Honda Odyssey: Problems & Solutions:(1995-2004 Models)

dshedrick

My driver side pwr door has stopped working. I used it to load up my kid. We drove home and it wouldn't open. No beep, no disengage sounds, nothing! Passenger side still works. I'm schedule to take it in on 3/17, but if it's a simple fix I would like to do it myself.

paddy_tran

I just got my 03 2 weeks ago. I noticed that in when I started my engine cold, I fell irregular vibration, light thumps during warm up. It felt like engine misfired ( I had an old Honda Accord and it misfired due to one bad spark plug). I live in Northern California and park the van in the garage.
  I called Honda dealer and they assure me the car is not misfiring since everything is being monitored by the computer. They suggest that I go through about two gas tanks before bringing it in (the van is at 112 miles right now).
  I wonder if any of you had experienced such things. Could fuel mixture too rich and cause backfire inside the cat converter ? I did not hear any backfire. Thanks in advance.

wpalkowski

Here's how to reset the power doors if they become inoperative due to a
temporary problem. If you have an intermittent problem clearing the memory
will restore door operation. If there's a real problem the error codes will
return and door will not resume working.

Power doors stop working because the logic associated with them generated an
error code.
To read the error code(s) do the following:

1) With ignition switch OFF, turn power sliding door main switch ON.
2) Turn the ignition switch ON.
3) Watch the power sliding door indicator light.
     - if the light goes on for two seconds and then goes off, there is an
intermittent problem. (Erase error code and recheck the system. If the
light goes on, go to Step 4.
4) Turn the main switch OFF.
5) Press and hold the open or close button of the door that is not working.
6) With the open or close button pressed, turn on the main switch for one
second, and then turn the switch OFF.
7) One second after you turn off the main switch, release the open or close
button. The indicator light will begin to flash the codes in the order they
were set.

*** IF THIS HAPPENS, GO TO DEALER AND GET DOOR FIXED******

Erasing Power Door Memory. Any error code must be erased after repair is
made or the door will not work.

1) Turn OFF the power sliding door main switch.
2) Close both power sliding doors (close manually if necessary).
3) Remove the No. 13 (7.5A) fuse from the passenger's side under dash
fuse/relay box, for ten seconds, and then reinstall the fuse.
4) Turn the sliding door main switch ON.
5) Confirm the proper operation of the power sliding doors using the door
switches, door handles, and the keyless transmitter.

NOTE: The doors will not operate automatically unless all codes have been
cleared and any problems have been repaired.

6) Reset the clock.
7) Turn the ignition switch to OFF to exit the self diagnostic mode.

Hope this helps,

Good Luck!

dshedrick

wpalkowski, the sliding door sensor would turn off, so I removed the fuse from slot 13. This cleared the error and now my driver side door works! I sure wish I would have known this prior to taking the van out today. I wonder why Honda couldn't walk me through this. I mentioned to him that I re-seated the pwr door fuse under the hood.

Oh well.. Thanks for you help on this and I'm def. going to remember this fix.

wbhl

honda 2000 od, just own 50 days .found many chips on front bumper today after heavy rain. How can the car get it? from previous owner ?( I did not noticed it when I bought the car)or from the road salt of the past snow season ?
Any comments regarding to the chips ( hundreds of them ).
Is that under the factory's warranty and get it reprinted free?
Or I have to use the touch up myself?

Thanks in advance.
bob

robr2

The front bumper cover will get chipped from stones, road salt, sand, et al. It is not covered under warranty unless you can prove the paint failed. My 00 white EX has numerous chips as we do lots of highway driving on salt covered roads.

Good luck.

fibber2

1) Bumper - Sounds to me like the previous owner may have had the bumper repainted (minor accident damage, etc.). If they didn't prep it right, the paint may flake off in little spots.

2) Rotors - sorry - haven't checked the board in a few weeks. IIRC, the lathe charge was in the area of $20-25, block sanding maybe $10 ??? I didn't do it to save money on the labor charge, but to save my rotors from unnecessary thinning and early failure. You can only get away with this if there is no runout or thickness variations. Mine were very true - I just wanted to break any glaze & remove the rust ridges that may damage the new pads. Also, a roughed surface promotes material transfer from the pad into the iron rotor surface. This transfer is one of the keys to maximum braking efficiency.

