Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

mfletou1 · November 2007

Looks like your tranny failed at 74,500 miles. Acceptable? No. But..75k is not nothing. IF Honda fixes this for you for free, don't you think you're being a bit drastic?

I mean, its your money, and if you want to take the hit and get into something else, no skin off my nose, but...if I could get a new tranny on a 75k car for free...I don't know that I'd trade it right in.

gavanmom · November 2007

Had a similar problem with our 07 Ex. Transmission replaced at 2500 miles (give or take a few) and now 2 months later, the new one is doing the same thing as before. Take it in now....there seems to be a service bulletin out about this, although they are not telling us all about it. Make them check your tourqe converter and exhaust system. That seems to be part of the bulletin.
If ours is not fixed, we are going to try and use the lemon law to replace ours...it's been in the shop for over 4 weeks total and we bought it on May 28th.

desaip · November 2007

Hey thanks for your input and info on torque converters. It is really sad that one has to face these issues after spending 30K and a Honda brand, supposedly a very highly reliable brand. For me the excitement of buying the car died really fast due to the disatisfaction on downshifting / transmission behavior. Otherwise the car is wonderful

ionrocket · November 2007

Has anyone been successful at getting Honda to pay for all or part of an '99-'01 transmission for a Canadian Ody in the US?

I just found out I need a new one at 80k. Have seen all the troubles here and read about the lawsuit settlement. Frankly, the text of the settlement at hondatransmissionsettlement.com does not say anything about imported Canadian Odysseys not being covered. Just says must be US resident and car less than 109k miles after 1998.

My dealer says that Honda of America will not cover it. I knew from the start that the regular warranty was not valid due to it being Canadian, but this is a Honda "legendary reliability" brand issue and they should want to avoid driving customers away. If I wanted a minivan whose transmission would fail at 80k, I would have bought a Caravan for a LOT less $ (even including the import deal).

BTW, I HATE the "grey market" label - salt in the wound. :mad: Not only are they not paying for any warranty work, but the term implies that I did something semi-illegal. Nothing illegal about importing a car - I checked carefully and did it right.

2002odymike · November 2007

Just to chime in - I have a 2002 Odyssey with 109k freeway (!) miles - trans is shot and the dealer will do nothing. I have contacted both the dealer and Honda USA and after keeping the car for a week (rental car cost!) they came back and said they would offer absolutely nothing in assistance.

I've done lot's of research and this is a major issue - I'm surprised another class action hasn't occurred as with the 99-01 generation; I had seem multiple cases of folks that are on their 3rd or 4th trans by 100k. In many cases, honda has helped in lower mileage cases but ONLY after many rounds of fighting over it. Then the rebuild fails after maybe 20 or 30k. Even if I could put out 4k for a new trans I can't take the chance it'd be toast after 30k.

It seems like lately more folks are in the same boat as me with Honda offering no assistance whatsoever. Replacement cost is typically 4k +. These are fairly expensive cars (mine was 34k) for such poor reliability.

I have even found similar stories about non-Odyssey models (accord etc) with half as many miles as mine having auto trans trouble -

Wikipedia even has a good description of the defect and some history on it -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Odyssey

The five-speed introduced in 2002 suffered early wear out and failure of the transmission's third clutch pack. This causes large amounts of clutch debris to migrate through the transmission and block flow of transmission fluid, caused slipping, poor or no shifts, or sudden down-shifts from 5th gear to 2nd gear. Under some conditions, the second gear could overheat and break, causing the transmission to lock. An oil jet was added to lubricate this gear but this did not solve the third clutch problem[2

This was our third Honda but looks to be our last. I can't help but wonder how much of this is Honda USA vs. Honda in Japan;

mfletou1 · November 2007

Honda is looking at it the same way...why would it put out a couple thousand of its own money on a vehicle that's not even worth it.

You've got 109,000 miles on your car. Your situation is not the same as those who have had multiple transmissions. You've had one that lasted 109k. That's really not unusual for ANY car with that kind of mileage.

100k is the life of the car to many people. I'm sorry it failed, and maybe I'm just conditioned by my American car experiences, but I'm not sure why you think Honda is going to pick this up.

But then again, this is coming from a guy who had a steering system fail on an American car that was 3 years, 1 month old and had 21k miles (out of warranty by a month) and who had GM tell me tough luck, bad break, here's your bill for $2500 for a new steering system, so maybe I'm jaded...

