Honda Odyssey Engine Problems

odybusnyodybusny Member Posts: 3
I have a '06 Odyssey Touring and it pings/knocks when I first drive it. The sound is very similar to to the sound that a car makes when driving a manual uphill without downshifting to a proper gear. I've been searching both Carspace/Edmunds and the internet in general and I found about a dozen incidents being written up in forums and may affect many more cars. If you have the same issue, please contribute to this discussion.
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Comments

  • kathiky1kathiky1 Member Posts: 19
    My Odyssey has had the ABS light (and the SRS light) on for years. Several years ago, I took it into the shop thinking the brakes were bad. The shop charged me several hundred dollars to do diagnostic and said my brakes were fine and I needed a whole new electrical panel (about $1000). I passed and put up with it.

    Since that time, I have heard there was a TBS regarding this issue. www.mycarstats.com refers to a bulletin 1002, but I have to pay to get a copy. Does anyone have experience with this problem or know if there is a place to view TBS info without a purchase?
  • texasranger1texasranger1 Member Posts: 5
    Although it was 0 degrees in Chicago last evening, it seemed to take a long time for my '07 Ody to reach normal operating temperature. After 50 miles of driving at highway speeds, I stopped and left the engine running. After about 5 minutes the engine temperature dropped below the normal point on the gauge. Is this a thermostat problem or just to d*#@ cold?
  • jaybeckhamjaybeckham Member Posts: 1
    2003 Honda Odyssey races up and down in idle. The engine speeds up and down from 1000 rpm to 2000 and back. Just up and down...just started this morning.

    Thanks
  • lorenleroylorenleroy Member Posts: 1
    can't offer any insight but my 2003 Odyssey's SRS light is on. Cost me $80 for the dealer to plug in the diagnostics, and it would cost close to $500 to replace the part. Guess I'll be without airbags.
  • justaveragejoejustaveragejoe Member Posts: 268
    Has anything been done to the car lately?
  • teacostateacosta Member Posts: 1
    I take this car in every month. The car would stall b/c it isn't heated enough (I live in Miami!) Also, throttle disconnected and left me stranded on a highway with 3 kids.
    The car is a 2004. Now, the RPM's are racing when in park or in idle. Also, I get only about 15 mi. to the gallon. I am disappointed. Anyone have a clue about the rpm's?
  • jynewjerseyjynewjersey Member Posts: 2
    for jaybeckham and teacosta, my '03 Odyssey has had two serious problems in a row: EGR valve change and clogged gas line then the enging start to race in idle. these problems happened 2 weeks apart in the past month. I don't understand why Odyssey has such rave review.

    The EGR problems cost me $500 and I don't know how much the idle problem will cost me! Can't trust dealer and now we can't even trust a Honda car. whoelse could I turn to?
  • acg007acg007 Member Posts: 1
    About 37K, rpm started to race between 1000 and 2000 when parked (idle). No problems with driving performance. However, it is annoying and it feels like it may stop or go with no driver input. Any body had similar problems. Is this under power train warranty?
    Thanks for any reasonable explanation or guidance.
  • riceking80riceking80 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a brand new Honda Odyssey 06 from a local dealership here in Virginia. After about a week, I started noticing that my engine was vibrating in the idle position. I noticed that the problem was getting worse. I immediately take the car to the dealer and talk with the service manager. I ask to get into another Odyssey to compare and there is noticeable difference. He denies any major difference and says that if there is a slight vibration its because some new cars had to be "broken-in". This dealership told me to wait until about 4000-10,000 miles to see if the vibration would go away!!! I found this absurd!! I put my hard earned money into this not so cheap car not even a month ago and I already have to deal with this?? I demanded a new vehicle and they denied my request. Am I freaking out about nothing or do I have a case here? Anyone with similar issues? What are my rights in this case? Basically they're telling me that I have to wait it out to see if my car gets worse. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    :mad: in VA
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    riceking80 -

    Sorry to hear about your Odyssey. Too bad you didn't read the forums before buying. Unfortunatley you will most likely have to live with the vibration problem.

