2002 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

2002 HONDA ODYSSEY EX HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY NO RECALL OR SOME OTHER SOLUTION? *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE SEALS AND BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE INTERNAL FILTER WAS CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS FROM THE LINING ON THE PLATES THAT WORE OFF DUE TO NORMAL FRICTION FROM THE PAPER-LIKE LINING WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO OVERHEAT AND SLIP. *JB

WE PURCHASED A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY SEVEN YEARS AGO. WE ALSO PURCHASED THE SEVEN YEAR/100K HONDA WARRANTY . AT 104,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. WE HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN OUR VAN TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICING AND FOLLOWED THEIR RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE PLAN. I'VE CALLED HONDA AMERICA AND THEY TOLD ME OUR VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT FILED FOR OWNERS OF 1999-2001 ODYSSEYS THAT WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT MANY ODYSSEY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR FAILURES DUE TO WHAT I BELIEVE A FLAWED DESIGN OF THEIR TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF STORIES ON THE INTERNET DESCRIBING HOW THEIR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HAVE FAILED ANYWHERE FROM 46K MILES TO 126K MILES AND LEFT THEIR FAMILIES STRANDED OR IN DANGER. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WE HAVE BEEN USING FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. I FULLY EXPECT THEM TO TRY TO CONVINCE ME TO PAY FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. HONDA HAS BUILT A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. PLEASE REVIEW THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ODYSSEY TRANSMISSIONS. I BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER HONEST CONSUMERS IN THE SAME SITUATION. *TR

MY WIFE'S 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN SLIPS DURING SECOND OR THIRD GEAR, DURING NOVEMBER 2008, MY DAUGHTER INFORMED ME OF A PROBLEM, SHE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS THE TCS LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON PLUS THE VAN WAS DRIVING SLOWLY. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT (BRANDO HONDA IN FLORIDA), THEY SAID IT WAS REQUIRING A MAINTENANCE PERFORMANCE (OIL CHANGE) AND TURNED THE ENGINE LIGHT OFF. AT THE END OF DECEMBER BOTH LIGHTS LIGHTED AGAIN, I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALER THINKING THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE SOMETHING RELATED TO TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE (FLUID CHANGE), AFTER SETTING UP THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE, I MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SKIPPING POSSIBLY SECOND OR THIRD GEAR, THE SERVICE REP OFFER TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC FOR $40.00 AND TO CALL ME BACK TO LET ME KNOW IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG. THE SERVICE REP CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEYOND MAINTENANCE AND REQUIRED REPAIR WHICH WAS GOING TO COST AROUND $5,000. I DECLINED BECAUSE I WAS NOT GOING TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY ON A VAN 2002 VAN. HE REPLIED BY OFFERING TO GET THE VAN APPRISED BY ONE OF THEIR APPRAISER TO WHICH I AGREED. BUT I GOT A CALL BACK FROM A SALESMAN WHO OFFERED ME $3,000 AS TRADE IN. MUCH WORSE WAS THAT EVEN AFTER THE SERVICE REP CLAIMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BEYOND MAINTENANCE THEY PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE $59.00 DOLLARS MAINTENANCE BECAUSE IT WAS AGREED WHEN I DROPPED THE VAN. I LOOK EVERYWHERE (EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE HONDA CHARGES FOR THIS KIND OF WORK) BUT THE LOWER I FOUND WAS $2,200, NOW I HAVE TO SPEND A GREAT AMOUNT OF CASH IN THE PRESENT ECONOMY TO REPLACE OR REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION, GET IN A NEW CAR, OR PARK THE VAN UNTIL I FIND THE MONEY. I KNOW THAT MOST HONDA'S BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004 ARE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SOLUTIONS. I READ IN THE INTERNET THAT HONDA WAS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS BUT I FOUND NOTHING ON THEIR OFFICIAL WEBPAGE. *TR