2002odymike · November 2007

While I certainly agree that 109k is much better than many other with much lower mileage, I would argue that mine lasted that long largely to do with the fact it's nearly pure highway miles.

I don't expect Honda to pick it up by any stretch - however, given the extensive history on this part, I wouldn't expect them to offer nothing, after keeping the car for better than a week.! I've found many examples of folks post 100k that they have covered 50/50! (I expected less than that, maybe a token good faith gesture - one of my early calls to Honda indicated this was not an unreasonable expectation)
They told me a new trans for this goes for over 4k, without the ECU - I'd dance in the streets to get it done for a couple of thousand.

Really, nobody expects more than 100k on a ~35k car? I put 200+ k on a GM transmission 25 years ago! Notwithstanding much worse stories, my point is that many people may not realize how extensive this problem is, and should realize that Honda very well may tell them to go pound sand.

This is my 3rd Honda and this was quite unexpected - your last sentence made my point exactly; albeit this is not as severe case as yours, I'd come to expect the "tough luck" stuff from American car companies, up to now that certainly has not been my experience with Honda (as now seems to be).

ionrocket · November 2007

Yup, I'd say you are jaded. I was always amazed that friends of mine with American cars just expected them to fail at ~100kmiles. It seemed like brainwashing. Like living with your Windows 98 PC locking every 20 minutes. I had 2 Hondas go to 200k. My extended family had half a dozen Hondas do the same. This was the primary reason I looked for the Odyssey and paid more. All good things have to come to an end and maybe Honda's run is ending. I have many friends very happy with their Toyota's of similar model years. And, all things considered, I might have bought American if I thought I was looking at ~ 80kmiles for the expensive Honda.

Not expecting a handout. And frankly, I just wanted to check all options before I repair or sell this thing. It is a business deal. They are under no obligation to me apparently, but I am under no agreement to buy Honda next time now that I know the score.

mfletou1 · November 2007

Though I will say that Toyota might not be your answer, either...see this month's Consumer Reports for an article about Toyota's "slipping" reliability.

If you troll through enough of these forums, I think you'd see that on balance, Honda is probably the most generous manufacturer when it comes to product failure. Now, I don't blame you for feeling the way you do, at all, and I don't even own a Honda, so I'm not schilling for the company, but when it comes time for your next purchase, perhaps instead of giving Honda an advantage, you'll just view them all equally because if your tranny had failed on your 109k Sienna--which, statistically, is probably almost as likely to happen as it did on your Ody--you wouldn't even dream of getting anything from Toyota.

Its true on American cars, absolutely---though I will say that I consistently paid quite a bit less for them. You do get what you pay for. Now, however, an 08 DGC-CTC costs more than an 07 Ody by a significant amount, so we're looking at the Ody.

We drove a Sienna but...frankly...we just didn't like it was much, even if all things were equal. So that steers us to Honda.

BTW--I wouldn't assume that highway miles mean a heck of a lot when it comes to a transmission. Rotors, brake pads, even suspension, yes, but not so much on the tranny.

Are you both 100% sure Honda will do nothing for you? Have you taken it as far as it will go?

maryh3 · November 2007

Have you guys done what Chrysler told its clients to do? They said to flush the transmission fluid every 60K and it would help significantly. I just passed 172K on my 2000 Chrysler T&C and still on my original tranny. Still no slippage or rough shifts yet. Maybe Honda Odysseys need the same maintainence. I go to Midas who only charges $89.99 for a tranny flush.

ionrocket · November 2007

Fair points on the Toyota v. Honda v. American overall quality. However, I would say that it is NOT statistically likely that the Sienna would have failed at 81kmi like my '01 Odyssey has (or even 109kmi necessarily). The Odyssey has a known and fairly widespread issue with the transmission (there is a Wikipedia entry on the 99-01 transmission problems, for what that is worth) and many have been failing at a lot less than 80kmi. On this specific issue for at least these years (but maybe for later years also), there is a problem.

Now, regarding what Honda will do for me- I have pled my case everywhere, including Honda of Am, Honda of Canada, my regular dealer, other Honda dealers. The reason for my post was a last ditch effort to see if anyone else has had luck with any other avenue.

