2003 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

IGNITION LOCK FAILURE. IN 2007, OUR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK CEASED WORKING, BUT WE'VE WORKED AROUND IT. NOW THE IGNITION LOCK STOPPED WORKING. "WEAR AND TEAR" ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT LIKE THIS ON NHTSA'S SITE. *TR

OUR 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY HAD A TRANSMISSION FAIL ON US AT 80,000 MILES IN 2008. NOW 2 YEARS LATER AT 119,000 IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME WE WERE STRANDED WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK, THIS LAST TIME ON SATURDAY, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE ARE NOW FACING ANOTHER $4000 REPAIR BILL. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION ONLY LASTED 39,000 MILES OR HALF OF THE ORIGINAL. *TR

JUST GETTING OLD, MAYBE THE MOTOR IS GETTING WEAK, BUT THE AUTOMATIC DOORS ON MY 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY HAVE STOPPED LATCHING COMPLETELY. WE HAVE KIDS IN THE VAN, AND IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE, AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS IS VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM WORTHY OF A RECALL BEFORE SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS. *TR

MY 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY(AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) HAS BEEN SLIPPING GEARS AND HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING INTO GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING OR DRIVING IN TRAFFIC JAM. ON FEBRUARY 28, 2010 AFTER DRIVING SOME 40 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY AND EXITED ON A RAMP, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED WHEN THE CAR WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN ON THE RAMP. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED, THE ENGINE DIED. THEN I STARTED THE CAR NUMEROUS TIMES AND EACH TIME THE ENGINE STARTED WHEN IN PARKING OR IN NEUTRAL. HOWEVER, WHEN I SHIFTED TO DRIVE OR D1, D2 OR TO REAR, THE ENGINE ALWAYS SHUT OFF. LUCKILY, AFTER A DOZEN TIMES OR SO, I GOT LUCKY TO PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR, AND SLOWLY DROVE HOME, THE CAR JERKING AND ENGINE ON THE BRINK OF SHUTTING OFF AS I DROVE SOME 3 MILES BACK HOME AT 20 MPH. THE NEXT DAY, MARCH 1ST I COULD PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR AT ALL. EACH AND EVERY TIME I SHIFTED FROM EITHER PARK OR NEUTRAL TO DRIVE OR REAR THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I TOWED THE CAR TO CARRS HONDA IN CHICAGO. DEALER CHECKED AND PERFORMED A RECALL ON THE SECOND GEAR BY INSTALLING AN OIL JET KIT. DEALER SAID MY TRANSMISSION HAS INTERNAL FAILURE AND SAID THAT THIS FAILURE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL OF THE SECOND GEAR. HOW CONVENIENT! I DID CONTACT HONDA AT THEIR CORPORATE OFFICE IN CA AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED BUT SINCE DEALER SAID THAT MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE RECALL, THEN I COULD NOT GET ANY FINANCIAL HELP FROM HONDA. I MANAGED TO GET PICTURE COPIES OF THE SECOND GEAR FROM MY DEALER AND WANTED TO GET PICTURES OF THE SAME 2ND GEAR AT A DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOP. HOWEVER, HONDA MADE IT CLEAR THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IT WILL ACCEPT PICTURES MADE BY NON-HONDA DEALER. THERE WERE NO CODES TO BE FOUND. I TOOK MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION CENTER AND HAD MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT. NOW I DO DRIVE THE CAR AND SO FAR IT SEEMS FINE. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST REPLACED ALL CLUTCHES, TORQUE CONVERTER, LINEAR SOLENOIDS, SHORTED GROUND WIRE IN PRNDL CIRCUIT, ETC. IT COST ME BUT I NEEDED THE CAR. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND PAY 50% OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 82,650.

WHEN I WAS PROCEEDING AT ABOUT 60 MILES/HOUR ON THE HIGH WAY WITH MY 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY LOCKED UP PERIODICALLY. WE WERE ALMOST GETTING INTO TWO ACCIDENTS IN A COUPLE MINUTES. FINALLY, THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. NOW DEALER IS ASKING ABOUT $5000 DOLARS TO REPLACE IT. HOWEVER, IT WAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER ERROR SINCE THIS CAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WIFE LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. THE RPM NOZZLE WAS GOING UP BUT THE CAR COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE. AFTERWARD MY SON BEGAN TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. WE PULLED THE CAR OVER AND IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND A LOT OF OIL DRIPPING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. WE CALLED TRIPLE A AND HAD THEM PICK THE VEHICLE UP AFTER 2HRS OF WAITING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE RAIN. THEN WE HAD IT DROPPED OFF TO THE MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEAD. WE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY HAD A TRANSMISSION RECALL IN 2004. I REJOICED AND THOUGHT CLEARLY THIS IS WHY THIS HAPPENED AS MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD 85,000 MILES ON IT. NEVERTHELESS, WHEN I SPOKE WITH HONDA ABOUT IT THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED FOR MY VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2004. THEREFORE THE BEST DEAL THEY COULD PROVIDE TO ME WAS TO COVER 60% OF THE COST. I TOLD THEM I CANNOT AFFORD THE 40% DIFFERENTIAL AND I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD PAY IT BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO A HONDA UNDER 100,000 MILES. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT. NEVERTHELESS, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT ELSE THEY COULD DO. I AM COMPLAINING BECAUSE CLEARLY HONDA DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE IN 2004 ELSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM AT 85,000 MILES AGAIN. I AM SOLICITING WHATEVER HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE TO ME IN THIS SITUATION. *TR

