2008 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

[XXX] JUNE 8, 2010 REF. VIN # [XXX] HONDA CASE # [XXX] TO ALL CONCERNED, THIS LETTER IS TO EXPLAIN THE EVENTS THAT HAS LED TO ME NOW HAVING TO TAKE THIS ISSUE TO A MORE ELEVATED LEVEL. AT THE END OF OCTOBER OF 2008 MY WIFE, MOTHER AND 3 CHILDREN WENT TO COGGIN HONDA LOCATED AT 11051 S. ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL, ORLANDO, FLA. 32837 (TEL. 407-851-9118) TO LOOK AT THE ODYSSEY MINIVANS. WE WERE APPROACHED BY SALES & LEASING CONSULTANT CHESTER HEATH: CELL [XXX] (NO LONGER THERE) AND HE SHOWED US AROUND AND MET WITH FINANCE MANAGER FRANCIS ROSARIO : CELL [XXX] WHO FINANCED US. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER DRIVING IT AROUND I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS MAKING A NOISE WHEN BRAKING, A HARD GRINDING NOISE (STILL MAKING THIS NOISE TO THIS DAY). I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN MAKING RADIUS TURNS (SINCE FIXED BY CLASSIC HONDA BY FIXING THE FRONT AXLE IN NOVEMBER 2009) . ALSO THERE WAS AND STILL IS A RATTLE BY THE STEERING WHEEL. MY MAIN CONCERN HOWEVER IS THE BRAKING NOISE WHICH AT THE BEGINNING WOULD COME AND GO. IT NOW DOES IT ALMOST EVERY TIME I BRAKE. THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE PROBLEM, IT COMES AND GOES. SO I TOLD MY WIFE ABOUT THE NOISE THAT THE CAR MADE AND SHE SUGGESTED I CALL COGGIN HONDA TO AT LEAST LET IT BE KNOWN ON RECORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THEN CALLED COGGIN THAT WEEK AND THE PERSON I SPOKE TO SAID TO JUST SIMPLY COME BY AND WE WILL HAVE A LOOK AT IT. SINCE IT DID NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT IT WAS A NEW CAR JUST GETTING SETTLED. SO I PROBABLY WAITED A FEW MONTHS (ABOUT JAN. 2009) AND THEN IT STARTED TO MAKE THE NOISE ON A CONSTANT BASIS AND REALIZED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT GOING AWAY. I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO COGGIN AND SPOKE WITH SERVICE ADVISOR FRITZ RAY (NO LONGER THERE) AND OF COURSE IT DID NOT MAKE THE NOISE AT THAT TIME AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO NOISE THEY COULD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I PURCHASED FOUR AFTER MARKET BUILT IN VIDEO/DVD MONITOR HEAD RESTS THAT BROKE APART UPON IMPACT WHEN THE MIDDLE ROW SEAT WAS FLIPPED FORWARD INTO THE FRONT SEAT OF MY 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE METAL SUPPORT POLE WAS ONLY ATTACHED TO PLASTIC. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT SUBSTANDARD DESIGN WHICH CAUSES CONCERN FOR ME OF WHAT WOULD OCCUR DURING AN ACCIDENT IF BY JUST THE SEAT FLIPPING FORWARD INTO THE OTHER COULD BREAK THE HOUSING . THE HEAD REST IS MADE BY TVIEW MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT SOLUTIONS (UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC) 5721 SAVOY ST. HOUSTON TX 77036. 800.559.6580 OR 832.251.2000 EMAIL [email protected]. THE MODEL IS T920PL-GR 9.2 TFT. I PURCHASED THE VIDEO HEAD RESTS FROM NATIONAL AUTO SOUND LOCATED AT 11001 E US HWY 40, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64055 PHONE 816.356.8700 WWW.NATIONALAUTOSOUND.COM I WAS TOLD WHEN I PURCHASED THE HEAD REST THAT THEY COMPLY TO SAFETY STANDARDS BUT AFTER THE ABOVE INCIDENT THEY CLEARLY DO NOT. SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS FOR AFTER MARKET HEAD RESTS AND ARE THERE SAFETY STANDARDS COMPANIES NEED TO COMPLY TO? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 45-55 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A RATTLE NOISE WITH A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE SPEED RATE INCREASED THE NOISE WOULD PROGRESS LOUDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE NOISE WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WHICH CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000. UPDATED 01/13/11*LJ UPDATED 03/02/11

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT MY 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY'S ENGINE BEGAN ACCELERATING WITH THE RPM INDICATOR EXCEEDING 7000 RPMS. I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFT INTO PARK TO AVOID ANY FURTHER MOVEMENT. AS THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I RESTARTED THE CAR IN PARK AND THE ENGINE AGAIN ACCELERATED PAST 7000 RPMS. ONCE AGAIN I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, WAITED A WHILE LONGER AND RESTARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAR HAS UNDER 16,000 MILES AND JUST PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WAS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY BUT HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE EXIT POINT. CRUISE WAS ON BUT NOT ENGAGED SINCE LEAVING THE HIGHWAY. *TR

MY 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS SIGNIFICANT LURCHING WHEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN ACCELERATION BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROX ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. HONDA REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED. HONDA JUST RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" - HONDA BULLETIN #09-053 (LOCK UP CLUTCH FUNCTION). THIS PROBLEM SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO ON-GOING COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE LEXUS VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT HAD TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED TWICE BY THE DEALER; HOWEVER, IT CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NEW BATTERY IN JANUARY 2010; HOWEVER, THE FAILED RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,700.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIR FOR THE RECALL 10V098000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR). UPON RECEIVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, THE GRINDING NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 40,800.

I OWN A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY MINIVAN WITH 35,000 MILES ON IT. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW FROM GILLMAN HONDA OF HOUSTON, TEXAS IN JULY OF 2008. THE REASON I AM WRITING IS THAT WE HAVE HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AND HONDA KEEPS ASSURING US THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, EVEN FOR A SEMI HARD STOP, THE BRAKES SOUND LIKE THEY ARE GRINDING METAL ON METAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST HITS THE FLOORBOARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN THREE (3) TIMES TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP AND EACH TIME THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A DIFFERENT STORY. WHAT HAS NOT CHANGED IS THAT THEY ADVISE ALL ODYSSEY VAN OWNERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO AVOID IS BEING THE OWNER THAT LEADS A MAJOR RECALL BECAUSE A CRASH RESULTING FROM DEFECTIVE BRAKES. I DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE LAST WEEK REPORTING A DEFECT IN THE BREAKING SYSTEM THAT WAS ALLOWING AIR TO ENTER THE BRAKE LINES RESULTING IN A 'SOFT' BREAK PETAL BUT AGAIN, I WAS REASSURED THE BRAKES WERE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER WITH PLENTY OF PADS REMAINING. AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO SUMMIT THIS LETTER IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE JUST HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND IF A FIX CAN BE MADE TO THIS PROBLEM. THANKS, *TR

I WAS INSTALLING A CAR SEAT IN MY HONDA ODYSSEY AND NOTICED THAT THE RETRACTOR LOCK DOESN'T WORK ON THE MIDDLE ROW OF MY VAN. THEREFORE I CAN NOT INSTALL A CAR SEAT SAFELY USING THE SEATBELTS IN THAT ROW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD BRAKING ISSUE FOR TWO YEARS; SHE WOULD HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO SUCCESSFULLY STOP. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED FOR RECALL 10V098000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR) BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT SHE WOULD NOT NEED NEW ROTORS IF THE RECALL DEFECT NEVER EXISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.