Honda Odyssey 1999 - 2004

binkybarnes · March 2001

can someone summarize it for me? ;-)

wow, no wonder the quest guys were invading our forum...i posted a legitimate question there (i was curious why the NHTSA crash scores changed so dramtically from 2000 to 2001 when not much about the vans changed) and no one has posted anything for days.

seriously, has anyone installed the honda leather steering wheel cover ($42 from trevor)? just wondering if it's the money when i can walk into pep boys and buy one for $12.

mojo66 · March 2001

Selectman2000--- Glad to hear your '99 Odyssey has been trouble-free, but there are many others with '99's that have not been. For Consumer Reports to list the '99 Odyssey as a 'Used Car To Avoid' in their Used Car Guide clearly indicates there have been a significant number of complaints/repairs. The CR ratings are taken very seriously by used car shoppers and may hurt resale value. Hopefully, Honda has addressed some of the more significant problems, such as the power sliders, and ratings for newer Odysseys will improve.

FYI--just filled up after a week of almost total in-town driving and got a whopping 11.8 mpg. a new low. Tops on my very short list of things to discuss with the mechanic at the 7,500 mi. service.

cardingtr · March 2001

The Nav screen is white and black line at times when I turn it on. This happens about fives times already since I got this van a month ago. Anybody has similar problem? I called the dealer to report it and said as usual.."never heard of it" line. It comes back to regular, readable screen after about 20 agonizing minutes.
Otherwise it works great. A well spent $2K I ever got.

stever · March 2001

Let's just say that the sleazy post came from the "Go See Cal" school of car sales:-). btw, I thought I posted something about the improved seat belts being responsible for better crash scores on that "other" board? Or maybe I just thought I did....

Steve
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mschafer · March 2001

Someone posted a while back about some high intensity bulbs. They were extremely expensive, as I remember. The link is: http://www.eautoworks.com/index.cfm

keygo · March 2001

Thanks for the information on the rear seat. I have one more question. Can you really hear the gas sloshing in the tank when it gets low? If it is the case, do you get use to it or is it a constant irritation? Thanks again.

h20guy · March 2001

Yes and Yes you get used to it.

drew_ · March 2001

I installed these DesignTech 50watt halogen backup bulbs on my vehicle when it was brand new and have been pleased with them so far. No problems in the last 14 months.
http://www.designtech-intl.com/merchant.ihtml?id=7&step=2

Drew
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kominsky · March 2001

Thanks for the responses!

drew, do you know which bulb fits? the 1156 lists several Hondas but not the Odyssey. the 3156 lists no Hondas.

Again, thank you...

drew_ · March 2001

Look in your owner's manual for more information on bulb types. Or perhaps one of our more adventurous Town Hall Odyssey owners has taken apart his/her taillamps, and can tell you whether the Odyssey uses bayonet style rear bulbs, or the slotted style ones.

I can tell you that the halogens are vastly brighter than the (15 or 20 watt?) stock backup bulbs that most vehicles come with. The only limitation with using halogens is that the bulbs do draw more current and hence get warmer a lot quicker. I wouldn't leave the vehicle in reverse (with the backup bulbs illuminated) for more than 1.5 minutes. Since it is unlikely that you will backup for 90 consecutive seconds, I seriously doubt this is a problem.

Drew
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rindge · March 2001

Whenever, we back the odyssey out of the garage (or anywhere for that matter) we hear a noise from the rear of the van. I took it to the dealer and mentioned to him that the noise was similiar to what you would hear from water in a shallow pan that was moving from side to side. Well what do you know the dealer tells me that what I am hearing is the gas moving from side to side. He tells me the gas tank is large but shallow and the noise is normal. The noise is very noticeable, so if normal everyone hear should have come across it. Anyone else come across the same situation?

