rianno777 - Convince me to give up on my 2000 LX .
Convince me there is no fix like the Honda people tell me. I disagree for now on the resale value. They are still very desirable vans and I don't think the vibration is an issue than effects that many of them. Just look at them all in Odyssey XXX. I have driven an 2000 EX and it was smooth. Honda still owes me a test drive on the highway to prove that all Odys vibrate. I would still buy an Ody but only after driving the one I was to get for about 3 hours on the highway. Toyota and Mazda are too small for me and the family's stuff but these would have been the next logical move. I have always been a loyal Honda person (20 years) and now I find myself looking at Pontiac (what poor crash tests) and Ford (head gasket problem again ) ??? It is a scares me to trade something that I still have 4years and 75,000 KM of warranty for something with a 3 year 60,000 KM that I know will have a poor residual value. I think I would rather vibrate along until the warranty is up than get nailed with a guaranteed low resale value on a North American and guaranteed mechanical problems. Vibration isn't so bad when you consider the alternatives.
I've never owned a 99, just my 2001EX which has no hint of a wheel balance problem. Sorry to hear about your trouble. I think it was 2K1Odyssey who owned a 99 before his 2001 and also lives in Calgary. I haven't heard from him in awhile (too bad, he was always quick to help). Good luck.
Pymm: Most likely they meant ounces not pounds. Being out of balance by 2oz, 1 1/2oz, 1oz, 1/2oz, etc. will cause considerable vibrations at freeway speeds. Your last name would have to be Petty or Foyt to be able to feel 1/4oz or less.
I really hope thats the end of your vibration problem. Keep us posted and good luck.
rianno777: I have to agree with imhip2, when I consider the other alternatives I'll stick with my 00 LX DEP vibrator. I've only had the van since September 2000 and would take too much of a loss at this point if I traded for something else.
I did hear from Am. Honda today, the field engineer will be here on May 2nd. What kills me is the Denver office closes for good this Friday, so the rep I've been dealing with will be gone as well as the the other Denver rep who actually drove the van. She told me my file will remain open and will be transferred to the office in California. If we end up back at square one again my wife and I decided we will buy the alloy wheels ourselves and be done with it and Honda. After 18 years of loyalty to Honda we're done. As I've said before it's not the product it's the people. You just don't treat long time customers like fools. And Honda's customer service leaves alot to be desired.
I had the vibration/shimmy problem above 68mph on a 2000 LX purchased last July. After 4 trips to the dealer (re-balance, re-align, new Michelins, re-balance those) they gave me new EX wheels on the 5th go-around. The problem disappeared and we have been very happy with the vehicle since.
Response to #642 Odyfan: Thanks for the info on the auto trans noise when shifting (post 642). Unfortunately, the clunk I feel and hear is not during shifting but rather while the vehicle has been already moving in reverse for a few seconds. I read many unfortunate postings by others about this phenomenon (yet to be explained by Honda) and was thankful I didn't have their problem -- until approx. 20k miles. This is on a transmission that was replaced at 5k miles due to transmission shifting problems (self-diagnosed as grade-logic problem). At this rate I'm changing my transmission as often as I change windshield wipers. In any event, I appreciate your remarks.
I recall a few postings on transmission problems. Honda's remedy for any transmission problems seems to be either a replacement transmission or in some cases, a replacement vehicle. The two issues I have heard, as well as experienced, is 1) in shifting problems in lower or higher gears, and 2) the dreaded clunk while moving in reverse (not to be confused by gasoline slosh/thump or sounds when actually moving into a gear).
My question to the multitudes is: HOW MANY OF THE TOWN HALL READERS HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS (or vehicles) REPLACED?
I've had five replaced, I may have been a bit hard on them in my schoolboy days! (2 Powerglides, 1- THM-350, 1-THM-400, 1 Chysler Ultratrash). But I'm still on the original in the 1999 DVP (that's blue to you) EX at 35,850 miles--this being the last week of factory warranty for me. No disturbing clunks, thuds or bangs, either upon engagement or during motion. I've heard the "rattle" at 50 mph, both I really think that is a combustion (as in engine) noise, rather than a torque converter noise, and if I don't drive steadily at 50 mph I never hear it. 50 is not a common speed limit in my part of Colorado, so I ignore it! Seriously, reading this board has got me paying very close attention to any noises, I guess the Honda transaxle makes slightly different sounds than others I have owned, but there hasn't been anything to make me think something expensive is happening. Now the Chysler transaxle would give a heck of a "normal" bang when shifted to reverse the first time each day, from the beginning. It never made any other strange noises, just randomly shifted to and then staid in second gear, until "re-booted" by shutting off the engine and re starting. Then one day it decided that neutral was it's new favorite gear about 3 second after starting from a stoplight--still no funny noises, just wouldn't move under its own power, no matter what I tried. The warranty was 7/70, the miles were 72,300 and the bill was $2,300. Chysler's district representative was "very sorry". ME TOO!
I hear a "clunk" under the drivers feet area, left front wheel area. It doesn't happen often so it is difficult to pin point when it happens. But it seems to happen when I am turning right when exiting a driveway. It sounds like something is breaking. I took it to the dealer and they checked the brakes, steering, suspension etc. They found nothing wrong although they could duplicate the clunk so they believed me. As a last resort they put the left front wheel onto the right side. And said for me to drive it for awhile to see if the clunk moved to the right side. It has not. It is still making the clunk on the left side. I thought I would ask for suggestions before I go back to the dealer. Any suggestions. (By the way, the clunk is my only problem. The steering, braking is fine. No vibrations or shimmy and no noise when I put it in reverse)
I've got the Costco equivalent of the Michelin x-1 tires on a Subaru (my other car). Costco calls them the "radial +" model. they are expensive, but the ride and traction are excellent. I've driven them in some nasty snow conditions and they have held the road fine. I'll be replacing the Ody Firestone crap tires with the same Michelins.
