I also have the dreaded humming noise in my brand new 2006 as described here. It occurs at 2000-2300 rpm when doing a slow acceleration or going up an incline. It also occurs when in overdrive at around 1400 rpm at about 42 mph. At highway speeds you can also hear it when in overdrive and in the 2000+ rpm range. I have brought it back to the dealer and demonstrated the problem to the service manager. He recognized it but said there currently is no fix, but they are working on it. I then called Honda customer relations at 800 999-1009 and started a case number. They FINALLY called me back and said this is a "characteristic" of the vehicle. I told them it was a defect, not a "characteristic" and that Honda would not have designed this "characteristic". I ask that everyone that has this "characteristic" please call Honda, start a case number, and maybe we can get this resolved with a recall/fix. This is either an intake or exhaust resonance that is very annoying, especially if you live in hilly terrain.
I live in a hilly area and don't have this "characteristic". Maybe I should take it back and ask that they add it? :P
Honestly, my transmission downshifts so easily I don't know how yours is holding that low of rpm while pulling a hill. Perhaps your transmission isn't downshifting as swiftly as it should so there is some lugging occuring. I have a couple of steep hills on our daily route that I've tried to climb without downshifting and can't do it.
Hi, I have 2005 Odyssey. (I purchased it last August, now 8000 mileage) My car has same problem. I already had 3 times services with this and other problems (changing power steeling pump, sliding door, ) Last time, they replace engine mount. (It is like a brain surgery for human) After that, I feel it is ligher. But humming sound problem doesn't fixed. And also I heard some different suspicious sounds (like a dove's coo in low speed 0-45 mile per hour) I don't feel any brand new car with it. I never had this kind of experience with Toyota.
We are looking to buy a second minivan. We have an 04 Sienna and thought we would give the Odyssey a try. After reading all the posts on humming, we are wondering if we should reconsider.
For all you in the humming club, if you had to do it all over again, would you still get an Odyssey? Is there anyone out there whose Odyssey is NOT humming/vibratting?
I don't get the humming/droning all the time. It comes and goes and now I kind of ignore it. I had a passenger side sliding door rattle, which I think is the weather stripping, as I don't hear it now as the weather gets warmer. The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I would still get the Odyssey if I have to do it all over again. Just my personal view.
I recently bought the Odyssey 2006 EXL. Overall, it is a very good van. However, I have noticed four strange things about the van:
(1) A light surge/click sound in the gas pedal occurs after every time I start the car and drive off. It actually happens about five seconds after I start driving and my vehicle reaches around 5-10 MPH. I have found out that it's the ABS check sound, which many members of this forum who own both the 05 and 06 models have noticed. I hope this is normal.
(2) Every time when I decelerate - e.g., when I prepare to exit the freeway - the ECO light comes on and I feel the transmission shift to lower gear. The van stutters. Is it normal?
(3) At stop lights, when I put my foot on the brake pedal, I feel a slight continuous pulse/vibration on the pedal. Is it considered engine vibration that a few members have described? When I put the gear to neutral, the pulse/vibration is dramatically reduced. That is the only pulse/vibration that I feel. I do not feel any pulse/vibration on the steering wheel or the gear stick.
(4) When I accelerate (i.e., depressing on the gas pedal), I feel quite a lot of vibration on the gas pedal and overall noise. Is it engine vibration/noise? I have only noticed the overall loud noise while driving on the freeway or going up hills. I did not pay attention to recall the exact RPM or speed at which these symptoms occur. Is this part of the humming/droning noise that people have noticed?
Please share with me your experience and/or comments.
I have a 2006 Odyssey EX - bouth Oct 05 and have 5000 Miles on it now. So far I have had no problems, but do have the humming noise only at abt 2100 RPM. The humming noise is not very loud [ I am picky and sensitive to rattle and noise - but this does not bother me ] and in my opinion at most local and highway speeds, I am never stuck at that RPM. Just came back from a 700 mile Round trip and the drive and ride is impressive [ I had the previous 99 Odyssey and I liked it a lot ]. I was able to do 80/85 without hesitation. Overall I am happy and I'd buy this again.
We're pleased. Had our EX-L with NAV and RES for almost a year, around 11k miles currently on the clock. One oil/filter change around 5k miles ($23 at dealer) and a new set of wiper blades ($30!! at Advance Auto). We have the occassional wind whistle in the windshield area, but it's very sporadic and seems to only happen during strong cross winds. I'm not letting a dealer tear the thing apart for the occassional whistle.
I've not noticed any hum/drone noise and I tend to hear everything. There are some rattles but there may be things stuffed down into cubbys, I dunno. The tires are a bit noisey and the ride is a bit rough over bumps. Handles quite good though and steering quite accurate. I'll trade rough ride for handling any day. I usually keep my foot pretty hard on the pedal (ex-racer, can't help it) and we average about 22mpg for the most part. Long trips have turned 26mpg.
We finally brought our van in again and they flushed the power steering fluid which seems to have solved the problem (at least for now). The dealer suggested it's just a temporary fix, though. Thanks to everybody who replied and shared this solution!