Here is what I have learned: If a Honda is bought in Canada and immediately imported to the US by a US resident for use in the US, all warranties are canceled (knew that already for the base factory warranty). Turns out that Honda's interpretation of the settlement is an extention of the factory warranty to 109kmi for the trans. From their perspective, I never had any warranty to extend. My VIN is not even in their system (so they say). Now, it is interesting that the factory warranty is cancelled for everything EXCEPT safety and emissions items. And BTW, this does not apply if you buy in Canada, live in Canada and then move to the US - they will transfer your full warranty. So they CAN do things, but they won't. This is their way to attempt to stem the "grey market" of cross border buying.

Also, clarification on that term: I believe that they intend the term to refer to dealers sort of violating Honda's own rules on selling for cross border traffic, not the buyers per se, although you do feel like a criminal at some dealers. It is perfectly LEGAL, and possibly even easier under NAFTA than it was, but Honda does not like it because they want to price for each market separately. Honda of Am and Honda of Can are two separate profit centers. Still, word to wise Honda dealers - be careful of using this term with customers who might feel that you do not want their lucrative service business or future possible sales.

Finally, my local dealers service mgr told me that he gets 4-5 cases like mine a year - Canadian bought Odyssey with failing transmission. That's a lot of cases nationwide and that's just a fraction of 99-01 Odysseys.

And, in the end, he did offer me a deal since I have been a long term service customer - remanufactured transmission at part cost and he would pick up the labor - ~$1800 total, 3 yr, 36 mo warranty (the std warr.) Not the perfect outcome, but at this point, for an 81kmi vehicle, I'll take it and hope to get another 3 yrs out of this vehicle before shelling out for another minivan. Not what I had expected from a Honda, but it is what it is.

autowrite · November 2007

There is a hugh price difference between buying USA & Canada (ins the case of the Odyssey it's about $10K {my Can 2002 Odyssey EX costs list 34,700}) . Some Canadian residents would like to buy from American dealers. Also the American dollar has lost ground against the Canadian dollar. On the news it has been told that if an American dealer (Ford, GM, Chrysler) sells to a Canadian resident they will lose their franchise. I do not know if this is the same policy with asian vehicles. There is a company with ties to both markets & so would be able to buy USA for Canadians.

jal1948 · November 2007

I had about 57K miles on my 99 LX and the extended warranty (settlement) had expired by a couple months when the tranny showed signals of failure.
Plead the case with Honda's...got a RE-MANUFACTURED transmission out of the deal,but had to pay about $800 for labor.
This a known,documented,DEFECTIVE transmission!! Honda Motors should be 100% liable !!! Why are they getting away with this abuse?
Did anyone tried to take Honda Motors to court ? Contact the news?....We should!!
In addition....because of the publicity on those failing transmissions ,the resale value went WAY DOWN !!! My van is in mint condition,but can not get more than $5000 for it.

ionrocket · November 2007

Man, I feel your pain, jal1948. 57kmiles is way too low for any make, let alone the brand with the "legendary reliability." They did take Honda to court and won the settlement you spoke of, but it did not require them to re-design the transmission. And given some other posts, the 02 redesign did not fix the problem and perhaps there are still issues even with the 07 model, which has a significantly beefier transmission (from the Pilot vs the Accord line)

By the way, the JD Power ratings on this (the Edmunds) site give the 01 Odyssey a 4.5 out of 5 rating for powertrain reliability! Kelly Blue Book has similarly high ratings. Either we are a rare bunch of cranky malcontents or this gives you a calibration on these ratings. It is as if the inertia of the Honda reliability brand outweighs actual data.

How common is this problem? The lawsuit estimated that the cost of the extension of the warranty by 9 months and 9000 miles was about $180M, I believe. I do the math at $3k a pop and I get something like 60k Odysseys that will fail within that window. If they sold a million Odysseys from 99 to 01 (a generous guess) that would be 6% failing just between 100 and 109k miles with many more before that. Maybe it is not every one of them, but it is clearly not just one in a million.