I have Symmetrys on my Subaru and X-ones on my Camry. Both tires do well on dry roads. IMO the symmetrys produce slightly less road noise but the X-ones have better traction on snow and on wet roads. I don't have experience with either tire on the Odyssey as I'll be buying my van tomorrow. However, my father is very satisfied with the X-ones on his '95 GC. If you are going to keep the van for quite a few years/miles I'd recommend the X-ones. In the end the price difference is probably a wash because the X-ones should last longer. Let us know which type you decide to buy and how you like them.
Hi everyone, I just picked up my brand new odyssey today. I was excited until the salesman told and showed me a flaw in the paint in the front bumper. He said it was a factory problem and that the dealership would cover it. Has anyone else had a problem with paint on their odyssey? It seems that the last several cars that I have bought, all seem to have factory defects in the paint! Now I have to put my trust in the body shop the dealership uses. It looks as though the paint is peeling or is about to peel on a small corner of the front bumper. The salesman thinks it is from the plastic white wrapping that covers the hood and bumpers of the odysseys as they come off the delivery truck. Thanks everyone. Scooderduder
Has anyone experienced black marks on the paint after washing their Odyssey? These marks do come off with some elbow grease.They almost seem like tar spots but I have not been near road tar. My ody is a 2001 Messa beige.I am suspecting the black side mouldings as the culprits??
Hello - we have a 2000 Odyssey with just under 40,000 miles. I have the Michelin Symmetry tires and have had them rotated every 7500 miles. At about 31,000 miles we noticed a pull to the right. Thinking it was an alignment problem I was ready to have it serviced when all of a sudden the van started to pull to the left. ??? The next thing we noticed was that the van would pull to the right or the left at random intervals (and would drive perfectly most of the time). Since it would come and go I assumed it was wind or road surface related (although I had never noticed this before) and did nothing. The next thing we noticed is that the van would "hop" or shimmy leading me to think it was an unbalanced wheel but that, too, would come and go so that didn't make sense, either. Speed does not matter - the van will shake, shimmy, hop, and/or pull, etc or it will drive perfectly. I took it to a Honda dealer (where of course it drove perfectly) and they put it on the rack and couldn't find anything wrong. I've driven it since and the problem comes and goes but I can't get it to reveal itself with a mechanic in it. The only other "problem" I've noticed is a little squeak coming from the steering wheel. We've averaged 23.02 mpg since buying it and have had no other problems. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
We have a 2000 LX, MB. I hand wash, only, and have never noticed black marking. Is it possible you used Armorall or something similiar on the black molding? That would cause some streaking.
@ 6000 miles our van is great. No problems at all.
Re: tires? My Michelin dealer told me the X-ONE is really great in the rain but less effective in snow than the Symetry.
I had a Chevrolet Cavalier about 13 years ago with the same symptoms as your Odyssey. I traced it to the steering rack mounting bolts being loose. Have these checked out, it may solve your problem.
The Ody tank is 20 US gallons. If your gas gauge reads nearly empty but you can only get 12 gallons in, then the problem may be the fuel level sensor inside the tank. The dealer can replace it.
You might set your "A" trip odometer on zero at fillup, and drive it about 350 miles, and then fill it up. If you average 20 miles per gallon, you will have used about 17 gallons. The fillup should be about that much. I know you'll be nervous because the gas light will be "on" but that will verify that the fuel level sensor is bad. Good luck.
Are you sure the road is flat and level when your Ody is pulling left or right. On the highway our Ody would pull left in the passing lane and right on the right lane because of the crown. The wind direction can dictate which way the car pulls too.
Checked with Speedy (they do the alignments for a Honda dealer where I live but have not done anything to my Ody) re camber adjustment. Said the Ody can't really have it adjusted. Possibly the toe in but not likely.
Decide to get dynamic balance done on Sat at one of the tire places on the list provided from Hunter (75 KM from home). They found that one of the tires Honda gave me when they replaced my Firestones with Michelins was defective. Needed a 32 Ounce adjustment which he said was totally unacceptable and the tire should be replaced. They didn't have one in stock but using the dynamic balancer they managed to adjust the weight needed on this tire down to 20 ounces which he said was still high but it would definitely help. He is ordering me a new tire under warrenty as he is a certified Michelin dealer (along with Firestone, BFG, Goodyear Etc.)
Now the ride home was smooth as glass, even with the defective tire. But I expected this to last only 150 KM or less like the high speed balancings I have had done in the past. Well so far I have gone 250KM and I am still not feeling much. My wife is doing an airport run today so that will put on another 150KM's. I hope it holds up. I've never had this Van not vibrate for more than 150KM.
Nice to know you can still get good customer service somewhere. I'm sure Honda could have figured out it was a defective tire but they chose to say the vibration is normal. I also would have thought Honda would have checked out the new tires for defects before they sent them. I know they had numbered them all and told the Honda dealer which tire was to be put at which location on the Van. Honda isn't just lacking in customer service in my books but are to the point of being negligent in there duties. It is not because they are incompetent, they know what harmonic vibration is and thus I assume what causes it. They have chosen to do nothing about the vibration for me leaving me to figure it out on my own. That is negligence. The defective tire is also negligence. I will wait to see if the vibration is gone before I consider taking action against them.