    I'm assuming you have an EX-L or higher model with the VCM. Also, did you just buy an '06 or '07?

    Our '06 had the engine mounts replaced to attempt fixing the droning defect. The '05 & '06 Odysseys had bad mounts that collapsed after a short period of operation. This repair was also supposed to smooth out the engine vibrations at idle. Didn't fix the vibration or the droning defect.

    Here is a link discussing the collapsed engine mountslink title

    There are many theories about this vibration problem. One theory is the active engine mount controller software has a glitch/bug & forgets to set the mount back to "idle" after running on 3 cylinders (highway).

    We are going to court in the Fall for our Lemon Odyssey :lemon: 5 repair attempts for the droning defect. Good luck & keep us posted. Also, don't accept the problem...keep fighting, unless you have enough money to sell the car.
  • riceking80riceking80 Member Posts: 2
    blackexv6-
    Thanks for your help....I made a mistake in the car's year of make...it is an '07. Do you know what kind of rights I have as a consumer on this matter??
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    You really don't have many options since the vibration issue is being ignored by Honda. Just have them check your engine mounts to see if they are not collapsed & are working properly.

    Just be thankful you have an '07 and the droning defect has been pretty much been eliminated. Your car has the new stronger transmission & the shift points were changed (maybe to avoid the 2000 rpm harmonic drone on the highway).

    At the end of the day, you still made a good purchase (for a van). The Odyssey holds its value & is a very safe vehicle. Maybe if Honda gets enough complaints on the '07 they will try fixing the vibration 100% this time.
  • sherrib1sherrib1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Odessey with 112,000 miles. In the last week it has died on me 3 times, twice when I was backing out of parking spot and garage, and once as I started down my street. All 3 times the car had only been running for 1-2 minutes at the most. The dash goes black. I pull it into Park and it starts right back up and doesn't die again. Does this sound like an ignition switch or maybe some other electrical problem? Thanks for the help!
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Try another chipped key. It may be losing it's ability to transmit.
  • danielszetodanielszeto Member Posts: 1
    Hi jynewjersey and friends,
    My 2003 Odyssey has the same problem as you described. Please share your experience and solution. Thanks for your help in advance!

    Best Regards,
    Daniel Szeto
    Boston, MA
  • tomkayhondatomkayhonda Member Posts: 1
    I have the 02 odyssey and most the probems posting in this forum I do experience, Plus, I have already replace the hub bearing on both front!
    but here is the wise thought.
    my vehicle just hit 85K miles and I decided to change timing belt myself, I replace all the parts related to this function also, from tensionner to rollers.etc.
    while disecting my front motor, I noticed that my right side engine mount was very bad also. the main discovered that the timing are not perfect!
    After all the new parts and belts back in places and timing correctly to the marks. My engine now is much smoother then EVER before, more power and noticeable gas saving from $50.00 weekly down to $40 in the past three weeks.
    Thought, I have to put back the broken engine mount, because the work was done in the long weekend and the parts dept. was closed. but the engine has No vibration at all. still waiting Ebay shipping the new motor mount.

    Here is the list of my problem right after I bought new in 02:
    * Idle unstabe (engine like misfire for a flash of a second, but noticable.
    * Idle RPM at 900 and above.
    * some what vibrations at any RPM, more noticed at idle
    * when hard accelerate slightly Vales noise like.
    All of this problems was noticed after a month of brand new