Thanks
Rindge

chanak · March 2001

Just took my 00Ex to the service department for power sliding door problem. They fixed it under wrranty. When talking to the service manager, he mentioned that the number one problem on the Ody was the power sliding doors, many times it just stop functioning without reasons. In fact Honda 'is working to solve this problem' and issuded three service tips as how to readjsut and reprogram the sliding doors. He also mentioned that Honda even extends the warranty on the power doors to 5 years. Anyone heard of this? It didn't effect me since I bought the 7yr/75000 miles warranty.

bnjones · March 2001

Chanak, Good post. That is the only thing that worries me about the EX Odyssey. I keep thinking to myself I bet these suckers die as soon as the warranty runs out. I too would like to know if they did indeed extend the warranty for the doors. Hopefully someone can advise.

I know this doesn't relate specifically to the Odyssey but have you see the new Acura MDX. It is almost identical to the interior of the Odyssey but without the seemingly "unmacho" side effects. I think I have found my new vehicle as soon as I can unload my EX and save up some money....

billg7 · March 2001

Got mine in the mail today. The ratings as used cars are identical to what I reported in my post #1501. Odyssey 99 "Below Average" and Odyssey 00 "Average" and 01 To New To Rate.

They also have a special section on "Which cars are Safer?" , which I believe is something new. The Odyssey is listed as the safest minivan followed by Toyota Sienna, Ford Windstar, Mazda MPV, Mercury Villager, Nissan Quest, Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette,and Pontiac Montana.

The overall ratings for which mini vans did best are:

1 Odyssey EX; 2 Toyota Sienna LE; 3 Chrysler Town & Country LX; 4 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport; 5 Mazda MPV LX; 6 Chevrolet Venture LS; 7 Oldsmobile Silhoette; 8 Pontiac Montana; 9 Ford Windstar SE Sport; 10 Mercury Villager base; 11 Nissan Quest GXE

carleton1 · March 2001

The 1999 Odyssey is not as bad for reliability as one would believe by reading CR. My sister and her husband will soon be ordering their 2001 Taffeta White Odyssey EX...which will be their first Honda. Dealer said the waiting time is now down to about 2 months.

jnicotera1 · March 2001

Are there any aftermarket remore entry products that are compatible with the Odyssey?

bnvdz · March 2001

I am looking for seat covers for my Honda Odyssey. Any help will be appreciated.

robr2 · March 2001

Well documented condition. The dealer explained exactly what is going on. After a while, the slosh disappears to your ears. AFAIK, there is no fix.

Good Luck.

billg7 · March 2001

I have never experienced this noise and the reason may be that I have never let my tank get below 1/2, since I have had the Odyssey. Worked great in the earthquake I was in, about 6 years ago, in CA. There was a big long line for the one gas station that was able to operate without outside electrical power. I have also never run out of gas. It has been shown that most people fill up their tank at about 1/4 full and a minority, like me, fill it up at about 1/2.

rgaff · March 2001

We just completed two years of driving on our 99 Ody, driven 35366.9 miles used 1500.19 US gallons of regular fuel which translates into 23.58 mpg, not bad for a 4200 lb vehicle. We live in the Okanagon Valley of British Columbia and travel to the coast and to the prairies frequently. Use snow tires in the winter found vehicle to handle very well on slippery roads. Traction control even works in reverse. Found seats to be very comfortable on long hauls of over 14 hrs, I'm over 200 lbs.
TROUBLES had clicking sound from fan belt, dealer changed tensioner idler to no avail. Changed a/c compressor and cured problems. This was in the 1st 10,000 kms. NEXT door alarm sounded left rear slider caused problem, I cleaned all contacts no problems since 33,000kms. NEXT Had trouble locking doors using auto from remote transmitter, left hand front door actuator was at fault replaced 50,000 kms. Have had no problems with power doors, trans., or other problems discussed on this forum. I converted liters and kms to US gals. and miles
Found dealers in Canada to be first rate.
My 2 cents
Rgaff

