Honda Odyssey: Problems & Solutions (2005+ Models)
Mr_Shiftright
Member Posts: 64,481
This topic is for Honda Odyssey owners to discuss problems and share information on all 2005 on up models of this vehicle. Owners of 1995-2004 Honda Odyssey Vans have their own topic: the link is here:
Honda Odyssey P&S: 1995-2004
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Honda Odyssey P&S: 1995-2004
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16,000 miles on my '05 and no problems,
no solutions.
Honda seems to have done a thorough engineering analysis of the problem and the completely re-designed Odyssey (2005+ model years) seems to have eliminated this issue. Knowing Honda, I would venture that to salvage their renowned reputation, the newly redesigned transmission is over-engineered to be pretty much bullet-proof.
21500+ miles on a 2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L with Navigation and RES....no significant problems to report till date. The only issues encountered are irritants like wind noise emanating from the front windshield (dealer replaced some kind of rubber moulding and it seems to have almost eliminated the noise), sound from the hard brake-pads during low-speed braking even though it does not seemingly impact the braking performance (In my case, eliminated after dealer replaced original brake-pads with softer ones, and rotated the rotors), and a characteristic noise when VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) is activated, during certain rpm ranges (Does not bother me at all).
Other than the above minor irritants, absolutely no problems at all.
I owned a 2003 Odyssey for 2 yrs/ 30K. Great car, but the 2005 I have owned for a yr/ 15K is sooooo much better in every way: Handling, ride, quietness, climate control, safety features, front seat support and comfort, etc., etc., etc. Once you have driven an '05 or '06, I'll bet you won't settle for an '04 or earlier.
haroldt
***Praises***
- Excellent looking inside and out, especially for a minivan. High-tech looking, interior especially. This sold me over the Sienna (fake plastic Toyota wood, anyone?).
- Car-like handling. Very, very impressive. Almost as good as a sports sedan!
- Smooth engine and transmission. Good power. Better than the Sienna I test drove IMO.
- Very good in the snow with then vehicle stability control. I would think it’s nearly impossible to get it out of control. I tried unsuccessfully to make it waver in a slick snow-covered parking lot.
***Complaints***
- Poor sales experience. The dealer made me wait 3 hours with my kids and then pushed me to buy models without the features I wanted, almost as if they had a certain one they wanted to “unload” on me. If you have kids, please get the DVD entertainment system! I was rushed through the process of buying, handed the keys, then kick out the door with a vehicle that was not perfect. I’m use to at least a detail job before I take a new vehicle. Hopefully this is just a fluke dealership!
- Poor Fit and Finish
1. Arm rest panels not flush. It looks like to plastic arm rest cover is “stressed” and pushing up on one corner (dealer confirmed but didn't repair). I saw this on all other models after making the purchase. Check for yourself.
2. Glove box out of alignment (dealer improved but didn't repair - said it is a design defect that cannot be fixed). You can see the latch in the gap, too. In the Consumer Reports picture or the interior, you can see the defect. Every other new Odyssey I’ve looked at has this defect!
3. Dashboard cover over passenger airbag warped. It looks cheap, as the “straight” dash and the warped airbag cover creates what looks like an uneven gap-shadow.
4. Scratches on the exterior finish when bought new. Dealer touched up with touch-up paint.
5. The spare tire was loose and clanked around over bumps at 1000 miles on the odometer. I discovered the source of the problem tightened the assembly back up. No problems afterward.
6. The plastic on the interior, especially on the door sills of the sliding doors, is flimsy and scratches easily. Nothing can be done about it I guess.
