Honda Odyssey 02 Trans slips, any others?

From what I have read on here and what happened with my van. The flash D light means you need a new tranny.
Good luck....
Theresa

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Originally Posted by stevta

I found this thread searching for some problems I have had with my 03' Odyssey. I recognize the details of slipping between 2nd and 3rd gear. I have the light flashing on the D - gear indicator light.
Some difficulty downshifting.
All of this is infrequent and started around the 40k mark. I now have close to 90k.

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Same problem as others on this post, impending failure of 2002 Odyssey transmission at 94K miles. My situation was resolved before doing internet research and coming upon this post. Fortunately, my situation was resolved well. Here's the facts.

Model - EX, standard package.

Purchased - Nov. 2001. This was a company car that I drove (I'm with an automotive supplier, more on that later). I purchased it 3 years later from the company when the lease was up with 69K miles on it. Became primary vehicle for my wife to drive. My next company car was a 2004 Accord (no problems there).

Transmission recall - This is where the dealership installed a jet valve to improve circulation of transmission fluid and help prevent these failures from occuring. Had this done in May 05 at 75K miles.

In Sep 06, wife started sensing slippage while accelerating. Mileage on car now 94K. Took it to the auto repair shop we've been using for several years now (better rates and same level of service as the Honda dealership), who confirmed the problem was in the transmission. They said I'm better off going to the Honda dealership with such a major problem (by the way, they didn't charge me for this check, thus my continued loyalty to this repair shop).

Honda dealership - My wife took the van in and they confirmed problem was in the 2nd-3rd gear and said it will eventually fail. Guess the jet valve fix didn't work afterall. They said they could replace it with a rebuilt transmission for $4300, parts and labor. Yikes! They said they would contact American Honda and see what type of goodwill gesture Honda would provide to cover costs. They did this on their own, my wife's not a hot head like me that will raise a stink. (Seeing these posts, its now apparent the dealership was well aware of this type of problem). Next day the dealership confirmed that all costs would be covered. They didn't offer a free rental in the interim like I saw on some other posts, but we never thought of asking. It was a minor inconvenience for the week we were without the van, so it just never came up.

Concerns - I'm extremely satisfied that Honda stands behind their product in this particular case and covered the full amount even though its outside the warranty period. The big question is how long will the remanufactured transmission last? Was this transmission done right and included the fixes to prevent any early failures, or am I on the clock? Only time will tell. I can't say I'm dissatisfied as a customer until a problem arises that Honda doesn't fix. Until then, I'm happy with what I have.

Why are the costs and amount of coverage being offered on the transmission replacement all over the place as listed in the various posts? This is puzzling. I think the majority of it is the dealership you are dealing with. I have steered my 2 company vehicle purchases to the Honda dealership doing the work, and a co-worker has done 2 as well. Since I'm in their system, maybe they want to keep me satisfied and steer future purchases their way? So they may have put in a good word to American Honda and pleaded to them to cover.

At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if some dealerships are trying to skim some money off this. American Honda may be reimbursing the dealership in full for parts and labor, and the dealership in turn is charging the customer a portion. For those with transmissions with less than 100K miles, keep pushing hard between the dealership and American Honda to cover all the costs (and to throw in the rental too which I didn't get).

Another area is the dealership is probably providing an assessment to American Honda on the overall condition of the vehicle. Does it (or did it) have a towing package? Is the underbody severely marred? Other signs of severe vehicle driving conditions? This wasn't the case for mine since the majority of the miles are highway miles, no offroading or towing. Thus its a case by case review.

One interesting side note. I saw on a couple of posts regarding the SRS indicator light coming on, and getting that unit replaced even though its out of warranty. I have the same situation with the light on for some time now that I have ignored. I need to followup on this and see if I can get the dealership and American Honda to cover this too even though its out of warranty, as the airbags are not a "wear and tear" type item.

Good luck on your attempts to get the transmission covered.

