Honda Odyssey: Problems & Solutions (2005+ Models)

stickguy

the read out on our '05 sometimes seems a bit out of whack, but eventually it settles back toward reality. THe one in my Accord seems to be much more accurate.

Keep in mind that it does take some time for it to stabalized when you sirst start the car. THere is some defined timeframe (that is, it takes the temp at certain intervals, and changes the display depending on the results changing by a certain amount).

TO me, it is mostly a gimmick. And, on the Accord, I have XM, so it has a dedicated traffic/weather station if I really need to know!

choochoo

Hi,
I'm the same one that's questioning the milage on my new Odyssey. I to am having trouble with the outside temp reading. It showed 78 the other day when it was offically 92 outside. I took it over to my dealer and he asked me if I had been driving for at least 30 minutes and I said maybe not but we had been driving around town so it was close to 30 minutes. He told me that you had to drive that amount of time for it register correctly. I think that is alot of b.s. My neighbor has a Toyota van and we went over and he put the key in and it registered 92 so I don't really believe that you should have to drive for 30 minutes. Since that happened, it has been working better for some reason but not as fast as I think it should register the correct temp.

loncray

My wife's Ody (and my Ram pickup) both take a few minutes to give an accurate temperature reading - the Ody's quicker than the Ram. It does NOT take 30 minutes for either vehicle. As to your neighbor's van, it's possible that he had driven it a short time earlier (and thus continued to have a good reading) or that was the temperature the last time he drove it (so it didn't need to reset). Other than the 30 minutes to reset, I don't see a problem here. YMMV.

msibille

Thanks.
No, I hadn't rec'd a response, but the parts haven't come in yet. Since my daughter is the one who broke the light, we'll see if her hands are small enough. (She's a college soph, but about the size of a jr. high kid.)
I hope to get the parts in tomorrow -they shipped Friday.

Thnx again,
m

oldarmy

It is not unusual to get much lower gas mileage in the city if you are doing a lot of stopping and starting. My 06 Oddy with VCM gets about 13-14 in stop and go traffic..not unusual. My VW Passat turbo only got 17 in the same traffic but got 23 overall and 30+ on pure highway. The city numbers EPA uses are deceptive..they are generally closer to the overall mileage in mixed driving.

fred222

I was in the exact same situation with you. I went ahead and installed the hitch anyway (without other additions like the trans cooler,

I would hate to do this and have an issue with the powertrane and have Honda not honor the warranty, especially since the 2006's came with 50000 mile warranties standard. Also I am sure that having the extra cooling on the trans and PS would not hurt. What bugs me is that Honda did not install the PS and trans coolers in all their vans at the factory. The additional cost would be minimal and you would assume that the vans would be more durable with the extra cooling!

esto

I would hate to do this and have an issue with the powertrane and have Honda not honor the warranty, especially since the 2006's came with 50000 mile warranties standard.

Does Honda have to do the installation of the add-on stuff, or can an independent shop do the work? I can easily see Honda trying to weasel out of a warranty claim by saying that since Honda didn't install the coolers, it was done incorrectly, and the claim won't be honored.

ody_man

I have been *recording* mpg for my 06 EX since *day one*, every time. About 18mpg for a city but 55-45 mph zone with stop lights with 2-3 mile crawl traffic. Single driver commute.

Sometimes I suspect those ethanol adds are chipping away at mpg.

Ody_man

ody_man

I hear a muffled sound resembling some sort of a release or recoil coming from under the driver side of the hood as I cross 11 mph when driving the vehicle after being at rest for a few hours. It doesn't occur if I stop and drive again - just the first time...

Have others observed this?

06EX owner

ody_man

I think I saw the answer some posts back - ABS pump priming

#518 of 689 Short Grinding noise/feel under gas pedal after cold start by plasmo

plasmo, "Honda Odyssey: Problems & Solutions (2005+ Models)" #518, 4 Jun 2006 7:04 pm

fred222

see the following link:
http://www.bernardiparts.com/ProductInfo.aspx?

