created national headlines by identifying 10 exemplary secret warranties covering 30 million vehicles and $3 billion in repair costs. Yet this is but the tip of the iceberg for we estimate that at any one time over 500 secret warranties exist for all auto companies. According to a Toyota whistleblower who provided a complete list in May 1988, Toyota alone had 41 secret warranties at that time.

By exposing secret warranties, CAS forces manufacturers to pay for their mistakes and creates a strong incentive for them to build better cars in the future. once secret warranties are disclosed, consumers will save hundreds, if not thousands, in repair bills on their personal cars. Spurred on by CAS exposes, state legislatures are moving to pass secret warranty disclosure laws that will protect consumers. Until then, consumers must rely on the strategies suggested in our book, Little Secrets of the Auto Industry, to discover and use secret warranties to pay for repairs in their vehicles.

What is a secret warranty?
Auto companies hate the term secret warranties. They call them policy adjustments or good will programs or extended warranties. But whatever they are called, they are a longstanding industry practice. When a car company has a major defect that occurs after its written warranty expires, it establishes an adjustment policy to pay for repairs rather than deal with many thousands, if not millions, of complaints on a case by case basis. But the auto company communicates the policy only to regional offices and not even always to its dealers. The auto manufacturers never notify the consumer; so only the consumer who complains loudly enough gets covered by the secret warranty. Other consumers end up bearing the costs of the manufacturer's mistakes.

Examples of Secret Warranties
CAS has documented case after case of secret warranties since our founding in 1970. one of the first and most famous was Ford's J-67 Limited Service Program which covered rust on 12 million 1969-72 cars and trucks. In this case a bulletin which went out only to Ford regional offices stated, "This is a limited service program without dealership notification and should be administered on an individual complaint basis." Under this program, Ford would pay up to 100% to repair rust and paint damage on its vehicles even if it cost over a $1000.

CAS has uncovered secret warranties on all auto companies with little differences between them. A 1972 Mazda secret warranty bulletin doubled the coverage for rotary engine damage but cautioned, "Since this is a temporary program which may be terminated at [any] time, owners are not to be informed of the extended coverage." Honda had secret warranties on head gaskets and rusting fenders in the mid-1970's; Chrysler had rusting fenders on Volares and Aspens in the late 1970's; GM had the transmission secret warranty caused by a ban on sperm whale oil as a lubricant; Peugeot and Subaru both covered defective head gaskets; and VW covered valve stem seals.

Secret warranties soared after 1980 when the federal government dropped all efforts to ban them. GM had a 5 year/50,000 mile secret warranty covering repair of defective rack and pinion power steering systems on all 16 million of its 1981-88 front wheel drive cars. Toyota covered pulsating brakes on its 1983-86 Camry in a $100 million secret warranty. Ford never told owners of its 1985-92 F-series pickups that America's most popular truck had peeling paint because Ford skipped the primer layer. According to Nissan documents provided to CAS by a whistleblower in 1990, Nissan had at one time up to 48 secret warranties covering various cars and trucks.

There is no doubt that auto manufacturers presently have many other secret warranties. However, assessing how widespread secret warranty programs are is difficult because these programs, by definition, are not intended for public disclosure. Since CAS began exposing secret warranties more widely in the 1980's, the auto makers having gotten better at keeping them secret. Even CAS can no longer get lists of secret warranties to disclose. one Honda insider told CAS that Honda has only one secret warranty book for each of its regions. The book is chained to a desk. Every page has the region's number superimposed on it so that any photo of a book page would show the region from which it came.

But it is known that the regulatory climate has been very favorable to the automakers since 1980. Furthermore, secret warranties are viewed by the automakers as an effective tool to maintain good customer relations. Loyal customers and customers that complain loudly and persistently are rewarded. Other consumers get saddled with repair costs caused by the manufacturers' mistakes.

No Uniform Law Requires Secret Warranty Disclosure
No federal law requires auto companies to disclose secret warranties. In the late 1970's, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to litigate individual secret warranties against each auto company beginning with piston scuffing and cracked blocks in 1976-78 Fords. The FTC settled its case by requiring Ford to notify and directly compensate owners according to the secret warranty policy and to notify all future owners until the consent agreement expired eight years later in 1988. Although the FTC later filed similar complaints and actions against GM, VW, Honda, and Chrysler in the late 1970's, it dropped the requirement of secret warranty notification. In 1981 after the change of Administrations, the Commission completely dropped its efforts to expose secret warranties.

Where a secret warranty exists, consumers could ban together to file a class action against the manufacturer for an unfair trade practice but this is a major effort which is rarely used and is a poor substitute for a disclosure law. In 1989, CAS helped the Center for Public Interest Law successfully sue Toyota over a secret warranty that covered up to $1800 in repair costs for pulsating brakes in over 400,000 1983-87 Camrys. To settle CAS' class action Toyota agreed to 1) notify all present and past owners, 2) reimburse consumers for all repair expenses already incurred, and repair all cars with this defe

gavanmom · February 2008

Where a secret warranty exists, consumers could ban together to file a class action against the manufacturer for an unfair trade practice but this is a major effort which is rarely used and is a poor substitute for a disclosure law. In 1989, CAS helped the Center for Public Interest Law successfully sue Toyota over a secret warranty that covered up to $1800 in repair costs for pulsating brakes in over 400,000 1983-87 Camrys. To settle CAS' class action Toyota agreed to 1) notify all present and past owners, 2) reimburse consumers for all repair expenses already incurred, and repair all cars with this defect that had not yet been repaired. CAS estimates the total cost to Toyota to be over $100 million, most of which would have been borne by consumers but for CAS' action.

