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Honda Odyssey: Problems & Solutions:(1995-2004 Models)
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Comments
rberti
I have to go back to the dealership for a plastic problem
with the third seat anyway---so can ask when i get there but thought I'd check first.
Thanks!!
The Ody gives its drivers a great driving feeling of being actively engaged like a good handling car and this may be what you are experiencing
that said, the honda should be very easy to turn and manuver. you should be able for example to rest your elbow on the door, and with two fingers of your left hand control the vehicles direction with very minimal steering wheel effort (i'm not saying you should drive this way), but if the vehicle is set up correctly, it is easy to do.
if your tires were grossly mis-inflated (i.e. under inflated), you might feel a sluggishness and difficulty turning the wheel, specially at slower speeds. i'd check your tire inflation pressure with a good gauge.
if you still find it hard to manuver, specially in curves like an off-ramp (however, are you taking the curves very fast? - the honda by the road feedback through the steering wheel will actually be telling you, well not speaking but communicating subtle queues this is the case), then perhaps you are not getting the proper power-assist in the steering that you should be. a trip to the dealer will rule this out.
once you get used to the steering response of the honda (assuming you were comming from a vehicle that didn't provide this sense of connectedness to the road), when you get in another make vehicle without it, you'll wonder where the road went.
then again maybe not. it's definitely a driver's preference though, and can be of great advantage to you, for example, when you hit an ice patch, or are taking a corner too fast, or you are hydroplaning (sp?).
Have you tried bringing it into the Honda dealership?
rhetorical question: besides the stalk control, what system can command illumination of the parking lights?
i believe that might be the system that flashes the lights when you activate your key fob. maybe that system has a problem, or a wire leading from it is making contact with power where it shouldn't.
that said, i myself would be looking for the relay that activates the flashing of the parking lights when you use a fob for keyless entry. owning an LX though without keyless entry, i'm just taking an engineer's SWAG at your problem.
look here for the instructions to install the option to add keyless entry to a 02-04 odyssey:
http://www.handa-accessories.com/odyssey/odykeyless.pdf
maybe you have a loose wiring harness or fuse. perhaps the factory-installed and the accessory option harnesses, relays and fuse locations are the same or similar enough that you could locate them, trace them and reseat the harness connectors, or the fuses if they need it. perhaps too, the same or similar relays are involved. note the two additional relays for this accessory. they no doubt handle the doors, horn, and lights.
hope it helps.
As with any brand, Honda too can build a lemon. :lemon:
If you like the Odd better than any other minivan, trade it in on a new 2006 Odd. You could also be unlucky and get a lemon with any other brand.
I checked all of the fuses and did not see anything abnormal.
Anyone have any idea what I may need to do to get them going other than taking it in to the dealer...$$$? :confuse:
a). clean the contacts of the door pillar using a pencil eraser
b). verify that none of the spring-loaded connectors on the doors themselves are sticking due to water/ice. verify they return to their fully extended positions with the door open without any coaxing
c). check for any obstructions in the track at the top and the bottom
d). look for ice buildup anywhere on the 4 sides and corners of the door and the vehicle that would obstruct the door from going completely closed. this includes the rubber seals. you might have to get on the ground to check the bottom side of the door and vehicle.
e). park the vehicle in a warm area, like your garage which is above freezing for a few hours, then try again
f). if you are still having a problem, try the door relearn procedure. do a search in this forum and you will find it
hope it helps.
I want to tow the Ody behind our motor home. Honda transmissions, in general, are said to be towable, although Honda, after many years, still says that they have no test data, hence cannot warranty the transmission!
I am concerned about the many 2001 Ody transmission failures and problems reported on this site. If the dealer sees the tow hooks on the van, he will no doubt blame any transmission problems on towing, which is not covered by the extended warranty.
Any opinions or experiences with towing this van will be appreciated.
We currently tow a 94 Aerostar with the Remco driveshaft disconnect, and it works fine, although a quite primitive device.
My question is whether there is some way to program it to make the headlights go on automatically when the car is turned on?