bjb5 · November 2007

I quess im not crazy then! I started to notice the clunk in the downshifting at about 5 hundred miles. I know have 2500 miles on it know. I does not do it all the time and then it seems to do it every time im comeing to a stop .It seems to very on brakeing speed and # of passangers. I dont know what to do about this yet

meli3 · November 2007

First I'd like to say that I love my Odyssey-all of the features, but having any tranny fail on any vehicle before 100,00+ miles is ridiculous. $16,500 isn't chump change for a used car- for crying out loud it really wasn't all that long ago that you could buy a starter home for the price of what many new vehicles cost today -and homes can last 100+ years. Honda has been a top of the line manufacturer forever and I surely expect to get what I pay for. The main reason I'm considering trading it in is because I don't want to be like some of the other unfortunate consumers on this site who are having to replace multiple tranny's.
Second I had the work done last week and the final cost was $1068. $841 for "parts" and $161 for labor + tax. So the folks who are only paying for labor GUESS AGAIN, my bet is we are paying "dealer cost" on parts + labor. And I plan to send a letter to Honda and my dealership requesting the $841 be refunded.. I'm sorry that some may not agree, but I am tired of being cheated. Honda knows darn well they have bad tranny's and instead of recalling them and changing them completely, their trying to hide it and when it's disputed they are putting the same tranny's right back in "rebuilt".
My next step, depending on the response from Honda and my dealership is the BBB and Florida states attorney. :lemon:

stickguy · November 2007

I just had the 30K (3 year) service done on our '05 (at about 31.5K). Had them do the tranny drain and refill.

The service advisor actually tried to talk me out of it (not hard, he just pointed out that it wasn't called for yet), but I told him do it anyway, given the history (he kind of nodded at that).

For $75 every 3 years, it is a pretty cheap preventive maintenance. Besides, I figure that if the tranny does crap out after the warranty expires (30 days from now!), it gives me much better ammunition for getting a replacement on them.

oregonpi · November 2007

Last week I bought a 2007 end of the year clearance Odyssey with 45 miles on it, and the next day I noticed the brakes make a grinding noise when stopping at slow speeds. Now I go online and I see that this is a chronic problem. Oh, this is just great. This really pisses me off. I thought the Odyssey was the top rated mini-van. Now I'm going to have to go in and deal with all the service hassles. Does anyone know if there is a technical service bulletin associated with this problem ?

pt2 · November 2007

This forum has been a huge eye opener for me. I never would have believed Honda would have so many issues with their transmission.
I bought a 2003 odyssey EX from a dealer (not a Honda dealer) six months back. I had it checked out at a repair shop before buying and everything looked ok. Last week I felt a little roughness while shifting. I had a oil change scheduled this week and asked the dealer to check it out and yes I got the answer that there was a internal failure in the transmission and the cost was 2900$. I was too shocked to reply back and just came back. What should I do? The vehicle has only 53k miles on it.
- I do not have any service history since I bought it only 6 months back.
- I checked the class action website and this vehicle was not part of it.
- Should I ask the dealer to talk to honda? or should I call honda?
- What are my chances?
- Should I check with some other transmission places and get it done for a cheaper price?

Thanks for any help anybody can provide.

2002odymike · November 2007

I'd say in general your chances aren't bad in general but the first, not so good sign, is that they didn't offer to contact Honda on your behalf. 'Course, mine did and i think they may have not exactly helped my case (terrible dealer, really).

You will want to contact Honda Customer Service (not the dealer) and they will give you a case number and do some research. Given the low mileage I would expect they would likely cover a good deal of the cost or perhaps all of it. This is only based on several forums I've checked out and many stories of good results.

Mind you, there are also quite a few cases, like my own, where they refused to do anything. Mine had 109k on it (had it new) but they offered nothing and wanted to charge me $4100 for a rebuilt one. I got the impression this was due to the fact that I did my own trans fluid changes which seemed to mean nothing to them. I also found a post where a car with the same mileage got them to pay for the full deal - incredible. So there is a wide range of responses (too many bad in my opinion) but I would say you have a good shot with a low mileage vehicle.

Also check out:

http://www.odyclub.com/forums/

Go to the "Has anyone reached 75k without trans failure" thread - you'll see many posts similar to your issue - I would copy off the examples of Honda paying for the replacement and send those to your case manager.

The experience has taken me from strongly recommending Honda to being committed never to buy another...but hey, if they hadn't just left me hanging I'd still love 'em -

Good luck

dataguru1 · November 2007

How not to have a Happy Thanks Giving courtesy of Honda Odyssey 1999:

Where do I begin? I'm at a point of frustration and I see that others are facing similar problems with the 1999 Odyssey.

in Sept of 2004 with my mileage at 78K, I was told by my dealer that the transmission on my car was recalled and they replaced it at no cost. Since that (No Cost Replacement), I've had at least one problem with the transmission (which was resolved with an "adjustment") and now a few days ago at 158K, my Transmission was slipping so badly that I had it towed to the dealer.