State Secret Warranty Laws
In order to protect consumers from undisclosed defects, four states (California, Connecticut, Virginia, and Wisconsin) have enacted secret warranty laws and other states are considering secret warranty legislation. The state secret warranty laws already enacted require manufacturers to disclose their "warranty adjustment" programs by giving direct notice of any warranty extension to affected owners, including information about the terms of the warranty, and provision for reimbursement to consumers who already have paid for the covered repair. Until all states enact and enforce secret warranty laws, consumers will be kept in the dark about secret warranties.

How to Find a Secret Warranty
Until secret warranty disclosure laws become the law of the land, the only way to find out about secret warranties is just plain hard work. First, one checks the technical service bulletins for your vehicle type and model year. Service bulletins are published by the manufacturer and sent to dealerships to assist them in diagnosing and repairing problems on the vehicles they service. The existence of a service bulletin does not conclusively prove the auto company has a secret warranty but it does show a defect or problem exists for which the manufacturer has had to develop a repair. Service bulletins can be difficult to decipher, but it is well worth the effort. Finding the right bulletin could save you thousands of dollars in repair costs. The right bulletin is the one that tells the dealer how to diagnose and fix the problem. It also will authorize the dealer to make the repairs at the manufacturer's expense even though the defect is no longer covered by the manufacturer's express warranty.

The trouble is that manufacturers often do not put the terms authorizing free repair in the technical service bulletins but give this information only to their factory representatives so that both the dealer and consumer are kept in the dark. Watch for code words in bulletins such as "check for availability of good will assistance." Companies often use such language to get around the triggering requirements for customer notification in states that have secret warranty disclosure laws.

Secret warranties are often revealed when owners of vehicles of the same type and age are treated differently by the dealer or manufacturer. If some owners get their vehicles repaired at no cost or at a discount whereas other owners of the same vehicle do not, it is possible that a secret warranty covers the defect involved. However, it is also possible that the dealer or manufacturer has decided on a case-by-case basis to reimburse a relatively small number of owners to retain their goodwill and not as part of a warranty adjustment program. To constitute a secret warranty, the difference in treatment of customers must be based on a corporate policy to reimburse owners that is communicated to regional offices and usually also to dealers but that is not communicated to consumers.

How to Use a Secret Warranty
After determining that your vehicle is covered by a secret warranty, the next step is to take advantage of your knowledge. The best way to do this is to take the service bulletin that proves the existence of the secret warranty with you when you go to your dealer to get the defect repaired. Without the bulletin, you will have a much more difficult time getting the dealer to repair your vehicle free of charge. Even if the dealer refuses to recognize the existence of the secret warranty [he might not know that the secret warranty exists] or if your vehicle is beyond the period of coverage of the secret warranty, he still may repair your vehicle at no expense as part of a goodwill adjustment.

If the dealer claims your vehicle is not covered by a secret warranty and refuses to give you a goodwill adjustment, your next step is to pursue your claim directly with the manufacturer. You should do this for two reasons. First, unlike dealers, the manufacturer will know always know if a certain defect in one of its own vehicles is covered by a secret warranty. Second, every manufacturer has a system to handle consumer complaints, which should be followed even though it may not work in most cases. Complaint handling mechanisms outside the manufacturer's system (e.g. arbitration) require exhaustion of all remedies that the manufacturer provides.

Contact the manufacturer's division (also called regional, district or zone) office in your area. The locations and correct names of district offices and the complaint procedures are often spelled out in the owner's manual. If the manufacturer's representative refuses to see you, contact the regional office or the manufacturer's owner relations office, often located in Detroit for domestic manufacturers, California for Japanese and Asian manufacturers, and New Jersey for European manufacturers.

If the manufacturer refuses to extend the secret warranty to your vehicle (perhaps because your car is beyond the time or mileage requirements of the secret warranty), do not give up. Manufacturers only reimburse those owners who complain loudly and persistently; those who put off complaining, or who never complain at all, must pay for the manufacturer's mistakes.

The next step is to make enough noise outside the manufacturer's complaint handling system to get results. A strong commitment is necessary to successfully use this procedure, because you will not get results unless you are willing to persistently follow up letters and phone calls.

Complain in writing to the manufacturer's Chairman of the Board or President with copies of that letter to others. Set forth the defect covered by the secret warranty clearly and precisely within the letter and refer to the collected documentation of the car's troubles and your attempts to have the car repaired "within the system."

Send copies to various organizations such as local and national consumer groups, local and state consumer protection agencies, state attorneys general, federal agencies and members of Congress. Even if these agencies or groups cannot act directly on your behalf, they may send complaints on to the man

gavanmom · February 2008

Send copies to various organizations such as local and national consumer groups, local and state consumer protection agencies, state attorneys general, federal agencies and members of Congress. Even if these agencies or groups cannot act directly on your behalf, they may send complaints on to the manufacturer requesting that the manufacturer take action.

Tell the local media about your secret warranty problem. Many consumers get reimbursed because a local Action Line, newspaper or television station starts to take an interest in a secret warranty. After all, if a manufacturer is trying to keep a secret warranty secret, the last thing the company wants is publicity on the secret warranty. A particularly good strategy is to announce the formation of a group to expose the particular secret warranty affecting your car. Even if the group is small as you and your neighbor, a group is powerful and attracts more attention than an individual.

Small Claims Court
Manufacturers often stonewall the consumer over secret warranties knowing that many consumers will give up in utter frustration and go away mad. Don't. Take the documentation on the secret warranty and your repair efforts to small claims court. At this point, it's the manufacturer who often gives up knowing that the legal rights are on the consumer's side. The manufacturer relies on its own complaint handling mechanism to wear down consumers. once you show you won't be beat by the manufacturer's complaint handling mechanism, you should succeed. The manufacturer will finally recognize its responsibility for the defect in your car and reimburse you.