I bought my 02 van in Dec.01. I just had my transmission fail on me a couple of weeks ago. Reading thru these posts I realized that the slipping gears has been going on for a long time but just thought it was normal. I had the old clunk sound as well when backing up when cold right from the start. Anyways I called Honda Canada and they told me that my warranty was over but they would think about what they could do for me. So they decided to pay for 1/2 the cost of the part and my dealer paid $200 dollars of the labor. My cost would be $2400. I complained that others were getting the transmission covered totally but Honda Canada would not budge. Again they said I was lucky they were covering as much as they were as they were under no obligation to pay anything. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told that was not possible.
Well I went to pick up my van today and paid the $2400 and about 30 yards out of their parkade the transmission died!!! I almost had an accident as this was rush hour. I managed to turn around and drive back to the dealership and they told me they couldn't understand how that could happen. I even questioned them if I indeed got a new refurbished transmission and they told me yes I did but after checking it they said I would now need another one as the one they just gave me was no good . Would that be a record for the shortest life for a transmission. Lasted about 30 yards!!! I called Honda Canada when I got home to complain and all they told me was thats all they were going to pay and take any problems back to my dealer. For all those who have had their transmission replaced I wish you all the best because as soon as mine gets replaced again next week, there will be a for sale sign on it. I have lost all faith in Honda. I have owned a prelude, accord and presently own a MDX and odyssey. I will be selling both my odyssey and MDX as I will not support a company that doesn't support their customers.

I have a 2003 Odyssey that has developed a shake just before it shifts into third, This started after I took it in for the 45000 mile service which included the transmisson service. I now have 46000 miles on it and the engine light came on. The recall on the trans has been done. I contacted the dealer and will take it in to be checked out. When I asked him about warranty he said some of the trans had been extended to 8 years or 80000 miles but mine was not. I couldn"t get an answer as to why. Anybody know about this or have any suggestions about dealing with Honda?

I have a 2002 Honda Odyssey that we purchased in January 2002. Why I purchased the Honda, due to the commitment or brand - Service, Safty and Reliability. Since signing the contract for the $28k these machines costs - Service and reliability have yet to be determined. I am currently having transmission problems (honda has advised new transmission is required - not covered of course. So I have a case opened with American Honda which I am sure will not accomplish anything except getting a few things off my chest and add another Honda transmission log to their already thousands. As I look over the many, many issues everyone else is having 2%+ of Odysseys are having these issues - looks like we should be able to hold Honda to their word - RELIABILITY or they should change their commercials to No Service and a little bit of Reliability. :mad2:

We bought our 02 van as a Certified Preowned Honda back in 04. No problem since then until a month ago, we noticed it seemed to be hesitating when you move from stop. 2 weeks ago the problem got much worse- after my wife stopped for a few minutes with the engine on, it wouldn't move at all in Drive. She had to turn the engine off, let it cool for a few minutes before she could get it to move.

Took it to Honda dealer shop. After inspecting it, they said the whole transmission had failed, need to be replaced. Initially said I had to pay ~$4,500 for parts and labor. I told them I had heard of other owners with similar problems and they said they'd call American Honda and see if they can get a discount. I decided to call Am Honda myself and was told there was no extension on the 02 transmission warranty, and was advised to talk to dealer instead. When I got back to dealer, I was told they had talked to Am Honda and that the transmission (rebuilt) will be provided for free- that I only have to pay the $1,134 in labor costs. Agreed to have them do the job. They didn't have any loaner car program so I had to get and pay for a rental car myself.

I got the van from the shop on Monday, 2 days ago, and seemed fine on the drive home. However, yesterday my wife called me and said it would hardly move from stop. Drove it myself today and it was exactly as she said. It seemed fine in Reverse. D was a problem until you get moving fast. Stop and go traffic was a nightmare. In addition, the D light was constantly blinking, no matter which gear you were on and the TCS and Check Engine light was also constantly on (they were not lit when I got the van from the shop).

I have emailed the dealer and will be taking it back to them tomorrow.

It is outrageous. As most other Honda owners, I bought this because of its reputation for reliability. I would have been better off with a Hyundai!

I'll make another post when I get the van back.

Edwin

Ive heard of the odyssey having tranny problems and this 3 page thread proves it.

I have an 01 odyssey and I had the tranny replaced after it started acting up at 59k miles, thankfully right before the warranty was going to expire so in my experience the dealer took good care of me and Ive had no more problems since.