I know that all vehicles have some pull to the right in the driving lane and to the left in the passing lane but this is not the same. This is similar to "torque steering" where one wheel seems to be turning just a little faster than the other, but it's not that because I'm not accelerating at the time. I've driven 290,000 miles in 6 years (in 5 different cars) and this is unlike anything I've seen before. It doesn't matter if it's windy or if the road is rough. It comes and goes with no change in driving conditions... I'm at a loss (and so is the dealer because it won't do it for them, of course). I'm going to try them again this week so any help/suggestions would be appreciated (THANKS #719 - I'll have them check the mounting bolts!).
Any re-paving being done on the roads you drive? Tires can and do pick up bits of tar/gravel used in the laying of asphalt. Eventually most of what is picked up wears off but it might account for intermittent out of balance tires and pull to first one side and then the other.
I have a 2001 Odyssey LX that I purchased on January, the last couple of weeks I have noticed a problem when I am cruising at speeds of 50 to 70 mph. When I accelerate to speed everything is fine but when holding a constant speed there is a noticeable rumbling sound, (rrrrrrrrrr), if I accelerate it goes away but if I decelerate and hold the speed I get the sound again. Also when I accelerate there is a whistling, (zzzzzzz), sound for about 3 seconds and then it goes away. Something similar to the sound is driving a 1980's Ford or Chevy V8 sedan that when accelerated will make a whistling sound. I don't know if there is a problem but I would appreciate your comments before I take the van to the dealer because this was not happening until now.
7 weeks of research.I have a civic and an accord. Loved them. 2 kids now and my wife wanted a van.I thought I'd never own one but this van is great.Research is solid.ratings are solid BUT I've had this thing for 1 week and the "lug nuts" bolts..whatever are losing their "alloy" like an old movie star's teeth.I see black underneath.It seems to be peeling? AND today the power sliding door warning light came on and the door is dead as a doornail.I have to bring this thing back to the dealer."It happens sometimes" they told me. I have driven a bunch of other vans before I purchased,not to mention, I liked the MPV next and LOL have told them on the other forum how pleased I was. Convince me owners that this is a freak thing.
In response to (is this the sign of things to come) my mom purchased a 2000 Ody EX last March and has put about 27,000 miles on it and has had no problems. There have been a few problems with the power sliding doors but most were on the 99's. I know its frustrating when you have problems with a brand new car but let the dealer try and fix the problems before you give up on the van. I come from a honda family and I think they are one of the most dependable vehicles besides nissan and toyota. Your problems are probably a fluke but that is what the warranty is for. Hope you have as many happy years with your hondas as my family has had with ours.
After leaving the parking lot of the dealer where I bought 01EX , I noticed the van pull to the right immediately. Have a local dealer to check the problem, it got fixed within a couple hours. Actually this is a well known problem to Honda. They even has a service bulletin which shows the step by step procedure to address this issue.
Have had my Odyssey for slightly over one year now. Posted many times a year ago about my odyssey with the Odyssey. In review, had a new transmission put in at 1,100 miles (less than one week of ownership) due to diagnosis of defective torque converter causing the rumbling sound between 50-60 mph in D4. New transmission makes exact same noise at same speeds. Had EX wheels and *ignore* put on within 16 days of owning van. This solved the vibration problem at 60-70 mph. I should note that the first set of Michelains had one tire out of round and it was replaced. This is what eventually solved the vibration problem. It did not solve the pulling to the right problem. After having the van in the shop for another 3 days straight, I needed the van and picked it up before the service kept could do any more work on the pulling problem. Amazing ling, it actually drove straight. I called the service manager and asked him what they did. He said the tires were over inflated and they adjusted the tire pressure. I found it amazing that they aligned and balanced tires over and over again and it came down to something as simple as tire pressure. Dealer also made an unsuccessful attempt to eliminate sliding door squeaking on rough surfaces. That was all about 20,000 miles ago. Honda gave me the EX wheels, Michelains and a 7 yr/100,000 extended warranty for my troubles. I didn't have to bark, yell, threaten or behave in any other unreasonable manner. I worked politely with them and they worked with me. Now this brings us to today. I now have approximately 21,000 miles on my Odyssey. The vibration has not recurred. The pulling to the right has returned. In fact it returned after I had a wheel balance and rotation done at my dealership. It is really annoying because it creates quite a bit of muscle strain on 800 mile trips like the one I just returned from yesterday. Seems like the wheel has to always be kept slightly left of center to keep the van straight. If you drive in the passing lane with a noticeable crown, it will drive straight. Have many of the other problems noted on this board. Swooshing gas (no big deal), squeaking and rattling sliding doors. Excessive transmission noise at 50-60 mph in D4. But now I have a new problem which probably started at 18K. The rear brakes squeek and grind. Dealer cleaned them and said it was just brake dust. A couple of thousand miles later, it is doing it again. Also, clicking or clanking noise from front brakes when in reverse and braking. Only makes the noise the first time you apply brakes in reverse after have driven forward. Curiouf if anyone else is having or has had this problem and if there is anything to it.
