2003 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

PHONED THE HONDA TELEPHONE NUMBER LISTED ON A DOCUMENT FROM HONDA'S WEB SITE ENTITLED "A MESSAGE TO OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT AIRBAG SAFETY" I PROVIDED ALL OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION AND ASKED THE HONDA REPRESENTATIVE IF MY VEHICLE HAD A "TAKATA" AIRBAG INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE HONDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THEM. I TOLD THE HONDA REP THAT I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS OF SMALL STATURE, WHICH INFLUENCES THE SEAT POSITIONING, AND THEREFORE I WANTED TO CONFIRM IF A "TAKATA" AIRBAG WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE HONDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BE 100% CERTAIN WAS FOR ME TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A HONDA DEALER AND HAVE THEM DISASSEMBLE THE CAR AND TAKE OUT THE AIR BAG AND DETERMINE THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AIRBAG VISUALLY. THE HONDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY HONDA. I THINK THIS IS VERY SHODDY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT A MANUFACTURER OF AUTOMOBILES DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT TRACEABILITY SUCH THAT THE MAKER AND PART NUMBER OF A COMPONENT WHICH IS SO OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO SAFETY (AN AIRBAG) IS KNOWN FOR A PARTICULAR VEHICLE. NHTSA IS THE LINE OF LAST RESORT FOR CONSUMERS IN SITUATIONS SUCH AS THESE. THE AGENCY SHOULD PROTECT THE DRIVING PUBLIC FROM MANUFACTURERS WHO REFUSE TO RECALL DEFECTIVE PRODUCT THAT THEY HAVE LONG AGO SOLD AND REAPED THE PROFITS FROM. *TR

HONDA CURRENTLY HAS A RECALL ON 2002-2004 ODYSSEY DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG FOR VEHICLES PURCHASED OR REGISTERED IN "HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY" STATES (NHTSA RECALL 14V-351). MY '03 ODYSSEY IS PURCHASED AND REGISTERED IN ILLINOIS AND NOT INCLUDED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY DRIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER WHO IS ATTENDING COLLEGE IN STATE OF ALABAMA, ONE OF THE "HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY" STATES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. I CALLED THE AMERICAN HONDA TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S OPERATED IN THOSE AFFECTED STATES. I'M WRITING TO YOU TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE WAYS THIS RECALL IS HANDLED. THIS RECALL IS CLIMATE-RELATED SAFETY ISSUE. ANY OWNER WHO CAN SHOW PROOF OF OPERATIONS IN THOSE AFFECTED REGION SHOULD BE ALLOWED AND BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, LIKE MY CASE PRESENTED. I'D APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER AND MAKE HONDA TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE VEHICLES THAT'S "OPERATED" IN THOSE STATES, NOT JUST "PURCHASED" OR "REGISTERED". SINCERELY. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING I LEANED BACK INTO THE POWER DRIVER SEAT AND SNAP THE FRAME BROKE. I HAD TO DRIVE ANOTHER 100 MILES WITH THE BACK OF SEAT PROVIDING NO SUPPORT. EVERY TIME I ACCELERATED HAD TO HANG ON TO THE STEERING WHEEL OR I WOULD HAVE WENT BACKWARDS. $1800 LATER BECAUSE I HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE SEAT REPLACED BECAUSE THE STEEL FRAME BROKE. *TR

SUBMISSION FROM CONSTITUENT RE RECALL 04-021:C "AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RECALL FOR HONDA ODYSSEY 2003" (FULL DOCUMENT NOT IMAGED). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO AN EMISSION TESTING CENTER, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, THE COMPUTER GAVE TWO CODES, P0730 AND P1750. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE TRANSMISSION RECALL, WAS PERFORMED ON HER VEHICLE IN THE PAST. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS SINCE RETURNED. *JB

SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION DUE TO LOSS OF FLUID, INTERNAL HEAT BUILD-UP AND TOTAL DISINTEGRATION. *TR

TRAVELING AT 65 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO SLIPPAGE... A COMPLETE FAILURE. I MANAGED TO GET INTO BREAKDOWN LANE BEFORE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 72 YR OLD MOTHER AND 3 CHILDREN, AGES 4,6,8. I FEEL VERY LUCKY I WAS NOT INVOLVED OR CAUSED A VEHICULAR FATALITY DUE TO THIS FAILURE. ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN DONE AT DEALERSHIPS. A COMPETE VEHICLE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,231.

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AT APPROXIMATELY 10-20 MPH THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO HESITATE THAN JUMP INTO THIRD GEAR.THE DISTANCE FROM STORE TO HOME IS 3 MILES WITH NUMEROUS STOP LIGHTS. DURING THIS STOP AND GO TRIP IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FACILITY WHERE I TAKE MY VEHICLES FOR SERVICE. THE DIAGNOSIS CAME BACK THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND IT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. ESTIMATED COST IS $3000-$4000. THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED IN 2004 FOR IT'S TRANSMISSION, IT HAS LESS THAN 15000 MILES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIX WAS BY FREEWAY HONDA IN SANTA ANA, CA. TODAY IT IS 96500 MILES. WHAT IS AMERICAN HONDA'S RESPONSIBILITY? APPARENTLY THE FIX DID NOT HELP IN PROLONGING THE DURABILITY OF THE TRANSMISSION. WHAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION AVAILABLE TO ME. *TR

ON JULY 24TH , 2014 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING (WITH ONE OF OUR YOUNG SONS) HER 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY ABOUT 30-35 MPH ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. WITHOUT ANY COLLISION OR CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER OBJECT BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND CALLED ME FOR ASSISTANCE. NOT LONG AFTERWARDS A TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT POLICE OFFICER STOPPED TO RENDER ASSISTANCE. WE EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND HE CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO COLLISION AND ADVISED ME TO TAKE PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE (WHICH I DID). HE STATED HE COULDN'T WRITE A POLICE REPORT SINCE THERE WAS NO COLLISION OR ACCIDENT. WE HAD THE ODYSSEY TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. MY WIFE SUFFERED A LARGE CONTUSION, BURN AND HEMATOMA OF THE LEFT ARM WHICH HAS BEEN VERY PAINFUL REQUIRING HER TO VISIT HER PHYSICIAN. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP (RICK HENDRICKS HONDA) WHO TOLD MY WIFE THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AIRBAGS WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT A COLLISION AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL REGARDING AIRBAGS FOR THIS CAR. WE CONTACTED THE NATIONAL HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER WHO ASSIGNED US A CASE MANAGER. WE FOUND OUT ON OUR OWN THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR BECAUSE OF THIS VERY ISSUE (SPONTANIOUS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT). WE WERE NEVER CONTACTED BY HONDA ABOUT THE RECALL. A MONTH LATTER, HONDA STILL HAS OUR CAR AND HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR