Honda Odyssey 1999 - 2004

jea659

ndboomer, just wanted to tell you how helpful your commentary was on the Honda Odessy you purchased. I too own a Camry and love it, so it is a toss up between the Sienna and the Odessy. But after reading your message, I called up a Honda dealer to see how long the wait list is. After reseach plus reading consumer comments, I am going with the Odessy!

sbelfield

I just saw that someone posted that you can get the cargo tray for about $50 cheaper online than from dealer.

could someone post the accessory links?
Thanks.

parman5

Thanks for responding to the PCS valve concern! I had the dealer replace the valve once again. What was happening was when the engine was warmed up and idling, the PCS valve would continue to click and not shut off at all. I found that to be different from other Ody engines that I compared it to. With the replaced part, I believe the problem now has been corrected and the part is working properly. Thanks again!

ztzz

You can try hondapartsforyou.com (currently has the best price for cargo tray w/ free shipping) and handaaccesories.com for good prices on Odyssey accessories.

binkybarnes

davedell: i have the hondacare warranty and i remember reading that, while almost everything else is covered, the airbags are not! the other interesting thing is that honda has an unwritten lifetime warranty policy on their seatbelts but it is also listed as excluded in the extended warranty.

the_shadow: i've had three previous hondas that were all extremely reliable. my '80 civic had almost 300,000 miles on it when i sold it (the only problems were axle boots that kept tearing every year and sinking floats in the carbuerator), my '88 integra had 250,000 miles on it when i sold it and was totally reliable...only problems were a cracked radiator and a freon leak (just sold it in october and it still looked and drove great), and we still have a '94 accord with 95,000 miles...no probs so far except a cracked radiator. also, i'm a big skeptic regarding extended warranties and i've never bought one for anything before. however! i bought one for our '01 odyssey EX...despite my great experiences, i figured if the radiator cracked, i'm already halfway there in terms of cost. the rest is peace of mind for me for the power doors.

robr2

Everyone has their own opinions on the ex warr. I look at it as insurance. I have never gotten an extended warranty on anything. This time we got the Hondacare because of the complexity of the EX (ie auto climate, power doors, etc). I don't know the details on the fellow with the 7 perfect Hondas, but I doubt they were all as complex as the Ody is.

This is my 3rd Honda since 1991. Currently have a 98 Accord EX which has been almost perfect thus far. My 91 Accord had 148K on it when it was rearended. I had the AC go on it twice - the condenser just out of warranty and the evaporator at 90K. I also had to replace a window motor and a power antenna within 100K. If I had the warranty, I would not have shelled out over $1300. On the other hand, it had the original battery, wires, and clutch when it was totaled and I got 112K out of the front brake pads.

It's your decision to make. Decide your tolerance level for risk and be happy. It's a great van.

billg7

http://www.handa-accessories.com/

Thanks for the first link ztzz.I did not have that one. I see the second link required some modification to access, so I have redone it above. It seems that is one of the favorites on this board.

mtsang

What problem symptom(s) did you have when the PCS valve was not working properly? Thanks.

Mike

nor73

I recently bought a 1997 Honda Odissey minivan. I have noticed that, when going at higher speeds (50-80 mph) the steering will wander after going over slight bumps on the road. To be specific, it feels like the tires get off the ground for a split second and land pointing to the right. Therefore, the van will sway to the right and I have to steer it back into a straight line. This is more pronounced when I'm going over a curve on the road and I hit a bump, or a pothole.

I took the van back to the dealeship's service dept. They couldn't find anything, nor could they reproduce the problem. I checked online and found that the '97 Isuzu Oasis, which is the exact same van with a different badge, has two recalls that are related to suspension problems <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recmmy5.cfm>. And the symptoms are very similar to those I've described. One recall applies to 124,875 cars. The other applies to 104. This recall however, has not been made for the '97 Odissey. I called American Honda and inquired about this. They said they don't honor recalls made by Isuzu for the Oasis (despite the fact that both vans are manufactured by Honda). So, I'm taking the van back to the dealer for another look next week.

I wonder if any other '97 Odissey owners have had this problem. And if they have, does anyone know what has to happen for Honda to fix this problem? Any input will be greatly appreciated.

grplavloff

"This is in continuation with message# 1792. Thanks for the response Billg7. Dealer called us back again today and told us that he made a mistake in the deal. We picked up the car 9 days back, and deal was closed the same day. ..."

If I was certain that the dealer had made a mistake and I did originally expect to pay the higher price, I would pay the difference. Otherwise I would not.

papapenguin

I'm considering an Odyssey, but one issue I do have is the front passenger seat eben when pushed all the way back is too close to the glove compartment so that my legs (I'm 6'2") are rubbing against the box. Has anybody else found this a problem?