I have added highlights. It looks as if I can add the hitch if I do not use it to tow.

productid=08L92-SHJ-100
Honda SKU 08L92-SHJ-100
The towing capacity of a Odyssey on which a trailer hitch is installed is up to:
1,000 pounds without the automatic transmission and power steering coolers
3,500 pounds with the coolers and air duct installed
Consult your Odyssey Owner's Manualy for towing limitations for your vehicle
The Honda Odyssey Trailer Hitch features:
Class II Trailer Hitch mounts directly to the frame for optimum performance, strength, and security.
2" Receiver design supports a variety of trailer coupler designs.
Includes draw bar, retaining pin, and retaining clip.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORDER SEPARATELY
REQUIRED to tow up to the Maximum Capacity and strongly recommended by Honda and BernardParts.com to avoid damage to your Odyssey:
Wiring Harness(08L91-SHJ-100)
Hitch Ball - 1 7/8" or 2" (08L92-SCV-XXX)
ATF cooler (06255-RGR-315) - helps prevent wear to your transmission while towing.
P/S Fluid Coolder (53765-SHJ-315) - designed to keep your vehicle operating at peak performance even under the increased demands of towing.
Cooler Air Duct (71105-SHJ-A00) - assists in directing air flow over the cooler.
REQUIRED to tow up to 1,000 pounds:
Wiring Harness (08L91-SHJ-100)
Hitch Ball - 1 7/8" or 2" (08L92-SCV-XXX)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please read Honda's Bulletin on Towing.

VOID Warranty. Honda's policy is to void a new vehicle warranty if they determine that damage to the vehicle was caused by towing in excess of 1,000 pounds without the required coolers.
Installation Instructions

List Price $299.00
Your Price $222.30
You Save $76.70
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Customer Reviews

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ody_man

Any idea on Gallon(s) per hour when Odyssey 06 idles with AC on?

Suggestions... Back of Envelope calculations...? Willing to try?

Ody_man

sebring95

I'll try, but it won't be exactly scientific.

On my VW Jetta diesel, I can measure the fuel injection with my laptop. At idle with no accessories running: (converted from metric) .1 U.S. gallon/hour. If I switch on the A/C it jumps to approx .18 U.S Gallons.

Now, theory says a diesel engine is approx. 30% more fuel efficient than gasoline engines. Even more so at idle, so I've been told. Nevermind we're comparing a 1.9L to a 3.5L....lets say 50% just for fun?

Using simple math: .15 gallons at Idle without A/C and .27 gallons at Idle with A/C.

I don't think Honda allows you to monitor your vehicle with a laptop, so we're probably stuck with rought guesses. Or you could fill up, let your van idle until it runs out of gas, and do the math. That would be most accurate I suppose :P

ody_man

Thanks for the try, Sebring95! Perhaps a rule of thumb could be1/4 Ga / hr.

As for a trial, an enterprising person can simply fill the tank up, park the van at gas station, idle for 1hr, then fill back up. May have errors, but then still a number. Or we can contact Honda and pose the question to them.

Again, sebring95, good use of estimation...

Ody_man

jnt

Choochoo,

Welcome to the real world vs. EPA number. Your number is among the norm for 4400lb vehicle in stop and go, low speed, short distant driving (less than 5 miles)

We have about 17K miles on our 05 Odys with VCM and our number has not changed much. And its city mileage is similar to yours. So nothing wrong with your vehicle: just too much mass to move around.

The EPA city is the most optimistic of them all (at time off by 50%).

jt

rmzip

I too have this same problem. My problem started in April and when I took it to the dealer they told me I had a bad left rear wheel bearing and also turned the rotors. Well, this did not solve my problem. I have had my van to 3 different dealerships on 5 different occasions. I have had the tires balanced twice, the break pads replaced, and the new rotors put on and still no improvement. Actually it is worse now than before. Also, I had to have the right front wheel bearing replaced at 7,000 miles.
I called Honda's Cust. Serv. dept on Friday and was given a case # and told that a Case Mgr would call me back within 1-2 business days. Well, guess what. No call. I called them this morning and conveniently, my case mgr is out until next monday. Someone was supposed to get back to me today, but no call yet.
I would be happy just to get rid of the van but one dealer won't even give me a trade value and the other, the one my husband works at will only give me $21000. I don't think so!
I have also filed a complaint with NHTSA for this problem as my van is unsafe to drive, especially if it is raining. I have no control over the steering and am all over the road.
Anyone have any ideas on how to get Honda to respond. Seems like asking for a supervisor is a joke, they must not take customer calls.