adressel · March 2001

We just purchased a 2001 Odyssey ex yesterday, but it won't arrive until tomorrow or the next. We haven't completed the financing yet and we are agonizing over wether to purchase the extened warranty or not. Does any one also know about the extended warranties offered by Source 1?
www.1sourceautowarranty.com

carleton1 · March 2001

closely parallels our experience with a 99 GC SE that weighs 400 lbs less and has a smaller 3.3L V6. We are now at 23.35 MPG for 2 years having dropped from the 23.77 MPG as of October 31, 2000 with the very cold winter driving.
The Odyssey is the best minivan bargain with a powerful, economical engine + large, spacious interior.

billg7 · March 2001

You do not need to rush to buy it. You have about a year, as I remember to buy it, depending on how much mileage you put on your car in a year, and you can buy it from any Honda dealer. I would not buy a non Honda Care Warranty because you will not know what you are getting. I still think that getting the warranty at about half what the dealer offers it to you for is good insurance and piece of mind. Then you don't have to worry about budgeting for auto repairs and you even get a loaner car if your car is in over night, and also roadside service and towing. The 7/100/0 warranty seems to be going for about $950 these days.

Someone above said they were getting 12 mpg in city driving. Thats what Consumer Reports got in their city driving. For a Chevrolet Tahoe they got 8 mpg. Drive a car weighting over 4000# in all city driving and 12 is about all you can expect. Cars that weight a lot just do not get good gas mileage in city driving. It's the laws of physics at work.

sfearing · March 2001

Check the link I posted just above for the best price on a 7/100K/0 HondaCare warranty on a van less than 12 mo. old and under 12K mi. for $875.

2boyss · March 2001

Just brought home my new 2001 EX yesterday! So wonderful!
Here's my two questions.
1. We are trying to find seat cover's so my 2 boys won't destroy the car. All the covers at Pep Boys and Target don't fit. The seat's are too wide and the arm rests get in the way. Does anyone know where we could get seat covers at the reasonable price?
2. Looking into an Entertainment system with the flip down TV. Has anyone bought one? What should I be looking for?
THANKS!

mschafer · March 2001

I contacted DesignTech about those bulbs listed on the link you posted (Messages #'s 1528 & 1530) to see if they would work in the Ody. The factory bulb in the Ody is a #7440. Here is their response to my question whether their bulb is a driect replacement.

"Unfortunately - No. That is a special bulb - and we do not have a
"replacement for that one. Sorry.,
"...........................................................
"Mark Gottlieb
"DesignTech International, Inc.
"7955 Cameron Brown Ct;
"Springfield, Virginia 22153 USA
"Tel: 703-866-2000 / Fax: 703-866-2001
"www.designtech-intl.com

the_droid_00 · March 2001

For about 200 bucks you can buy a 9" dia. AC/DC TV-VCR (ours is Brooksonic). We have been using it in our Jeep Grand Cherokee for longer trips, bungie cording it down to the armrest between the front seats, with great success. Our '01 Ody should be coming in next week and I plan to build a stand for the TV to fit between the front seats, don't know what it will look like yet or how it will fit. Advantages: cheap, removeable, can be used in the house or hotel, Disadvantages: in the event of a wreck, it turns into a 20 lb. cannon ball (fortunately never tested), even the bungie cords won't hold it back.

chaucer · March 2001

I just got my Odyssey LX this weekend. (I ordered it in SS, it came in MB, but that's another story.)

They had a 7 year/100K mile warranty for $975. As I'm looking over the warranty document I notice that there is no mention of Honda anywhere except where the vehicle name is typed in.

Does the Honda Care extended warranty have a Honda letterhead or some mention that it is Honda who is providing the extended warranty? When I read over the document, I figured it was some third-party warranty so I decided to pass on it.

(Maybe I should have played hardball after not getting the color I requested.)

robr2 · March 2001

IIRC correctly, the application had the words Honda and HondaCare all over it. I have a feeling you got an aftermarket warranty.