I just happened to rent the Toyota Sienna this week in CA. Boy, what the difference between two vans:
1. Toyota van does make loud noise at low RPM too. It struggles quite a bit in hilly conditions where the Honda just zooms thru. After this experience, I will give Honda a break in their humming sound
2. The Toyota van's ride is very unsettled. It has the un even feel even on the smooth CA roads. It does get better at we loaded the vehicle more. Even my daughter noticed that. It reminds me of the old Buick vehicles in the 90. So Sienna is very close to Chrysler tuning.
3. Handling and Steering: Honda kicks Toyota soundly. I never have the security of sport car in the Toyota. In fact, it again reminds me of the 90 Buick: too light to steering, a bit sloppy but secured on corner
4. Sound system in the Toyota has the cheap BASS and TREB boostings that give me the nauseated feel. It seems to have less Electrical noise than our Honda for those who like to listen to radio (AM/FM)
So indirectly, I like my Honda a lot morte after living with the Toyota for 2-3 days
Trust me, you don't want to be a member of the club. But you can still own an Ody.
Despite what the people at Honda would described it as a "characteristic", not all Odys have the problem. So make sure you test drive extensively the exact one that you're going to take home. For our case, we test drove extensively the demo Ody (which didn't have the problem) and not on the one we drove home ( :lemon: )
It might be a characteristic to them, but to us who has to live with the problem, we call it a defect.
1) The consensus is that's normal. 2) If it stutters, IMO that can't be normal. If it sounds like deceleration from engine braking then it should be normal. 3) Yea, we have that annoying "characteristic" too. That seems to be a separate issue from the 1500-2000rpm hum. 4) IMO, this vibration is related to #3
I probably should have worded the hilly situation a little different. Because I live in a hilly area, the van does downshift often out of overdrive and then the engine goes through the dreaded 2100 rpm range more often while under more of a load than if driving on flat terrain. I can now hold the rpm in just the right range while not paying attention to speed and keep the van humming / droaning for a long time. This humming does not seem to bother the wife too much, I don't know if my ears pick up that frequency better than hers or not. Maybe it's a gender thing?
I am hearing a loud noise in my 2006 EX-L Odyssey originating from the rear window. This loud noise occurs when the rear windows are open and the front windows are closed. Has anyone experienced this problem?
My van is in today to have the entire steering rack replaced. I already had the pump and fluid reservoir replaced. I was getting some noise at low rmps and grinding during cold starts. Apparently some of the Odysseys have a bad valve in the steering rack that is supposed to keep the fluid in the system, but instead allows the fluid to leak out. Mine is one of those. You may want to ask your dealer to look into that for you. My dealer found out about this problem by contacting Honda.
We've got a 2006 Odyssey EX-L. So far we are very happy with the vehicle - we've put about 3000 miles on it so far and recently drove it on a 1600 mile round trip for vacation. It ran great. We have noticed something weird and we can't figure it out. The remote power locking feature works, but sometimes we can't get the lights to flash and the horn to beep when we press the button a second time to confirm that all the doors a closed and locked as we walk away from the vehicle. At first I thought that a door wasn't closed all the way, but that is not the case. We have had this happen a few times now - when pressing the remote lock button a second time to get the lignt flash and the horn beep confirmation it won't do it. However, if I go back to check all the doors and the rear hatch are indeed closed and locked. The next day it will flash the lights and beep the horn when we press the button a second time to confirm it is locked up. I've looked through the manual and I can't find anything that describes this - or even any mention of turning off the light flash/horn beep confirmation feature. Anybody experience anything like this?
maybe it is just sensitive to how quickly you hit the button a second time?
ALso, the drumming noise is common (there is a technical name for it, but I have heard it called "helicoptering") in many cars, not just the Odyssey. It has to do with the unequal air pressure with one window open. The Ody's aerodynamics seem to be favorable for causing this.
It is almost the same deal as when you blow across the top of an empty bottle.
The simplest solution (other than closing the windows) is to open another one to equalize the pressure. A front window, or the moonroof, should do the trick.
I am hearing a loud noise in my 2006 EX-L Odyssey originating from the rear window. This loud noise occurs when the rear windows are open and the front windows are closed. Has anyone experienced this problem? This seems to be a problem with Pacificas and is due to some form of resonance. (See Pacifica posts about this). We have both a 2005 Pacifica and a 2006 Odyssey but have never noticed a problem. I can't say, however, that either vehicle has been driven with only the rear windows down.
I am hearing a loud noise in my 2006 EX-L Odyssey originating from the rear window. This loud noise occurs when the rear windows are open and the front windows are closed. Has anyone experienced this problem?
This noise seems to be common problem on many vehicles: Odys, Pacifica, HHR, Lexus,...It is deafenning at above 30 MPH. We have it on our new Odys also. It makes the second window less usable when the front windows are close.
this "helicopter noise" is common in numerous makes of vehicles and is a function of many factors; but ultimately, you are either trapping air in the vehicle with the rear windows only open or causing a partial vacuum due to the air passing by the vehicle; this sets up standing pressure waves resulting in very low-frequency but high-energy noise.
the severity depends on many factors including vehicle geometry of the cabin space, the speed you are travelling, how far open one set of windows are, etc.
it's very similar to the standing waves one creates when blowing across the open end of a bottle.
i used to be able to create deafening noise in my VW Jetta, my Toyota Corolla and many other rentals I have driven. it is definitely not a phenomenon associated with SUVs or Mini-Vans.
you have to adjust the front and rear windows to provide a path of air rushing past the vehicle to pass in and out of the vehicle more freely.