    After tmiming belt replaced and ajusted. all the problems listed above DISAPPEARING.
    the Idle RPM is now at 700 (adjust by it self).
    like I said, the engine is running smoother then EVER before.
  • daveop1daveop1 Member Posts: 1
    We also have a '99 Odyssey with over 100K miles, and similar problem over past 2 weeks. We had the ignition switch replaced last week and it seems to have solved the problem.
  • shannijshannij Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2005 Ody. 2mths after getting this car the a/c was hit with a stone and broke. Dealership fixed under warranty after a lot of hassle and my researching and finding similar problems.
    Friday, I drove the car 2 miles got out and fan came on. I thought it strange but had no idea. Drove another 4 miles and a/c quit. Thought probably the same problem it had been hit by a stone again. 3 miles later the van sounded like a diesel truck and was overheating so I pulled over and all the lights were on.
    Dealership says the radiator fan was somehow damaged causing a hole in the radiator and it is not covered under warranty. Is this a Ody problem? Are stones breaking the fans? I am more concerned for the engine because they said the temp reached 350 degrees. Any thoughts?
    Thanks
  • cometrcometr Member Posts: 1
    My wife's 99 van (111,500 miles) had a similar problem. A new ignition switch has appeared to have solved the problem.
    The van supposedly had the ignition switch service bulletin accomplished in 2002.
  • pflukepfluke Member Posts: 1
    An elderly person smashed the front end of our 04 Odyssey. The repair shop wants to use aftermarket parts. How reliable are aftermarked radiators and AC condensers? Any suggestions on what I should do???
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    It's hit or miss deal. I guess it would depend on the manufacturer of the aftermarket part.

    Your insurance policy sets out the requirements for OEM and aftermarket parts. On what is basically a 4 YO vehicle, they will most likely only pay for aftermarket parts. But on the positive side, the insurer typically covers the part for the life of the vehicle.

    You can offer to pay the repair shop the difference between OEM and aftermarket if you are concerned about it.
  • cxccxc Member Posts: 122
    It is interesting to know that you found that the timing for your Odyssey is not right. When I was changing my 1999 Odyssey timing belt, I noticed that the rear timing gear is one-tooth off. After correcting this problem, I got 2 - 3 mpg improvement. Now the transmission of my odyssey with 140,000 miles is dead. I may have to junk it. Everyone, I talked to, said that I should not give another trust to Honda.
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    Your insurance company most likely will not pay the extra money for OEM parts. It's usually not the body shop's decision. We use our Honda dealer for body repairs they are excellent & will use OEM parts when possible.

    I requested a Honda OEM windshield recently & the insurance company shot it down - no way they said.
  • pgnagelpgnagel Member Posts: 60
    Our 99 Odyssey has been doing the same thing. I ended up taking it to a local mechanic. He discovered that the wiring harness that connects the ignition switch to the main harness was defective. It's a Honda only part, and total cost was $248 to repair.

    Am I understanding correctly that there was a TSB on this item?

    Thanks,

    Paul N
  • poocatpoocat Member Posts: 35
    I normally drive pretty easy. I noticed that the ECO light is on quite often. Mileage right now after 4000km is 10.8 l/100km city and 8.8 l/100km highway. Seems to be OK so far.
  • thericker25thericker25 Member Posts: 3
    Last week our '04 Odyssey with about 50,500 miles stalled while my wife was driving. She pulled over put it in park and restarted the engine. It started up right away, but the Low Oil light came on and stayed on. I checked the oil and it was full. After towing it to the dealer it's now knocking something fierce.

    To make a long story short, Honda says "our engines don't blow up, you must have run it without oil" We're in to it for $800 of 'diagnostic' work and just learned that the 60,000 mile power train warranty is only for '06 and later models. (the only reason I went to the dealer was because I'd seen many websites touting Honda's 5yr/60,000 mile powertrain warranty)