Since 2004, we have been to the dealer before with transmission slipping problems and they "adjusted" the transmission so as to reduce the slipping.

We were very careful and followed the maintenance and transmission fluid replacement schedule at our local Midas Dealer.

Now I'm sitting here waiting for a call back from the dealer to see "what he can work out".

In my mind, I would never imagine having to replace the transmission twice in 3 years! Yes we drive a lot, but when I brought a Odyssey, I figured I was buying quality. I guess I was being overly optimistic.

Does anyone know who to contact if I cannot work things out with the dealer?

Shocked and stunnd in NJ.

wrexracer · November 2007

I haven't experienced the 5th/2nd gear transmission problem. My problem is that my reverse is extremely weak. Sometimes it is fine, but most of the time I wonder if I will be able to back up even the slightest hill. The van drives like the parking brake is on (which it is not). The problem seems to get worse once the van has been driven a little while.

Has anyone else had this problem? I have 111k on the van (2001 LX), but this has been a problem since about 95k miles. The dealer, of course, says they can not recreate the problem.

dataguru1 · November 2007

So my car's been at the dealer for 4 days now and the dealer has worked out a "deal" for me.. $1500 for new transmission. Of course I'm still P*ssed. After I get my car back tomorrow, I'm going after the Honda team..

jchan2 · November 2007

I would check with a dealer and ask them to contact Honda. Explain your case and why you do not have any service records; printing off a few cases from the odyclub forums and here to back you up with Honda might be a good idea as well.

With that mileage, I think Honda wouldn't hesitate to pay for it, but the "no history" part makes it slightly more complicated.

hangaralf1 · December 2007

wow - its been at least a year since i hit this forum.i had a '99 ody but we had an accident in '06 and while it still worked fine, the insurance settlement was enough that i took the money and ran and bought a new '07 lx ( i love this van).for what it was worth, the '99 needed a new tranny at 75k. some dumb@$$ dealer told me some $600 worth of solenoids and labor needed to be replaced first before they could warranty it. forget that! went to another dealer, in 5 minutes, they told me another transmission was in order - no charge. Deal. and it worked fine until i sold it at 125k miles. but you might want to know - i haven't checked to see if this was mentioned - honda sent me a notice that warranty coverage on the transmission of the '99 was extended to 120,000 miles. It didn't matter to me at that point, but look into it.btw - transmission fluid changes are very easy to do. no filter. out the bottom and back in through the top. getting to the top is a little difficult. but my changes cost me only the price of the oil and a half hour. if you do this, it is extremely important to use Honda's transmission oil - they have an additive package in their tranny oil that isn't in most cars.

sseell2 · December 2007

Received the bad news that my 2002 Honda Odyssey with 75,000 miles needs a new transmission and PCM. The dealer offered to split the $4,000 cost 50/50 (he said that since I was not a regular customer at his dealership this is the best the Honda district manager - DM - would offer). After a long talk and a second call to the DM, he has offered to cover 75 percent. It seems that in the past some individuals have paid little or no cost for replacing the transmission and the computer ... is this still the case? Any suggestiions are welcome.

blackexv6 · December 2007

Did you check your VIN# on: link title?

I wouldn't pay a dime, call American Honda directly and open a case. Your dealer is not helping you much.

All V6 Hondas/Hondas have bad transmissions from '99-'03 & some sporadic '04's.

pgnagel · December 2007

Does anyone know what the real problem is with these transmissions? Is it the clutches, the gearset, the soleniods, something else? I am aware that they use a non-planetary gearset, but unless these things are just shattering gears, that's not the real problem. Transmissions that slip could mean faulty clutches, and bad computer, or worn soleniods ans switches.

Our 1999 Odyssey has 140,000 miles and the original tranny, so even if it does fail, I don't believe Honda owes me a thing. However, I would like to get a spare transmission and rebuild it so when it does fail I can do the swap in my garage. Of course, rebuilding a transmission and not addressing the design flaw in the process would be very frustrating.

Thanks,

Paul N

dataguru1 · December 2007

My first tranny went bad at 78k on my 99 Oddessy. Do you have the extended coverage on the car?

On the second transmission that was replaced last week, the dealership negotiated on my behalf and I paid 75%. Stick to your guns and don't back down.

at such a low mileage, they should cover the full cost of the transmission replacement without a doubt. I would escalate to American Honda if needed.