OUR 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY HAD TERRIBLE JERKING WHEN SHIFTING LAST FRIDAY. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND WHEN I WOULD PRES SON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WOULD JERK AND SLOW DOWN. AT 70MPH, THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND HONDA IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAULTY. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION OF OUR 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY STARTED SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND INTO 3RD GEAR AROUND 40,000-50,000 MILES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ABOUT ONCE A MOTH. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP HAD INSTALLED AN A/T OIL JET KIT AROUND THAT TIME BECAUSE OF A SAFETY RECALL, BUT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WAS UNAFFECTED BY THAT REMEDY. THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF SLIPPING HAS INCREASED AND IS CURRENTLY AT 3-4 TIMES PER WEEK. AT 96,500 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME AND THE HONDA DEALER TOLD US THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT HAVE FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE SLIPPING HAS BEEN OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY, SAFETY HAS BECOME A MAJOR CONCERN TO US. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF DANGEROUS TRAFFIC SITUATIONS (I.E., MERGING INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, PASSING, DRIVING IN HILLY AREAS), SINCE ONE CANNOT PREDICT WHEN THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER/SLIPS OUT OF GEAR. IT HAS TAKEN 3 MINUTES ONCE TO SHIFT FROM 2ND INTO 3RD. WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR THAT NOTHING MORE SERIOUSLY HAS HAPPENED, BUT BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCES AND READING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THIS TRANSMISSION DESIGN ISSUE WILL LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS (HOPEFULLY NOT FATAL). HONDA HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CONTROL UNIT AT A REDUCED RATE, BUT SINCE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY (AS WAS THE CASE FOR THE 99-01 ODYSSEY MODELS) OR A RECALL, ANY REPAIR COST THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS TO BEAR IS ADDING INSULT TO INJURY. I HOPE, THE NHTSA WILL LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE THOROUGHLY AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE CONSUMER. PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

HONDA 2002 ODYSSEY EX-L WAGON 4D HAS ONLY 72,000 MILES. IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER, IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST QUOTED WAS ABOUT $3000. I CHECKED THE WEBSITE AND THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL AND YEAR AND APPARENTLY IS A FACTORY DEFECT. I AM ASKING FOR HONDA TO BEAR ALL COSTS OF REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF THIS TRANSMISSION. *TR

THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CAR ODOMETER IS 59,600 MILES. *TR

TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STARTED SLIPPING GEARS AT 105K MILES. REGULAR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PERFORMED THOUGH FEW RECORDS WERE KEPT. VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DRIVEN GENTLY IN VARIED CITY AND HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. GOVERNMENT ORDERED RECALL WORK WAS DONE IN 2004 AND HONDA RECORDS SAY PROBLEM WAS "FIXED". REPAIR RECORDS INDICATE THAT AN A/T OIL JET WAS INSTALLED AFTER TECHNICIAN MADE SUBJECTIVE DECISION THAT THERE WAS NO VISUAL DAMAGE. RECALL WAS ORDERED DUE TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION DESIGN ISSUE INVOLVING SECOND GEAR THAT MAY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. NOW TRANSMISSION IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SECOND GEAR ENGAGEMENT UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. LOCAL HONDA DEALER REFUSES TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THOUGH THEY ADMIT THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS DESIGN PROBLEM WITH '02 TRANSMISSIONS, JUST AS THERE WAS WITH 99-01 MODELS THAT RECEIVED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. FEAR IS THAT THE "FIX" THAT WAS INSTALLED BACK IN '04 WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT FAILURE OF SECOND GEAR MECHANISM. THERE APPEARS TO BE THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE INTERNET, SOME INVOLVING SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OR NEAR MISSES. THIS DESIGN DEFECT SHOULD RECEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION BY HONDA OR NHTSA. OWNERS SHOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT REPAIR OF THEIR VEHICLES IS SAFE FOR THE LONG TERM, NOT JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES. *TR

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY. I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP HERE IN KILLEEN TEXAS EVERY MONTH FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS NOW REPORTING THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT I'M HAVING WITH MY VAN AND EVERYTIME I GO THERE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS DOESN'T FIND IT OR THE MECHANIC DID NOT FIND ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO PAY $3000 FOR REPAIRS AND THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SEPTEMBER 2009. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP EXCESSIVELY WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION); HOWEVER, THE REMEDY DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY CORRECT THE FAILURE. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 109,540. UPDATED 2/2/09 *CN UPDATED 02/04/09. *JB