    Anyone heard of this before... I know it's not common. That's why I bought a Honda. (It sure was painful to watch our practically new beautiful van hauled away on the back of a tow truck.)
  • barbjhbarbjh Member Posts: 1
    In April '06 we had the dealer check the car because when we slowed to a stop, the engine would race up to 4000 rpm as I stepped on the brake. I used my right foot. No foot was on the gas. The dealer repair couldn't find a problem. Since then, we have had this happen more times, three in the last week. Has anyone had this problem? My husband thinks it is the computer.
  • tjhoupttjhoupt Member Posts: 1
    Hi Everyone, Looks like a great site to get some helpful advice. Today, our 2000 Honda Odyssey did not start after a quick stop at a local drug store. Lights, electronics, all seem to work. The engine does turn over and starts for about a second and then turns off. Did this numerous times. I was able to keep the engine running by pressing on the gas pedal, keeping the other foot on the brake pedal, and nursed the van back to our home (only about 1/2 mile). I wish that I knew more about cars... any advice on what it might be and how to get it repaired? THANKS!
  • thericker25thericker25 Member Posts: 3
    As an update......we're 3 weeks into this ordeal but it looks like we might get our van back soon. It turns out the oil pump failed. Even though there is no warranty Honda is buying us a new engine, but we're paying for the labor to put it in.
  • agc7agc7 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I have a 1995 Honda Odyssey EX, 113,000 miles, after a recent 500 mile trip I have noticed that my car turns off when idle. In the mornings it starts easy, its fine when it idles, but as the day progresses and it gets hotter out, the car has difficulty starting. And when it does start, it tends to turn off when idle. Any ideas? Any help out there? Thank you!
  • nancyc3nancyc3 Member Posts: 2
    YES! My parents are on their second Odyssey. The first one had the same issue and the dealer could not find problem after one week. My Mom was so scared to get in it again they turned it in and got a newer model. Now their second one is doing the same thing! Same issues you note. Both are after they have had the car for about a year. Not sure what to do for them. I'm looking for others who have had the same issue as I wasn't sure if it was my Dad's driving. I've seen one other complain like ours on another link http://www.odyclub.com/forums/showthread.php?s=11b26abc66ab4d16aef6061d6b73618e&- threadid=29508
  • ping3ping3 Member Posts: 11
    Hey there.

    I'm having the same problems on my 07 Touring, so it's not just the non-VCM Odysseys. I even tried 92 octane.

    My dealer worked on my van's preingition problem for 3 weeks with a Honda Canada Rep. as he said that they have another brand new EX-L on the lot that is also " pinging" badly. They replaced/swapped everything they said they could think of. So I took it to another dealer here in town and same thing; so back on the phone to Honda Corp.

    Mine is a lease so I said, to Honda Corp.,if you don't fix it now you can have the piece of crap back once it burns holes in the pistons or valves and then you need to give me another van! Their reply was that they don't know why some Odysseys are "pinging" and they want us to keep driving it until it does break down so they have a better ideal of what is causing it. What??? So I'm to be your test mule? Nice way to stand behind your product!!!
  • ping3ping3 Member Posts: 11
    The only other issues that I had with this van was the front-side windows rattling, but that was fixed by Honda installing new weatherstrips. No other work was ever done besides scheduled services.

    The part that I don't get is that my van was fine for the first 17,000 Km or 10,500 Miles before it started having the pre-ignition problem. So something had to have gone wrong instead of it being wrong from the start....I assume. But the EX-L that my dealer claims has the extact same problem is brand new.

    I guess the good thing is that the problem seems to only be on a few of these vans, the bad news it that the buggers can't/ won't fix it and you may not know if you have one yet. Actually there probably is a few thousand more of them but the average person won't recognize the sound or be able to distinguish it and not know that it will eventualy and inevitably destroy the engine.
  • ping3ping3 Member Posts: 11
    It's definitely not " normal ". Mine also does it on initial acceleration, just before and after the vans shift points at 50km/h(30mph) and 70km/h(45mph) under light acceleration, and up hills especially when the engine is hot.

    The knock sensor is supposed to prevent this from happening.

    The problem is real! Honda Canada and my dealer said that it is indeed a pre-ignition noise. They don't no why it's doing it, and they don't know how to fix it!!!!

    The problem is defined by Wikipedia in 2 ways but the result are the same :

    Knocking (also called pinging)-

    Colloquially detonation—in internal combustion engines occurs when air/fuel mixture in the cylinder has been ignited by the spark plug and the smooth burning is interrupted by the unburned mixture in the combustion chamber exploding before the flame front can reach it. The engineered combusting process ceases, because of the explosion, before the optimum moment for the four-stroke cycle. The resulting shockwave reverberates in the combustion chamber, creating a characteristic metallic "pinging" sound, and pressures increase catastrophically. It can range from hardly noticeable to complete engine destruction.