DEAR SIR; ON TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010, WHILE DRIVING IN THE VISALIA, THE SUBJECT HONDA'S TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE VEHICLE TO THE YOUR DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING IN GEAR RATIO SWITCH FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE IN 2004, I DO NOT RECALL TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION/REPAIR. THE HONDA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE HONDA RECORDS SHOWED THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED; THERE IS NO PAPERWORK WITH MY SIGNATURE INDICATING MY ACCEPTANCE OF ANY SUCH RECALL ORDER. IF THE TRANSMISSION INSPECTION DID, IN FACT, TAKE PLACE, APPARENTLY IT DID NOT THOROUGHLY EVALUATE MY VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SITUATION. IN THE PAST THE HONDA DEALERSHIP HAS PERFORMED TWO TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGES, WITHIN A SHORT TIME, BECAUSE THE OIL WAS TURNING BROWN. I USED A DIFFERENT MECHANIC TO DO MY ROUTINE MOTOR OIL CHANGES AND THAT MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS BROWN AGAIN AND REPLACED IT, AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION OIL. I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THE OIL CHANGE PROCEDURE BETWEEN AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. I WAS INFORMED TODAY BY THE HONDA DEALERSHIP THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR TRANSMISSION OIL EQUIPMENT WITH UPDATED TECHNOLOGY. TODAY, UNDER PROTEST, I AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN THE SUBJECT VAN. IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE FOR ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $5800.00 MINUS 25% = APP. $3900.00. I FEEL HONDA NOT DID PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM THAT WAS SUBJECT OF A RECALL; THEY WERE UNABLE TO SHOW THEY INSPECTED MY VEHICLE WITH MY SIGNATURE ACCEPTING THE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE. I REQUEST HONDA RECONSIDER THE COSTS OF THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION AND AFFORD ME AT LEAST A BIGGER DISCOUNT, IF NOT FULL COVERAGE OF THE REPAIR COSTS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2003 HONDA ODYSSEY (VIN [XXX]) BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED AT 60K MILES, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE DRONING NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. PER THE LOCAL SHOPS, THIS IS WAY TOO PREMATURE WEAR. THE REPAIR IS YET TO BE DONE GIVEN >$650 PROJECTED EXPENSE AT THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER. HONDA HAS RECALLED THE SAME PARTS ON 2005 HONDA ODYSSEYS BUT IS YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM ON 2003 MODELS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I DROVE MY CAR TO HONDA DEALER IN HILLSIDE , NJ FOR CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT ON. ITS SERVICE REP GAVE ME CODES PO 700 & PO 740 FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HE FIRST GAVE ESTIMATION OF AROUND $4000. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM NO, NOT TO FIX IT. HE THEN SAID TO CHECK HONDA FOR COST. I DROVE AWAY AND HE CALLED ME FOR A QUOTE OF ABOUT $2100. I SAID NO WHEN HE GAVE ME COST OF $4000 BECAUSE I DECIDED TO SELL THE CAR AND BUY A NEW ONE. I TOLD HIM TO ORDER THE PART WHEN HE CALLED ME LATER ON BECAUSE HE COULD FIX THE PROBLEMS AT $2100. DEALER HAD TRANSMISSION CHANGED ON 3/8/10 , AND THE NEXT DAY (3/9/10) THE SAME CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 24 HOURS. I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALER. I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT THE REP GUY TOLD ME THAT ANYTHING COULD CAUSE THE LIGHT ON, AND THE TECHNICIAN GAVE A DIFFERENT CODE. I WAS THEN TOLD IT WAS NOT CHEAP TO FIX IT. I QUESTIONED WHY THEY DID NOT GIVE ME ALL THE PROBLEM CODES AND COSTS IN THE BEGINNING. I WOULD HAVE MADE DECISION TO TRADE IN INSTEAD OF SPENDING $2200, AND THEN BEING TOLD MORE SPENDING TO COME. I WENT IN FOR THE CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT ON AND I CAME BACK FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITHIN 24 HOURS. WHY WOULDN'T I SELL IT BEFORE I PUT IN $2200? THE SERVICE REP GUY HAD SUCH A BAD ATTITUDE BY KICKING OUT PROBLEMS AND PUSHING AWAY RESPONSIBILITIES. HE SAID DEALER DID NOT MANUFACTURE THE CAR AND INSISTED SAYING MY CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD. THE SERVICE MANAGER, REQUESTED THE TECHNICIAN TO RESET THE LIGHT, AND SAID HOPEFULLY IT WOULD NOT COME BACK ON AGAIN. I'M AWARE IF A PROBLEM EXISTS, LIGHT WILL COME BACK ON SOONER OR LATER. AND INSPECTION WON'T GO THROUGH WHEN SUCH A LIGHT IS ON. AS PREDICTED, SAME CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT CAME BACK ON THE 3/10/10 WITHIN 48 HOURS. AND I CALLED THE MANAGER, HE SAID IT WAS GOING TO COST ANOTHER $875 PLUS TAX. I DIDN'T EXPECT A TRANSMISSION'S PROBLEM BEFORE 100K MILES FOR A JAPANESE CAR. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. *TR