cgustafson

Hi rmzip...see my posts 620/646. Vibrations in steering at highway speeds is not uncommon on 2005/06 Odysseys. Hondas "offical" position is: "Vibrations at highway speeds are not a factory defect but a characteristic of the vehicle"! These vehicles have a safety related defect.
I have counted 17 owners complaints on Edmunds Forum alone for this problem and have no recollect to any of the owners vehicles being repaired!
Like you I have filed a complaint with NHTSA. If all 17 posters filed similiar reports perhaps Honda would realize they do not set the safety standards for American highways...
You are being "stonewalled" by Honda. After reading owners concerns on this forum one can only conclude they are intentionally shifting the burden of this safety related defect onto the consumer.
In Calif. Honda is allowed only two attempts to repair a safety related defect and vehicle is presumed to be a lemon! Honda is attempting to circumvent lemon law by labeling "defects" as "characteristics"...good luck!!

imidazol97

>Honda is attempting to circumvent lemon law by labeling "defects" as "characteristics"...

It worked for Microsoft and operating systems to call problems "features." I guess it works for autos?

allison5

while driving the Odyessy today. While test driving the van my ears started to plug up the feeling like you are in an airplane. It happened once I started going about 50 miles an hr. My daughter felt it in her ears as well. The van also had that shaking feeling, it also seemed really loud once I started going faster. Any advice on this?? I have never had this happened in a car before except for when I was driving up to the mountains at a lot higher elevation. I also drove the pilot, did not have that problem at all. I am probably goingl to buy the Odyessy as I have 3 kids and a big dog. THe pilot I think will be a tight fit. I did not like this dealer so I would not buy it there anyway.

user777

where the windows down? did it sound like a helicopter?

rmzip

I also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I think 5 attempts at a repair is plenty to warrant a response.

allison5

NO the windows were not down, I made sure they were up. Couldn't tell you if it sounded like a helicopter, but the best I can say is no. I have never expereinced anything like that

master1

Why not also file a complaint with NHTSA??
------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.carspace.com/master1

rmzip

I did!

rmzip

I did!

master1

That's good. Maybe the problem will be solved one day. LOL, maybe one day.

rsht

Sounded to me, the ODY you were driving is well sealed where the incoming volume of air can not get out of the cabin fast enough. Perhaps the vent hole(s) is blocked. Well, our ODY 2005 and newer (not sure about 2004 and older), both the front and rear AC/Heating system have independent "auto Air Mix control" feature, perhaps the control linkage to this particular ODY needs some adjustment...

The "helicopter" like sound mentioned by user777, I believe he/she is talking about Air Baffling, where you can re-create it by driving 40 or so mph and open just the Sun Roof with all the rest of windows closed, you'll get that helicopter scenario, pretty rough on the ear sometimes ...

boohonda

During a trip in june, my 2005 ody had the check engine light come on. we checked the manual and it said it was to check soon. a little while later , the cruise and the vsa kicked off and the dashboard lights went off. before we could pull over the car started making nosise and smoking from the tailpipe. we called the dealer and he said bring it in. the hot light came on - we stopped the van and called the dealer and he had us pay to have it towed in. they kept it for 5 WEEKS and couldn't figure out what it was . they finally said it was a computer part , they replaced it, told us to come pick it up. we went to get it and before we could get it off the lot, the check engine light came on and we took it home at their direction. the light never went off and they came and got it 10 days ago. they called and said they now think it has a cracked head or gasket problem and the motor needs replacing. i told them i wanted a new van because of the lemon issue and was told by honda usa that " we don't buy back cars - call the better business bureau"
they have offered to replace what they think is broken and extend the warranty to 120,000 miles.

what do you think? do i have a lemon case? am i being unreasonable? this is the top of the line touring edition and i think i am being ripped off - please give me some feedback !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

boohonda

after honda kept my 05 touring for 5 weeks the first time and 2 weeks the second and still haven't fixed it - i was told by honda usa that "we don't buy back cars - call the better business bureau"

it that honda's business practice? please post your experience

rsht

As a 2005 Ody owner myself, I can feel the pain and disappointment you are going through. If I am in your situation, I would also want to have the car replaced, because I would continue to 2nd guess its reliability even the cracked head and gasket are replaced and are indeed the cause of the problem... However, based on what I've read of your post, I don't feel you Ody is within the lemon case YET. But, to me, your current dealership's service ability is seriousely in question. Once the engine is replaced, I would take this Ody to other dealership for future service, if you have such an option. Keeping your Ody for 5 weeks, problem fixed or not, that is just toooo long, especially the problem still remains. Seems to me, not only their ability is in question, they also have a "Don't Care" attitude... Good luck, and best wish.