Also, is it possible to somehow drop the front seat back some?

depthouse

I have an Ody on order. I had heard the audio system is not the best. Has anyone tried the Kelton Bassworks Subwoofer. Does this improve the overall sound.
Has any one installed the 6-disc in-dash cd changer themselves. Looking for info on how difficult installing the changer is.
Any thoughts on the audio system would be great.
Thank you

jeff177

I tow a trailer with a 2800 lb. gross weight (loaded). I will tow this trailer maybe 6-10 times per year. The Odyssey is rated at 3500 lbs. Does anyone have any experience with this?

merrky

I purchased an Odyssey EX in late February. I am looking for some information regarding the gas gauge. It seems to be on the high side. It reads 1/2 tank after only about 6 gallons are consumed. Is this normal or does this require service? Also, when the gas light comes on, it only takes about 14 gallons to fill it up. With a 20 gallon tank, I would think the light would come on with only about 2-3 gallons remaining. All comments are appreciated.

johng14

This is normal, I found out through the message boards that this is caused by a shallow gas tank. I too have the light come up with about 6 gallons left in the tank.

3senough

I've got a problem with the buttons wanting to stick on the remote. Has anyone had this problem and remedied it? I have attempted to clean around the buttons, but feel like I am just getting the junk farther in there.

dcrisler

I have the same problem... I plan on having the dealer replace it soon. for the longest time I could not figure out why it was so intermittant... then found out the left passenger door slider button was sticking... now I always check it and unstick as needed.

neech7

Got my car insurance bill over the weekend. Found out that despite my Odyssey costing $8000 more than my Accord, two years newer, and of a higher trim level (EX vs. LX), it actually cost LESS to insure the Odyssey than the Accord.

Like they say in the new Civic ads: Amazing, but true.

prophet2

The Accord may be higher because of a couple of things. The Odyssey's crash ratings is one. The Accord's popularity with car thieves, #1 in many areas, is the other. But, $8000? WOW! Sure it's not $800, which is still significant.

dcf1

Hello-I live in the Washington, DC area and here is my actual story. Honda replaced 1st transmission at less than 5,000 miles due to shifting problem. Both doors have had continuous problems opening, closing, and with door alarm staying on while driving. Worst door problem was door opened over refueling door and gasoline nozzle WHILE I was pumping gas. Latest thrill - CLUNK in reverse started at approx. 20,000 miles. Two dealers were less than willing to diagnose ("normal operating condition" - see others postings) but finally said I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION (remember I got a NEW one at 0k and then again at 5k)! Have been working with Honda of No. America ever since the refueling incident. Their response has been sympathetic but basically have concluded that its MY PROBLEM! Bottom line: This is by far the worst new vehicle I have ever owned! Honda's treatment of these DEFECTS is starting to look like how Chrysler dealt with its van transmission problems.

I am interested in pursuing this and would appreciate any information on other responses by Honda. Meanwhile, anyone want to buy a used '99 Odyssey EX with less than 23k miles?

billg7

You seem to have had the most problems with your 99 Odyssey,of anyone, since I have been reading this board, for about a year.

There are several possibilities. 1. You were unlucky and got an Odyssey with a lot more problems then the norm. I see it is a 99 and maybe you got an early model. 2, Some people and their families are harder on cars then others.

If they replaced the transmission it would be the latest model, with the up to date fixes, so you should not continue to have problems with it.

There was someone else that came on this board looking for problems on transmissions. She makes her living suing auto companies. They then pay her to leave them alone.

She got a cool response on this board, on her first try. But then she used her real name and was up front about what she was looking for. Maybe if she tries a different, uncover approach, she will be successful this time in obtaining the information she needs.

raybear

a decent trade in when the tranny starts whining on his test drive?

rc_rich

Until now, I've driven small cars. Currently a '94 Civic. I'm arguing with myself between the Sienna and the Odyssey, both being much bigger than the Civic, with the Odyssey the biggest. The local dealers have such a high demand that they won't let you test drive one and I'm curious how easily people adjust to such a big vehicle.

odyfan

"If they replaced the transmission it would be the latest model, with the up to date fixes, so you should not continue to have problems with it."

Unfortunately, I don't think Honda has made any inprovement or fixes to their trany design. We all get the same tranny whether it is 99,00,01 or rebuilt one.:) It's up to the driver who has to be careful how to operate the van.