Good Luck!

hangaralf1 · December 2007

you shouldn't have to pay anything. take it to another dealer. your "not being a regular customer" is crap. that is what the whole dealer network is all about - they get reimbursed by honda. they just want to see how much they can get on top of it. any dealer can do warranty work on any car that they sell no matter where it was bought. take it to another dealer, then report to honda.
i bought my 99 odyssey in monroeville, pa. but i took it to two different dealers in the lancaster area. the first one told me about the solenoids. the second one did it - for free. (around 75k miles) . like i said in the previous post, warranties were extended to 120,000 miles.
btw - pgnagel - they told me it was two solenoids. i can't remember anymore which ones, since its been a while since i had the van and all paperwork went with it. but from what i do remember, they were accessible with some disassembly of the engine plumbing/wiring. i wasn't brave enough to try, even with the service manual.

sseell2 · December 2007

Thanks for the replies. My '02 is not covered according to the above title link (are any '02s or is this limited to 99-01). Not sure I am going to get a better deal from Honda. Spoke to on operator at Honda customer relations to register my problem and was promised a call from the area Honda rep. Customer service at Honda said many of the same things the service manager told me at the dealership. Loyalty ... history of purchases and service at the dealer ... and that I was getting a good deal.

ody02tjk · December 2007

SSEELL2:

If you do not get any satisfaction from your dealer, and completed payment of the repair, escalate this by calling Honda of North America. Make sure to ask for a customer relatons manager if the rep does not offer to cover the entire equipment and the labor costs for the repair. Our tranny went this time last year at 63K miles on our 2002 Ody, and they told us the same thing. Honda is very aware of the transmission issues. I had to have several conversations with them, and point out postings on several forums, where Honda paid for the entire repair. It took us 3 weeks (extended by the Thanksgiving Holiday when they were closed for 5 days) to get them to cover it completely. If you can document loyalty to (ANY) Honda dealer, and have past history of owning Honda's, it will go a long way towards getting consideration to have yours covered. Also, if you know of any neighbors, friends or family that have Ody's, ask them about their experiences with Honda transmissions. I found that my sister, my old boss, and 2 neighbors all had transmission replacements done by Honda. 3 of those were 2001 models, and one was a 2002.

2002odymike · December 2007

Just to point out that the call to Honda North America is not that it seems - they assign you a case manager and he reviews your case but if he/she decides they aren't going to pay anything, you're done - (in my experience)

I submitted several posts from this forum and others for my 2002 ODY to the case manager and they still denied assistance (quite rudely); perhaps it depends on who you get for a case manager etc but i was surprised to find that once they review it and decide there's nowhere else to plead your case.

I really hope a class action comes out of this somehow, while in some cases they do the right thing in many more they do little or nothing; and then there's the little old lady that isn't going to make a fuss (and doesn't know about this forum) and she ponies up the 4k - "trusting them". I have to believe that there are a lot of those cases as the member of forums like these represent a fraction of ODY owners...

Anyone know if there's a chance of a class action suit down the line?; I don't know how those come about but it would seem that this would be a possibility...

blackexv6 · December 2007

I'm sure you know of the class action suit for '99-'01 V6 Honda & Acura cars + trucks. (Some '03 Acuras).

I too wouldn't be surprised that a new class action suit was filed for '02-'03 & some '04's.

Everyone I talk to that owns/owned an Odyssey had transmission problems. Just recently, I rode in a business associate's '04 & he told me that his tranny is failing at 75k.

I guess it depends on who has the time & money to put together a case. Not me.

sseell2 · December 2007

This forum has been very helpful in informing me of the transmission problem and the range of Honda's financial support. I have pursued my case with Honda but once they agreed to cover 75 percent there was no more budging. I will submit my receipts to demonstrate that I have taken care of the vehicle but don't expect any additional support. The more people I talk to the more failed transmissions I encounter (my friend with a 2000 is on his third transmission).

nrm1 · December 2007

I have a 2003 odyssey with 75K miles. For about two weeks I had engine light and TCS light on come up every few days ans then go away. After that engine light never went away and the TCS light will light up once in a while. I brought the car to dalership and was told that there was a incorrect gear ration and transmission system had a internal problem along with a problem with reverse gear also. The code is PO730. I waas also told that there is a EGR problem. The code is P1491.