For several weeks my tailgate has been difficult to latch shut, and extremely noisy (metal on metal scraping). Being busy, I neglected it until the evening before a trip, when I was checking pressures, fluid levels, etc. Turned out that the latch mechanism is held in by three philips head screws, which had backed out almost completely (two were out, one still holding by a few threads). Access for re-attaching required removal of the interior trim panel (note to anyone doing this to be careful of the lock button linkage retainer...). More a major pain than difficult, as the plastic and clips were cold and unyielding. A hair dryer helped to prevent fractures.
Steve
I have the same problem on my 04 Ody. After searching on this forum, I'v learned that it's kinda easy to replace the light bulb for the clock. However, my car is still under warranty. Can anyone let me know if dealer will fix it for us for free ?
Thanks in advance !
I got rid of '99 Sienna for similar problems(after spending $800 to no avail). Is there something I should pressure the dealer to do?
There is a notice on the Honda tech site that the tech can search with regards to the light symptom. Solution: replace the alternator because there is some type of connector on the alternator that is bad. Fixed my problem!
However, more likely might be a pblm w/ dirty contacts.
Look at the fwd edge of the open door. You'll see a black connector w/ numerous electrical contacts. A mating connector panel is in the door jamb. Clean with a clean cloth and mild detergent if needed. Follow with a light burnishing w/ a standard pencil eraser to remove corrosion.
If the above doesn't help, it may be a prblm w/ the actuator itself (bent rod or the like) that is causing some resistance to closing. (The system is supposed to sense and obstruction and open if it comes into contact with one (like a garage door closer).
Good luck
Thanks
But - they also wanted to charge me $40 for the ABS warning light and code diagnosis. They wanted almost a grand to actually diagnose and fix the ABS. I told him to put out all the check lights, which they did. Then we argued over the $40 charge for the ABS diagnosis. I won the argument. Then I went home.
The ABS works just fine these last 30k miles, and the ABS light has never come on again. I've checked the ABS function on sand and grass, and it works just fine.
I bought an Actron OBDII code reader when I got another Check Engine light on, P0420 code (catalytic converter not functioning properly). There's a service bulletin out that says reset the code and drive away. I've done this about six times the last 10-15K.
Maybe it's time for O2 sensors (with 108k), which is what measures the catalytic converter performance? And maybe, Honda needs to reprogram the ECU computer? But at least I haven't had the dealer tell me I need another $1000 in ABS repairs for this problem.
Sometimes I wonder who to trust, except myself, when it comes to fixing cars.
Differences in speed are what do it to it.
We're hurtling through space at something like seventeen thousand miles per hour. No one even seems to notice, and certainly, we don't die from this, or even put one little dent in our cars from all that speed.
If cops were smart and real honest as well, everyone would get tickets that they couldn't afford to pay. Nighttime speeding tickets would cost more than daytime tickets, and we'd all get them for going the speed limit!
It's all in the reference point you choose, you see.
dealership again. (The first dealership did not fix that, I doubt the care since I did not buy from them.)
They spent a day on it already with Honda help over the
phone, and still can not find the reason.
The give a rental car for me and said it is gonna take time. My concern on the Honda quality is growing.
I liked the Honda look better than Toyota, and believe them
have the same quality, I am afraid I was wrong.
It all depends on how fast you go from 0 to seventeen thousand miles per hour. Accelerate too fast and the "G" forces will kill. Decelerate too fast and the speed of deceleration can kill you.
So, see, Speed does and will kill.
Try again!
Thanks
I played around with it a little more Friday on a trip. If you press rear lock, you control the rear from the front. The blower speed is manual (middle control button) and the temp adjusts with the front drivers. I was able to get cool air to the rear by cranking the driver temp way down. It also automatically controls where it blows the air based on temps. Cooler temps come out the ceiling, heat comes out of the rear floor vents. If you turn the lock off, the rear is completely manual and controlled by the rear buttons. You can then have heat blowing from the ceiling if you want.
I put winter wipers on and don't have any trouble. I swap out all my vehicles as I've never had much luck with normal wipers in the snow/ice. I also keep the windshield fluid topped off with the anti-ice stuff. You've gotta stay on top of that when the service intervals are so far apart. I think the minivans take on more road mist than SUV's/Trucks. A lot like cars really.