Bought a 2001 EX last week. Only problem so far is tendency for the vehicle to pull right. I noticed the pull during my test drive, left the van with the dealer overnight, and asked him to perform an alignment (among other minor things). Got the van back, but problem persisted. On the honda-odyessy.com web site (another town hall forum) I found TSB 00-067, dated Oct 2000. It applies to all 2000 Odys, but hopefully will be fix for the 2001s. Thung999, do you know if this TSB was the cure for your pulling problem? Did dealer perform TSB 00-067 willingly on your 2001 Ody and say anything about a change which makes it applicable to a 2001s? Have scheduled appointment to see Dealer next Tuesday.
RJames4: Had the same issue on a 1999 Ody. Thought for sure it was transmission because it was so loud. Took it to dealer and they told me there was a TSB and it had to do with caliper and shoe design. They said that they would replace front brakes and turn roters with no charge because they have had so many complaints. They said that after time and wear the clunk might come back. I don't suppose that additional free brake jobs are going to extend beyond 3years/36K. I would be curious to hear from other Ody owners if they have been sucessful in getting their service department to fix clunk permanently and if not did they charge for the repair after warranty was expired. I am still at 21K and would be disappointed to have to hear clunk for the life of my ownership.
According to the service work order, the following were done : " tech shifted beam as per bulletin, checked tire psi also cross rotated tires. Found the steering wheel alignment a little off, tech performed 4 wheel alignment, vehicle in specs now/no more pull."
Before the problem was solved, the van shifted to another lane at highway speed (65 mph) within 6 seconds with hand off the steering wheel. Now it goes as straight as an arrow. Don't let the service tech fool you the pull is due to the road condition.
Thung999: I'll use what you've written when I return to dealer. Tech did in fact tell me my problem was due to crown in the road. These techs must all go to the same school! Sounds like the beam shift in your post is the sub-frame shift described in TSB 00-067. Thanks so very much for the info.
I haven't experienced the pull to the right on my '00 EX (with Michelins) but every time it comes back from the dealer, they set it to 30lbs. The manual says 35lbs and (I think) that is the listed max pressure on the tire spec. I set it back to about 33lbs but the van seems sensitive to the crown in the road.
I have experienced a drift to one side or another in other cars as well as my Odyssey. It is usually due to a bad tire. Simply swap your front tires left to right and see if it goes away or now drifts the other way. Note I say 'drift' not PULL...pulling is due to bad alignment. Drifting is just the tire(s).
As for brake noise, the only noise I hear is when I back up, brake, shift to drive, then press the brakes again (as in a 3-point turn)...the noise I hear is of the pads sliding to one side or another within the caliper. My 92 accord used to do it also. Shouldn't be anything to worry about...it is probably more noticable on a pad that is over 50% worn. New pads and some fresh anti-squeel greese on the backs of the pads should solve your problem. I have 40Kmi on my second set of pads (first set replaced due to TSB about brake noise at 5Kmi)...I suspect I will be replacing them real soon...say 45-50Kmi. I think the noise will go away but eventually return.
I had the other brake noise that the TSB was written about...they wanted to turn my rotors along with putting on new pads...I forbid them to turn my rotors as it would only weaken them and bring on other problems. Ever since I have had the new pads, the brake noise only occurs when slowing down to a crawl from very high speeds...per Honday, the TSB would remove 60% of the noise...that it did since it is 'mostly' gone. Only happens once in a very long while.
Also, Someone once posted about tires...I have Michelin X-Ones...had them on my Accord and ditched the Firstones at 20kmi. I have been very happy since. I even did a size 0 size increase (per discounttire.com) to 225/60 instead of the stock 215/65. the tires fit the rim much better than the other size plus give a nice ride at 35psi.
dealer did all of the things that you recommended. New tires, cross rotated, several alignments using different alignment machines. Problem still present.
Thanks for the info Machman. I have asked my servicing dealer if anything has come down from Honda about the tranmission noise between 50-60 mph and drifting/pulling problem. Like others on this board I have been told that there is no problem and that the noise is normal as well as the pulling. Or the pull is related to the crown of the road. Now I have a copy of the Honda TSB 00-067 which applies to all 2000 Odysseys addressing the issue of the vehicle drifting to the right. Thanks again for the info.
The recommended tire pressure is 35 psig. This is not a maximum. It is *the* recommended pressure. Check your door pillar to be sure. I'd ask the dealer if he's willing to be responsible for any problems caused by his inflating your tires to a *non* USDOT specification pressure.
FWIW, I've found that tire pressures have a pretty profound influnce on gas mileage.
I have a 99 EX with almost 36K miles. It will be out of warranty by my next tank of gas. I have not had 1 problem with it. It doesn't drift, doesn't clunk or make any other bizarre noises. I also have a great service department which I use for routine maintenance. They wash my van with an oil change. My Firestone tires are maybe 1/2 worn. They look like they'll go to 55-60 K miles. My gas gauge reads perfectly and I get about 21 MPG with 50 % highway and 50 % bumper to bumper. When I read about problems and "all Odysseys do it " comments, I know that someone is being BS'ed. At worst, the service tech is lying, at best, he's too inexperienced on the Odyssey.
Did you notice any change in your mileage after you went to the larger tire? I would suspect you might lose a couple MPG, however, if it helps the ride... Let us know!
2003 Honda Odyssey EX-LRES - Midnight Blue Pearl 2004 Honda Accord EX-L Graphite Pearl 2007 Honda Civic EX - Atomic Blue 2013 Honda Civic LX - Crimson Pearl
Changing from a 215/65-16 to a 225/60-16 is actually going to a smaller tire diameter and circumference, and is an increase in the number of rotations per mile. I went to a 235/60-16, which is less than a 1% increase in tire size, nicely compensating a bit for a speedo that reads high anyway. They ride extremely well!