7. Rattles emanate from underneath the third row seat. The rattle goes away when the seat is folded down.
- Poor reliability (I have 7000 mile on it now)
1. Steering wheel vibration
2. Alignment problems (pulling to the left, steering wheel not centered)
3. Conversation sunglass holder quit working and got stuck shut with my prescription RayBans in it.
4. Poor radio reception - crackles over bumps. Dealer says normal. Whatever!
5. Engine resonation into the cabin at low engine RPM under slight acceleration (dealer dismissed as normal).
6. Driver door window and power locks stopped working.
7. Squeaking noise / driver power sliding door when oerating. Dealer repaired squeak, but now there is a new clunking noise in the door over bumps. Now the passenger door squeaks. I’m afraid to take it in.
8. The leather comes apart at the seams during normal use. Large flap comes undone on the rear of the driver’s seat caused from persons rubbing on it when entering the back. The dealer has only temporarily fixed, but problem keeps coming back.
9. A cup holder in the third row broke.
I’d like to add that the van is noisy. When driving on coarse surfaces, the road noise is so loud that you have to nearly yell to talk to someone in the second or third row. My pickup truck is quieter! I’m very disappointed in the fit&finish of this van, along with the reliability. I’ve had three rental cars while this is being repaired. This is my first and last Honda!
I never experienced this and so cannot comment. But is this an issue with the new generation Odyssey or the prior generations ?
Mine is a 2005 EX-L with Navigation and RES.
Certain other things like scratches on the exterior paint of your brand-new Odyssey, is surprising. Why did you not get those things fixed before taking delivery of your brand-new van ?
1. My front left strut went out at around 3K miles (noticed leaking strut oil on driveway and clunk in suspension). Dealer replaced under warranty.
2. The front passenger door lock would not open at all at about 5K mile. Dealer repaired for free. Said cable had come off of pulley inside door panel.
3. Had a whistling noise from the windshield above 40mph. Dealer replaced adhesive under trim on bottom and both sides for free.
4. I've noticed that the "B" trip meter keeps resetting itself randomly. I know it's not user error because this has happened on long trips between gas stops. Haven't taken it in yet. Anyone else seen this?
5. Noticed intermittent louder than normal (about twice as loud) engine noise at low speeds after engine is warm, even in neutral. Haven't taken it in for this yet. Anyone else seen this?
6. Weird behavior of rear wiper. On occasion has kept moving even after being turned off. Haven't found way to reproduce it yet. Anyone else seen this?
My wife and I have started calling the car "the lemon" even though the problems have been easily fixed or are just little annoyances.
I didn't notise the scratches until the next day. When I boutght the van it was night time and the car was never put before me in front of light.
I would consder it good customer service from the dealer to make sure the car is perfect before setting the customer off in it. I've had this kind of treatment from every other dealer I've ever bought a car from.
I agree...Honda refuses to address noise issues in their vehicles! If they won't solve the noise problem they will lose more sales to Toyota. Talk to any Toyota dealer and ask them why people choose the Toyota Camry over the Accord - - noise & ride quality! I own a '03 Accord and that car is nausiating to drive on concrete surfaces.
With that said, the '06 Odyssey is hands down the best van on the market for the price. My family sat in a 35k Dodge Caravan this weekend at an outdoor show and I figure the only way to sell this vehicle is to give a 10-15k+ discount. The second row seats are oversized childrens' booster seats bolted to the floor. My wife smashed her head on the door track stepping into the second row. You can buy an '06 Ody EXL-RES-NAV for that price and get a car that is in a completely different league.
As far as your reliability problems...it's a nuisnace to fix the nuisnace problems but Honda stands behind their product 110%. Most car manufacturers will not.
There is occassionally some wind whistle from the front windshield. It's very sporadic and only seems to come at certain conditions (temp/wind/speed) and it's no more wind noise than many other vehicles I've driven.
We do get a very very slight vibration at certain speeds/condtions when the VCM kicks in. It's most noticed at around 57mph and 67mph on super-smooth asphault. IMHO, it's mainly obvious because this engine is very smooth and quiet and normally you hear nothing from it. Many other vehicles would likely wash out this noise/vibration just from normal operating sounds. Perhaps some have these noises louder than mine, but I really have to pay attention to notice it.
