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

stickguy · February 2005

there are also some rubber bump stops that can be adjusted, which might help you close the tailgate easier.

jipster · February 2005

Thanks for the tip rph2. I've always thought my Mazda MPV doors took a little more effort to close than they should(was thinking of asking dealer to adjust). A friend mentioned the trapping of air thing...but I thought he was crazy.Gonna give it a try with windows open.

denver5357 · February 2005

"When you shut the tail gate and all the windows are shut, you gotta shove it a bit harder because you are trapping a lot of air and it can't escape quickly enough."

Oh yeah, for sure. Someone had mentioned this earlier and I by happenstance experienced it. When a side door was open, the rear hatch closed much easier and more clearly than when all the other doors were closed. You can almost hear the air pressure change. :-)

isellhondas · February 2005

How a "problem" can suddenly become a non-issue.

macakava · February 2005

It is a simple physics issue. You are trying to compress the air inside the car.

Similar to trying to open the doors of a sunken car in water. You would be going against the pressure of the water pushing on the door. Break the glass for the water to rush in so that you can easily open the door.

riverczar · February 2005

I bought my first Honda, a 2004 Odyssey, a little over a year ago. The tranny recall was done at 20K. At 25K the tranny failed completely. The dealer replaced the entire transmission and arranged a rental for me. When I called 4 days later they told me the car was done and they were just out on the test drive. Well, they called back 20 minutes later to say that a warning light had come on during the test drive. When they checked out the light under the diagnostic program it turns out the brand new transmission they had just put in had also failed. I am waiting at the moment for the second (third if you count the recall repairs) new tranny to be installed, and all before 30K - just wonderful.

Also we have had problems with the doors. I live near Boston and many times on cold days (not icey, just cold) the auto doors will not open.

I have a good friend who owned a civic for years and just traded it for a Pilot. The darn thing won't start half the time, nothing happens. Dealer told them that it was related to the security system, something about moving the steering wheel (huh?). Anyway they have yet to resolve the Pilot problems for him.

I really don't have much in the way of history with Honda, other than my Honda marine outboard, but I must say this has been extremely disappointing. I have ZERO confidence that this car will last without other problems.

Everyone I know who owned an older Honda had great things to say about the company. Now I am reading more and more serious problems reported by Honda owners, including some longtime fans of the company.

And don't tell me that these are industry-wide problems. That is EXACTLY why I paid more for a Honda, because they were supposed to be "better" then the rest. From were I sit Honda is a company on the decline and I will probably dump this Odyssey after I finally get it back. I am going to go look at the Toyota Sienna or Highlander. I had a 4-runner that gave me 8 great years.

Yes, I know of the Toyota hesitation problem. But you can't have much more of a hestitation than the 10 days my Odyssey has been on the lift at the dealer with 2 transmission changes.

john316 · February 2005

I took my 1 week Ody in today for the same problem. They adjusted the striker plate. BTW, I had to take it in few days ago for the front driver and passenger door too. It too would not close normally without the extra "push". They said they adjusted the striker plate and it is fine now.

Annoying thing about the trunk - when I took it in to the dealer today, it closed ok for about 10x. So the service guy tells me there is nothing wrong. I could not argue since it was obviously working fine at the dealer. When I drove it home and tried again, the door would not shut properly again. Back to the dealer I went, and the problem was still there at the dealer. They called me to say that they adjusted the striker plate. We'll see if this solved the problem.

fezo · February 2005

ell, I put 250 miles on the new transmission yesterday and not a problem at all. I'm not saying there haven't been cases like riverczar's where one bad one gets replaced with another bad one because people have posted such things. I think that overall I have yet to find any minivan that doesn't have a transmission concern.

The note on the Pilot is new to me. A friend of mine has an MDX which he swears by. He is constantly on the road and beats his vehicles up pretty badly but this one soldiers on.