Conclusion
The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The consumers who complain the loudest get reimbursed under secret warranties. The good customer who goes away quietly gets ripped off. Until auto companies wake up and realize that consumer protection is good business, consumers have to be aggressive or they will wind up paying for an auto company's mistake. Since billions of dollars in repairs are covered by secret warranties, the total benefit to consumers in exercising their rights is enormous.

blackexv6 · February 2008

What 36K mile warranty are you talking about? Honda will not give you 36k miles for the refurbished transmission...I'm not exactly sure what is was on our last 3 Honda V6 trannsmissions.

gavanmom · February 2008

From NHTSA
look on their website for more. You might be able to push them for more than the 1/2 if you can be louder than they are. If you are very loud, they might cover it all as a "goodwill gesture".

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
ACURA / 3.2CL 2001-2003

ACURA / 3.2TL 2000-2004

ACURA / MDX 2001-2002

HONDA / ACCORD 2003-2004

HONDA / ODYSSEY 2002-2004

HONDA / PILOT 2003-2004

Recall Number: 04V176000
Summary:
ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.
Consequence:
GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy:
ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
Notes:
HONDA RECALL NOS. P30 (ODYSSEY AND PILOT), P31 (MDX), P38 (ACCORD) AND P39 (ACURA). CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

headachenow · February 2008

Thanks for all that info on Secret Warranties. I just got off the phone with Honda Corporate and they are checking withe the dealership to see if they can help us with assistance. I originally called on Monday but they never got back to me in two days as promised.. not a good start.

They asked if we had other Honda's and if we have a relationship with the dealership--- so what the heck is the deal with that. Yes I have had two other Honda's and had some stuff done at the local dealership--- that doesn't make my car work now does it?? I was very nice but stern on the phone. A woman talking to a woman though is bad news. She will want to "win" I am sure. She asked what we expected and I told her that they would pay for the new transmission and we would pay for labor. She said they possibly could cover around 25% or so. ummm, 25% of $3200 is not much in my book for a transmission that should STILL be working.

:lemon: Any thoughts?? Should I just take what I can get and move on or complain louder? After this is all over I guess we will sell the Odyssey for fear that it will happen again within 36K miles once the warranty is up.. and get the Sienna.

cbain · February 2008

We have a '03 odyssey. The transmission failed at 92k. We bought it 2d hand 6 mos. ago. Took it to nearest dealer; we quoted $ 4200 for new tranny and power control module. I brought up the recall and was told this vehicle had been serviced under this recall. I asked for documentation. The dealer rep said they couldn't find this info, but would talk to the Honda regional rep. Well, the regional guy decided to authorize the work at no cost to us.

bigdadi118 · February 2008

I will keep an eye on the Buick Enclave's customer satisfaction reports during my 3 year lease on the 07 Odyssey. I saw most Enclave owners praise its QUIETNESS & SPACE. I also like to research the Caddy CTS, Lexus ES350, Infiniti G35 AWD. The minivan is great on moving people & cargo, however after my children are all went to college, I may go back to sedan later.

I think I already decided not to buy the 07 Odyssey at lease end (2010). The buy out price won't worth it and 07 Odyssey isn't as great a car I want to keep.

headachenow · February 2008

The warranty both Corporate and the dealer told me is 3 yrs/ 36,000 miles for the new transmission.. whether they assist us or not, it has a warranty. They also say that the tranny casing is the only part that is refurbished. hmmmm, yeah right!!

headachenow · February 2008

Thats great news!! Can you tell me who you asked for documentation?? Did you buy the car from the dealer-- or an individual?

We got the recall done but who's to say they didn't just put in the oil jet kit fix and ignore any discoloration? Any cars that had over 15K at the time of the recall (we had 27K) were to get looked at for gear discoloration and if found, a new transmission was to be installed. If no coloration existed, then the oil jet kit was to be performed. Any other advice?? I will be calling Corporate again to get their answer-- they of course didn't call me back yet like they said they would. The tranny is to be put in tomorrow so we don't want to wait much longer for the car but don't want to pay for it either!

stickguy · February 2008

Actually, I believe the case is the only reused part. Once they get to the point of being rebuilt, there really isn't anything else saveable. basically they put a new tranny in the old case. What I am not sure is if it is assembled in exactly the same way, by the same people, as a brand new unit.

rahmibub · February 2008

I recently traded in my trusty 2000 Odyssey for a sedan. By the time I traded it in, it had given us 65K miles of trouble-free service.

The only issues for that minivan which was supposed to be plagued with transmission problems were the rear window motors requiring a replacement, and the re-lubrication of the sliding door (minor stuff)

I was aware of the transmission issue when it was a really big deal then, and Honda sent me a notice for extending the warranty - as I expected Honda to. To be honest, I've never had to worry about that car breaking down because it was immaculately maintained, and my driving pattern did not stress the components much - but I can understand that fear factor of having a car break down on you when you need it.

I've dealt with lemon designs with other manufacturers before, and Honda did the right thing for me and their customers by extending that warranty. Lots of other manufacturers claim ignorance (VW did that with their Jetta Window Problems) and sadly many do what Mitsubishi do - silent recalls.

Would I buy another Honda Odyssey again (if I needed that capability)? In a heartbeat - because my service center was good, and the company did well to stand behind their product.

I can't comment on Hyundai / Kia since I they were relatively new when I got my Odyssey, and my level of satisfaction with my car really made it unecessary to compare.

angelaychu · February 2008

You have received royalty treatment from Honda. I would not be upset with Honda at all if they deal with their transmission flaw in an honest, direct and responsible manner. All the horror stories in this forum are real life stories.

My Odyssey's transmission suddenly broken down at a very busy I-5 freeway in Northern California. My car came to a complete stop which almost caused a multi-car crash, Whatever happened to my car was well described in 2003 Honda's Service Bulletin about their recall which is not available to their affected customers.