Steve

hayneldan

I think fibber2 has it right. flexible front faschias (they are not called bumpers any more)should have an additive put in the paint to keep the paint flexible and prevent the chipping you described. My 96 DC has 60,000 miles a lot of highway and no chips,except for the hood front edge, which I touch up.

macody

I'm very sorry to say that the check engine and tcs light are on (transmission issue) on my 99 ody (not quite 4 years old) with 96000 miles. We will attempt to have Honda reimburse for at least 90% of replacement; but history does not serve us well here.

We will be replacing the ody (which I loved) with a Sienna. I can't afford to have a tranny go out (I lived through the Windstar nightmare) without support from the company.

Will be driving the Accord until we decide just what to do with the Ody. 98 Camry currently runs better than my Ody.

Very sad story.

mac

tx_buyer

Why does Honda Odyssey's VIN starts with 5FN?
First Character denotes the country and the second character denotes the manufacturer name, right?
Does it mean that FORD makes this van for Honda?Would someone please explain? This is very urgent. I am planning in buying the odyssey in the next 48n hours.

wpalkowski

Here's a vehicle VIN # decoder:

http://www.analogx.com/cgi-bin/cgivin.exe

Put in your Odyssey VIN and it will tell all.

Here's one as a sample 2HKRL18943H000842

first position - Region ie. North America
position 1 -2 - Country ie. Canada
position 2-3 - Manufacturer. Honda
..
..
position 10 - year 2003

5FN denotes a US made Vehicle, not sure if it's Honda

gess

Nice to see you again. Bummer on the Ody. Unfortunately, you are not the first nor will you be the last.

auburn63

5FN is the new plant in Alabama, owned and operated by American Honda...The first 3 digits are manufacturer make and type of vehicle the plant designation is the letter just before the ending numbers..

popper

I posted a couple months back about my Check Engine Light coming on ('00 LX with 80,000 miles). Dealer told me the code read bad plugs and he wanted $125 to put in new plugs -on top of the $65 to diagnose the problem. I said 'no thanks, I'll do it myself' and they reset the light. Ended up going with the Iridium plugs ($5-$6 apiece) and it was a fairly easy job. A week later the CEL comes back on.
My question is: Should I expect the dealer to not charge for diagnosis this time?

seguy

Dealer has ordered bolts to adjust the camber. They are on backorder, so once they come in and are installed, I'll let you know if they fix the pull to the left.

alkanx

Hi, is there a cabin airfilter in Odyssey & is it difficult to get to.

Thx.
AL.
03 Od.

wpalkowski

Cabin air filter is under passenger side dash. You have to remove the glove box. To remove filter you have to cut a plastic cross brace. Not a tough job,... if you're a contortionist. Filters are good for at least 25K miles. Are you just looking for info or have you already got a lot of miles on your '03?

alkanx

Thanks for the info Walter. I just got an 03 Odyssey & trying to see whatever is needed to maintain it. I used to have a Nissan Pathfinder & cabin filter in it was not that difficult to replace, of course had to remove the dash board. And yes, I am looking for the info (for now), but as you mentioned it is not that difficult, I think I should be able to do it myself when the time comes...

wpalkowski

Had this link on my home pc - shows steps for filter replacement.

http://www.handaaccessories.com/odyssey/pollenfilter.gif

Congrats on your new Ody.

fibber2

did my '02 EX come with them installed? Some time ago I downloaded the instructions and was ready to order a set, assuming that this was a dealer (or owner) added item. Maybe I should look again, but I did not see mention of it in the brochure or owners manual.

Steve

fibber2

When you first start the van, the tach indicates about 1500+ RPM. Within about 10 seconds or so (depending on the temperature) that drops in steps down to under 1000. If you are patient and can wait for the drop, you can avoid the dreaded thunk.

Steve

robr2

The HVAC filter is factory installed.

dbiderman

We brought our 2002 LX w/ 23,000 miles to Ourisman Honda for an oil change and they told me the front brake pads needed to be replaced and the rotors "smoothened." It cost about $300. I thought that was way early for new brakes but the service guy said that in the Washington DC area brakes go quickly because of the traffic. Did I get ripped off?

Thanks.

fibber2

crkeehn

What kind of commute do you have. Stop and go traffic will certainly be harder on brakes than highway miles. Unfortunately with the number of variables there is no absolute answer to your question.