Has anyone had a problem with a sound coming from the car when they take off, almost like a thump. I went to the dealer they couldn't find anything wrong with it it only happens once in a while it has about 8,000 miles on it. Another problem my stupid Honda dealear scratched my silver odyessey and denied so now I have a ugly scratch on the back of my car and plan to call my lawyer.
The van is great except my delear is corrupt. The dealer also tried to tell the IRS I bought the van under my buisness so i could get away with the tax all because of the extended warranty that they should not of sold me in the first place because its under a buisness name and now they will not give my money back for it. Now I have my accountant and lawayer working on this one.
Somewhat off topic, but since a previous post mentioned tire pressures, I have to ask which tire pressure is better to use...The one recommended by the car manufacturer or the one recommended by the tire manufacturer.
The way I see it...the recommendation of the tire manufacturer is the one that should be followed. After all they did the engineering and anufacturing of the tire. Why would anyone else be more knowledgable?
The stickers on the door jambs are tire pressures recommended by the auto manufacturer. On the cars I have owned, they are usually several PSI lower than the tire manufacturer's recommendation. The only reason I can see for the auto manufacturer to give a lower figure is to make for a softer tire which theoretically makes for a softer, smoother ride. Never mind the fact that you can reduce the tire mileage substantially with this approach. This also increases the risk of an overheated tire which would be prone to a blowout. Perhaps this was the reason that Ford SUVs and Firestone had so many tire failures.
BTW I have an 83 Accord that has exceeded 180,000 miles. I put the third set of tires on it last fall. The last set still had some useful tread life but with winter and snow approaching figured I needed better tread to get through the winter. Anyhow, Honda recommends 30 PSI while the tire company recommended 34 PSI which is what I used. No tire failures and averaged 60,000+ miles per set of tires. Doubt I would have gotten that kind of mileage at 30 PSI.
Kind of lengthy, but curious what other people think.
We have a '99 LX with over 40000 miles now. Overall we've been very pleased. Items that may be of interest:
+ One of the rear window vents had to be remounted and the paint refinished as the window began to sag. I'm nervous about leaving them open on a bumpy road as they are not supported very well.
+ Had a slight leak around the green eye on the battery after a month or so - dealer replaced it.
+ Have noticed the "antifreeze-like" odor from the vents at times, but have never been able to find a leak or other evidence. Dealer pressure tested, could not find anything.
+ The brake pads were replaced as part of the TSB in the 5-10k range. I changed these around 39K, still a little life left. I originally bought the Albany lifetime pads from Autozone. A mistake. They made all kinds of noise, pulled them out, put extra silicone on them - no help. They ultimately refunded my money and I ordered Honda pads on line. Noises gone. Lesson learned.
+ Replaced original Firestone Affinities a couple weeks ago with Michelin X-Ones based on feedback I received on this site/TireRack data. Seem like good tires, although I haven't noticed much reduction in road noise. Affinities were worn quite a bit on outer edges We (wife of course) let the tire pressure get low for a period. Mid tread still good.
+ Ordered the Honda splash guards on-line just after we bought the van. Work well at keeping tar/mud of the van, fairly small and inconspicuous. Less than 30min to install, no drilling.
+ Added a remote to the door locks ('99 LX did not have) - $29 dollars at Sams for a Bulldog kit (vs $200+) for the Honda items on-line. Less than an hour to install. Just connect a few wires around the driver kick panel - don't need to remove anything. Wife loves me more now.
+ Have not had the pull to the right or any transmission problems. As an aside, I NEVER get the rotors refinished, I've only had bad experiences in doing this. I had a Prelude for 16 years and never once had the rotors turned. Likewise, if the alignment is ok, don't mess with it. Prelude never was realigned from the day I left the dealer and no unusual tire wear. Similar story on an Astro van.
+ We do have a problem now - the check engine light keeps coming on intermittently, van runs rough intermittently, may quit once in awhile. Started a month ago and we've been back to the dealer 6 times to no avail. They replaced the O2 sensor first, then cleaned the EGR valve, then tighten some gasket/seal on the intake manifold, ... They have now collected some data (via computer)while driving around town with my wife and shipped the data to Honda people in California. Now recommending swapping out the EGR valve. The good news is the dealer has paid for all this (O2 part was $300 alone), even though the car is out of warranty - we didn't even ask them to cover it. ANY ONE HAVE THIS PROBLEM/SOLUTION?
+ Get around 19mpg in town, best on road, fully loaded + 4 bikes on the back, has been 25.5.
+ Have extended mechanical breakdown coverage thru Geico - pretty sure its a much better deal than through dealer, did not investigate a lot though, can cancel at will if desired.
I inflate my tires to the recommended pressure (posted on the pillar or door) along for the original set of tires. Then I monitor for even treadwear. If outers wear more, I put more air in - if inner, I deflate. If you do this you will get maximum wear out of the tires. I put less air in the rear tires since the back of the car weighs less. Also I do not rotate except for every 20,000 miles.
If I replace them with another set that is not the same as the original (e.g. 40psi max rather than 35psi), I ignore the pillar pressure and start with about 38psi and then monitor for even wear. The pillar PSI value means nothing if you change tires with different characteristics like sidewall stiffness and rubber compound.
