2008 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

DURING BRAKING BETWEEN 20 - 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD. THIS HAS BEEN MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN GOING DOWNHILL AND BRAKING. IT SEAMS AS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS DOWNSHIFTING PREMATURELY (TO HIGH ENGINE RPM) THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE (JUMP) FORWARD. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIME (MORE THAN 6) OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. NOTE: MILEAGE AND SPEED ARE ESTIMATED. *TR

THE LIFT GATE STRUTS THAT SUPPORT THE REAR DOOR FAILED WITH OUT ANY INDICATION THEY WERE GETTING WEAK. THEY WERE WORKING FINE EARLIER IN THE DAY. BUT WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN THE HATCH IN THE EVENING IT WAS VERY HEAVY AN WOULD NOT STAY OPEN, UNTIL I SUPPORTED IT WITH A MAKE SHIFT POLE. I REPLACED THE STRUTS WITH AN AFTER MARKET VERSION, BUT WONDER IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR FAILURES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HATCH WAS OPEN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAS OCCURRED SIX (6) TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW. THE FIRST THREE INCIDENCES TOOK PLACE OVER A FOUR (4) YEAR PERIOD STARTING ABOUT 2009 WITH ABOUT 25000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN EACH OF THESE INSTANCES THE CAR WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE MOVING FORWARD. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE CAR WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN THE ENGINE BEGIN TO RACE. PRESSURE WAS MAINTAINED ON THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE SPEED RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AFTER THE FIRST TWO (2) OF THESE INCIDENCES BUT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN THREE ADDITIONAL OCCURRENCES. IN ONE INSTANCE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND THE CAR WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A TRAFFIC CIRCLE. ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER?S FOOT REMAINED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL TO PREVENT THE CAR MOVING FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC. ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE ENGINE?S RPM INCREASE RAPIDLY. TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE COLLISION THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN HAD TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR FREQUENTLY WHEN IT DOES OCCUR, THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND EVENTUALLY ENGULFED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE LIFTGATE STRUTS FAILED SUDDENLY AND NO LONGER SUPPORT THE HEAVY DOOR. THERE WAS NO GRADUAL DETERIORATION. OURS IS A MANUAL VERSION - NOT POWERED AND FOR SOME REASON ISN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL 12V062000, EVEN THOUGH IT USES THE SAME PART THAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE IN THAT INVESTIGATION - NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE11034. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT FAILED AT UNACCEPTABLE RATE AND THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM MANUAL LIFTGATES IS HIGHER THAN THOSE OF THE POWERED LIFTGATES. THIS IS AT LEAST AS DANGEROUS AS A POWERED LIFTGATE SITUATION, ESPECIALLY FOR MY WIFE AND 3 YOUNG CHILDREN. THE INVESTIGATION AND RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO COVER ALL MODELS USING THIS PART, NOT JUST THE POWERED DOORS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED ABNORMALLY AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK AND NEUTRAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL, THE FAILURE LATER RECURRED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111785.

RE: TAILGATE/ STRUT FAILURE I WAS OUT SHOPPING AND AT MY LAST STOP THE TAILGATE WAS SUDDENLY VERY HARD TO OPEN. I HAD A LARGE CART OF GROCERIES AND IT WAS RAINING, SO I RAISED IT UP WITH ONE HAND, BUT WHEN I TURNED TO GET MORE GROCERIES, I EXPECTED IT TO STAY AND IT DROPPED DOWN. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN WITH ME, SO I COULD PUT THE REST OF THE GROCERIES IN THE SEAT AREA AND DEAL WITH IT LATER. IT HAS NOT RESOLVED, SO IT WAS NOT A "RAIN" ISSUE. IN THE WEEK THAT HAS PASSED, I HAVE DONE SOME OF RESEARCH. I FOUND THAT HONDA DID INDEED HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/UCM416791/RCAK-12V062-3793.PDF HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED MY HONDA DEALER, *MY* VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHICH MODELS ARE BY THE OFFICIAL NOTICES. THEY QUOTED ME $276 TO FIX IT. I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS VERY EASY TO FIX - $50 FOR THE STRUTS, A FLATHEAD SCREWDRIVER, AND LADDER TO PROP OPEN THE TAILGATE AND EVEN A 115 LB WOMAN CAN FIX THEM. HOWEVER, WHY AREN'T ALL 2008 HONDA ODYSSEYS IN THIS RECALL? HAD MY CHILDREN BEEN HELPING ME OR HAD I BEEN HALF IN THE VAN WHEN THE STRUTS SUDDENLY FAILED, ANY OF US COULD HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED OR KILLED BY THE DEAD WEIGHT OF THAT DOOR. FOR NOW I WILL ORDER THE STRUTS AND FIX THEM AS SOON AS I CAN SINCE I REALLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DUKE IT OUT WITH HONDA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFT GATE DOOR WOULD INDEPENDENTLY OPEN. THE CONTACT WOULD EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN MANUALLY CLOSING THE LIFT GATE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:12V062000 (STRUCTURE) DUE TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER STATING THAT THE FAILURE WAS ONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE POWER LIFT GATE MODELS. THE CONTACTS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE AS THE POWER LIFT GATE AND ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92500. .. UPDATED 06/03/14 *BF UPDATED 06/13/2014 *JS

WHEN BRAKING, EVEN PRESS THE BRAKE VERY HARD, THE CAR IS MAKING SQUEAKING NOISE, AND IT WILL NOT STOP. HAD TO RELEASE AND PRESS THE BRAKE THREE TIMES, TO FINALLY STOP THE CAR. GOOD THING WE WERE DOING ONLY 20MPH. *TR