The upper glove compartment has a gap at the top and if you're sitting in the passenger seat you can seat part of the latch and into the compartment. I understand there may be an adjustment, but I haven't really kept up with that. Every one I looked at before buying had this same gap in the glove box so I knew about it going in.
That is really the extent of my issues, if you want to call them that. I've had the van in for it's first service around 5k miles and I didn't complain about any of these issues. They weren't worth my time/effort to explain them to a tech and have to come back and get the van later. If any of them become more problematic, I'll consider it at another time.
I also think the folks that buy Hondas expect a higher level of vehicle standards when they buy, and perhaps many are overly sensitive to small issues. I've owned many vehicles over the years, quite a few of which are expensive luxury vehicles. They have their problems just like any other vehicles. My wife's current Lexus GX470 has had quite a few small issues that you wouldn't expect a $60,000 Lexus to have. But it happens. I think folks have unusually high expectations when they buy a Honda. If you're coming from a domestic vehicle, maybe something 5 years old, you spend a ton of money on a vehicle and expect it to be perfect. No vehicle is perfect. My last couple Toyotas have been sub-par for what I expect when buying one of their products. My last couple domestic products, a Chevy Tahoe and a Chevy Silverado (essentially the same vehicle) were so different it wasn't even funny. My Tahoe was very reliable and only had a couple small issues in 40k miles. My Silverado has had twice the problems in half the miles. Luck of the draw I guess. Good vehicles though, even with the problems.
I don't recommend leasing to anyone for the most part. If you turn the vehicle quickly (less than 30 months max) or are buying a very expensive vehicle (>$50,000) then leasing can be CONVENIENT. Probably not cheaper unless you can deduct the payment for tax pusposes. If you're going more than 24-30 months on a lease, IMHO the disadvantages outweigh the convenience. And the cost of leasing generally is higher than buying in all circumstances and you have very little flexibility if your situation changes.
From what I've seen/heard, this is pretty much the tires causing the noises. Many of the Ody and Accords have the same Michelin tires and I'm not overly happy with them. Of course, I usually don't keep OEM tires for long anyway as they are generally a compromise. Not much out there in this size though.
I'll have to disagree here. With my Odyssey, the dealer has not fixed all of the problems I've had with it. Poor radio reception and engine vibration dismissed as normal. Dealer worked on the rattles in slider doors and third row seat, steering wheel vibration pulling to the left, but they have not fixed the problems. The coming apart of leather on rear of front seats is blamed on me for "abuse." I've had it in 10 times in 7000 miles. Now the dealer wants me to quit whining and just go away. A call in to Honda corporate, and they suggest I take it in to another dealer. It's not what I consider standing behind their product.
I have noticed that when I start up, the AC even when set to Auto does not start (i.e. the fan) till I drive a little bit. Is this normal ? Once it starts it then is normal. I used to think that the moment you start the van and set the A/C to a temp. and hit auto it should start the fan/heat and regulate the temperature. Also I notice the mode defaults to defrost every time i.e. it does not retain the last mode used.
Rgds,
Yeppo
Well I know it's normal during the winter for heat purposes. If the vehicle is cold and there is no heat available for the HVAC, it will not blow the fan. The heater-core will warm up quicker without the fan blowing. In the summer the fan would blow immediately.
Irritants present earlier (and fixed under warranty) was the whistle from the windshield and noisy brakes (fixed with softer pads).
I don't consider the characteristic sound from the VCM activation as a "problem". After others pointed it out, I did notice it, when I specifically listened for it. I don't notice it anymore, since I probably got used to it.
Thks,
Yeppo
The OEM Nav is extremely nice, plus you get a lot of extra features like the voice activation, large touch-screen, and backup camera. However, if you just would like navigation, an aftermarket unit will do just as good of a job. I've had a Garmin 2610 for many years and it works very well. The newer models are even better. Granted it's nothing like an OEM system, but it gets the job done for well under $1,000 which is a fraction of what you'll pay to upgrade yours.