I trusted Honda so much. When I brought in my car for the recall, I was so happy to learn from my dealer that the recall was to enhance the car's performance. The design flaw never came into my mind until my family almost died right before last Christmas because Honda did not disclose the information that they well were aware of about their faulty transmission.

I understand manufacturer does have design imperfection. The way Honda is handling the matter really scares me away from trusting their product again. Their manner pfoves to me that they only care about profit. They do not care about human lives or road safety.

Does the government care? I am not sure. If they do care, I would think they would not have allowed Honda to continue selling these cars with faulty design until they have fully corrected their design problem. At the least, they should impose disclosures requirements on them.

jchan2 · February 2008

My experience mirrors yours, but from reading the posts on this board over the years I've noticed that different people with different dealerships and case managers have varying degrees of success in getting a totally new transmission out of Honda (or getting so lucky that a new transmission is not necessary)

I'm also in the camp that would buy another Odyssey in a heartbeat- my local Honda dealer does a pretty good job of keeping customers happy (they're a smaller dealer and depend on repeat customers)

angelaychu · February 2008

American Honda is handling their design flaw with inconsistency. This alone discourages me from being their loyal customer. When there is a problem, you cannot rely on Honda to give you any disclosure which in my case our family together with other people on the road could have gotten killed. If we had the appropriate disclosure from Honda, our near death experience would have prevented.

American Honda only cares about their profit. They do not care about human lives and road safety. Does the government care? I am not sure. If they care, they would have stopped Honda from selling these cars with faulty design until they have overcome their design failure. The government has been aware of their design flaw for many many years. The government does not even impose disclosure requirements on Honda regarding their recall to their affected customers or potential customers. I think this is outrageous because you are talking about human lives. Who knows how many multi-car crashes have been responsible by Honda due to sudden transmission lockup due to heat buildup.

2002odie · February 2008

So now that I've gotten the Odyssey back with the new transmission and PCM, I notice the gas mileage is a lot better than before. I notice that on the highway going 75-80mph, the RPM's are only around 2000-2200RPM while before it was something like 3500RPM. So I am wondering if the new PCM has anything to do with that? Hmmm....

I had the motor mounts changed out (NOT at the dealer), and now it's a lot smoother. The dealer said I needed new front and rear mounts, but I was told by the shop I took it to that the rear mount was in perfect condition! So I only ended up changing the front and side mounts...more proof that the dealer was just trying to squeeze me for every penny I had...

However, now the engine stalls occasionally, mostly while driving around town locally...looks like I finally need to replace the Idle Air Control Valve now...sometimes it seems like it's about to sputter out, ...cannot hold idle speed while stopped or slowing down...

This allegedly "reliable" Honda is becoming a money pit! :mad:

New Transmission and PCM: $2300 (after frustratingly battling it out with Honda from an original $5500 - see my previous posts!).
New front and side motor mounts and labor: $320 (bought the parts online and took it to an independent shop for labor, dealer wanted $520 for the front and rear mounts).
New rear motor mount: $60 (ordered online, but now I don't need it).
New Idle Air Control Valve: $130 (I will install it myself).

Soon I will have to look forward for the timing belt ($40 parts and $$$ labor), and spark plugs ($12/each for platinum!).

So now I am forced to get as much use out of this thing after dumping over $3000 into it since January...I just hope nothing else pops out of nowhere!

I had a 1995 Ford Mustang GT with 5-speed manual and it ran like a champ, all I did was change the fluids regularly, replaced the serpentine belt once, and replaced the fronts brakes once in 90k miles before I sold it. None of these issues came up (motor mounts, idle air control valves, transmissions, PCM's, etc...)

I am telling everyone I can to NOT BUY ANY HONDA! :mad:
Just from hearing about their inconsistent levels of customer support (what customer support?) and my own nightmare experience with them, I cannot recommend Honda products to anyone. I would not want them to suffer the same fate. Just their attitude was bad enough! :mad:

H.O.N.D.A.
Have.Odyssey.Next.Driving.American.

simi2003 · February 2008

I also have a 2003 Idiocy. The second gear issue was SUPPOSEDLY fixed. Well, at only 64,000 the transmission is failing. Today, I went in to SIMI VALLEY,CA. 1st HONDA, and was told "sorry, no warranty for you!" with a smile from their service crook.

Question: They were supposed to document the recall fix with a photo. I want to see the photo to verify. How do I get it?

Also, What have been others' experiences with CA dealerships?

This is hugely damaging to Honda's reputation as a quality product. They and Toyota are now just as bad as Chevy or Ford. There is no difference other than Honda and Toyota's inflated prices.

robr2 · February 2008

My experience mirrors yours, but from reading the posts on this board over the years I've noticed that different people with different dealerships and case managers have varying degrees of success in getting a totally new transmission out of Honda (or getting so lucky that a new transmission is not necessary)

I'll concur. My 2000 with just about 80K hasn't had any major issues. But the key in my experience with all dealers is your relationship with them. Because I do all my service with the dealer - even outside of warranty - they go out of their way to go to bat for me with the manufacturer to pursue goodwill work. I respond in kind by assuring them that they will get all excellents on any surveys I am asked to respond to.

My dealer has gotten Honda to cover AC and brake components way outside of warranty over the years and have done multiple little things like change burnt bulbs without charge. My VW dealer has taken care of the CEL's everytime without charge. It's all about the relationship.

As the old adage goes - you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

johnbcars · February 2008

Odyssey sputters
Suspect transmission?? Any help would be appreciated.
Van runs great under most conditions, however, it sputters under very unique conditions:
1st) Van is driven in 2nd or 3rd gear, then
2nd) upon slowing down to 10 to 15 mph (it shifts smoothly into 1st)
3rd) remaining at 10 -15 mph for about 5 seconds and then finally
4th) it Sputters (jerks) under mild acceleration around 1500 to 2000 rpms (possibly when shifting into 2nd gear). RPMs sometimes fluctuate during sputter but occasionally remain steady.
EGR valve replaced with no help.

pgnagel · February 2008

Regarding your Odyssey, if it's stalling / dieing at odd times, it may be the ignition switch. Our 1999 Odyssey had a TSB for that exact item. It would just quit sometimes for no apparent reason. The dealer should replace at no cost. The idle air control valve wass also a TSB, but the valves clog easily. Pull it off, clean with brake cleaner, and reinstall after it's dry. You need to do this every 6 months or so.