BTW, My gut feeling is, within few months, someone in MDX forum will post a reverse clunk complaint:)

Happy driving!

sfearing

Since you're in DC (I'm in Arlington) I would suggest you take the van in to Brown Honda in Arlington. They have been able to resolve any door issues I've had to my satisfaction. I believe there is a silent recall on the door latching mechanism which they replaced on mine. Sorry I can't help you on the tranny problem - maybe they've dealt with that one before, also.

bob_s1

We just got our '01 Ody LX with the towing package. I need to install wiring for a power winch for our boat trailer and I'd like to store the cable in the jack compartment when not in use. My question is what is the easiest/best route to snake the wiring to the battery?
-Thanks

rrr54

I own a 01Lx that occasionally will shudder when I re-accelerate after slowing down, but not completely stopping for traffic,etc. Has anyone else experienced this?

terrapinst

I live In North Jersey(Morris County). I am going Thursday to test drive an Odyssey. Just wanted
to know if people are really paying a premium above MSRP. Also is it possible to get a roof rack on an Odyssey DX and get a better stere with a DC player instead of upgrading to
an EX. Thanks in advance

persamp

I installed the 6 disc in-dash changer in my 2000 LX. It was fairly straightforward. Remove fog light switch cover, pull out center dash section, remove radio and storage bin, connect cd changer to radio with brackets, plug it in to radio, re-install. The whole thing took less than an hour, including about 15 minutes required to retrieve one of the screws that I dropped down to the bottom of the dash console (clumsy). I bought the changer from Partscheap (Trevor), now at Handa-accessories.com. Great price, good delivery, no problems!

myfirsthonda

Has anyone recently purchased a Honda Care Warranty for their new Ody and paid less than $1,200? I am considering buying the warranty from the same dealer that I am buying the vehicle from, but he won't budge a nickel. He has told me that every dealer in New England gets the same price for this warranty, but I have read that people paid under $900 for the same thing. Any thoughts?

bob_s1

We just bought an in-stock LX for MSRP with a package that included roof rack w/cross bars, single CD (in addition to std cassette), cargo tray, splash guards, cargo cover and wheel locks. The deal breaker was that they threw in the Tow package w/trans cooler for $0!

johng14

You can purchase the warranty from any dealer in the US. I purchased mine from Sam Swope in Lexington(Emily in the Finance Department), Kentucky 7yr/100K/$0 deductible paid $875.

jkbajones

Prophet2, I think what Neech7 was saying is that the purchase price of the Odyssey was $8,000 more than the Accord, not that the insurance cost.

neech7

Yes, I meant the purchase price difference. Sorry about the confusion.

bg18947

Just got my WeatherFlectors from WeatherTech. They look nice except the one on the passenger side cracked when I closed the window after installation. These tapeless units use flanges that are inserted basically between the mirror cover/weatherstripping and window. The optical clarity is far superior to VentVisor brand units. The rear flange that is inserted toward the rear of the outside weatherstripping must have been in the way when I did my windows open & close test. It cracked! It's still holding up but it's loose because most of the flange is missing. I've contacted WeatherTech, let's see if they will replace the unit. The driver's side went in without a problem, except that the fit into the mirror cover wasn't quite clean. It doesn't want to sit that flush unless you're willing to jam it in which makes the mirror cover stick out a bit due to minor thickness of the deflector.

I think is does cause some wind noise which I don't recall having before installing the deflectors. It could be just in my mind.

cnybro

I would run the wiring where it won't get worn from friction, thus causing a short - especially since the motor in the winch may draw a lot of current. Therefore, starting from the engine compartment, I would snake it through the firewall (try to use an existing hole) and run it over to the driver's side. From there, go underneath the drivers plastic cover where the door jam meets the carpet. This cover is easily removed and it's how you route the cable for the CD changer. Likewise for the cover on the driver's side sliding door. From here, you will probably be ok just running it under the carpet as close to the edge as possible - or - preferably inside the big plastic trim piece that starts on the third row seat.

Disregard all of the above if the winch is mounted outside the van. In that case, just run the cable underneath the van. Be sure that the wire is encased in some type of protective, flexible sheath and mounted away from the exhuast system, sharp edges, and moving parts. This would probably be the easiest way to go. Ah, another idea! Since there is a DC power outlet by the jack compartment, can the winch be plugged into this? Check how much current the winch draws and then check what the max is for the outlet. I think the outlet is less than 10 amps, but not sure.

Good Luck!

