2003 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT THE SPEED OF 55-60 MPH. SUDDENLY FEW JERKS WERE NOTICED AND VEHICLE FAILED TO RECEIVE TORQUE/SPEED FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE WAS OTHERWISE APPEAR TO BE ON AND FUNCTIONAL. VEHICLE CAME TO COMPLETE STOP ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS (SINCE THE HIGHWAY WAS UP SLOPING), WHILE IN DRIVE MODE. VEHICLE WAS THEN PUT IN PARK MODE. ON FURTHER ATTEMPT, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY OTHER GEARS. FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS SUGGESTED "TRANSMISSION FAILURE" CODE P0730, WHICH NEEDED TRANSMISSION CHANGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HYDRAULIC MALFUNCTIONED AND AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HIM AT A LATER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

RE: NHTSA PHONE REF. #438678, HONDA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN #S34, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #12V136000: SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH MY 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY ON 8/18/2011 WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY DARK RURAL ROAD. WHEN NECESSARY TO SWITCH FROM HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, I WAS LEFT TOTALLY IN THE DARK AS I HAD NO LOW BEAMS. MANAGED TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH HIGH BEAMS ONLY. NEXT DAY BOTH HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM BULBS WERE REPLACED FOR ME @A COST OF $53.35. DO NOT THINK THE CAUSE WAS TRACED AS WAS NOT AWARE THERE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT IN MY 50 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS SITUATION BEFORE. ALSO ON JAN. 4, 2012, HAD TO HAVE A REAR 12V BULB (PART #34906-ST5-003) REPLACED. COST: $7.61. BECAME AWARE OF THIS BULB DISFUNCTIONING BY DASHBOARD NOTIFICATION. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILS ON HIGHWAY, ENDANGERING OCCUPANTS DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. *TR

A METAL BRACKET RIVETING THE DRIVER SEAT BOTTOM TO THE POWER SEAT STRUCTURE HAS TORN THROUGH DUE TO METAL FATIGUE. THIS ALLOWS THE WHOLE DRIVE SEAT TO MOVE FREELY WITHIN A FEW INCHES OF TRAVEL DURING ACCELERATION AND TURNING. *TR

FAILED FRONT AND SIDE ENGINE MOUNTS REPLACED. COSTLY REPAIR APPEARS TO BE COMMON ODYSSEY MAINTENANCE ISSUE. *TR

WE HAVE 74,000 MILES ON A 2003 ODYSSEY. IT'S ALWAYS FELT SLIPPING AROUND 40 MPH. WE PARTICIPATED IN THE 2004 RECALL WITH THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE, HOPING IT WOULD HELP THIS PROBLEM. NO CHANGE. AROUND FEBRUARY 2012 THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO TAKE LONGER GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED ON MARCH 2, 2012. ON MARCH 6TH WE WENT IN FOR THE FOLLOW-UP TO CHECK THE FLUID, AND LEVELS WERE FINE. ABOUT 8 MILES AFTER THAT, STARTING UP FROM A STOPLIGHT, THE CAR FAILED TO SHIFT FROM EITHER BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND OR 2ND AND 3RD, NOT SURE WHICH, BUT THE CAR WAS LURCHING AND WOULDN'T GO ABOVE 25 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND SAID WE WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS A NEW COMPUTER (ECM). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHUT OFF AND THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. REPLACED 4TH GEAR PRESSURE SWITCH AS PER HONDA AND REMOVED AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID 3 TIMES. NOTHING WORKS. NEED TRANS REBUILT. *TR

[XXX], HOUSTON, TX 3/3/2012 THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 15TH WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY TO TEACH. I WAS IN STOP & GO TRAFFIC DUE TO AN ACCIDENT AHEAD OF ME. AS I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO MOVE A BIT, THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO MOVE, AND THEN IT HESITANTLY MOVED FORWARD A BIT, I STOPPED AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC. WHILE SITTING, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO HUM AND WHEN I NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TRIED TAKING IT OUT OF DRIVE AND THEN PUTTING IT BACK IN DRIVE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. BECAUSE OF ANOTHER INCIDENT, I HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP FOR SOME BODYWORK TO BE DONE; AFTER PICKING IT FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM OF HESITATION STARTED AGAIN. AFTER RETURNING FROM MY TRIP, I CALLED THE HONDA DEALER WHERE THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AND TOLD THEM I WAS BRINGING IT IN. I HAD TO PULL OVER SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD STALL; AFTER PULLING OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND WAITING A FEW MINUTES FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO WORK AGAIN; I FINALLY MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED THE CAR OUT, I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION; COST FOR THIS WAS $4,458.00 WHICH SEEMED PRETTY HIGH. THE SERVICE REP SAID HONDA DOES NOT REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION ON YOUR CAR BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY IN GETTING TO THE PARTS, SO THEY RECOMMEND A RE-MANUFACTURED ONE WHICH COMES WITH A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY OR 3 YRS. IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 36,000 MILES RACKS UP PRETTY FAST. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON A PROBLEM THAT HONDA HAS YET TO FIX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR