1999 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

I BOUGHT A 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY IN APRIL, 1999. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 13,000 MILES. ON 11/13/2000, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. WITHIN A MILE, ALL ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE GOT OUT OF THE VAN; WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE; THEY SAY THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND THAT THERE IS $18,000 IN DAMAGE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS INVESTIGATED; THEY SAY THERE IS $19,000 IN DAMAGE -- A TOTAL LOSS. MY QUESTIONS: 1. WHAT'S THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FIRE -- A HONDA DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT, OR A DEALER INSTALLATION ERROR? (I HAD THE LOCAL DEALER INSTALL A HONDA CASSETTE DECK IN NOVEMBER, 1999; I HAD TO TAKE THE VAN BACK FOR REPAIRS A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN I NOTICED THAT CERTAIN ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES NO LONGER WORKED CORRECTLY AND MY BATTERY WENT DEAD.) 2. WHAT LEVERAGE DO I HAVE TO GET SPECIAL TREATMENT (E.G., A GOOD DEAL ON A NEW VAN, TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION) FROM HONDA AND THE DEALER? (MY WIFE IS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT, SHE HAD OUR 20-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VAN WITH HER; THEY ARE FINE, BUT A BYSTANDER HAD TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF THE VAN -- THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT.) I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO HAS CONTACTED HONDA. NEITHER WANTS TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION (MY INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT); THE BEST THEY'VE OFFERED IS TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY OF A REPLACEMENT (AT LEAST 2-3 MORE WEEKS). AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL CHARGE ME MSRP OR GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. *AK

I BOUGHT A 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY IN APRIL, 1999. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 13,000 MILES. ON 11/13/2000, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. WITHIN A MILE, ALL ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE GOT OUT OF THE VAN; WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE; THEY SAY THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND THAT THERE IS $18,000 IN DAMAGE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS INVESTIGATED; THEY SAY THERE IS $19,000 IN DAMAGE -- A TOTAL LOSS. MY QUESTIONS: 1. WHAT'S THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FIRE -- A HONDA DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT, OR A DEALER INSTALLATION ERROR? (I HAD THE LOCAL DEALER INSTALL A HONDA CASSETTE DECK IN NOVEMBER, 1999; I HAD TO TAKE THE VAN BACK FOR REPAIRS A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN I NOTICED THAT CERTAIN ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES NO LONGER WORKED CORRECTLY AND MY BATTERY WENT DEAD.) 2. WHAT LEVERAGE DO I HAVE TO GET SPECIAL TREATMENT (E.G., A GOOD DEAL ON A NEW VAN, TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION) FROM HONDA AND THE DEALER? (MY WIFE IS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT, SHE HAD OUR 20-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VAN WITH HER; THEY ARE FINE, BUT A BYSTANDER HAD TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF THE VAN -- THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT.) I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO HAS CONTACTED HONDA. NEITHER WANTS TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION (MY INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT); THE BEST THEY'VE OFFERED IS TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY OF A REPLACEMENT (AT LEAST 2-3 MORE WEEKS). AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL CHARGE ME MSRP OR GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. *AK

CONSUMER'S CHILD WAS IN REAR SEAT WHEN SEATBELT BUCKLE LOCKED UP, AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE. SEATBELT BUCKLE WOULDN'T MOVE TO RETRACTOR IN ORDER TO RELEASE HER. AT THIS POINT, CONSUMER'S CHILD HAD TO REMOVE HER CLOTHING TO WIGGLE OUT OF SEATBELT. *AK

THIS IS A 50,000 MILE TIRE THAT HAS SEPERATING BELTS AFTER ONLY 26,000 MILES. I FIRST STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRES AROUND 12,000 MILES, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A "BALANCING" PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER ODYSSEY OWNERS WHO ALSO ARE REPLACING THESE TIRES DUE TO BELT PROBLEMS. (TIRESIZE: P215/65R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/65R16 )

MULTIPLEX CONTROLLER THAT CONTROLS ALL THE LIGHT OF INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILS, CAUSING POOR VISIBIITY. CANNOT SEE GAUGES AT NIGHT. *AK

VAN SERVICED FOR 7500/6 MONTH SERVICE, BY DEALERSHIP. VAN HAS HAD A PRONOUNCED PULL TO THE RIGHT EVER SINCE. VAN BACK AT DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES(7/6,7/19 & 8/20/2000) TO HAVE PROBLEM CORRECT, DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *CJ

ERRATIC POWER LOCK OPERATION, INTERMITTENTLY LOCK WOULD UNLOCK BY ITSELF AFTER LOCKING BY PANEL CONTROL OR REMOTE. ALSO, SLIDING DOOR WOULD OPEN APPROXIMATELY 6" AND REMAIN OPEN UNTIL VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THEN, WOULD WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RESTART VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND AND MADE SOME REPAIRS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ELECTRIC SLIDING DOORS ARE STILL UNLATCHING.RECALL WAS TAKEN CARE OFF IN 1999. RECALL ID#99V159000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL#99054. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT DEALER.*AK

REPORTING A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF VEHICLE WHEN COMING TO A STOP, VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN VAN IS TURNED OFF SLIDING DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WILL OPEN ON ITS OWN. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. VAN WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. KEYLESS ENTRY WAS REPROGRAMMED, BUT SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK. *AK