1999 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THIS STARTED ONE MONTH AGO AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK SINCE THEN. THIS ALSO OCCURRED ONCE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V120000, REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - THE VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE STALLING HAS NOT RECURRED IN OVER 3 WEEKS. *NM

MY HONDA ODYSSEY WAS PURCHASED ON APR. 1999. ON 5/7/2004, I HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AT NARDY HONDA AS THE VEHICLE WON'T CHARGE. ON 8/2/04, THE CAR BROKE DOWN AND LATER FOUND OUT THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET BROKE (SHEARED IN HALF). HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE LATER PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRACKET. ON 8/27/05, THE BRACKET BROKE AGAIN IN HIGH WAY. HONDA AGAIN PAID FOR THE REPAIR AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (LUNDGREN IN MA SINCE WE WERE TRAVELING OUTSIDE NY). I COMPLAINED BOTH TIME AND THIS TIME QUESTIONED IF THE DESIGN OR PART IS AT FAULT. HONDA TOLD ME THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE TORQUE OF THE SCREWS FOR THIS BRACKET SO I ASKED IT TO BE DOUBLE CHECKED. THE CAR WAS THEN CHECKED AT NARDY HONDA IN OCT. 05 (PAID FOR BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN). ON 2/4/06, THE CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT IS THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ALTERNATOR TO THE BRACKET. I HAVE THE BROKEN BOLT AND BRACKET FROM THE 2ND TIME. I HAVE CALLED HONDA SERVICE AGAIN AND QUESTIONED THE DESIGN, PART, AND OR SERVICE PROCEDURE TO BE AT FAULT SINCE I BELIEVE THE ASSEMBLY SEEMS TO FAIL INSTANTLY UNDER HIGH STRESSES CAUSED BY EITHER THE TENSION OF THE BELT ENGAGEMENT OR CONSTANT TENSION. THE BOLT WAS SHEARED OFF AS WELL. BOTH FAILURES INDICATE HIGH STRESSES. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN OR WILL DO FOR ME THIS TIME. NOW, I AM REALLY WORRIED THAT THE CAR CAN BREAK DOWN ANY TIME AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IF THE DRIVER OTHER THAN ME (MY WIFE OR MY SON) DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE SUDDEN BREAK DOWN. I ALSO NOW QUESTION IF THE INITIAL REPAIR WAS NOT CAUSED BY BAD ALTERNATOR BUT WAS THE FACT THAT THE BRACKET WAS ALSO BROKEN SO THE ALTERNATOR WON'T CHARGE AS THE BELT WAS STUCK. *NM

THE SLIDING DOORS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY LX MINIVAN ARE SEALED SHUT AND WILL NOT SLIDE OPEN AFTER A CAR WASH, RAIN, OR IN FREEZING WEATHER. IT CAN ONLY BE OPENED WHEN THE SLIDING DOORS ARE DRY AGAIN OR DEFROSTED . I FEEL THIS CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF REAR PASSENGERS ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOORS TO LEAVE THE MINIVAN IN ANY EMERGENCY SITUATION. *NM

1999 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHEN WE WERE IN OUR DEALERSHIP FOR A STATE INSPECTION THE MECHANIC NOTICE OUR FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN,WHEN QUESTIONED THIS WAS ONE IN A MILLION , THEY SAID IT WAS THE ONLY ONE IN OUR AREA THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED TO HAVE THE OTHER COIL SPRING REPLACED AS A SAFETY CONCERN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT NECESSARY DUE TO THEY HAVE ONLY SEEN ONE IN THERE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS PROBLEM I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT IF YOU REPLACE ONE TIRE OR SHOCK OR STRUT YOU SHOULD DO IT IN PAIRS! LUCKY FOR US WE HAD A EXT COVERAGE (MILEAGE 46751) THE SECOND TIME WAS AT (97653) LUCKY FOR MY WIFE THE VAN WAS AT A LIGHT AND THE TIRE WENT FLAT. AT THE DEALER THE MECHANIC FOUND THE RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKEN WITH A FLAT TIRE AND A LIST OF BENT AND BROKEN PARTS A TOTAL OF $617.00 OUT OF OUR POCKET. COIL SPRINGS SHOULD NEVER BRAKE , THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

DRIVER POWER SEAT BASE BROKE MAKING THE SEAT UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE. IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT WOULD KEEP ME FROM GOING FORWARD, BUT THEN THE SEAT WOULD JOLT BACK AND MOST LIKELY FLIP ME BACKWARDS INTO THE SEAT BEHIND ME OR MY CHILD IF HE WERE IN THE SEAT! *JB

THIS IS IN CONCERN TO A 1999 HONDA ODSSYEY MINIVAN. HONDA HAS VOLUNTARILY ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT PROBLEM FOR 7YRS/100K MILES. I TOOK MY MINIVAN IN AROUND 95K TO HAVE THEM CHECK ON IT AS I ALREADY NOTICED SOME MINOR SYMPTOMS AS DESCRIBED IN THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME AND DECLINED TO FIXED ANY TRANSMISSION PARTS. MY TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO DEGRADE VERY SLOWLY OVER THE NEXT 20K MILES AND THE DEALER NOW TOLD ME THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE RETURNED AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 120K. I BELIEVED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BUILT AT THAT TIME NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AS THE DEALER NOW SAID IT HAS DETERIOATED TO SUCH A STATE THAT IT MAY BECOME INOPERABLE WHILE DRIVING. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL 00V183000 CONCERNING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. *AK