Funny, his reason for an MDX as opposed to the Pilot was availability and price. When he bought the MDX had been through its sticker plus stage but the Pilot had not. He could buy the MDX that day for about the same price he'd have to wait for a Pilot for. Made it easy.

sportymonk · February 2005

I had a 84 Plymouth Voyager (mercifully out of my life) and it was sealed so tightly that not only were the doors harder of close when the windows were up but also when the last door shut with the windows up, it hurt my ears. The pressure generated by a quickly closing door compressed things too quickly and the ears felt it. It wasn't as bad with the tailgate since the tailgate couldn't close as quickly. I am slightly surprise to not hear about the ear pressure also.

sschriber · February 2005

My 1995 Odyssey had it's left front wheel flip over on it's side yesterday and scared my wife half to death. Good thing she was only travelling at 10 mph! Turns out the ball joint failed, but not in the usual manner - the mounting stud was sheared right off at the ball. I have to assume it was some sort of fatigue failure. Because the car has 190k on it, I have the ball joints checked for tightness every time it's up on the lift (most recently 10 days before). Has anyone heard of ball joint failures like this? What can be done to prevent them?

isellhondas · February 2005

My guess would be it was just a freak thing.

riverczar · February 2005

This is an update to the post above concerning Odyssey transmission problems. My 2004 Odyssey has been at the dealer for 2 weeks. They replaced one transmission and on the service test drive it failed. Honda refused to let them replace the new transmission entirely and forced the dealer to replace only a few parts. Unfortunately this second attempt did not work and the transmission failed again. Now they have ordered another complete transmission and are waiting for it to arrive so they can do it all over again. That is three tries, and as far as I am concerned, three strikes and you're out!

You know, I am really trying hard to be reasonable about this situation but I think this has finally pushed me over the edge. The dealer has been fine through this process but Honda has absolutely SUCKED! Even the dealer service manager seemed genuinely annoyed with Honda. The regional Honda rep. will not even give me any kind of extra warranty on the car once I get it back. He said 12,000 miles on the tranny and that is it. Absolute crap.

The really vexing thing is that the dealer is willing to give me a great deal to swap this car for a 2005 and even though I think Honda SUCKS I might have to take this deal because to swap this for the Toyota would cost me at least 5 grand more.

Given my experience and reading all the posts (from many sites) about the Honda problems, I really think that Honda has lost whatever advantage they had as a company.

riverczar · February 2005

What is going on here?

look at this ...
http://www.automotive.com/2005/12/honda/odyssey/recalls/

2005 HONDA ODYSSEY STEERING:COLUMN

Summary:
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE STEERING COLUMN MAY BE INCORRECTLY ASSEMBLED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

Consequence:
LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL CAN CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

Remedy:
OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED BY TELEPHONE ON JANUARY 25, 2005, AND ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES TOWED TO THEIR DEALERS AND HAVE THE REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2005.

Notes:
AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. P70

2005 HONDA ODYSSEY SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR

Summary:
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) USES A SENSOR ON EACH WHEEL TO DETECT WHEEL SPEED. SOME SENSORS ON THE REAR WHEELS WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, WHICH MEANS THE SENSOR MAY REPORT THE WRONG WHEEL SPEED TO THE ABS CONTROL UNIT.

Consequence:
THE DRIVER COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF BRAKE FORCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. IF AN INCORRECT GAP IS DETECTED, THE SENSOR WILL BE REMOVED AND THE KNUCKLE CHECKED FOR CROSS THREADING DAMAGE. IF DAMAGE IS FOUND, THE KNUCKLE WILL BE REPLACED. IF NO DAMAGE IS FOUND, THE SENSOR WILL BE REINSTALLED CORRECTLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

Notes:
AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. P52

ypresia · February 2005

Potential number of units affected: 203

What's happening? Due diligence...