    Detonation or pre-ignition-
    The fuel/air mixture is normally ignited slightly before the point of maximum compression to allow a small time for the flame-front of the burning fuel to expand throughout the mixture so that maximum pressure occurs at the optimum point. The flame-front moves at roughly 33.5 m/second (110 feet/second) during normal combustion[citation needed]. It is only when the remaining unburned mixture is heated and pressurized by the advancing flame front for a certain length of time that the detonation occurs. It is caused by an instantaneous ignition of the remaining fuel/air mixture in the form of an explosion. The cylinder pressure rises dramatically beyond its design limits and if allowed to persist detonation will damage or destroy engine parts.

    Consequences of Knocking or Pre-ignition
    Engine knocking has disastrous consequences for the engine, since it leads to the catastrophical wear of the combustion chamber walls, through particle wear for moderate knocking, to welding for serious knocking. This is due to the contact between those walls and high temperature gases resulting from the unwanted explosion. The processes also lead to a 'knocking' noise for the engine, that give its name to the phenomenon.

    A big problem us owners are having is finding enough of us to recognize our vans have this problem and to make Honda do something about it - I think they should buy the vans back and do the research on them that is required to fix all of them.
  • cannondale_dcannondale_d Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 Odyssey EXL. When warmed up under very light acceleration there is some engine knocking. If I apply the brake then give a very small amount of gas it might knock but not all the time. Backing the boat into a parking stall will do the same thing, but not all the time. Has anybody heard this knocking?
  • bob757flbob757fl Member Posts: 16
    '05 EX-L has the same problem at 1500 rpms between 30 and 38 mph. Dealership couldn't duplicate problem.
  • tbird3tbird3 Member Posts: 1
    hi i have a 02 odddyssey and about 4 month ago at 96k miles i change the plugs and now the engine vibrate a little and rpm goes pass up and dont go over 1krpm just up and down when park,can any one give me some tips on what should try before going to the dealer,thanks
  • mtm12345mtm12345 Member Posts: 6
    My 2006 Odyssey LX has the same knocking on a warm engine at 20mph uphill. Started at around 14k miles. Haven't talked to dealer yet. Quite worrisome. I haven't been able to find out any other info on the web except in this forum.
  • hvacrepairmanhvacrepairman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Touring, my wife normally drives this vehicle but on weekends I usually end up driving. I noticed ours was pinging from the start when we purchased a few months ago. On certain days when the ambient temperature is about 68-72 ours pings very bad under no load, flat road driving about 15-30mph. I have also noticed it uphill and under acceleration. The thing that is most bothersome is the average MPG I am getting 12-15mpg. My new 07 tundra v8 is getting 18-19mpg with no cylinder cut off. Honda has looked at it with a response of quote (WE KNOW OF THE PROBLEM BUT CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A RESOLUTION). I cant believe that. I have pursued BBB for a buyback. Honda's statement (THE PROBLEM DOES NOT CAUSE ANY SAFETY PROBLEM THERFORE WE ARE NOT BUYING THE CAR BACK). Now it is off to arbitration to see what they will do. I will keep all posted. :sick:
  • zgreat1zgreat1 Member Posts: 11
    I brought my brand new 2007 Ody for its 1st oil change and right after that the a/c failed to blow cold air. I would have brought it back immediately had I realized it was a problem. Since the a/c was working BEFORE I brought the van for service, I thought it was just me not feeling the cold air. Besides, traffic was bad to make a U back to the dealership. I called the service dept and was told at that it might just be a resistor. But when I brought the van back for a check-up, the service person told me the condenser coil has a leak and most likely was caused by road debris. I asked if the warranty covers the damage but was told no since it's an accident. Since the leak on the condenser is in an area that has no protection from any incoming objects, no matter how tiny, I told the service person that Honda has to realize this is a design flaw. Is that how you managed to have your a/c fixed under warranty? If not, I would appreciate your leading me to research on this issue.