Complicating the issue, OEM brake pads tend to be somewhat soft to cut down on brake noise. Switching to a harder compound should give you longer life.

dave594

Can't tell you about the condition of your pads, but you should have had them show you how much the pads were left. My 99 Ody just had them replaced at 45k. I have my work done at Bill Page Honda in Falls Church. Normal price for changing a set of pads is $145, but I had a coupon and paid $99. Very good deal and always good service.

surfcreep5

I have a 2002 Odyssey EX that had a check engine light start flashing at me. It was during a rain, and the engine suddenly ran extremely rough (felt like only 3 out of six cylinders were firing). I stopped, opened the hood, and found the engine rattling away with what little power it had. Everytime I pushed down the gas, the check engine light flashed at me. Then it suddenly went away, without any problems since. Has anyone heard of this? Is this a fair weather only vehicle? The dealer of course acts completely clueless. Please help.

auburn63

A Flashing check engine light means that the the mixture is such that damage is being done to the cat converter. Chances are that your coil packs somehow got wet and and were not firing completly causing the mixture to go extreme rich. Has it been fine since or is it a constant problem? As for the light I would think that it atleast should have left a temp code but chances are it would be for a misfire anyhow so it would not be of much diag help..If it is fine now see if it happens again in the rain..

larck

I own a 2000 Ody LX, purchased new December 1999. Well the transmission failed this week at 34,600 miles. I think what I have been reading over the last few years about the Odyssey is true. They are nothing but junk. Honda does make some very good products. Unfortunately the Odyssey, even the 2003 models, is not one of them. For all new lookers, I strongly urge you to consider the new Toyota Sienna instead. It is superior to the Honda in every aspect. Many of you current owners will disagree, but deep-down you know I am correct.

fibber2

I currently have an '02 EX with about 17k miles. Before this I had a '00 Windstar SE that I sold with 31k, before that a '97 Grand Caravan Sport which I traded with 45k miles. Concurrent with these vans I had two Toyota cars, and now also have an '02 Subaru Outback.

I have yet to see a 'perfect' vehicle, yet I would not characterize any of these as 'junk'. Each has had it's own 'personality', and gives/gave us some varying degree of trouble.

I have had some minor door troubles on all three of the vans (Ford had dual power also). The Dodge had intermittant fuel system, brake and tranny problems, the Ford blew its first tranny at less than 10k miles. I needed a tranny rebuild on the Camry at 70k miles, and the fuel tank mounts on the Corolla rusted out. My sister is also a Toyota fan. Yet she had her '02 Sienna replaced under the NJ Lemon Law two months into ownership. She had some door problems on her '99 Sienna, and so far, is enjoying her repacement '02 Sienna.

Bottom line - cars are mechanical things, and problems happen to everyone, and every brand. I don't mean this as a put-down, but you need to learn to deal with it.... ;-) I wish you all the best on your next van.

Steve

wpalkowski

Is Honda covering your tranny repair under their added warranty? What were the symptoms of the failure?

You're entitled to your opinion, but I still love my Ody - problem free 2000 EX . I've owned a couple of Toyotas over the years, they were great vehicles and I got impeccable (though very expensive) service. The only thing I disliked was the Toyota dealers - the couple that I dealt with in CT. made me feel like I needed to take a shower after closing the deal. Looked at Sienna before buying Ody, and maybe I was prejudiced, but Toyota salesman was a shark. Just my $0.02

rsmbob

Hi all,
The CD Player in our '99 Odyssey stopped working, giving us error code E-00. When I put a CD in, it just spits it out with this error code. The manual indicates "System Error FOCUS Error" and says to check the CD, but I've tried multiple CDs so they are not the problem. Other than spraying with compressed air, any other ideas or suggestions that I can try to avoid a trip to the repair shop? THanx for any and all advice. - Bob

johnnyrf

The front brakes on the Odyssey are notorious for premature wear. I have a '99 Odyssey with almost 60K miles on it and I am having the front pads replaced now for the 2nd time. Dealer says that is normal for the Odyseey. The dealer is not ripping you off most likely. I consider that kind of wear to be a flaw in the vehicle. Our Ody is used for mostly local travel in a very hilly area. This certainly contributes to our 2 yr. life on the pads.

fibber2

'02 EX with 18.1k miles. Gee, two days ago I said 17k - wife keeps sneaking the miles on when I am not looking! 14 months old almost to the day.

Took off the snows, checked the brakes, lubed all of the suspension bushings, checked the exhaust, etc. We live in a rural area of NY's Hudson Valley, but have a lot of hills to contend with. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the brake pads still looked like new (4 wheel disks). Very slight loss in rotor thickness, but smooth and uniform. At this rate, we should be good for 45k or more.