2005 Town and Country has a recent recall out to fix a problem with failing front seat belts. Affects less than 3,000 models, though. No recalls yet on the 2005 Toyota Sienna.

dc0027 · February 2005

I was wondering how many actually used their extended Warranty on the Odyssey. Let's take a poll. I just sold my 99 Ody for 05 Ody and never used my extended Warranty. Don't know if I will get one for 05...

tcm · February 2005

Hi,

I bought a new Oddy 2005 EX. I am feeling two problems so far as listed below:

1. Right from the first day I am hearing a noise like some thing fell down while starting moving from parking within 1 minute. Is it normal or it's transmission problem?

2. The Doors (Front and Tailgate) they need extra push to be closed properly.

Any opinion?

sportymonk · February 2005

Hard to definitely say but I would be willing to bet the noise you hear is the ABS system doing a self check. Almost all cars do this and how noticeable it is varies. My old Astro was fairly noticeable. Have not noticed it in my current vehicle.

The door issue has been discussed around and it seems to come from the tight seal of everything. Try closing with a window cracked open and see if it is easier. If so, you know what the problem is.

cartalk · February 2005

Have a '99 Ody and purchase the extended warranty. Thank goodness! Van has about 77K and warranty just expired. More than paid for itself over the past six years. Needed new sliding door latches the day before the 6 year period was up - $50 deduct and $820 in warranty work!

john316 · February 2005

I posted earlier about the front doors and tailgate problems. Both were fixed by adjusting the striker plates. Its not the seal folks. Although it may play a small role, there really was a problem with my van and it appears that others are having the same problem. My doors are fine now, but only after three trips to the dealership to get this fixed.

fezo · February 2005

I hate to say this but if I go with an Ody next go round I will get the extended warranty. This one definetly took care of me and paid for itself no problem. I wasn't happy about that being necessary but glad it was there.

I have no idea why my experience has been so different from riverczar's. I mean, I know you get different experience from dealer to dealer but would not have expected such difference region to region. Now, I didn't ask on transmission warranty as I have around 35,000 miles left on regular warranty so I can't explain the 12,000 mile routine which is downright silly, but I will say they were on the case and picking up some of the rental and such even before they knew I had the warranty.

Obviously we are having different experiences.

The Ody isn't the bulletproof experience my Accords have been but it has been a largely positive experience and as I have yet to see a minivan that doesn't have transmission issues whatever one I get next (when this when creeps toward 100K) I'll get an extended warranty.

fezo · February 2005

Hppy to hear that your problem is resolved but sorry to hear it took three trips. That just isn't good service.

hondaconvert1 · February 2005

I am also experiencing this kind of rattle noise on the passenger sliding door which the inside door panel had to be removed and unfortunately it was scratched and the issue was not resolved. I do not know what to do, since I am not comfortable to have them touch the car again and again hoping the rattle noise issue will go away. If anyone has found out the solution to this annoying rattle, please post here to let us know.

P.S.
As an FYI, I purchased the 2005 EXL-RES on December 2004.

jfan123 · February 2005

In response to Poor gas mileage (old post...#3026)... I am curious if you have found a cause. My 2002 has the exact same problem. Have about 24000 miles, have owned it for six months. We have had only 4 tank-fulls that are above 20 mpg. Averaged 16 mpg on long trips. Recently had transmission shifting problems. Dealer almost put in new tranny. Put in new EGR instead. First tank full was up to 20 MPG. Next one dropped right back down to 14-15. Honda USA absolutely no help on issue. We have been to 3 local dealers. They cant find anything wrong. No other problems, I really want to love this van, but its getting difficult...

gregoryc1 · February 2005

With that mileage, you could be driving a V8 Jeep GC ! I would bet that you have a transmission issue with that vehicle. Make sure that the trans is shifting properly,(going into High gear and converter lock-up). If the dealer is no help, find an independent trans shop and pay a tech to take a ride with you. Get an opinion from someone who understands these units. Also, make sure that the brakes are not dragging and the tires are inflated properly. In addition, check the wheel alignment of the vehicle, and make sure the air filter is clean. I hope these suggestions help.