I think the older model Odysseys were somewhat better in this regard because you could vent the rear-most windows.
I have no humming in my 05 Touring Odyssey. I drove and 04 Sienna about 50-miles and found it less responsive than my wife's Honda, which comparatively has a "hair trigger" in acceleration. This could be a Toyota settings issue because I have new Lexus LS 430 which is similar. Like my Lexus, the Sienna has wood trim and an elegant interior. There's no wood in the Honda, but I find the Odyssey, particularly the Touring model with so many toys to be more fun to drive. I think Toyota is just a generation behind and when they re-vamp the Sienna they'll close the gap. My daughter has an 04 Odyssey and there are many, many differences between her 04 and my 05. It's almost like a different brand. My Odyssey has 27K miles on it without a single problem.
There are lots of people happy with their Ody, but also lots of people experiencing problems. I belong to the 2nd group. It's up to you but no more honda for me. I had enough with my Ody...
There are lots of people happy with their Ody, but also lots of people experiencing problems. I belong to the 2nd group. It's up to you but no more honda for me. I had enough with my Ody... I belong to the first group. I just took my 2006 EX-L an a vacation for a total of just under 1000 miles. Much rain and some snow in the Cascade mountains of Western Washington. Many hills. Up one particularly steep hill on the I-90 I could see that there was going to be a convergence of slow moving semi trucks ahead of me with fast moving traffic coming up behind and a pretty good rain falling and misty. These are dangerous situations that I don't like. I got on the gas and got up to 85 mph without any effort at all and passed the trucks on the far left with a whole lane to spare before they all started moving over and before anyone coming up behind me needed that lane. I do not like driving this fast, but I will readily if I feel that it is the safest thing to do and I have a vehicle that I feel confident in. The transition from 65 mph to 85 mph going up that steep hill was effortless and quick. The van felt smooth and steady and I know that it had a lot more to give if I needed it. Very reassuring. I passed everyone, slowed back down and gave the van a little pat. A potentially dangerous situation avoided. Great van.
The 2 groups don't have to be mutually exclusive. Some people that have had a few problems are still happy overall, especially if the problems were fixed!
Knock wood, but so far the only "problem" we have had is some rattling in the pas. side slider (about 15K on a '05 EX-L) that I haven't bothered to have looked at yet. But, that annoyance is far outwieghed by the driving pleasure, comfort, and how well it works for travelling.
So, even someone that had some of the teething problems (say, a new PS pump) that were fixed could still love their vans.
We had our Ody for about a year now it is a 05 Touring and we had very good luck with ours and I can still go 2 weeks without filling it up. I don't know how that happen but it does and I wouldn't trade it for nothing.
I've noticed over the past 3 months that our Odyssey has begun to make some low level engine noise. When I lift the hood, it appears to be coming from the top pulley area ( water pump?). It is not a clunking or intermittent sound but more just an additional, somewhat higher pitched version of the normal revolution of the belt on the pulley.
Another sound we have noticed is what appears to be a somewhat pronounced "transmission growl" that is only noticeable in lower gears but is especially noticeable when backing up in reverse gear after a long drive. If I had to describe it, it sounds like any transmission does when you downshift into a lower gear at high rpms- like it strains a bit.
These noises that would probably sound pretty normal in a much older vehicle but we bought this Odyssey new (1/05) and it only has 22k on it. I have followed the maintanence schedule of changing the oil every 3-4k and most of its driving is highway based. I tow a small trailer about 2x a year for less than 150 miles, but the Odyssey has a cooling package installed and the trans oil looks pink and clean.
I have an appointment at the dealer but I am afraid that since the noises are much more noticeable after 20 -30 minutes of driving, the dealer will give me the old--"unable to replicate the problem" reaction and therefore, "unable to fix" response.
The vehicle runs well, the gas mileage seems appropriate, and no engine lights have appeared. The only reason these trouble me at all are that they are a change from the first year of driving. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated?