Ok. Here is the deal :-)
I just bought a 03 Odyssey. I was driving it home and noticed the D light started to blink.
As soon as I got in the house I checked the Internet and found this post.
The van has 66000KMS on it.
The van is still under extended warrenty however I do have a 7 day return policy I can take advantage of.
Are there any suggestions out there on what to do?
Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spurvinator

Ok. Here is the deal :-)
I just bought a 03 Odyssey. I was driving it home and noticed the D light started to blink.
As soon as I got in the house I checked the Internet and found this post.
The van has 66000KMS on it.
The van is still under extended warrenty however I do have a 7 day return policy I can take advantage of.
Are there any suggestions out there on what to do?
Thanks

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The flashing D means your transmission is overheating, and a typical symptom of an Odyssey transmission failing (along with TCS and check engine lights). We've been the single owner of a 2002 Odyssey EX and this week at 63000 km we too have fallen victim to a transmission failure. Our onset of failure was sudden, but fortunately was in the neighborhood at fairly low speeds. The research I've done following on this topic has been eye-opening. Seems that 40k miles/65k kilometers is the magic point where a much too high percentage of these transmissions begin to fail.

My recommendation would be to take advantage of the 7-day return policy. After returning it, if you wish to stick with an Odyssey (there is a lot to like about them once you get past the transmission and the sliding side doors problems), at least get one with a transmission that is currently running well. I would also have it checked out by a good mechanic. Finally, based on what I've seen I would either try to find a 2005+ Odyssey model if you can afford it, or take out a very good extended warranty if you buy a 99-04 model.

We now have to count ourselves among the many who have suffered a transmission failure on an '02 Odyssey. Our failed at 63k km/40k miles, right at the witching value on the odometer.

It is fascinating to see the various responses folks have gotten from Honda, and the fact that many have been successful getting Honda to stand behind their product is encouraging. I, however, have a special challenge to overcome and will likely need all the help I can get to succeed at this one. Those game for a challenge, read on...

I am American, now living in Texas, but we purchased our Odyssey (we've been its only owner) in Canada in Jul 02, shortly after starting a job assignment there. When we moved back to the US in 2005, we brought the Odyssey with us as a permanent import; Honda in the US provided paperwork necessary to assist with this. When I learned of the transmission failure, I called Honda in the US to open a file and pursue an amicable resolution. I was told that information would need to be sent from Canada, and to provide proof that the car was now registered in the US. I followed these instructions, only to be told today after they received the information that this was a "Canadian vehicle," even though it is now registered in the US. I told her I bought a HONDA, made at the same factory in Ontario that made all North American Odysseys at that time.

None of this mattered to her, and she indicated I would have to call Honda Canada to pursue this problem. It feels like Honda has started a game of runaround straight off the bat....

I'm seeking advice/ideas at this point. How should one approach this? It's clearly the same problem with all the vehicles ("Canadian" or "American") that were made at the same factory -- they all got the same recall notice in 2004. I have yet to call Honda Canada (will try after the weekend) but don't anticipate much joy based on some of the posts I have seen here.

Thanks for all ideas.

We so much love this van. Any idea on how new transmissions perform in these vans? What does a new transmission do for the resale value of a vechicle? I appriciate anybodys input.
Thanks

Hey, check out the link:

http://www.hondatransmissionsettlement.com


Appears that someone is finally doing someting about this.

I am new to this site, but have been told this AM that our 2002 EX is going to need a new tranny to the tune of $3300. Can you tell me how you got American Honda to pay for the complete cost of the repair? We bought the car new, and have 61800 miles on it. We have always had this car serviced at the dealer. What can I do to ensure that we do not have to pay for this repair? Did you need to do anything beyound working through the dealer and American Honda to get them to cover the cost of the new transmission?