Carl

vtmarc

Just purchased an EX in Virginia for MSRP. Three dealer quoted me MSRP, but I did find one that wanted $1000 above MSRP. You should not have to pay more the MSRP if you're willing to look around.
The dealer also offered to sell me the optional items I wanted (CD Changer, splash guards, security system)at dealer cost when I mentioned I was willing to purchase a Sienna instead........

usmarine

vtmarc - Would you mind sharing the dealer's name. If you don't want to post it, e-mail me at wgwright@home.com. I'm in Northern VA.

fishercat

Just got my new lx and its got Firestone Affinity tires. Anyone have good or negative comments about them. Only got 25 miles on car so now's the time to complain if need be. Live in snowy N.H. and we've still got tons of it. Any help would be appreciated.

mschafer

I put 68,000 miles on them with my 99EX. They still had another 2-3K left on them when I put new tires (Michelins) on.

I'm not a big Firestone fan, but they were completely trouble free for me. I *never* had to rebalance them throughout their entire life. I did cross rotate them every 10K miles. That's all.

imhip2

Honda does not put those on the Ody anymore per meeting with Honda Canada rep in my arbitration case on Tuesday. Why did yours come with them? My 2000 LX came with Firestones and Honda switched them to Michelins because I had a bad shimmy problem. The Michelins are much smoother and the shimmy occurs at a higher speed. Find out why you got the Firestones. They are inferior to the Michelins you should have got on a 2001. I bet they swapped the origanal tires from your new van onto someone elses van and hoped you did not know that they come with Michelins.

hondaaccessory

Honda estimated the install time at 1.5 hours. It took our tech 4 hours to install the first one.

I have a few more pictures at:

http://www.HandA-Accessories.com/odysseyvideo.jpg

http://www.HandA-Accessories.com/odyssey/ives.jpg

It is a VHS setup with inputs for DVD or Video games etc.

comes with 2 wireless headphones and a remote control.

-Trevor

mkmaryland

I am seriously considering joining the Odyssey club, but I have a question. With one booster seat and one car seat, how difficult is it to access the third row? 90% of the time we will have it folded in, but there is always the chance that the Mother-In-Law may want to share the ride. It seems like supply is really catching up with demand as my local dealer here in Maryland is calling every other day, letting me know that there is another Granite Green EX available (selling at MSRP). Should I wait or should I buy? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

jhaverlack

Don't know if any of you have heard, but the Odyssey now has an option Entertainment System, known as the i-VES. Even my dealer didn't have a price yet on it though, only literature. Looks pretty nice though. He seems to think that it will be somewhere near $1200.

It is a "Specifically designed Video Cassette Player, with a roof mounted 7.0" flip-down TFT-LCD screen." Controlled from up front between driver and passenger seats and fully functional wireless remote. Capable of interfacing to video game consoles, protable DVD players, camcorders, etc. Can listent to audio through the vehicle's sound system, or through headphones. My Odyssey hasn't shipped yet, but I think I will be adding this feature.

Just thought you may want to know....

Jeff

gess

I have the booster seat/car seat setup as well. We keep the seats apart so anybody who needs to get to the back seat has to go around one of the car seats but it's not too bad. It would probably be easier if the middle seats were pushed together.

carleton1

And place the booster seat in the middle or left side of the rear seat. It will then be very easy for 2 additional people to get into the rear seat.

imhip2

We have the child seat and a booster seat in the middle positions with the seats apart. If the seats are not apart the seat belt blocks the entry to the back seat unless you have the new LATCH seats then this won't be the case. Access to the back is not a problem for our older kids. It is a bit difficult to get to the back for me (6' 2") to retrieve older kids when they fall a sleep. There really is no problem going past the child seats if the adult is going to sit in the back. The biggest problem will be trying to have a conversation with those in the 3rd row because of the noise (this may be good if it is a mother-in-law though ; } ).

With regards to having the seat folded down 90% of the time you may find that the large compartment where the seat goes is really handy for storing those items like the two large strollers that I know we carry. When stored in the space where the seat goes you can have them standing up and they don't even interfer with the sight lines out the back. This is the best feature of the magic seat for us. We never store the seat but boy do we make use of the large compartment where it goes.

hondaaccessory

see post 1904 for pictures of the system.

-Trevor

jlr7

First, thank you for your updates on the Honda i-VES system. I have looked at your photos and read your installation instructions. I have a few questions which I hope you can answer.

Is the front console color coordinated with the interior color of the van?

Can the front floor mat be removed after the front console is installed? The pictures show it being on top of the center section of the floor mat.

Do you know what company makes the video screen for the system?

Thanks, JLR7

phil47

One additional question to jlr7. Can you get just the video screen? I'd like to install an indash DVD player and so the vcp and console are useless for me. Thanks.