The timing belt is a different animal. It's a $40 part, but a $600 repair. The dealer will also try to talk you into a new water pump for an additional $200. If you are really handy you can do it yourself, but it will eat up most of a weekend. It also requires disconnecting the passenger side engine mount, so you need to be able to support the engine without that in place.

Thanks,

Paul

mkunze · February 2008

I've dealt with lemon designs with other manufacturers before, and Honda did the right thing for me and their customers by extending that warranty. Lots of other manufacturers claim ignorance (VW did that with their Jetta Window Problems) and sadly many do what Mitsubishi do - silent recalls.

I don't know if "niceness" or "doing the right thing" had anything to do with it. It was a class-action lawsuit that forced Honda to repair some of these Odysseys. Those covered under the lawsuit will probably get repairs easier than those who are not. Of course Honda wishes to avoid another law suit for the later models..............

You can easily find out if you are covered here:

http://www.hondatransmissionsettlement.com/php/login.php

angelaychu · February 2008

My point is American Honda treats every affected customer with inconsistency. The manner the corporate is handling their design failure in an indirect and irresponsible manner. I am not taking chances because certain dealership is going out of the way to help one customer. When it comes to design failure, I will look to American Honda's attitude.

The manner they are handling their recall is unacceptable. They owe the affected customers an answer when being asked about the recall. I blindly believed in Honda when they told me the recall was to enhance the car's performance. This I later found out was an outright lie only when my transmission sudden locked up due to heat buildup which they well documented in their 03 Honda Service Bulletin. When a company is unreliable as to provide with a direct answer, how can I continue to trust them with another Honda?

When there is problem, they are only busy trying to deny responsibility to make their affected customers to pay for their mistakes. I took care of my care just as much as you did. My service was done at the dealership as recommended. I had to battle so hard with the dealership and American Honda in order to pay only labor of $924. From these postings I consider myself very lucky.

My near death experience would have prevented if American Honda deals with matters like this in a direct, open, honest and responsible manner and treat their customers in a consistent manner. I understand when a new product is designed, it is unavoidable to have design imperfection from time to time. I am sure Honda 's affected customers would remain loyal if they can treat the affected customers fairly. I am sure even if we have to bear some of the cost, the customers would still be loyal to Honda since we did make a choice to buy a Honda.

stickguy · February 2008

There seems to be 2 schools of thought. The more reasonable one is that Honda should do a good will extension of the tranny warranty (say 7/100) and after that you are on your own.

Others seem to think they should issue an immediate recall, but to do what? But a reman unit in every van, even if the current one is working fine? They don't magically have a different design tranny to put in instead.

I have an '05, and would be perfectly happy if they just caved in and estended the warranty to a reasonable time/distance.

angelaychu · February 2008

If this is the case, I I would think American Honda was a much better company then. They did earn their reputation by having a proactive attitudes towards their mistake. Now their reputation is going down the drain. Has there been a change in their top management? They don't care about reputation, human lives and road safety anymore.

angelaychu · February 2008

I don't think the discussion is about money or it has two school of thoughts. People here are frustrated with American Honda's attitudes towards their design failure. They only focus on denying responsibility on their design failure. They have not been honest with their transmission problem.

I would have been completely happy when I made my initial contact with them about my transmission premature failure and they told me what the problem was. They knew it all along which is evidenced from their 03 Hinda Service Bulletin. I am an idiot when it comes to car. I had to study all the postings here and did other research in order to battle with them and finally paid only labor of $924.

American Honda treats every affected customer differently. I think their denial of responsibility is sickening. How can I trust Honda when I asked them about the recall in 2004 and they told me the purpose of it was to enhance the car's performance. When I purchased my car in 2002 and the sales personnel told me that Honda was a reliable car which you could expect to last easily over 300,000 with only minor maintenance. The sales personnel obviously should be aware of Honda's transmission issue at the time.

American Honda only cares about their profit and not human lives or road safety. Their attitude towards responsibility is unacceptable. People here would not be upset even if we have to share costs. It is their attitudes that make most of the participants angry.

jchan2 · February 2008

What's interesting about my experience in particular was that I had just moved to the region, and had serviced the car at a different Honda dealership before, as well as quick lube shops, and yet the local dealer was still willing to go to bat.

I guess they were able to make some money off of me though when I had other repairs done on the car.. As well as repairs on a Civic, but it's still nice.

rahmibub · February 2008

It was a class-action lawsuit that forced Honda to repair some of these Odysseys.

That may have been the case with some of the other recalls, but Honda did extend the warranty for their transmissions for the the 1999/2000 models way before 2006. the notice I got from them was sometime in 2001/2002. Much before the 2006 class action.

rahmibub · February 2008

Honda's experienced quite a bit of transmission problems over the years. In the 2000 time frame, there were murmurs that the Accords suffered similar tranny failures as the 99/00 Odysseys.

That was traced back to a supplier who deviated from the spec on materials. No idea on this current rash.

All manufacturers have some issues or another with their cars that I've read over the years - but transmission / engine issues are of particular concern because of the potential of causing an accident - esp on freeways.

angelaychu · February 2008

The main issue here is not really with transmission but rather is the way American Honda is handling their design failure. They frustrate their affected customer because of their denial of responsibility using the excuse that the vehicle is out of the 3 years/36,000 miles warranty. Like you mentioned they have had that problems for years and that their design failure is well documented in Honda's service bulletins. The premature failure is purely due to their design failure.