Pillar is 30psi for original Firestone tires (35psi max on sidewall) on 1989 Camry. I put 32psi in front and 28 in rear. Tires rotated 4 times throughout its life, which lasted ~50k miles. Replaced with Michelin X's (44psi max)and put 33psi and 29psi. So far they have lasted 55k - rotated twice so far. On our 2000 EX, it's 36 in front and 32 in rear. 7k miles and not rotated yet. This is the only way to inflate tires. Jack
I've had problems with the Check Engine Light and the TCS Lights coming on simultaneously some time back. My non-dealer mechanic said it was showing codes for a bad EGR valve. I replaced it (saved a bunch by purchasing it from HandAaccessories.com) and reset the lights. They still kept coming on.
The mechanic checked and got the same error codes. He said that he's seen cases with Honda engines where the passageway that returns the exhaust gases to the intake side gets clogged up with carbon; and he recommended a special proprietary $150 solvent purge of the system.
I did a similar process myself with a $1.79 can of aerosol carburetor cleaner. The lights stayed off for about 30K miles and just came on again this past week. I redid my own cheapie purge and the lights are now off again.
FWIW, I was just perusing the NHTSA web site; and there is a TSB out for problems with the EGR valve. I've ordered and am awaiting a copy.
There is a bulletin out for the 99's for sure and it updates the intake manifold. The change moves the pcv hose from the back of the motor to the front side and plugs the back one.Then the rest is a cleaning of the manifold. There is a small port in the manifold that gets clogged and this happens on all models.Removing the manifold and cleaning it is the best repair.It is not difficult to do.There is a few gaskets that they say to replace however they really aren't necessary either unless you brake them.If you need more info let me know and I will see what I can do..
Actually, my procedure takes about 10 minutes to do and lasts for 25-30K miles. I remove the EGR valve and run the engine while spraying about a half a can of carburetor cleaner into the intake manifold hole. I also activate and spray clean the EGR valve. Reassemble the EGR valve, pull the fuse to reset, and I'm off.
I did order the TSB from NHTSA. I'll check it out to see what it entails. Actually, this probably comes under the classification of a "Hidden Warranty" and, as such should be a freebie; but I have 92K miles on it, so they just might decline. If the dealer will do it for free, I may have them do it when they change the timing belt, which is due at 105K by my shop manual. That's one job that I'm not equipped to do. *:o))
Today we turned into a parking lot and the door alarm went off and has remained on. The door appears to be fully closed and no dash warning lot comes on. I know I have read a number of posts about door alarms but not having the problem, I failed to mark them. If anyone can help, please post what you know or refer me to helpful posts. Thanks.
Thanks to one of Auburn63's posts, I cycled the door fully while holding down the dash switch. The alarm has stopped and I can drive without having the volume way up to drown out that horrible sound. Bless you Auburn63.
Comments
Convince me there is no fix like the Honda people tell me. I disagree for now on the resale value. They are still very desirable vans and I don't think the vibration is an issue than effects that many of them. Just look at them all in Odyssey XXX. I have driven an 2000 EX and it was smooth. Honda still owes me a test drive on the highway to prove that all Odys vibrate. I would still buy an Ody but only after driving the one I was to get for about 3 hours on the highway. Toyota and Mazda are too small for me and the family's stuff but these would have been the next logical move. I have always been a loyal Honda person (20 years) and now I find myself looking at Pontiac (what poor crash tests) and Ford (head gasket problem again ) ??? It is a scares me to trade something that I still have 4years and 75,000 KM of warranty for something with a 3 year 60,000 KM that I know will have a poor residual value. I think I would rather vibrate along until the warranty is up than get nailed with a guaranteed low resale value on a North American and guaranteed mechanical problems. Vibration isn't so bad when you consider the alternatives.
I've never owned a 99, just my 2001EX which has no hint of a wheel balance problem. Sorry to hear about your trouble. I think it was 2K1Odyssey who owned a 99 before his 2001 and also lives in Calgary. I haven't heard from him in awhile (too bad, he was always quick to help). Good luck.
I really hope thats the end of your vibration problem. Keep us posted and good luck.
rianno777: I have to agree with imhip2, when I consider the other alternatives I'll stick with my 00 LX DEP vibrator. I've only had the van since September 2000 and would take too much of a loss at this point if I traded for something else.
I did hear from Am. Honda today, the field engineer will be here on May 2nd. What kills me is the Denver office closes for good this Friday, so the rep I've been dealing with will be gone as well as the the other Denver rep who actually drove the van. She told me my file will remain open and will be transferred to the office in California. If we end up back at square one again my wife and I decided we will buy the alloy wheels ourselves and be done with it and Honda. After 18 years of loyalty to Honda we're done. As I've said before it's not the product it's the people. You just don't treat long time customers like fools. And Honda's customer service leaves alot to be desired.
Will keep you posted.
Thanks for the info on the auto trans noise when shifting (post 642). Unfortunately, the clunk I feel and hear is not during shifting but rather while the vehicle has been already moving in reverse for a few seconds. I read many unfortunate postings by others about this phenomenon (yet to be explained by Honda) and was thankful I didn't have their problem -- until approx. 20k miles. This is on a transmission that was replaced at 5k miles due to transmission shifting problems (self-diagnosed as grade-logic problem). At this rate I'm changing my transmission as often as I change windshield wipers. In any event, I appreciate your remarks.
My question to the multitudes is: HOW MANY OF THE TOWN HALL READERS HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS (or vehicles) REPLACED?
2000 vibrating LX with 24,000 KM (15,000 miles).
Whoosierdaddy: Where is your dealer? I am willing to drive there tonight.