alanmushnick · February 2005

I have my 05 Odyssey for 3 weeks. Today, I noticed the car would not engage in gear when I tried to back it up. It just slipped. Then, the forward gears would slip and I would hear the engine reving up while trying to maintain speed. WHAT SHOULD I DO? the car has lass than 250 miles?

gregoryc1 · February 2005

The V6 Hondas have a Transmission issue. Contact the selling dealer ASAP! Research your state's Lemon Law, so that you know where you stand legally! If you have a friend that is an attorney, get some advice. When you have good information you have "power"! Lot's of luck. Keep us informed about this issue, and especially how you are treated by the dealer. Now that the trans has been slipping, the friction parts have accelerated wear on them. Plus, HEAT has done damage to metal parts. Even if the dealer was to get the trans operational, I would not want this unit. The more you drive the vehicle, the more damage will be done to the friction and metal parts. It's life has been shortened. If you are going to keep this vehicle, purchase an extended warranty for the maximum time and mileage.

jocktheglide · February 2005

im looking at some HO (Honda Oddsseys) myself and was wondering does the any other years have the transmission issues? I have heard of them (transmissions) failing prematurely on all oddssesy and honda wont fix them if it has past 30k miles on them. I plan on buying one on ebay.

jparsons · February 2005

My V-6 EX-L Odyssey downshifts at 35 mph and again at 15 mph. Sometimes it is gentle and sometimes it is hard enough to jerk your head. You can always see the downshift on the tach as the engine rpm increases to 1500-1800 when it downshifts. On glare ice, the downshift at 15 mph is sometimes hard enough to make the front wheels skid. The dealer's mechanic says this is normal, as the transmission is trying to match the torque curve. Seems like B.S. to me. Is this normal behavior? Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them to address this problem?

innorristn · February 2005

I once again have a rattle in passenger-side sliding door of my '05 Odyssey.
I have had two different rattles. The first one was there when I picked up the van at the end of November. It was a higher pitched noise. The second one began after I had the vehicle about 3 weeks. I think the second one began after someone tried to open the sliding door while the van was in Drive. It sounded like the door was rattling in the frame. I took the van in for the first time about 4 weeks after I got it. They fixed (I thought) the second rattle by replacing the Handle Crank Assembly. I had to take it back to get them to fix the first rattle. It took several days, but they found a loose bolt in the kick panel door track. They tightened the bolt and I haven't heard that noise since. However, about a week later the second rattle has come back.
I have an appointment Wednesday morning to get it looked at again. Anyone have any other experience getting sliding door rattle fixed?Thanks.

gregoryc1 · February 2005

Do a search on the "net" about the V6 transmission issue. You will see that it goes back to 1999. Ask yourself these questions; ----How come Honda, can fix the problem by installing a "Remanufactured Unit" under warranty when the original unit fails, but they can't seem to fix the problems with the "new units" in production, (that are being installed in new vehicles). Doesn't one part of the corporation communicate with the other part of the corporation. Why has this issue gone on for such a long time? I would not purchase a V6 automatic Honda, without a Honda extended warranty on the vehicle, (for the maximum number of years and miles).

txerwin · February 2005

Occassionally, a loud, annoying whistling sounds comes out of my a/c for the 1st minute or two that it is on. Sounds like something needs to be lubricated. Thoughts?

dulnev · February 2005

The noise is ABS test. It's normal.

dc0027 · February 2005

Where can I get the best price on Honda's extended warranty? For now the best I can get is $1,090... I remember it cost me about $800 for '99.
Also i saw some post indicating if you don't use the extended warranty (Honda Care), you will get a full refund in the end. Correct?

Thanks.

robr2 · February 2005

Also i saw some post indicating if you don't use the extended warranty (Honda Care), you will get a full refund in the end. Correct?