At my dealer I had to specfically ask for it. They were offering me one from Travelers Insurance.

jkbajones · March 2001

"The Nav screen is white and black line at times when I turn it on. This happens about fives times already since I got this van a month ago. Anybody has similar problem?"

cardingtr - I saw a service bulletin on this (Service Bulletin Number 161200, Bulletin Sequence Number 157) on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration web site. Go to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ to check it out. One trick though, you need to enter "Honda Truck" (not just Honda) for the Make of the vehicle. It doesn't give any details but you can order it for a fee from the NTHSA or maybe if you just give the number to the service manager at your dealership they can look it up.

binkybarnes · March 2001

why is it that when i'm on my driveway (which has a slight incline), i'll roll back if my foot is not on the brake but, on a level surface, the ody will scooch forward if i take my foot off the brake (which all automatic-equipped cars do)? seems to me that, the normal scooch forward should compensate for the rollback on an incline. this sounds nutty, i know.

anyway, my last two tanks have finally broken the 23mpg barrier...yeah! i was at 22.25 for the longest time.

steve_host: yeah, you replied to my question in the quest forum but you HAVE to be there...anyway, if it was that easy to boost crash ratings with new seatbelts, wouldn't everybody be doing that?

stever · March 2001

Yeah, in fact I should be beating on the dealer's door for upgraded belts in my '99 if that's all they did to improve the crash test results. Hey Drew, what's the deal with the seatbelts with pretensioners, and are they too pricy for the manufacturers to be using them everywhere?

Steve
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the_droid_00 · March 2001

Thanks for the link, bkranch even has my TV!! I want to mount something lower and tilted up slightly, so it could be stepped over from the front to the back. I'll have to post my pictures when completed.

binkybarnes · March 2001

i have the OPPOSITE of what some of you are talking about above...i experience the sloshing sound when the tank is near FULL, not empty.

another strange thing is that, i asked my bro-in-law yesterday (they have a 2000 LX) about the gas sloshing (very pronounced in my 2001 EX) and he said he has NEVER noticed it!!! is he deaf or is it possible he does not have a prob with it? i don't see how.

cardingtr · March 2001

I went to the dealer today. They will replace the whole system tomorrow. Kinda scary if I think about it since I might end up with more problems with wrong installation.

robflah · March 2001

Picked up my '01 SS EX on Saturday from the
Automaster here in Vermont.

Asked my salesperson, Lisa Murray, for a quote on the 6/100 and 7/100 HondaCare Warranty...She opened the book next to her desk and quoted
me (right out of the book) $845 and $875. I don't
believe there was any "special" discount due to the fact that I purchased the vehicle there.

No hassles and a real pleasant experience...The Automaster in Shelburne, VT.

Regards,

Bob

dcrisler · March 2001

I don't think you will have a problem... I think I could replace the whole system in under and hour since they probably will not replace the cables that connect it all together. I think you will have good results.

captevans · March 2001

I have about 4000 miles on my van and am pleased with it so far. It eats gas, in my experience, does no better than 23 on hwy and about 14 in city -- this using the accelerated odometer too, which reads 5% fast. On long trips I am able to sleep solidly in 3rd seat with two girls in captain chairs -- which helps A LOT, and 6 and 8 year old haven't had one complaint about their positions there. Stereo is...satisfactory, and love being able to fade certain children's tapes to back speakers which are far enough away we can actually talk. Van isn't whisper quiet, but good enough for a van. Sliding doors are convenient, but won't be if they fail. Have been following hondacare prices here, and fretting about it. At 3500 mile oil change dealer had no idea whether he was supposed to put in 5w 20 as the manual said or 10 w 30 as the oil cap read. He downloaded some bulletin from Honda which said 10 w 30, but didn't seem to be convinced -- basically the manager said he didn't think it'd make any difference...curious though. Handles grandparents and kids excellently. Drives very well too, really does. I have to remember to keep speed down, just not to wear out brakes and burn up gas. I do feel a bit uneasy sometimes when it's just me driving this boat around -- where's my cvcc when I need it? It is dark when you back up at night, and I wish the interior lights went off automatically -- have left them on once or twice but car has started anyway. Felt disappointed to see CR ratings drop, but am consoling myself by saying it's just the doors. Tranny has reved up a bit once or twice --is that a bad sign? -- and gas sloshing is absolutely trivial "problem." Overall, I am pleased with purchase -- paid $700 under MSRP at Dan Young Honda in Indy -- but still get a twinge when I see an MVP go by. I drove a couple of them and thought they had a lot of appeal -- including their smaller size...Just some idle thoughts.