rmzip

I have a friend who had an Element that was in the shop many times for at least 15 days at a time and when it wasn't in the shop, she couldn't drive because it would stall. The dealer even kept it one time for over 30 days to help her with her claim. She finally got an attorney and went after Honda because it was obviously a lemon. She had absolutely no luck and ended up trading the vehicle after about 6 months of not being able to drive it.
I have an 05 Odyssey that I have had problems with also. I have contacted Honda and have recieved no response back. I have also filed a complaint with BBB, you can do this on line at BBB.com. So, we'll see what happens. I must say, my expectations are very low.

msibille

I had issues with both a 1999 and a 2001 Ody.
In each case, the dealer accommodated us with
a compromise equal to or better than what our
state Lemon Law provides for. (I didn't have
to go to court, or even arbitration, and we
agreed on a cost/mile for usage to that date
that was less than what customarily was charged
in arbitration or the Lemon Law.)

In one of those cases, at my urging, the dealer
and Honda gave us a huge cut in the price of the
HondaCare contract (7yr/100k/0ded), a good bit
less than what I have ever seen talked about here
or elsewhere, and about 1/2 the dealership's
normal price for the contract. I say Honda contributed
because that's what the dealer told me, and I
would think that they would be more likely to
take credit for it themselves (the discount) than
to share the credit w/ Honda.

OTOH, I did approach the problem with documentation of date/time/person(s) dealt with/problem and even photographs of some of the problems. I brought the documentation to the dealership svc manager, calmly explained the problem (while his eyes got wider and wider) and also calmly stated that I no longer trusted this vehicle for my wife to drive and expected a replacement. Within the work day, we had an agreement. If you scream and shout, you might get results, but calm discussion with documentation is more effective at winning sympathy, and probably equally effective at scaring them as to what will happen if it goes to Lemon Law. (Once it officially is declared a Lemon under the Lemon Law, it has to be disclosed to all potential buyers - a definite motivating factor for the dealer to resolve the issue. If they merely come to a reasonable trade-in agreement before you begin the process, they can fix it, and sell it as a low mileage used car, with out the Lemon designation hanging over it.)

msibille

Thanks again, rsht, for the input.
It worked well with just the bulb access panel removed.
To mimize the risk of the 2 hidden nuts diving into the deep recesses of the hatch cavity, I ran duct tape all the way around the panel opening, contacting the metal hatch around the outside of the nuts. That way, if the nut got away from my clumsy fingers, it would just roll down the duct tape, onto my driveway (and probably out to the street where I would spend the next half hour looking for it, but at least I wouldn't have to pull the panel off). It went swimmingly, except for actually pulling the fixture out of the door and setting the new one in place. Took some wrestling to get it done, but the fasteners were a pc o' cake. Thanks again for the suggestion and encouragement.
Mom is happy, daughter is $90 poorer, but pleased that she was able to help fix the damage she did to Mom's van.

boohonda

thanks for the reply - in either case did you get a new vehicle or did you settle for the honda care on the damaged auto? is the hondacare transferrable?

dsrtrat2

Part of the VCM system is noise cancellation and active motor mounts. I wonder if disabling the VCM system would solve some of the "booming" noises and other audio annoyances? I sure would like to hear if any one any where has disabled this questionable feature. I can't get any better MPG with mine than I did with my '04, '02 and 2000 ODYs. KISS applies to everything I think. Some one out there somewhere has disabled this or knows of some one who has. Just a curious mind wanting to know more info.

rorr

"I wonder if disabling the VCM system would solve some of the "booming" noises and other audio annoyances?"

I was under the impression that some of the instances of "booming" noises were also being reported in non-VCM (LX and EX) models?

dsrtrat2

I am sure you are correct, but I'd like to conditions and solutions sorted by VCM and non-VCM.