I'm the one who posted the message about the problem with our remote locks on our 2006 Ody EX-L. My wife took the van in to the Honda dealer on Wednesday when the van wouldn't give the confirmatory beep and light flash when she pressed the lock button on the remote the second time. We've had the vehicle only about 6 weeks and thought we were doing something wrong. Expected the dealer to show us what we were doing and we would be on our way. Boy was I wrong. The dealer still has the vehicle. Turns out the horn wouldn't beep because the security system was not arming itself. They ran diagnostics on their computer and confirmed that there was some kind of communication error within the security system. They worked on the vehicle for three days then called me on Friday afternoon to tell me that they can't fix it! They tried everything they could think of and could not find the problem. I know for a fact that they did try very hard to find the problem. I had to go in on Thursday to get my son's baseball equipment out of the back of the van - they had all of the interior door panels pulled out, wires hanging out all over the place - it about made me sick seeing our 6 week old vehicle like that. They told me they could put it all back together as good as new, but I'm not stupid. I know a lot of those interior panels are not really intended to be taken out once they are installed at the factory. Anyway, they are telling me now that some engineer from Ohio is going to come to try and fix it - but it might be two or three weeks until he can get here. They asked me that since the vehicle drives fine if I would want to pick it up on Monday and drive it until this guy can come take a crack at it. They must think they really are dealing with an idiot. I told them no way - I'm not taking the vehicle back unless it is fixed 100%. At this point I'm really questioning whether they can really fix it. It is very dishearting to have a six week old, $30,000 vehicle that has something so wrong with it that a certified Honda service department can't fix. I really wonder if this guy from Ohio is really going to fix it - or just reprogram the security system to ignore the error code. I'm not too keen on having this guy come and tear the inside of the vehicle apart a second time. I've been a loyal Honda customer for the past 16 years. I've purchased three new Honda vehicles in that time. I had a 1990 Integra that I drove for over 12 years - great car. The 2002 Civic that I replaced the Integra with never had a single warranty repair - not one - only time it has ever been in the shop is for oil changes and routine maintenance. We love the 2006 Ody EX-L also - it drives great. I'll be interestd to see how Honda treats me on this. If they can't really fix it then I think they owe me a new replacement van. If they can eventually fix it, then considering what they've done to the vehicle, they need to give me an extended warranty. I'm not kidding, they had the interior of the van really disassembled - they must have tried to check every, wire, switch, and sensor they could get at. I still think Honda is a great company with great cars - we'll see how this goes. I don't have a real good feeling on this.
Hey, The first thing you need to do is calm down. No kidding. Things are never as bad as they seem. I was almost exactly where you are a year ago. True story: we had just purchased a new EX. I didn't want a new van, but my Toyota Previa had 212k on it and I wasn't going to invest in the trans. and engine repairs needed to keep it on the road. RIP. We are historically Toyota people but being open-minded, I wanted to check out everything that was available. We read CR and ordered their reports, shopped online, emailed various dealers, took our time. We waited until Christmas eve to visit the dealer and picked the Odyssey up the day after New Years. I was patting myself on the back for shopping at the right time of year, making a good deal on the van and the financing, and letting my wife pick the color; which I regret to this day. A week after we got it, the door locks froze up. As we rounded a corner, the unlatched door swung open and if she hadn't been belted in, my wife could have tumbled out. Shortly after that, the sliding doors wouldn't open either. We had some freezing rain and the doors' electronics fell victim to it. Of course, when we got to the dealer, it had warmed-up, and the doors had unfrozen and dried out. Since the dealer couldn't reproduce the problem, they wouldn't take it any further. I thought "oh great, now we have to wait for more freezing rain, etc." The dealer had had no fix except to lubricate the mechanism. I'm not a mechanical engineer but I knew that if water penetrating the locks was the culprit, that fix was not going to get it done. It didn't help that my wife was that smart as well, not to mention the neighbors. Sheesh. Luckily, the service manager got a fax from Honda two days later instructing him to check the locks on all his Odysseys. The ones that had been sitting in the shade were still frozen. That put us right where you are now. Honda of America to the rescue--but not right away. We got the same verdict you did, some engineers in Ohio were working on the problem and nothing could be done until they had it figured out. Meanwhile, my doors were opened up like recently fileted fish, wires and cables everywhere. I was bummed out to say the least and wishing I had stuck with Toyota. I remained calm, pointed out that my wife was almost expelled from the vehicle, and told the dealer I needed a replacement car until mine was fixed. Ok, perhaps I should have said "could have been expelled from the van," but needless to say, he ordered up a rental; some heavy, overpowered Lincoln from Enterprise. What a dog. When I almost wiped out in a snowstorm, I called him and told him I wanted to be in a Honda not a Ford until my van was fixed. He set me up in a nice three year old CRV which by the way, we loved. Over a period of four weeks, we drove the CRV and waited. I spoke to Honda of America several times. they were patient and professional. The dealer was equally professional. All the while, I was picturing two guys in Ohio spraying vans with hoses and waiting for them to freeze up in some factory parking lot. I told the Honda rep. that I felt that any fix they came up with that was not "designed in" was an afterthought, untested, and I was very concerned about the fix over the life of the vehicle. I reminded him about my Toyota and told him I fully expect to drive this for 200k as well. The Honda rep. came through. He asked me if adding Honda Care, a three year warranty addition or 60,000 miles whichever comes first, would make me feel better about the purchase and repair. I said, "you bet." So they fixed the van, I have Honda Care in writing, and 22,000 miles later, we are basically happy campers. I'm a show me kind of guy when it comes to cars and service so I have to tell you, Honda did the right thing. I respect them for that and I am glad I bought one. Jeez, I sound like a commercial for Honda but hey, it is loyalty earned. We live in PA and the dealer was Piazza Honda of Reading. Kudos to them. I believe that Honda of America is very conscious of how competitive this market is and they don't want to give an inch to Toyota. Good luck, I hope it all works out for you. P.S. I do have one regret, the dullsville slate green color doesn't make driving a mini-van any easier. The silver one was cool and the red one was killer. You didn't buy the green one did you? -Mike :shades:
Thanks for the info. I'm trying to stay calm - not easy when the vehicle you paid nearly $30K for is sitting at the dealer and your driving a piece of crap Ford Freestar from Enterprise leasing. I'm a reasonable guy - I just want Honda to do what is right. They don't know how to fix the vehicle. This whole deal about the engineer coming from Ohio to fix it sounds like a bunch of crap to me. You said that you weren't a mechanical engineer - well I actually am one and I think they are sending this guy to simply kluge something togehter.