I have Symmetrys on my Subaru and X-ones on my Camry. Both tires do well on dry roads. IMO the symmetrys produce slightly less road noise but the X-ones have better traction on snow and on wet roads. I don't have experience with either tire on the Odyssey as I'll be buying my van tomorrow. However, my father is very satisfied with the X-ones on his '95 GC. If you are going to keep the van for quite a few years/miles I'd recommend the X-ones. In the end the price difference is probably a wash because the X-ones should last longer. Let us know which type you decide to buy and how you like them.
Scooderduder
Thx
Azon Chan
@ 6000 miles our van is great. No problems at all.
Re: tires? My Michelin dealer told me the X-ONE is really great in the rain but less effective in snow than the Symetry.
You might set your "A" trip odometer on zero at fillup, and drive it about 350 miles, and then fill it up. If you average 20 miles per gallon, you will have used about 17 gallons. The fillup should be about that much. I know you'll be nervous because the gas light will be "on" but that will verify that the fuel level sensor is bad. Good luck.
Decide to get dynamic balance done on Sat at one of the tire places on the list provided from Hunter (75 KM from home). They found that one of the tires Honda gave me when they replaced my Firestones with Michelins was defective. Needed a 32 Ounce adjustment which he said was totally unacceptable and the tire should be replaced. They didn't have one in stock but using the dynamic balancer they managed to adjust the weight needed on this tire down to 20 ounces which he said was still high but it would definitely help. He is ordering me a new tire under warrenty as he is a certified Michelin dealer (along with Firestone, BFG, Goodyear Etc.)
Now the ride home was smooth as glass, even with the defective tire. But I expected this to last only 150 KM or less like the high speed balancings I have had done in the past. Well so far I have gone 250KM and I am still not feeling much. My wife is doing an airport run today so that will put on another 150KM's. I hope it holds up. I've never had this Van not vibrate for more than 150KM.
Nice to know you can still get good customer service somewhere. I'm sure Honda could have figured out it was a defective tire but they chose to say the vibration is normal. I also would have thought Honda would have checked out the new tires for defects before they sent them. I know they had numbered them all and told the Honda dealer which tire was to be put at which location on the Van. Honda isn't just lacking in customer service in my books but are
to the point of being negligent in there duties. It is not because they are incompetent, they know what harmonic vibration is and thus I assume what causes it. They have chosen to do nothing about the vibration for me leaving me to figure it out on my own. That is negligence. The defective tire is also negligence. I will wait to see if the vibration is gone before I consider taking action against them.
I will keep you posted on my findings.
Tires can and do pick up bits of tar/gravel used
in the laying of asphalt. Eventually most of what
is picked up wears off but it might account for
intermittent out of balance tires and pull to first
one side and then the other.
vehicles besides nissan and toyota. Your problems are probably a fluke but that is what the warranty is for. Hope you have as many happy years with your hondas as my family has had with ours.
the van pull to the right immediately. Have a local dealer to check the problem, it got fixed within a couple hours. Actually this is a well known problem to Honda. They even has a service bulletin which shows the step by step procedure to address this issue.
Before the problem was solved, the van shifted to another lane at highway speed (65 mph) within 6 seconds with hand off the steering wheel. Now it goes as straight as an arrow. Don't let the service tech fool you the pull is due to the road condition.
As for brake noise, the only noise I hear is when I back up, brake, shift to drive, then press the brakes again (as in a 3-point turn)...the noise I hear is of the pads sliding to one side or another within the caliper. My 92 accord used to do it also. Shouldn't be anything to worry about...it is probably more noticable on a pad that is over 50% worn. New pads and some fresh anti-squeel greese on the backs of the pads should solve your problem. I have 40Kmi on my second set of pads (first set replaced due to TSB about brake noise at 5Kmi)...I suspect I will be replacing them real soon...say 45-50Kmi. I think the noise will go away but eventually return.
I had the other brake noise that the TSB was written about...they wanted to turn my rotors along with putting on new pads...I forbid them to turn my rotors as it would only weaken them and bring on other problems. Ever since I have had the new pads, the brake noise only occurs when slowing down to a crawl from very high speeds...per Honday, the TSB would remove 60% of the noise...that it did since it is 'mostly' gone. Only happens once in a very long while.
Also, Someone once posted about tires...I have Michelin X-Ones...had them on my Accord and ditched the Firstones at 20kmi. I have been very happy since. I even did a size 0 size increase (per discounttire.com) to 225/60 instead of the stock 215/65. the tires fit the rim much better than the other size plus give a nice ride at 35psi.
-r
FWIW, I've found that tire pressures have a pretty profound influnce on gas mileage.
I also have a great service department which I use for routine maintenance. They wash my van with an oil change.
My Firestone tires are maybe 1/2 worn. They look like they'll go to 55-60 K miles. My gas gauge reads perfectly and I get about 21 MPG with 50 % highway and 50 % bumper to bumper.
When I read about problems and "all Odysseys do it " comments, I know that someone is being BS'ed.
At worst, the service tech is lying, at best, he's too inexperienced on the Odyssey.
2004 Honda Accord EX-L Graphite Pearl
2007 Honda Civic EX - Atomic Blue
2013 Honda Civic LX - Crimson Pearl
If you want to compare tire sizes, check out the following URL: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html
The van is great except my delear is corrupt. The dealer also tried to tell the IRS I bought the van under my buisness so i could get away with the tax all because of the extended warranty that they should not of sold me in the first place because its under a buisness name and now they will not give my money back for it. Now I have my accountant and lawayer working on this one.
tire pressure is better to use...The one recommended by the car manufacturer or the one
recommended by the tire manufacturer.