vinny68 · March 2001

I have been following this forum since the beginning but this is my first post. I have learned a lot of useful information here both about the ODY and other minivans. After a long search, I have narrowed my choices down to two and would like some objective input.

Choice 1: New 2001 ODY EX for MSRP. I have no doubts this would make a great family van. I have owned Hondas in the past and have been completely satisfied. Only drawbacks to ODY are drab color choices and weak sounding stereo.

Choice 2: Used 2000 Grand Caravan SE with 12,000 miles in my favorite color - patriot blue. This van has 3.8l engine, quad seats, rear air, and aluminum wheels. I think it looks fabulous. Best part is the price. With better trade in allowed by Dodge dealer, the financed amount is half the ODY amount. Drawbacks are no keyless entry (which could be added later), no CD player (which also could be added later, and unlike the ODY, no steering wheel controls go to waste), no magic third seat (although I don't plan on taking the seat out a lot), and finally, it seems like everyone in the neighborhood owns one.

My question is: Are the features and supposed reliability of the ODY enought to justify the price difference? Resale value is not a concern because I intend to keep either one for at least 10 years. And are the reliability concerns with the GC serious enough to justify spending more on the ODY?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

h20guy · March 2001

Talk to the people in your neighborhood they will have alot of input on the caravan as well as the ody since I'm sure they compared the two. Anyway if you don't need the magic seat or a little extra room then your best choice may be the caravan. hay good luck.

cardingtr · March 2001

I hope so. I thought when the dealer said to replace the whole system, that includes removing the system under the passenger seat,changing the wiring(can be cause of the problem), changing the system in the dashboard and the wiring. They said its a 4 hour job. They even want to give me a loaner van.(Odyssey)
So after that explanation by the service advisor that made me wander what if this is the first time the tech will do it?

grplavloff · March 2001

"My question is: Are the features and supposed reliability of the ODY enought to justify the price difference? Resale value is not a concern because I intend to keep either one for at least 10 years. And are the reliability concerns with the GC serious enough to justify spending more on the ODY?"

According to Consumer Reports, which bases its ratings on owner information, the 1999 and 2000 Grand Caravans are at least as reliable as the Odyssey. I'd talk to your neighbors to see how they feel about their vans.

maebee · March 2001

We have 3600 miles on our 2001 EX Navi. Just had our first oil change. Even though we bought this car from an out of town dealer, we received very good personalized service from our local Honda dealer. We really like this van. It is one heck of an improvement over the Chevy Venture we traded in. The Navi system is a wonderful but not as simple to use as we had anticipated. I am anxious to see more coverage areas added. We average 17-18 in the city and about 23 on the highway. Yes, we even hear the gas sloshing in the back on a rare occasion. Who cares! The family is especially pleased with the roominess of the interior and the comfort of the second row captain's seats.

We have two complaints. The remote entry is awkward to use. The power doors have opened up unexpectedly, when parked, after I put the keychain in my pocket. I assume that one of the buttons was accidentally pressed while they were in my pocket. Also, I still have not yet gotten used to the having to push the unlock button twice for over a second. I'm sure I'll learn that with time.