Actually, I'm a writer. Do tell. First thing I'd do if I were you is tell them that you believe in Honda, paid for a Honda and that if you wanted to be driving a Ford, you would have bought a Ford. I'd insist on a Honda replacement of some kind while yours gets fixed. That arguement made all kinds of sense to the manager of the dealership who seemed much more concerned about image than the service manager. By the way, I don't know if this happened to you, but I got two follow-up surveys from Honda of America, post purchase, and one letter from the dealer urging me to please fill the survey out and send it back. Tell you anything?
Check the belt. I have a 1999 Intrepid ES. About a year ago i thought that the cars was dying from the horrible noise that it was making. A new serpentine belt made all of the noises go away. It was unbelievable.
I bought a 06 EXL for $31000 and I am not very happy with it. I had Honda civic, accord, and Acura legend before. They were exellent. all those cars ran over 200k miles without giving me trouble even i bought them used. But this brand new Odyssey has problem even it has less than 2k miles. First, there is a metalic tapping noises from both front wheels when it run over rough surface.It sounds like something broken. Second, I can feel the engine vibration from the steering wheels and break padel. Third, there is a noise from the left sliding door every time when the van start to move or accelerate fast. seems like the door is not closed tight. Fouth, the paint is very easily get scraches. I recommend those people who read this website and thinking about buying Odyssey think carefully. Odyssey obiously has quality control problems. How can a brand new van has so many problems?
Your vibration is real. I missed it on my test drive 12/31, but felt it the next day. Same symptoms that you describe. My suggestion to prospective buyers is to find a smooth road on your test drive and set the cruise at 45. Wait 15 seconds and feel the steering wheel for vibrations. I've spent many nights on this site's forums and odyclub.com as well. Several posters needed many attempts to get their dealer's service department to acknowledge the problem. A few were sucessful and received a rear motor mount replacement. Mine is being replaced today! I'll post the results after I pick my Odyssey up tomorrow.
Please "pardon me" if this is the not the right way to post. I just joined this group as I am in the finals of purchasing an 'o6 Odyssey. After reading numerous messages, I getting cold feet about all the problems in the 2006. I previously had a 2000 and sold it it 2004 with nary a problem. All inputs sincerely appreciated.
I'm a Mazda MPV owner. But, your going to get problems with any make/model. Just take your "future" Ody on a nice long test drive. Look, listen and observe. Make sure everything is working properly before you buy. If everything checks out o.k...pull the trigger. The odds are highly in your favor that you won't have any problems.
First, I've got to say that jipster is 100% correct.
Second, an observation:
"I previously had a 2000 and sold it it 2004 with nary a problem."
A review of the 'Problems and Solutions' board for the previous generation Odyssey would lead some folks to believe that Honda was incapable of building a minivan that DIDN'T have major transmission problems. Yet you apparently got that one Honda Odyssey 'with nary a problem'.
What's that tell you?
It tells me that the issues encountered (whether with the previous generation Ody or current models) can get blown way out of proportion on these message boards.
I'm the one who posted the message about the security system problem with out brand new 2006 Ody EX-L. At first we thought it was a problem with the remote locking feature because we sometimes could not get the horn beep/light flash when we pressed the lock button a second time. It turned out that we weren't getting the confirmatory beep because the security system wasn't arming itself. The Honda service department in my town found a communication error within the security system right away, but then had difficulty tracking down the actual problem within all the modules, switches, sensors, etc... that comprise the entire security system. After three days they told me that they may not be able to fix the problem and may need to get an engineer from Ohio to come in and take a look at it. Anyway, they finally found the problem about a week later - it was the rear lift door module - they replaced it and it now works. For the trouble associated with this, Honda has given me a 6 year/72,000 mile, bumper to bumper warranty on the vehicle at no cost to me. I know the guys at the local service department here worked hard to find/fix this problem and I feel Honda stepped up and compensated me for the grief we went through over the past week - until yesterday we had gone a week not knowing if, or when, they could fix the vehicle. I'll have no issues with having these same guys work on my vehicles again - and would buy another Honda again due to the fact that they stepped up and took care of us.
Just one comment: 2000 Model Year Odys did not have Automatic Transmission problem since it had 4 speeds only. Honda had problem when they introduced the 5 speed version (upto model year 2004): its second gear lacks lubrication. All owners with this type of vehicles got recall notices. The failure rate on this transmission is rather high for automotive standard.
Just to set the record straight. '99-'01 Odysseys were plagued with transmission problems. Honda extended the factory warranty to 100k miles for transmission replacements.
I own a '00 Odyssey EX w/125k and it had two replacements at 95k and 105k.
Lastly, the tranny still clunks when downshifting to 1st on a slow roll.
Are you saying they replaced the tranny at 95K miles and then had to replace it again 10k miles later?? More likely they tweaked something to get it to last past the warranty. Any new tranny should last more than 10K miles.