When I brought my car for the recall, my dealer told me that the recall was to enhance the car's performance. It was an outright lie. The purpose of the recall now i believe is to temporarily delay the failure of their faulty transmission. Had they been honest about their recall, our near death experience would have been prevented.

Being a complete idiot in cars but thanks to the postings here, I was able to battle with my dealer and American to pay only labor of $924. The nerve of them to keep bringing up the expiration of warranty.

They concealed the fact from me. I understand all manufacturers may have problems but it is the concealment of information from their affected customers and potential customers about their defective product and denial of responsibility that is unacceptable. How can we trust American Honda anymore with their words? Their attitude towards disclosure when asked upon and their denial of obvious responsibility are unacceptable.

I think here some people are confused with the issues why we are so frustrated. Their withholding of information is dangerous to their affected customers and other people on the road. I am hoping the government would read our postings here and stop manufacturers from continuing selling cars with well-known dangerous design failure until they have corrected the problem. At the least, I hope the government would impose disclosure requirements on the manufacturers to their affected and potential customers on models that have existed design failures.

gasburner1 · February 2008

Just to update my latest experinece.
To Recap: I previously took the 01 Ody (~83K miles) in for what I believed to be transmission issues, after the check engine light came on. I had already had the code read by Autozone, and was told it was a shift error code. Well the Honda dealer said trans. was OK and no shift error code was present. They did say the error code was related to spool valve, and also said motor mounts should be changed. Well I changed the spool valve on their suggestion and we noticed no change in vehicle driving. Also the check engine light was back on that evening. I took the Ody back in the next Monday, and was told that the check engine code was for now a catalytic converter problem, which Honda offered to fix for $500, and if I didn't like it I could get a second opinion. Well I did.

Update:
I took the Ody to an independent to have them read the check engine code. They actually found 2 error codes as follows: P0780 - Malfunction in transmission shifting, and P0420 catalyst system efficiency for bank 1 below treshold. They provided me a printout of each with possible causes. Now having a hard copy of this information and our expereinces with the flashing D4, slow transmission shifts, and jerky shifts, I'm ready to try again to get my transmission fixed. I've called everyday this week trying to talk to the service advisor or manager to make an appointment, but can't get anybody to return the call. I guess I'll have to drive it in the service bay to get to talk to someone.

I feel that Honda is just trying to stall fixing the transmission in an effort to have the class-action extended warranty on my vehicle expire. It also seems that Honda is trying to "fix" whatever they think they can justify and get you to pay for along the way.

I've owned several Hondas starting with my 1st new car in 86 a CRX. I can honestly say that overall Hondas haven't been really more reliable than the American cars I've owned during the same period. For example my 89 Chevy Blaizer (which I owned for 10 yrs) was more durable and problem free than the Accord I owned during part of the same time (remember those crappy A/C units in those cars, and the expensive timing belts to change at 60K). Currently my Ford Explorer which I use to pull a boat, and drive in heavy traffic on storm damaged pot-holed New Orleans streets is more reliable than the Ody, which is used mainly on the highway for longer trips. I think more folks are not starting to realize that the legendary Honda durability really applies mostly to the engine. As far as all the other parts that make-up a vehicle, Hondas break just like all the rest.

2002odie · February 2008

I agree. What totally angered me was not the fact that the transmission failed, but it was the way that Honda handled it. Their attitude toward the customer was just awful. They just don't seem to care about human lives. What is even more frustrating is the fact that I am reading about various levels of "success" that people are having when dealing with American Honda to get the transmission replaced and the varying amounts that they ended up having to pay. There are also numerous postings at odyclub.com, you should check it out, just search "transmission"...

The fact the people have to fight for a cost reduction and that people pay various amounts from $0 - $$$$$ is disgusting.

Honda should have taken responsibility long ago on this issue and should have been upfront with their customers with some type of consistent unified notification. At least let people know what to expect, and not find out the hard way when their van loaded with their closest loved ones onboard suddenly dies in the middle of the road, or worse yet, going 70mph on the freeway, or on a mountain road, or while crossing train tracks, etc..

Just face the facts, people buy minivans to move their families (and especially small children); it's not a delivery van for contractors. Transmission issues should be the highest safety priority, not hidden and dealt with on a "case by case" basis by Honda's poor excuse for case managers.

The least they should have done was to send out notices that the transmission has a potential problem, and that if you are out of warranty, have the warranty extended, (...or better yet retrofit the transmission with one of a better design?).

I understand every manufacturer has issues, but at least deal with them in a civilized manner. I owned Ford products and in general they were trouble free, and they had recalls. But you know what? They had recalls. At least they took the responsibility to fix issues before things got out of hand, and they took care of their customers, not treating them like dirt as was my experience with American Honda. I was never unhappy with their service, at least I felt like they cared enough to take care of things...

Even if it's out of warranty, at least have a fixed amount that everyone could be charged for a replacement, rather than battle it out one on one with everyone that calls in to open a case and see how much $$$ Honda and the dealer can screw people out of. They could say "your transmission might fail, if so and you are out of the warranty coverage, you will need to pay X amount to have it repaired at that time." (or prorate it based on mileage/age...) At least that would have been the honest and ethical approach. Then people won't have to worry about fighting for the "privilege" of paying $2300 instead of $5500...wow, what a great "deal".

And when they do replace the transmission, why can't they provide a redesigned unit that addresses the failure mode, rather than pop in another copy of the one that just failed? Should I have to expect to go through this whole ordeal later on down the line?

And what's the deal about having "dealer loyalty" and getting better treatment if you have all your service done at the dealership? That is a bunch of bull$&*#!
What does that have to do with how much you end up paying for a new transmission? It's just another way for them to make you feel bad for not having the dealer screw you out of more $$$ for overpriced services! Case Manger and Dealer: "Oh, since you don't have an established service history we can't help you out as much." What's up with that?!!