We do have one other problem that I have not seen addressed here. Frequently there is a 2 to 3 inch strip of condensation in the center of our windshield. I extends down from the rearview mirror to almost the base of the windshield. It will form in warm or cold weather. Even turning on the defroster does not help on certain days. We live in upstate NY where we have been enjoying the winter season. I wonder if we will have a similar problem during other times of year.

I would be interested to know if others have had a similar problem

odd1 · March 2001

You might consider the trade off in safety too.

dmathews3 · March 2001

maebee says "I still have not yet gotten used to the having to push the unlock button twice for over a second"
I take it you mean having to push it twice to get the passenger doors to unlock. This is a safety feature for people traveling alone as you unlock your door only the drivers door unlocks so someone don't slip into the other doors while you are getting into the drivers door. Great for women traveling alone. I think you will find most all vehicles have this feature now. I have had many cars with this feature so think nothing of it and when the wife is with me just push the button a couple extra times. I have found that if pushed at the fringe of the area it works in you may have topush it 2 or more times to get all the doors to unlock. Hope this helps.

mojo66 · March 2001

I understand your comments about the laws of physics (i.e. 4,300 lb. vehlcle) concerning the low gas mileage. I've just been spoiled by the high MPG of other Hondas and Toyotas I've owned. This is the biggest vehicle I've owned and I guess it's something I'll just have to accept. My friends who have Tahoes and Suburbans don't seem to care about their MPG, only that it provides the safety and utility their families need, and when it comes right down to it, I feel the same......it's just hard to stomach a 12 MPG Honda. I'll get over it.

BTW, still trying to get an answer from Honda concerning extending standard warranty coverage for power sliders on the EX to 5 years, as mentioned in an earlier post. Don't know if this is done on a case-by-case basis for owners who have problems or whether it is across-the-board for all EX owners. If the latter is true, I'd be tempted to roll the dice and hold off buying the 7-year HCW. I suspect the power doors are responsible for most of the EX's that are sent back to the dealer for repairs.

bnjones · March 2001

Vinny68, send me an email I have a couple of thoughts for you.

brian.n.jones@wcom.com

bnjones · March 2001

Hey, I must have missed your earlier post but if you are getting 12 mpg you might have a problem. I toted 7 people the other day and still got my avg. 20 mpg. I will go back and try to find you previous post.

cabrales1 · March 2001

Binky, I found your post interesting because I have had my 2000 Odyssey for a year and over 20k miles yet I have never heard the sloshing. My wife drives it about half of the time and she has never heard it either. We don't keep our tank full, as a matter of fact I have a reputation for shaving it close when it comes to refilling, but when we do get gas we always fill it up, so we drive both with the tank totally full and the tank close to empty. I had read gas sloshing postings before and figured mine doesn't have that "problem", until one day I was visiting a friend, and I let her drive the van. She had just pulled out of her driveway when she said "I hate that gas sloshing sound. My Camry does the same thing. You'd think that for the money they charge they would find a way to fix that". Enough said. I guess there is slushing, but apparently my wife and I, and your brother-in-law are immune to it.

caviller · March 2001

I also notice the sloshing when the tank is very near full. I only notice it because I listen for it after reading these forums. No one else notices, even when I tell them... I think there is a very large variation on people's perception of vehicle noises, not only for what is audible, but also for what is considered "normal" and what is considered "annoying."

Binkeybarnes-

I've never had an issue with the Odyssey rolling back on inclines until I changed oil this weekend. It was very difficult to get up on ramps compared to other cars we've had. With other cars, I could inch forward slowly without braking, until I hit the cradle. With the Odyssey, it was an all or nothing deal on one attempt, since if I let off on accelerator it would roll all the way back down. Next time, I guess I need to be applying slight brake pressure or the emergency brake while I tap the accelerator to inch up the ramps...

Honda Odyssey 1999 - 2004

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