Honda does not give you a new transmission when replaced. They simply give you a remanufactured unit with the same inherent problems. Trust me, its a fact.
Also, the dealer didn't tweak anything. American Honda was involved at each occurance. They shipped the remanufactured unit in a crate and I had a loaner car to use while being repaired.
I have an 05 Odyssey RES/NAV and of course the glove box issue is there. I took it in yesterday for the first maintenance at around 7500 miles and they fixed it! It is perfectly flush. I read the mechanics notes and he just bent the metal latch a little. It fits flush with the dash and functions normal, not problems opening or closing. As far as other issues people report, I have none. No windnoise from windshield or seat backs tearing at the stiches or brake noises. It has been just fine and the fit and finish is good, not noticed defects. And I am a "car guy" and very picky with my cars, making dealers fix every little thing I may notice. I just recommend that everyone thoroughly test drive a vehicle before they take delivery, from highway ride at 70 mph to back roads with bumps, slam on the brakes, take a couple of turns hard, make the salesman shutup and keep the radio off to listen for weird noises etc. You should be very comfortable with the vehicle you are taking home for such a large investment. Most friends and family I have been car shopping with only drive the car around the block where the dealer wants them to go and head back up the street without really checking out the car. Big mistake. As far as the glove box alignment issue, take it to the dealer and tell them to call Bob Howard Honda in Edmond, OK (OKC metro) and ask them how they fix it. Good luck!
Tonight while driving home on the interstate, I was fortunate enough to hit a tractor trailer's tire tread that he decided to leave in the middle of the road. Now, the engine guard (i think thats what it is called) which attaches to the bottom of the bumper has been knocked loose. Help me out with what the attachment pins are also called?! Anyway, I need to know how to get those pins out to take the guard off because it is actually broke now and dragging the ground. Looks like I am going to have to buy a new one, but I need to know what it is called.....If anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it, especially if you are a trucker!!!
My wife and I took her two-day-old Ody on a road trip up to Delaware and Pennsylvania this weekend and it was great. We don't have the 2000 rpm hum, and our top glovebox is aligned just fine. The navigation system is a blast to use - accurate and easy to program. I've never driven a vehicle that's this effortless in everything. Even my ex-wife (a Toyota Sienna driver) is impressed with it!
Took the wife on the roadtrip - when we got back we stopped at the ex-wife's house to drop off the child and the ex-wife came out and oohed and aahed over the van.
I have the same problem. Took it to dealer twice. They could not fix it. The third time they said because of the brake pad material. Let me know if you find something
I have a 2005 Ody. with a little over 14k and am starting to experinece wind noise more so on strong cross winds. Has anyone had this problem and a possible fix thanks.
Comments
Honestly, my transmission downshifts so easily I don't know how yours is holding that low of rpm while pulling a hill. Perhaps your transmission isn't downshifting as swiftly as it should so there is some lugging occuring. I have a couple of steep hills on our daily route that I've tried to climb without downshifting and can't do it.
My car has same problem.
I already had 3 times services with this and other problems (changing power steeling pump, sliding door, )
Last time, they replace engine mount. (It is like a brain surgery for human)
After that, I feel it is ligher.
But humming sound problem doesn't fixed.
And also I heard some different suspicious sounds (like a dove's coo in low speed 0-45 mile per hour)
I don't feel any brand new car with it.
I never had this kind of experience with Toyota.
I really disappoint with Honda.
Do you think I can apply Lemon Law?
DL (davidbhlee@msn.com)
For all you in the humming club, if you had to do it all over again, would you still get an Odyssey? Is there anyone out there whose Odyssey is NOT humming/vibratting?
Thanks for your help!
The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I would still get the Odyssey if I have to do it all over again. Just my personal view.
Yeppo
I recently bought the Odyssey 2006 EXL. Overall, it is a very good van. However, I have noticed four strange things about the van:
(1) A light surge/click sound in the gas pedal occurs after every time I start the car and drive off. It actually happens about five seconds after I start driving and my vehicle reaches around 5-10 MPH. I have found out that it's the ABS check sound, which many members of this forum who own both the 05 and 06 models have noticed. I hope this is normal.
(2) Every time when I decelerate - e.g., when I prepare to exit the freeway - the ECO light comes on and I feel the transmission shift to lower gear. The van stutters. Is it normal?
(3) At stop lights, when I put my foot on the brake pedal, I feel a slight continuous pulse/vibration on the pedal. Is it considered engine vibration that a few members have described? When I put the gear to neutral, the pulse/vibration is dramatically reduced. That is the only pulse/vibration that I feel. I do not feel any pulse/vibration on the steering wheel or the gear stick.
(4) When I accelerate (i.e., depressing on the gas pedal), I feel quite a lot of vibration on the gas pedal and overall noise. Is it engine vibration/noise? I have only noticed the overall loud noise while driving on the freeway or going up hills. I did not pay attention to recall the exact RPM or speed at which these symptoms occur. Is this part of the humming/droning noise that people have noticed?
Please share with me your experience and/or comments.