The EGR problem is covered under warranty, while transmission is not. Can anyone please advise me how to avoid the 3500 dollar spend on fixing transmission?

ddjayint · December 2007

hi
I have the same problem with my oddy and American Honda offered me two options. 75% of total cost to replacement w/ 3 yr warranty or 100% w/ no warranty. They said that's their policy. Have anyone came across this offer? anyone got 100% w/ 3yr warranty ?

Oddy EX 2002
78K

mgunter · December 2007

I have a 99 oddy here in Massachusetts and once speaking to American Honda my dealership offered 100% total cost with one year warranty, or I pay for the labor ($930) with Honda covering the part and I'm covered for 3 yr. I went with the 100% total cost with one year warranty because they are familiar with me at the dealership and they gave me the impression that if after a year my transmission went again but I had been doing all the regular check-ups with them that they would try to work something out. Since my vehicle never showed signs of transmission problems until '07 I chose that route.
Best wishes

ddjayint · December 2007

I'm not sure if this link was posted before but I found that there are 156 complaint reported at this site for this issue.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintsearch.cfm

This is nhsta.gov site

ehmgvs · December 2007

Hello to all. This is my first time/post on this forum. About 2 weeks ago my '02 Ody developed a tranny leak for no apparent reason. I haven't touched it, as I know my mechanical limits. It appears to be coming from behind the flywheel inspection cover on the bottom of the tranny. Almost all of the fluid has leaked out as noticed on the garage floor and the dip stick. Any others out there dealing or dealt with the same issue and what was the solution to the fix? Many thanks!!

pgnagel · December 2007

First thing, check the fluid level when it is warm (i.e. returning from running around town). Make sure you have enough fluid in the transmission! Low fluid levels can be fatal to any moving parts. Check the drain plug to make sure it's tight! Did you hit anything with the van (a big rock, a curb, even a big stick in the road)? If so the case may be damaged, although it would take a pretty big smack to do that.

Has the tranny ever been serviced? If not, I'm sure it is due for a drain and refill. I would put a piece of cardboard under the engine/transmission assembly and note when and exactly where it leaks. Does it leak even if the van sits for a few days, or only when it's warm? There aren't a lot of penetrations in a tranmission case, but I do believe the Honda case is two halves, our 1999 Odyssey is for sure. If it leaks from the input side of the tranny it may a bad front seal. That would be a bummer, but you can live with it for a while.

Hopefully this helps.

Thanks,

PaulN

2002odymike · December 2007

I would strongly suggest you start the process of calling the customer service line for Honda America and start a case and see if they will assist in the cost. Chances are, for whatever reason, your trans is on the way out (which as per this forum is quite common). Include info from this and other forums to strengthen your case that this due to the known trans problems.

Given your mileage etc you may stand a decent chance of having them cover a significant amount. Don't do your own fluid changes as (per my experience) they don't take those into account.

For my 2002 I had more miles and they basically told me to pony up $4100 and quite rudely denied any assistance, even after I showed them an exact similar situation where they covered everything from this board - however, from what I've seen on this forum, some folks have had a good result.

Best not to even deal with the dealer and go straight to the customer line - (also I thought they had extended the warranty at least to 100k for these trans)

Best of luck to you

ehmgvs · December 2007

Hi Paul...Thanks for your input. I've done pretty much all my own servicing on my Ody. Oil/filter every 3k....air and fuel filter when recommended, etc., other than the recalls. And wouldn't you know it, just a couple of weeks before the leak started, I had gone by the Honda dealer and picked up some ATF and had planned to do a drain and refill. Looks like it couldn't wait, huh? It leaks sitting, driving, laying down or standing on it's head. And I might add it's a right sizeable leak. It had gotten down to the bottom mark on the stick. I looked underneath and there isn't a hit mark or such. The fact that it appears to be coming from behind the flywheel insp. cover raises eyebrows....I would assume that to be a dry area. Anyway, I think I'm gonna sit on it until after the holidays and then take it to the dealer ( four cars in the driveway-I can spare one) and see what they say, as well as what other responses I get from this forum..Many thanks!!

darentx · December 2007

Last night my 2003 Honda Odyssey van suddenly started to down-shift. It was like I had slammed on the brakes while going 40 miles an hour. I pulled over to the side of the road and the Engine Malfunction light and the TCS light were on. The "D" on was blinking.

I figured the transmission was shot. I took it to a Transmission specialist who had rebuilt the transmission in another car I own early this year.

Then I found this thread. I really thought Honda paying for a new transmission was a long shot. I don't have detailed records of maintenance and this is my first Honda. However, I went ahead and called the local dealer. He made no commitments and just said I needed to bring it in.