Steve

dave594

For a 4000 pound vehicle, shorter than expected wear on the pads won't be a surprise. I would believe that these pads are probably the same ones they use on the Accord, which is about 1000 lbs lighter.

pat84

Is it the same transmission. too ?

dsm6

For the record, the Ody switched trannies in 02 when it upgraded to a 5-speed auto. I haven't seen any data on the reliability of the new unit - perhaps a bit early for that just yet. If weren't so lazy, I'd go check. Perhaps the tranny was borrowed from an older vehicle and already has history. I don't know.

stever

That was an excellent price for a dealer brake job. I'm guessing no rotor turning (maybe some sanding?) for that price?

Steve, Host

dave594

It was a straight pad replacement. No disc turning was required.

Dave

popper

'00 LX w/ 83K miles. CEL came on at 79K- diagnostic code said to replace plugs. Light comes back on a week later so I took it back to the dealer this week. This time code reads Catalytic Deterioriation. Service manager says a number of things can trigger that code including sudden change in barometric pressure. He resets code again and decides to wait and see if it happens again.(no charge) I'm just wondering how accurate this code reading stuff is.

larck

My post #2782 is about my Ody tranny failure at 34,600 miles. Someone asked what the symptom was. For the last couple of months the van was making a woomp, woomp sound in the front end. It increased or decreased with speed. At about 45 mph it was at the loudest and after that road noise drowned it out. I was traveling from Nashville TN back to Louisville KY and noticed everyone was passing me. The tach was reading about 2800 rpm but my speed was only about 70. When the gas pedal was pushed, rpm's went up but speed did not. I took it to the dealer on Monday March 31st and the service writer had a mechanic drive it. The guy didn't even have to drive it off the lot before he said the main tranny bearing was failing. What the bearing is, I don't know. He did say that the Odyssey has been a service nightmare for Honda.

I plan on selling after it's fixed and buying a CRV. Has anyone heard bad things about them?

stever

Just not-so-hot bumper tests from the tire hanging off the back end, and spirited comments from Escape owners :-)

Honda CR-V

Steve, Host

desertkev

Every so often the dash board idiot lights will flash off and on. My wife is the primary operator and says it happens when she takes her foot off the gas pedal going down hill. Took it to the dealer and they were "unable to replicate the problem"...so in other words...no problem to fix. Anyone hear of this happening?

stever

Congrats on the new van.

Your pic link says the photo is on your hard disk. Either that's a typo or you'll need a place to "host" your pic in order for the rest of us to see it. Check the Town Hall Help linked on the left sidebar for detailed pic posting instructions.

Steve, Host

alkanx

Thx Steve, let me read the photo posting rules & I'll post it back. Enjoy...

auburn63

If the lights you are talking about are the charging system, door monitors, and brake light
indicators that simultaneously turn on and off while driving and you own a 2002 or even some 03s then you probably have a bad alternator. There is a service bulletin for this and it is due to electrical interferance caused by the cooling fan that effects the alternator circuit..If your van is an 01 or below then I would inspect the harness from the under hod fuse box that runs near the a/c lines as they sometimes rub..good luck

macody

Update on message of Mar 28. dealer replaced 2 solenoid valves (??) in transmission for $500; told us if this didn't "fix" the problem they would contact Honda and "see what they can do." Transmission will be replaced Monday at no additional charge to us. We had planned to trade the ody in in June anyway, now we will wait until September/October and look at the 2004. Will also consider the Pilot. Have to say the service has been very good; my confidence in the reliability of Hondas is a bit shaken though. Our van has 97000 miles now and will be 4 years old on July 31.

Mac

jcroberts

My wife drives the van more often than I and she has noticed the idiot light showing the right sliding door ajar even when it is firmly shut. Tonight, I had the panel light switch set to bring on the lights when the doors open. With every bump in the pavement the lights came on and the idiot light revealed the door ajar. Has anyone else had this problem and what does it take to be rectified?

stever

I wonder if an attempt at cleaning the contacts at the door latch would accomplish anything? Maybe try a gentle rub with a clean pencil eraser on the shiny stuff.

Steve, Host

desertkev

Auburn - It's an 02 LX...Honda Service told me that they never heard of that kind of problem...do you know where I can get the service bulletin on this?