Thanks,
Mike
I've not noticed any hum/drone noise and I tend to hear everything. There are some rattles but there may be things stuffed down into cubbys, I dunno. The tires are a bit noisey and the ride is a bit rough over bumps. Handles quite good though and steering quite accurate. I'll trade rough ride for handling any day. I usually keep my foot pretty hard on the pedal (ex-racer, can't help it) and we average about 22mpg for the most part. Long trips have turned 26mpg.
Thanks to everybody who replied and shared this solution!
1. Toyota van does make loud noise at low RPM too. It struggles quite a bit in hilly conditions where the Honda just zooms thru. After this experience, I will give Honda a break in their humming sound
2. The Toyota van's ride is very unsettled. It has the un even feel even on the smooth CA roads. It does get better at we loaded the vehicle more. Even my daughter noticed that. It reminds me of the old Buick vehicles in the 90. So Sienna is very close to Chrysler tuning.
3. Handling and Steering: Honda kicks Toyota soundly. I never have the security of sport car in the Toyota. In fact, it again reminds me of the 90 Buick: too light to steering, a bit sloppy but secured on corner
4. Sound system in the Toyota has the cheap BASS and TREB boostings that give me the nauseated feel. It seems to have less Electrical noise than our Honda for those who like to listen to radio (AM/FM)
So indirectly, I like my Honda a lot morte after living with the Toyota for 2-3 days
jt
Trust me, you don't want to be a member of the club. But you can still own an Ody.
Despite what the people at Honda would described it as a "characteristic", not all Odys have the problem. So make sure you test drive extensively the exact one that you're going to take home. For our case, we test drove extensively the demo Ody (which didn't have the problem) and not on the one we drove home ( :lemon: )
It might be a characteristic to them, but to us who has to live with the problem, we call it a defect.
2) If it stutters, IMO that can't be normal. If it sounds like deceleration from engine braking then it should be normal.
3) Yea, we have that annoying "characteristic" too. That seems to be a separate issue from the 1500-2000rpm hum.
4) IMO, this vibration is related to #3
ALso, the drumming noise is common (there is a technical name for it, but I have heard it called "helicoptering") in many cars, not just the Odyssey. It has to do with the unequal air pressure with one window open. The Ody's aerodynamics seem to be favorable for causing this.
It is almost the same deal as when you blow across the top of an empty bottle.
The simplest solution (other than closing the windows) is to open another one to equalize the pressure. A front window, or the moonroof, should do the trick.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
This seems to be a problem with Pacificas and is due to some form of resonance. (See Pacifica posts about this). We have both a 2005 Pacifica and a 2006 Odyssey but have never noticed a problem. I can't say, however, that either vehicle has been driven with only the rear windows down.
This noise seems to be common problem on many vehicles: Odys, Pacifica, HHR, Lexus,...It is deafenning at above 30 MPH. We have it on our new Odys also. It makes the second window less usable when the front windows are close.
jt
the severity depends on many factors including vehicle geometry of the cabin space, the speed you are travelling, how far open one set of windows are, etc.
it's very similar to the standing waves one creates when blowing across the open end of a bottle.
i used to be able to create deafening noise in my VW Jetta, my Toyota Corolla and many other rentals I have driven. it is definitely not a phenomenon associated with SUVs or Mini-Vans.
you have to adjust the front and rear windows to provide a path of air rushing past the vehicle to pass in and out of the vehicle more freely.
I think the older model Odysseys were somewhat better in this regard because you could vent the rear-most windows.
I belong to the first group. I just took my 2006 EX-L an a vacation for a total of just under 1000 miles. Much rain and some snow in the Cascade mountains of Western Washington. Many hills. Up one particularly steep hill on the I-90 I could see that there was going to be a convergence of slow moving semi trucks ahead of me with fast moving traffic coming up behind and a pretty good rain falling and misty. These are dangerous situations that I don't like. I got on the gas and got up to 85 mph without any effort at all and passed the trucks on the far left with a whole lane to spare before they all started moving over and before anyone coming up behind me needed that lane. I do not like driving this fast, but I will readily if I feel that it is the safest thing to do and I have a vehicle that I feel confident in. The transition from 65 mph to 85 mph going up that steep hill was effortless and quick. The van felt smooth and steady and I know that it had a lot more to give if I needed it. Very reassuring. I passed everyone, slowed back down and gave the van a little pat. A potentially dangerous situation avoided. Great van.
Knock wood, but so far the only "problem" we have had is some rattling in the pas. side slider (about 15K on a '05 EX-L) that I haven't bothered to have looked at yet. But, that annoyance is far outwieghed by the driving pleasure, comfort, and how well it works for travelling.
So, even someone that had some of the teething problems (say, a new PS pump) that were fixed could still love their vans.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
It is not a clunking or intermittent sound but more just an additional, somewhat higher pitched version of the normal revolution of the belt on the pulley.
Another sound we have noticed is what appears to be a somewhat pronounced "transmission growl" that is only noticeable in lower gears but is especially noticeable when backing up in reverse gear after a long drive. If I had to describe it, it sounds like any transmission does when you downshift into a lower gear at high rpms- like it strains a bit.
These noises that would probably sound pretty normal in a much older vehicle but we bought this Odyssey new (1/05) and it only has 22k on it. I have followed the maintanence schedule of changing the oil every 3-4k and most of its driving is highway based. I tow a small trailer about 2x a year for less than 150 miles, but the Odyssey has a cooling package installed and the trans oil looks pink and clean.