The way I see it...the recommendation of the tire manufacturer is the one that should be followed. After all they did the engineering and anufacturing of the tire. Why would anyone else be more knowledgable?
The stickers on the door jambs are tire pressures recommended by the auto manufacturer. On the cars I have owned, they are usually several PSI lower than the tire manufacturer's recommendation.
The only reason I can see for the auto manufacturer to give a lower figure is to make for a softer tire which theoretically makes for a softer, smoother ride. Never mind the fact that you can reduce the tire mileage substantially with this approach. This also increases the
risk of an overheated tire which would be prone
to a blowout. Perhaps this was the reason that Ford SUVs and Firestone had so many tire failures.
BTW I have an 83 Accord that has exceeded 180,000 miles. I put the third set of tires on it last
fall. The last set still had some useful tread life but with winter and snow approaching figured I needed better tread to get through the winter.
Anyhow, Honda recommends 30 PSI while the tire
company recommended 34 PSI which is what I used.
No tire failures and averaged 60,000+ miles per set of tires. Doubt I would have gotten that kind of mileage at 30 PSI.
Kind of lengthy, but curious what other people think.
+ One of the rear window vents had to be remounted and the paint refinished as the window began to sag. I'm nervous about leaving them open on a bumpy road as they are not supported very well.
+ Had a slight leak around the green eye on the battery after a month or so - dealer replaced it.
+ Have noticed the "antifreeze-like" odor from the vents at times, but have never been able to find a leak or other evidence. Dealer pressure tested, could not find anything.
+ The brake pads were replaced as part of the TSB in the 5-10k range. I changed these around 39K, still a little life left. I originally bought the Albany lifetime pads from Autozone. A mistake. They made all kinds of noise, pulled them out, put extra silicone on them - no help. They ultimately refunded my money and I ordered Honda pads on line. Noises gone. Lesson learned.
+ Replaced original Firestone Affinities a couple weeks ago with Michelin X-Ones based on feedback I received on this site/TireRack data. Seem like good tires, although I haven't noticed much reduction in road noise. Affinities were worn quite a bit on outer edges We (wife of course) let the tire pressure get low for a period. Mid tread still good.
+ Ordered the Honda splash guards on-line just after we bought the van. Work well at keeping tar/mud of the van, fairly small and inconspicuous. Less than 30min to install, no drilling.
+ Added a remote to the door locks ('99 LX did not have) - $29 dollars at Sams for a Bulldog kit (vs $200+) for the Honda items on-line. Less than an hour to install. Just connect a few wires around the driver kick panel - don't need to remove anything. Wife loves me more now.
+ Have not had the pull to the right or any transmission problems. As an aside, I NEVER get the rotors refinished, I've only had bad experiences in doing this. I had a Prelude for 16 years and never once had the rotors turned. Likewise, if the alignment is ok, don't mess with it. Prelude never was realigned from the day I left the dealer and no unusual tire wear. Similar story on an Astro van.
+ We do have a problem now - the check engine light keeps coming on intermittently, van runs rough intermittently, may quit once in awhile. Started a month ago and we've been back to the dealer 6 times to no avail. They replaced the O2 sensor first, then cleaned the EGR valve, then tighten some gasket/seal on the intake manifold, ... They have now collected some data (via computer)while driving around town with my wife and shipped the data to Honda people in California. Now recommending swapping out the EGR valve. The good news is the dealer has paid for all this (O2 part was $300 alone), even though the car is out of warranty - we didn't even ask them to cover it. ANY ONE HAVE THIS PROBLEM/SOLUTION?
+ Get around 19mpg in town, best on road, fully loaded + 4 bikes on the back, has been 25.5.
+ Have extended mechanical breakdown coverage thru Geico - pretty sure its a much better deal than through dealer, did not investigate a lot though, can cancel at will if desired.
If I replace them with another set that is not the same as the original (e.g. 40psi max rather than 35psi), I ignore the pillar pressure and start with about 38psi and then monitor for even wear. The pillar PSI value means nothing if you change tires with different characteristics like sidewall stiffness and rubber compound.
Pillar is 30psi for original Firestone tires (35psi max on sidewall) on 1989 Camry. I put 32psi in front and 28 in rear. Tires rotated 4 times throughout its life, which lasted ~50k miles. Replaced with Michelin X's (44psi max)and put 33psi and 29psi. So far they have lasted 55k - rotated twice so far. On our 2000 EX, it's 36 in front and 32 in rear. 7k miles and not rotated yet. This is the only way to inflate tires.
Jack
The mechanic checked and got the same error codes. He said that he's seen cases with Honda engines where the passageway that returns the exhaust gases to the intake side gets clogged up with carbon; and he recommended a special proprietary $150 solvent purge of the system.
I did a similar process myself with a $1.79 can of aerosol carburetor cleaner. The lights stayed off for about 30K miles and just came on again this past week. I redid my own cheapie purge and the lights are now off again.
FWIW, I was just perusing the NHTSA web site; and there is a TSB out for problems with the EGR valve. I've ordered and am awaiting a copy.
I did order the TSB from NHTSA. I'll check it out to see what it entails. Actually, this probably comes under the classification of a "Hidden Warranty" and, as such should be a freebie; but I have 92K miles on it, so they just might decline. If the dealer will do it for free, I may have them do it when they change the timing belt, which is due at 105K by my shop manual. That's one job that I'm not equipped to do. *:o))