AFAIK, not correct. There is not a refund component to the HondaCare warranty.

agengler · February 2005

-Congratulations! Nice job! How did you manage this? I have the same problem and a major bill ahead. And because it was intermittent it never did it when the car was in the shop. Now its consistent but $4000 consistent (and thats for a rebuilt!)

klawson · February 2005

From the problems I am reading about on this site concerning transmissions I'm wondering about the extended warranty. We're buying an 05 EX-L. Do any current owners heavily recommend buying the warranty?

fezo · February 2005

There is a topic on Hondacare warranties over in Smart Shopper under warranties. As someone pointed out in their (I don't know if correctly or not) you can get money back if you sell the car and do the right paperwork, but not just for going through the time or mileage and not using it. It's an insurance policy, like any extended warranty is.

klawson · February 2005

I read a post on this site that referred to an existing, documented pre-purchase checklist for a vehicle. I can't locate it however.
Does anyone know where, or if, it exists on this site?

Karen_S · February 2005

Is this what you're looking for?

10 Steps to Buying a New Car

stickguy · February 2005

someone on another forum (ady specific) developed a pre-delivery inspection checklist that is, to put it mildly, exhaustive.

The best thing about it is, even if you don't perform every task, is that it is specific to the Ody (actually the touring R&N), and even addresses some of the early-build "issues" (like the mis-adjusted glove box). Prety nifty overall, but I don't recall ever seeing it over here, and can't post a link to the other place.

relaxedinca · February 2005

Can someone help me with re setting the maintenance required light on the instrument panel. I just had my 99' ody serviced and the dealer forgot to reset the light. It's a hassle to go to them to have this reset. Thanks for your help.

robr2 · February 2005

I don't have the specific procedure but read your manual - it's in there under maintenance.

nkk219 · February 2005

I am not sure if its a problem: sometimes I hear revving sound from engine even when driving at same speed. It happens at lower speeds around 30 mph. Saw similar posts above but there were mentions of up-shift / down-shift; how to detect these shifts? have a auto-V6 '05 for a week now. Dealer explained it as normal but I was not convinced.

I also hear a mild thud (click type) sound when I start driving, from previous messages this seems normal ABS testing sound. My dealer confirmed same.

Karen_S · February 2005

I remembered an Ody checklist link had been posted, but it took some doing to find it. Yes, it's rather dated.

dhyams, "Honda Odyssey XVI" #97, 24 Sep 1999 8:27 pm

chriso825 · February 2005

My 2001 Ody EX has 80,000 miles on it, and I haven't had one problem with the transmission. The only complaint with the van has been the power sliding doors, which have been fixed at the dealer three times. They have been quiet for over a year now, though (knock on wood...)

We'll definitely be trading up to an '06 EXL-RES a year from now. Hopefully, we have the same luck with the tranny.

rockycow33 · February 2005

The instructions for turning the light off are in your owners manual.

markmcdonough1 · February 2005

I have a strange problem with my '02 Odyssey: When the car is cold, the passenger and two rear vent windows don't open. After about 10 minutes they start to work. The dealer has tried replacing several parts, but nothing has worked. I thought it must have something to do with the power cut-off switch since the driver's window always works, but apparently that wasn't the problem.

Has anyone had a similar problem?

scottyb · February 2005

"Anyone have any other experience getting sliding door rattle fixed?"

As previously noted, on my second repair visit, the repair slip said "lubed passenger door sub seals," and I haven't had a problem since.

How did you make out on your Wednesday visit?

scottyb · February 2005

http://home.comcast.net/~2005odyfan/Checklist.html

There was a bit of discussion in the prices paid forum as to whether this checklist is overkill. Honda dealer said yes; others said no.

stickguy · February 2005

I was referring to. The guy that put it together defines the term "ody fanatic". He probably knows more about the '05 than any dealer person, and makes a hobby out of fixing glitches (such as rattles).

Some of the items on the list might look a little odd, but they are there for a reason.

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

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

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