I have an appointment at the dealer but I am afraid that since the noises are much more noticeable after 20 -30 minutes of driving, the dealer will give me the old--"unable to replicate the problem" reaction and therefore, "unable to fix" response.
The vehicle runs well, the gas mileage seems appropriate, and no engine lights have appeared. The only reason these trouble me at all are that they are a change from the first year of driving.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated?
The first thing you need to do is calm down. No kidding. Things are never as bad as they seem. I was almost exactly where you are a year ago. True story: we had just purchased a new EX. I didn't want a new van, but my Toyota Previa had 212k on it and I wasn't going to invest in the trans. and engine repairs needed to keep it on the road. RIP.
We are historically Toyota people but being open-minded, I wanted to check out everything that was available. We read CR and ordered their reports, shopped online, emailed various dealers, took our time. We waited until Christmas eve to visit the dealer and picked the Odyssey up the day after New Years. I was patting myself on the back for shopping at the right time of year, making a good deal on the van and the financing, and letting my wife pick the color; which I regret to this day.
A week after we got it, the door locks froze up. As we rounded a corner, the unlatched door swung open and if she hadn't been belted in, my wife could have tumbled out. Shortly after that, the sliding doors wouldn't open either. We had some freezing rain and the doors' electronics fell victim to it. Of course, when we got to the dealer, it had warmed-up, and the doors had unfrozen and dried out. Since the dealer couldn't reproduce the problem, they wouldn't take it any further. I thought "oh great, now we have to wait for more freezing rain, etc." The dealer had had no fix except to lubricate the mechanism. I'm not a mechanical engineer but I knew that if water penetrating the locks was the culprit, that fix was not going to get it done. It didn't help that my wife was that smart as well, not to mention the neighbors. Sheesh.
Luckily, the service manager got a fax from Honda two days later instructing him to check the locks on all his Odysseys. The ones that had been sitting in the shade were still frozen. That put us right where you are now. Honda of America to the rescue--but not right away. We got the same verdict you did, some engineers in Ohio were working on the problem and nothing could be done until they had it figured out. Meanwhile, my doors were opened up like recently fileted fish, wires and cables everywhere. I was bummed out to say the least and wishing I had stuck with Toyota.
I remained calm, pointed out that my wife was almost expelled from the vehicle, and told the dealer I needed a replacement car until mine was fixed. Ok, perhaps I should have said "could have been expelled from the van," but needless to say, he ordered up a rental; some heavy, overpowered Lincoln from Enterprise. What a dog. When I almost wiped out in a snowstorm, I called him and told him I wanted to be in a Honda not a Ford until my van was fixed. He set me up in a nice three year old CRV which by the way, we loved.
Over a period of four weeks, we drove the CRV and waited. I spoke to Honda of America several times. they were patient and professional. The dealer was equally professional. All the while, I was picturing two guys in Ohio spraying vans with hoses and waiting for them to freeze up in some factory parking lot. I told the Honda rep. that I felt that any fix they came up with that was not "designed in" was an afterthought, untested, and I was very concerned about the fix over the life of the vehicle. I reminded him about my Toyota and told him I fully expect to drive this for 200k as well.
The Honda rep. came through. He asked me if adding Honda Care, a three year warranty addition or 60,000 miles whichever comes first, would make me feel better about the purchase and repair. I said, "you bet."
So they fixed the van, I have Honda Care in writing, and 22,000 miles later, we are basically happy campers. I'm a show me kind of guy when it comes to cars and service so I have to tell you, Honda did the right thing. I respect them for that and I am glad I bought one. Jeez, I sound like a commercial for Honda but hey, it is loyalty earned. We live in PA and the dealer was Piazza Honda of Reading. Kudos to them. I believe that Honda of America is very conscious of how competitive this market is and they don't want to give an inch to Toyota. Good luck, I hope it all works out for you.
P.S. I do have one regret, the dullsville slate green color doesn't make driving a mini-van any easier. The silver one was cool and the red one was killer. You didn't buy the green one did you? -Mike :shades:
Second, an observation:
"I previously had a 2000 and sold it it 2004 with nary a problem."
A review of the 'Problems and Solutions' board for the previous generation Odyssey would lead some folks to believe that Honda was incapable of building a minivan that DIDN'T have major transmission problems. Yet you apparently got that one Honda Odyssey 'with nary a problem'.
What's that tell you?
It tells me that the issues encountered (whether with the previous generation Ody or current models) can get blown way out of proportion on these message boards.
Just one comment: 2000 Model Year Odys did not have Automatic Transmission problem since it had 4 speeds only. Honda had problem when they introduced the 5 speed version (upto model year 2004): its second gear lacks lubrication. All owners with this type of vehicles got recall notices. The failure rate on this transmission is rather high for automotive standard.
jt
I own a '00 Odyssey EX w/125k and it had two replacements at 95k and 105k.
Lastly, the tranny still clunks when downshifting to 1st on a slow roll.
Also, the dealer didn't tweak anything. American Honda was involved at each occurance. They shipped the remanufactured unit in a crate and I had a loaner car to use while being repaired.