Does anyone know how to play with the ANC?
Yeppo
In theory, you aren't supposed to even know that it is there.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Also, the factory NAVs have "Dead Reckoning" technology built in, which allows it to continue working, even in the complete absence of satellite signals....like when driving through a tunnel, thickly wooded areas, between tall buildings etc. It does it by estimating the current vehicle position based on the speed, direction, altitude etc., since obtaining the last signal. This is possible due to the integration of the NAV into the car's controls.
Aftermarket NAVs need a clear view of the sky (satellite signals) for effectively working and would not work without satellite signals (tall buildings, tunnels etc). However, recent aftermarket NAVs have come a long way and if a vehicle is not equipped with a factory NAV, I would have no hesitation in buying the latest models from Garmin, Magellan etc., even though you lose the "work under all conditions, come hell or highwater" situation with the factory NAV. The icing on the cake is that you can move it from vehicle to vehicle.
I plan to switch to Mobil1 at the 25K service. There is a school of thought that says that one should not switch to synthetic for at least 10K miles, essentially allowing the friction afforded by the non-synthetic to seat the pistons etc well....synthetic works too well in lubricating the engine and so the break-in is delayed inordinately !! But I have seen people switching to synthetic at 1K miles, without any detrimental effects.
Thank
jt
the vibration and humming is,And what the fix is?
I bought 2006 ODY 15 days back. It drives great however this thread is growing and that scares me. I got panicked so started paying more attentation and found weired noise from the car ABS. Here's how you can reproduce this.
A) Start car
C) The noise will come when shift changes to 2nd and about 13-15 mph speed. You will hear click (like shooting spring) and hear similar voice after about 10 seconds.
I went to dealer and the service manager came out with scanner and said it is ABS noise. Every time you start car it is basically checking ABS system and making noise. So I refuse to believe so he offer me to check other car. I took test drive of 2 new car (EX-L RES) and believe or not I hear same noise on both.
This is my first car with ABS so no experience but does any one notice this befoer? Is there any solution for it? Now remember this only comes when you start car and drive first time. If you put it in park and drive again it works fine.
Has anyone experienced significantly lower than the sticker mileage with the Honda Odyssey? We have a Touring Nav + DVD, and are getting no more than 22 on the highway and 15 around town. The sticker said "City 20 Highway 28" We traded in our SUV on this vehicle (and paid lots of money to do so) partly because of the vastly improved mileage, but it is performing roughly as well as our SUV. The dealer tells us that the performance is perfectly normal and that the lower than expected mileage is because the mileage stated on the sales sticker was basically a lie - tested under the best conditions, no air conditioning, great weather, etc., but I have never seen performance this far from the mark on any vehicle I've owned. Thank you in advance for any suggestions as to what to do with this vehicle/the dealer/etc...
You should see some improvement once the engine has some miles on it. Ours was really bad at first but slowly increased as we rolled through the miles. Plus if you live where it's cold, the winter mpg will likely be lower than summer. We did have one trip where we drove 55-60mph for a significant portion of the trip and averaged 27mpg on that tank, which included some city driving as well. That seems to be the sweet spot for the VCM, which is also the speeds at which the EPA highway tests are performed!
That being said, depending upon what type of SUV you had before, these minivans are not "mini" by most standards. We came out of a V8 4x4 Chevy Tahoe that was actually smaller than the Odyssey, and only weighed about 400# more. We are doing better on fuel, averaging about 3-5mpg more in most situations. Not bad considering the size/performance of the two vehicles are so close. If you came out of a mid-size SUV you might not see a huge mpg increase, but you've likely got a much bigger vehicle too. You have to be somewhat realistic when looking at an EPA sticker. The newer Tahoe's with variable-cylinder engines are rated for 22mpg hwy. What are the odds of that being for-real? Additionally, it's pretty tough to ever make-up for the loss you take trading/buying a vehicle unless you make a big switch. Like moving to an economy car.