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK CONTINUOUSLY. SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AS THE INTERIOR BEGAN TO FILL UP WITH ACRID, DARK SMOKE RISING FROM BENEATH THE STEERING COLUMN BY HER LEGS. SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED AND QUICKLY ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VAN SINCE THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS BURNING HER EYES. THE DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK. AFTER STRUGGLING IN PANIC, SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SQUEEZE OUT THE OPEN WINDOW. LUCKILY MY 3 YOUNG CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE. WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND THE KEY IN HAND, SHE CALLED ME AT WORK. I HAD HER CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT . WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THEY TOO WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE BY CUTTING THE BATTERY WIRE AND FINALLY STOPPED THE BURNING OF THE WIRES BY PULLING THE MASTER FUSE. I CONTACTED OUR HONDA DEALER AND THEY REFERRED ME TO HONDA AMERICA. HONDA AMERICA AUTHORIZED OUR SHOP TO DO AN INITIAL TEAR DOWN. AT THAT TIME, THEY FOUND A COMPONENT IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT SHORTED WHICH CAUSED THE BURNING OF THE WIRES. THE WIRES BURNED COMPLETELY FROM THE FUSE BOARD AND INTO A WIRE HARNESS BUNDLE. NO FUSE WAS BURNED. I DO NOT KNOW YET HOW FAR THE DAMAGE PROGRESSED OR WHAT OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE FRIED BY THIS RUNNING SHORT. AFTER A WEEK OF DELIBERATION, HONDA INFORMED ME THIS MORNING THAT IT WAS A WEAR OUT OF A PART AND OF NO FURTHER CONCERN TO THEM SINCE THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. BEING TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE WITH WIRES BURNING, THE OCCUPANT EXPERIENCED SEVERE SICKNESS A COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT AND HER LUNGS HURT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE VEHICLE SITS IDLE AT THE SHOP WHERE WE TOWED IT. I DON'T WANT TO AUTHORIZE REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE NHTSA DETERMINES IF AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET ADDITIONS. ALL MAJOR, MAINTENANCE EVENTS WERE PERFORMED BY OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER FOR AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN OUR POSSESSION. *NM

HONDA DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VAN BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER TO RECALL ID NUMBER 00V183000. INSTRUMENT LIGHTS NOT WORKING, WHICH POSES A HAZARD DURING NIGHT DRIVING. RECALL ONLY ON SPECIFIC MODEL. *JB

BEGINNING IN 2000, WHEN THE CAR WAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED MAJOR EQUIPMENT FAILURES. FIRST, THE EGR VALVE MALFUNCTIONED; IT WAS EVENTUALLY REPAIRED AT HONDA'S EXPENSE. NEXT, ONE OF THE MOTORS FOR THE SIDE POWER DOORS FAILED. THAT COST APPROXIMATELY $800 TO REPAIR. THEN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND HONDA EVENTUALLY COVERED THE FULL COSTS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS, WE WERE PLAGUED WITH AN ERRATIC "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT, AND SOMETIMES THE COMPUTER CODE WAS INADEQUATE TO DIRECT A REPAIR. IN 2003 THE RADIATOR ROTTED OUT, AND THE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COST US $800. IN 2004 THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILED, AND THAT REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COST US $1400. ON JULY 22, 2005, THE REAR A/C VENTS FAILED TO COOL, AND I CALLED FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT OUR LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THAT CHECKED AND REPAIRED. THE REPAIR WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 25, 2005. WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON JULY 23 WITH THE A/C TURNED ON (THE FRONT VENTS CONTINUED TO COOL), THE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO PULL OFF INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT, AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER TURNING OFF THE A/C. IT IS NOW AT THE DEALER'S SHOP, AND THE LABOR COSTS ALONE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE A/C FAILURE WILL COST MORE THAN $350. AFTER INSPECTING THE SYSTEM FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS JULY 25, THE DEALER'S MECHANIC STILL COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HATE THIS CAR! I HAVE HAD MANY MORE PROBLEMS THAN I EVER EXPECTED, AND THE RESPONSES FROM AMERICAN HONDA AND FROM THE LOCAL DEALER HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING. NEITHER ESTABLISHMENT KNOWS HOW TO RELATE SUCCESSFULLY TO CUSTOMERS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A REAL LEMON, AND I AM STRUGGLING WITH MY DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO BUY TO REPLACE IT. ALTHOUGH HONDA HAS A GOOD REPUTATION, I HAVE NOT FOUND THIS CAR TO BE RELIABLE. IN FACT, IT IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS IN MY LIFE, CAUSING ME TO GNASH MY TEETH WHEN I AM DRIVING IT, FOR I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN IT AT ALL.