=====================================
Another serious safety issue is the idle air control valve, which I just changed last night (2 hours to get to 2 screws on the actual part, after disassmbling the entire throttle body assembly to get to it...) I've never seen a throttle body with so many electrical, air, and coolant connectors coming out it before in my whole life!

This is also part that should not fail, because it directly affects whether or not your engine stays on when it should. I have never heard of this part before, because I have never had one fail on me, until this Odyssey...

The AIC valve is controlled by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which also controls the transmission. This valve gets clogged with soot/carbon build up from the "engine side" of the throttle body (believe me, I saw it when I took it out...a lot of burnt black dust stuck in there). When it gets clogged, the valve cannot turn and control the idle speed of the engine, so the RPM's will surge between 1000-2000RPM (the tach needle will go up and down repeatedly and there is coolant that will leak into the engine from the AIC valve and burn to produce big plumes of white exhaust smoke...) and while at the stop light, the engine will drop below 1000RPM and just die. It also died on me while making a right turn going up a driveway to get into a parking lot of a shopping center...imagine if there was a car behind me...I would have gotten rear ended, or if there was anyone in front of me, I would have hit them (car or pedestrian), because the entire car lost power (including the power brakes...) ...yet another poor design from this lawnmower manufacturer?
This should not be a part "that just normally wears out and needs replacement."

I am ok with basic car work (oil changes, air filters, windshield wipers, spark plugs, etc...) but I have never had to learn so much about an engine until now!
=========================

So where is Honda reliability? It does not exist.
So where is the dream of 100,000-200,000 miles of trouble free Japanese car reliability? It does not exist. (If it ever did, it does not exist anymore...)
So where is Honda Customer Service? In the sewer.

==========================
2002 Odyssey EX-L/RES
89,300miles
New Transmission
New PCM
New Motor Mounts
New AIC Valve

Coming up on:
Timing Belt/Spark Plugs/Front Brakes/Brake Fluid Flush/Coolant Flush
(More $$$ down the drain)
==========================

angelaychu · February 2008

Thank you for the additional information. The way that American Honda treats their customers is sickening. You described the issue much better than me. It seems like there is no more confusion because I don't see any more postings defending Honda's uncivilized attitude on this issue.

I have lost faith in American Honda and its dealership's honesty. We are thinking of trading our van in for an American car or a Toyota. We are just complete idiot when it comes to cars. We don't want to keep it because we feel that they will fool us around when it needs work and rip us off. I will continue to post new messages when I see anyone has confusion about the issue.

woodsykris · March 2008

Hi -

I found a 1997 Honda Odessey for $4100 with 160,000. The seller's mechanic (little shop on the corner) said the only things wrong with it are the boots on the front wheels need to be replaced and the ABS light is on. He replaced the brake pads and shoes both front and back and says the ABS system is functional, but he doesn't have a diagnostic computer to determine why the light is on. My husband says don't buy it because 160,000 is the approximate mileage where Honda drive trains fail. Does anyone know this to be true? Kelley Blue Book says it's worth more than $5000. Any suggestions? Thanks.

cxc · March 2008

Don't buy it for $4100. Either transmission or engine failure is very likely to happen since 160,000 miles is the limit of Honda cars. I would pay no more than $1000 for this car. I do not care what this or that book says how much it is worth.

sonofknud · March 2008

This is the old Odyssey not sure the transmission problems apply. I sold my 1996 with about 160,000 for 3,500 two years ago. Mine had the ABS & Airbag light on which usually means you have an issue. The ABS cost anywhere from $300-$600 to repair when I had it priced out. I would think you could get them under 4000 but my cousin is still driving the one I sold him and he likes the vehicle. Look for rust on the back when the Honda name plate sits. We were very happy in general (the ABS and Air Bags never were require repairs) the vehicle is much smaller than the new Odyssey so we wanted more space with 4 children. When the ABS system is broke it should revert to regular brakes. Good luck with your decision.

angelaychu · March 2008

You probably have been seen my postings regarding my 03 Odyssey transmission failure. After a long fought battle with American Honda and my dealer end of 07 and beginning of January this year. I finally got a rebuilt transmission with 3 year /36,000m miles warranty on January 10, 2008 only paying for labor charges of $924.

When I drove my car for the last time, I saw the tcs and engine lights on the dashboard after only having this new tranny for less than 2 months with less than 2,000 miles. The lights went off after driving for 15 miles. I called my dealer and they said it might not be the new tranny. I had to bring the car for a diagnostic on Monday.

I do not want to go through the whole ordeal again dealing with the dealer and American Honda on the tranny. We suspect we might have to battle it every few weeks. We have completely lost faith in Honda and we don't want them to rip us off for another penny. We decided to trade both our Odyssey and Accord in yesterday. We are now happy owners of a Dodge Nitros and a Chrysler Sebring.

Dodge and Chrysler have excellent warranty with life time powertrain for as long as you own the car. The sales personnel in Livermore, California was terrific and we did not have to do the back and forth negotiation game. We bought two cars from them.