    MANY THANKS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
  • pingpingpingpingpingping Member Posts: 16
    I purchased a 2007 Odyssey three months ago. Before I made my first payment, I could hear the pinging sound. I thought it must be an older car driving next to me. But when my wife heard it too I knew something was wrong. I am currently fighting with Honda at the momment regarding this issue. I hope together we will be able to generate enough commotion to make them fix this. At first, they pretended not to hear it. Then they said it was normal. Then they said it was a software issue but Honda had not yet come up with a remedy. I have and will continue to force this issue.
  • pingpingpingpingpingping Member Posts: 16
    If you have not called Honda, please make sure you do. Get your claim on record. They will give you a claim #.

    Honda US - 1-800-999-1009

    Honda Canada - 1-888-946-6329

    Honda Europe - 01753590590

    Let them know you will never buy a honda again.

    This 2007 Odyssey is my third Honda in 10 yrs. If they do not remedy this pinging issue, it will be my last.
  • pcb7pcb7 Member Posts: 1
    I cannot believe that this post describe exactly what my Honda Odyssey does. It just started doing it after 100,000 miles (it's a 1995).

    Does anyone know what this noise is and how to solve the problem?
  • stanleybb50stanleybb50 Member Posts: 1
    I have the knocking under very light acceleration only when the car is good and warmed up.... its a deeper type of knock and only present from about 1700-2200 rpms - again only under very light acceleration... it doesnt sound like pre-ignition to me... oh and my car's a Honda Accord 2001 with 97k on it - (sorry I'm posting about my Accord on this page - but i noticed that at least 2 other folks said they had the same type of knocking issue with their Odyssey... If anyone knows what this might be - please let me know!!
  • pingpingpingpingpingping Member Posts: 16
    Well, Honda replaced the knock sensor on my van and it still knocks. It is funny, when they called to tell me that my van was ready, I asked if it was fixed. The service Advisor said,"Well, I test drive a 2008 and yours is quieter." So the 2008 version must be screwed up also.

    I have another appointment tonight with a different dealer. After, hearing all of your stories I do not feel very confident that Honda will do anything to fix it but.....I'll keep you posted.
  • geologistgeologist Member Posts: 4
    we bought a 2007 EX in July 2007.... it started making the pinging noise after 600 miles. We've tried different grades of fuel, and the most frustrating part is that the Honda service people that ride with us claim not to hear it......

    our last visit, they replaced the heat shield as there was a service memo that had a pinging condition at 1500 to 2200 rpm. but we just got it back and it still makes the noise.

    I'll try the Honda numbers you provided earlier. Have you gone to arbitration on the vehicle?

    bottom line is we're not happy whatsoever with the vehicle, especially given the amount of hard-earned money it cost!

    the service manager even said to us: even if there is a noise, it's under warranty and if it doesn't effect the driveability, what's the big deal? I went off and just said that Honda could come pickup the vehicle after I stop making payments.

    :mad: :sick: :lemon:
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    Take a look the thread " Odyssey Grille Insert " ... that is the one discussion to tackle the problem. The one designed the bumper grille opening has to be spranked, just wondering hoe he got hired by Honda.
  • eurounoeurouno Member Posts: 1
    2001 Honda Odyssey while in idle (park or brake) makes weird noise, engine races up and down.
    I took it to a mechanic and he advised it's a TPS problem and it needs to be replaced.He tried cleaning it up, but that did not help.The sensor its self cannot be replaced without replacing the whole throttle body unit. Is it hard to replace it? Are there any codes to erase once the part has been replaced? The estimated cost parts and labor is $850.00. Am I being ripped off.
  • pingpingpingpingpingping Member Posts: 16
    Honda has definitely taken a stand in regards to this engine ping. I have taken my 2007 odyssey in 4 different times and no fix. Honda representative (corporate) said there is nothing they can do. I will never buy another Honda. I am in the beginning stages of filing a lemon law case. I will let you know how that turns out. In the mean while please keep calling Honda. Let them know you will never buy another Honda unless they fix the ones we have.
  • daveonlidaveonli Member Posts: 7
    I have a 2005 Odyssey and was wondering if any one else has the the same problem,it seems that the power steering is under powered.The fluid is full yet it makes the noise as if there was no fluid.A friend who also has a Odyssey says that the power steering pump is under sized therefore the problem.Anyone esle have this problem?
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