fred222

After much research I decided to purchase and install a tow hitch from U-Haul on my 2006 Odyssey EX-L. This was purchased locally so there was no shipping which can be a significant cost for an item like this. The sole purpose of the hitch is to use a 4 bike bike carrier with a 2" receiver. The hitch cost $140 and was very easy to install. There was no need to lower the exhaust or remove or cut the rear bumper. The hitch slid right in and one side bolted right up. On the other side it was necessary to drill one 1/2" hole and push the exhaust pipe to the side to tighten the bolts. I used a clamp to do this. If you knew exactly what was needed ahead of time the entire process could be completed in about 10 minutes or less. This is not a "hidden hitch" so you see the bar across the bottom with "U-Haul" written on it. It is not ugly and gives the van a slightly "tougher" SUV appearance.
I was quoted $1226 at a local Honda dealer to install the entire tow package (trans, PS cooler, wiring harness, air dam, tow hitch) and $299 to purchase a Honda tow hitch.
As for warranty concerns Honda states that it will void the warranty if they show that damage was caused by towing without the entire towing package. On a authorized Honda vendor site it states that you can tow up to 1000 lbs without the cooling package. I have not intention of towing ever with this vehicle and if any warranty issues arise I will be ready to prove that.
I would guess that Honda could install the entire tow package (minus the hitch) in every van at the factory for no additional real cost and would then have vehicles with even better transmission and power steering longevity. Why they choose to go the route that they have shows very poor management decisions.

hypercore

"I would not consider that as a defect but as a design compromise that Honda made for whatever stupid reason."

Don't take it the wrong way, but you must be joking when you said this, right?!!! Are you in marketing? Lets not make excuses. The problem is that whoever it is that makes that part for Honda has done a poor job. But ultimately, it is up to Honda and its Quality guys to reject that part and tell them to come back with something that is right. If Honda did in fact design "it" that way, shame on them. Let not make excuses for Honda.

-Hypercore

77porsche

Same noise/issue wen bought my 06. took to dealer. they test drive it. heard/felt same thing at 11mph. they provided TSB and it states that it is the VSA running a cycle each time the engine is turned on. Do I believe them? well, i turned off the VSA, and it still cycled. Then, my cousin bought an 06 too. had same noise. i don't think it is a problem.

Nevetheless...still under warranty so won't worry too much about it.

user777

right. someone else already mentioned the ABS self-test. it is not related to VSA. there is a proceedure which is part of a TSB to show technicians how to manually trigger the self-test to demonstrate it to owners that are unfamiliar with it.

rorr

As user777 noted, the sound being heard is probably the ABS self-test (not VSA related at all).

It only performs the ABS test after the engine has been turned off and then restarted/driven. The TSB noted is so the technician can manually 'force' an ABS self-test for the customer to see if the self-test is what is being heard.

Otherwise, the technician/service-writer may discount a customer noise-issue as being 'normal' when the noise MAY be caused by something else.

lemor

At first I thought its normal for a Van, but after driving my brother's van I realized that his Ody is like driving a Honda civic and my Ody feels like I'm driving a big heavy van especially on slow speed.

I both check the tire pressure and its same 35, I know that cars all behave differently but having a very light and more accurate steering is a lot more fun to drive than heavy steering.

Anybody got this problem & what did you do? :confuse:

Thanks in advance.

user777

at slow speed, probably the power steering / pump isn't doing its thing properly. i suppose at high speed you would notice it some as well.

is the power steering fluid resevoir full?

it should be driving like an accord.

loncray

While it's not as nimble as my old Integra, my wife's Ody is pretty agile for what really is a big, heavy minivan. I'd get the dealer to check your steering pump.

stickguy

finally (at 20K) had the revised pads put on our '05. I haven't driven it yet, but my wife didn't mention any problems, although they would probably have to go out entirely for her to notice!

The grind/groan was a little unsettling, even though it stopped fine, and only happened under severe stopping conditions. Still, a free brake job at 20K is hard to turn down!

Now I just have to get them to actually look at the rear shock that leaked oil in the garage. Dimwits at the dealer saw "oil leak", and just looked under the engine, and no surprise didn't find anything!

Claires

Folks, because quite a few people here have mentioned these issues, I've made new discussions for them -- that way, new members will be able to find them right away. Some of the recent posts in this discussion have been moved there.

Honda Odyssey Grille Insert
Honda Odyssey: Droning/Humming Noise

stickguy

Also should be getting new rear shocks (or strut cartridges, whatever they are called on this car). One of them seems to have lost a seal so the oil inside leaked out, so the dealer is planning to replace the pair. Car seems to drive the same (although I haven't relaly tried to notice a difference) but it will be nice to have good units on it.

It's pretty nice of Honda to replace some normal wear items for me at 20K! Maybe I can get them to throw on a battery and new wipers too!

user777

oh good gosh. more forum / discussion factoring. :mad:

moses7

Why not put all Droning/Humming post here?
Thanks,