Still thinking that Honda paying for anything was a long shot, I blew him off. But later decided I would call the 1-800 Honda Customer Service line. The lady that answered was very nice.

A few hours later someone from the local dealership called and said they would pay for 100% of the repair. I called the transmission specialist I had taken my car to and he had already taken the transmission out and apart. He said I could have it like it is for $500 or he could finish the repair for $3,900. I told him to stop and I would pay the $500.

But when I called Honda back they said they could offer me nothing if the transmission had already been taken apart by someone else.

I'll keep my $3,900 in receipts and hope for/start a Class Action Lawsuit.

nrm1 · December 2007

Thanks for the info 2002odymike. I am hoping to talk to Honda soon. Does someone know if the case managers are local honda area managers or are based in corporate office?

nrm

njswamplands · December 2007

sorry to hear about your problem but your post did help me with my problem.

03 Odyssey just a tick after 75k on the odometer the trans started slipping when shifting between 2nd and 3rd.

when at the dealer doing the write up i informed them that ' i expected financial relief'. to the dealers credit they called up honda and got a 90-10 deal. i pay 10% given that i had zero records to show the proper maintenance.

i am sure i could have pressed the deal but being around xmas i have too many things on my plate and need my car back asap.

2002odymike · December 2007

re: case manager question
The Case Managers are assigned from Honda US corporate but oddly enough in my case they deferred back to the Area Manager that offered nothing.

Here's how it went: Dealer said trans shot, $4100 please, I said pls ck with Honda to see if they will assist - they checked with the "area manager" who refused any assistance. I then called Honda cust service (corporate), they assigned a case manager who spoke with the area manager and then also refused assistance. When I tried to lobby the case manager, they said it was up to the area manager and she wasn't budging...escalation is impossible (!) according to our case manager

so..kinda weird, the case manager defers to the area manager - all I can suggest is pray to get a decent human being as a case manager; mine, not only refused but then got quite unprofessional and rude with both me and my wife.

I can hardly image a worse experience with a car company, but as I've mentioned in other posts; if I'd gotten the fair deal a few have on some of these posts I would still be a Honda devotee! Our Ody was our third, we've owned more Hondas than any other marque, now this...

bummed3 · December 2007

We just started experiencing tran probs yesterday. I was on my way home and the engine light and TCS light came on. The van kind of jerked when it shifted gears but other than that it wasn't showing any probs so I continued to drive home. I had to go up a hill into our little town and it got slower and slower until it wouldn't move at all. It would not go into a gear. I was literally stuck in the middle of the road. Some very nice folks stopped and helped me roll it backwards to the side of the road. Eventually we got it rolled all the way down to the bottom of the hill. With the help of a mechanic friend, we drained the transmission fluid and replaced it. Still no luck!! We called our dealership and they said it sounded like the tran needed to be replaced - $4100. We NEED our car so we don't want to wait for the whole process with American Honda but at the same time we don't have $4100 either! Also, with Sunday and then New Year's coming up there's going to be another couple of days delay. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The mileage is 103,000. Our warranty just ended at 100,000!!

blackexv6 · December 2007

Bummed3,

Be patient. Rent a van until yours is fixed by Honda. Don't get it fixed on your own & pay for the whole bill.

Please read this thread & find out how to handle this issue.

Work with your dealer first then call American Honda & open a case if you don't get anywhere.

jchan2 · December 2007

First off, since your van is already at the Honda dealer, see if they will help you get some funding from Honda of America.

A decent dealer will call up corporate, and tell them that you're a loyal customer, yadada yadada, and get the money necessary. If the dealer hits road blocks or won't help you, call Honda of America yourself and explain your case. Explain that you bought a Honda for quality, you know other people have gotten their transmissions replaced free of charge, and while you're at it ask for a rental car credit. Offer to provide receipts of your rental car. If you get a good case manager, you'll get lucky.

If that doesn't work, try again, and you might get another case manager who's more sympathetic. If you've owned Hondas before, let them know. Past ownership helps a little bit. Be ready to prove that you have had all your oil changes done on time, and did everything by the book.

However, before doing all that, go out to a rental car place and rent yourself a minivan. When you return it, get a receipt so you can prove to Honda that you actually got a rental.

Since you already have 103K miles, you might not get a completely free tranny, but you should be able to get something, plus the cost of the rental.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

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