We are celebrating our new cars and are very happy that Honda is no longer in our lives.

billcat1 · March 2008

We bought our 2003 Odyssey brand new and purchased an extended warranty.
The warranty was for 7 years/ 100,000 miles and our van has 93,500 mile on it now.
Our transmission is having some of the same problems as many others on this site!
It was unaware of the transmission problems with the Odyssey's until I got on this site.
In reading others entry did anyone purchase an extended warranty at time of purchase and did that help getting your transmission fixed or replaced?
Were planning on using our Odyssey for a trip over spring break but now Im questioning using it.
Thanks,
BC

angelaychu · March 2008

I would not take the chance to go on long trip with it. When I traded in my Odyssey yesterday, Dodge was unwilling to take an Odyssey especially with miles closer to 100,000 because when sell it to central, they would not take into account that this car even has a transmission. Your transmission could suddenly die without warning which could result in a deadly crash

gavanmom · March 2008

If you have the Honda Care warranty, as long as you are below the 100K mileage, there should not be a question about helping replace or fix the transmission. They should just do it fully covered. If you have an aftermarket warranty, I don't know how those work. We bought the 8 / 120K Honda Care warranty through Bernardi as soon as we bought the van. I've got the 2007 EX with the three new transmissions. If you have made it to 93K without having a new one, you are about due.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

billcat1 · March 2008

It is the Honda Care Warranty that we purchased, so hopefully they will fix it at no cost!
We're taking it to the dealer on Wednesday, I'll have more for you later this week.

BC

gavanmom · March 2008

Make sure you let your dealer know that you know about this recall and take a copy of it with you if your van has not already had this service. It might get you a little more time on your warranty and make sure that Honda pays for all of the repairs. From what I've heard from others, Honda is bad about saying your van isn't covered or has already had the recall work done....make them PROVE it to you by showing records or concrete verification first.
From NHTSA
look on their website for more.

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
ACURA / 3.2CL 2001-2003

ACURA / 3.2TL 2000-2004

ACURA / MDX 2001-2002

HONDA / ACCORD 2003-2004

HONDA / ODYSSEY 2002-2004

HONDA / PILOT 2003-2004

Recall Number: 04V176000
Summary:
ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.
Consequence:
GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy:
ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
Notes:
HONDA RECALL NOS. P30 (ODYSSEY AND PILOT), P31 (MDX), P38 (ACCORD) AND P39 (ACURA). CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

oddsseysuck · March 2008

Have you heard anything more from Honda, I have a 2003 with 65k on it and just found out today my transmission is done. I called American Honda they gave me a case # , but I do not expect they will do anything.

angelaychu · March 2008

You should expect a call from your case manager in a few day. He will offer you some assistance. He will ask you to take the care to a Honda dealership for a diagnostic. With my experience with Honda dealership, if I were you I would do my own diagnostic with a reputable transmission shop because your dealership may fool you around and rip you off. However, you still have to bring to your car to Honda dealership if you want any assistance.

Your dealership will tell you the amount of assistance. If you are not happy with the offer, you should call your case manager to ask for more. You should prepare yourself to battle with him by reading the postings here. He is going to get you really mad but you should stay calm. Do not turn down their offer because they would have no mercy but to retract their offer. He is likely to tell you his offer is final and he has no supervisor. If this is the case, call the 800 number again and ask another person to take a look at your case to increase their offer. It did work for me because I only paid for the labor charge of $924 for a rebuilt transmission with 3 years/36,000 miles.

I got my car back from my dealership on January10, 2008 with the above transmission. It started to shift rough after about 500 miles. The tcs/engine lights both came on on March1, 2008 after 1,500 miles. With my experience with Honda, I know the warranty is useless because they would make you pay for another rebuilt by saying your car has other problems based on their diagnostic. I did not want to handle th e transmission every couple of months. The light was off after driving it for about 20 miles. We took the opportunity to trade the car in for a Dodge Nitro and my brother also traded his Accord with a Chrysler Sebring.

Our family has given up on Honda because of their attitude. Dodge/Chrysler has excellent warranty. Their cars now come with powertrain warranty for as long as you own your car. If you pay an extra $2,000, you can upgrade your warranty to bumper to bumper warranty. The dealership in Dublin, California is excellent. We enjoyed the most pleasant car buying experience there. Please be prepared that your trade will be low because of Honda's well-known transmission problem.

I suppose Honda can only produce transmission for motorcycles and smaller cars. They still have no clue how to manufacture a transmission for bigger cars.

Good luck!

headachenow · March 2008

I wanted to post real quick to give my 2 cents. I am very frustrated with American Honda also and previously posted and researched the other posts here on Edmunds. My 03 Oddy transmission failed (80K) and had to be replaced. It was at the dealer for 12 days while we waited for the transmission and corporate to get their heads on straight and not f- around. We stood our ground but the "case by case" is so true and disgusting-- we got a 40% discount on parts and labor and the dealer helped us with 20%. Total being $1540.70.

It burns me up thinking I have to pay for something like this because they have not extended the warranty to this year model (YET! If I can help it).

The main problem with the whole issue was that corporate was unresponsive- we had to call them back EVERY time. Its one thing to say "we will call you back", but they would say "we will call you Friday".. and then never do it. This happened 3 different times with Corporate. The dealer was great but didn't really go to bat for us since we stopped getting our car serviced there years ago.

My advice is to be nice but stern- they know their tranny's have had a lot of issues and they really do OWE us something. Don't let up even if your car is ready to be picked up and paid for. Hold out for what you deserve.. and complain to everyone and everybody you can so we can hopefully get the word out and get the warranty extended on the 2003.

mnodyssey · March 2008

Please help, if anyone knows how to deal with these issues let me know.

Our Odyssey currently has 7,200 miles on it. The power steering pump was replaced at 5,000. The same issue is happening with noise after the car has had a chance to warm up. Another steering pump is probably needed. The main issue that the dealer has not been able to diagnose is the harsh downshifts at approxiamtely 40 mph and 15-20 mph. I am assuming this is from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st. During these shifts, the rpm would jump up approximately 300-400 rpm. It happens about 85% of the time and the jump in rpm varies. Any ideas? Also, at 50 mph there is vibration and feels like the car is having issues picking gears. I was told by the dealer it is the overdrive point???? Any help would be appreciated.

Also, just drove our 2004 mazda mpv this evening and that car drives like a charm compared to the odyssey that cost us 3 times as much.

Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

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