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Originally Posted by TransHonda2002

I read all these postings from over the years regarding the faulty transmissions on the Honda Odyssey 2002. I have had problems with my transmission since a month after I bought the car in 2002. Had documentation (complaints) in the Honda system over all these years since I always have my oil changed there. I have had several Honda mechanics, Quality Reps, etc. check it out and they all said that it was fine and the van was supposed to ride like that. Well after much complaining, getting the oil jet put in for the tramsimission recall a couple of years ago, and accepting that the van was supposed to run and shift hard...It finally started to slip consistently between 2nd and 3rd gear - ~72K miles on the van. Took it in with all my documentation over the years, talked to the service manager. They checked it out, called Honda America and am getting a nw transmission 100% paid by Honda. What helped me was that I had all the complaints about my transmission from day 1 in their system. Let's see how it comes out....Waiting for the transmission to come in...Will keep you posted.

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need someone's help please... :confused:

i have a 2002 LX model which was purchased certified used in 2005. current odometer reading is about 50k. everything runs just great except starting about one year ago the instrument panel lights (i mean the entire panel) sporatically flashes a second or two and then disappears. i took it to the dealer and they were NOT able to pinpoint the cause as it only happens about once a day or so. to make it more strange, i noticed recently that the D light sometimes brightens when you accelerate and then dims when you move your foot out of the gas pedal. initially i was thinking it might have something to do with the bad wiring connection. but after reading the posts here, i begin to worry about the tranny now as it is right in the range you folks are have those issues. did you guys have any similar experiences?

thank you for your input on this...

ted

Hi,

Thank you to everyone for showing me the way here. It was good to find that I am not the only person with this experience. It is bad to find that it is so common on a brand that I thought was reliable, not only for the engineering and design, but for their customer service. I am waiting for my 2002 (66k miles) van to come out of the shop with a new tranny.

Wife and I have experienced several months of intermittent issues (trans slipping, loss of power to drive wheels, TCS light coming on every now and then, CheckEngine codes showed P0730--transmission fault of some sort). It was all a mystery to me, until I took it to a independent shop. The mech there insisted that I take it to the dealer (this mech is an honest guy--honest enough to admit that he has no idea, instead of buying a boat load of parts to put on my car for lack of a better idea).

At the dealer, I began to describe what we had been experiencing and the service advisor cut me off before I could finish. "You need a new tranny," he boldly stated. Well, how the heck did he know that so fast? He continued, "I have replaced 50 of these in the last two years, and I have been a Honda mech for 21 years." In fact, he did not even test drive with me, but he wrote on the service report, "Test drove with cust and found trans slipping when shifting from 1st to 2nd approx 10-15 MPH and had P0730 stored." Hmmm, sounds like Honda knows that there is a significant problem, and maybe they are quietly trying to fix it. I have not seen any correspondence from Honda, but they sure are good at sending me those "buy-a-new-Honda" letters.

When I asked what the warranty policy was (I do not have the extended warranty), he asked if I had done all the required maintenance. Fortunately for me, I had just had the van in for the 60k mile service ($500!) and we were now sitting at 66k miles. 60k mile includes trans flush and refill, with an operational test. I pulled out the receipt, which said, "No problems noted." I certainly was not ready to drop $5k into a new tranny for a Honda vehicle that is supposed to be reliable. It's not like I bought an $800 rattle trap and I am complaining that it's now broken! Couple days later, it turns out that the tranny is going to be covered 100% parts and labor by Honda. Phew! I encourage all of you experiencing this issue to fight for 100% coverage (and hopefully, you'll have the maintenance records to support your claim).

Thanks for all the info, because if I had not had the scoop that I found here, I would not have been prepared to argue my case for the warranty coverage very well.

My next decision is whether to keep this car. I don't want to be visiting this tranny issue again in 5k miles or 50k miles. I suspect that there is nothing better about the replacement, compared to the original. Therefore, it will probably have the same type of problems. What do other people think?

Thanks,

SP

This lawsuit applies to these models:
Honda Accord
2000-2001
Honda Odyssey
1999-2001
Honda Prelude
2000-2001
Acura 3.2 CL
2001-2002
Acura 3.2 TL
1999-2002
Acura CL 3.2 TL Type S:
From VIN 19UUA5 …3A000001
Thru 19UUA5… 3A019061
2003
Acura CL 3.2 CL (all models):
From VIN 19UYA42…3A000001
Thru 19UYA42 … 3A005203
2003

Hi Ted,

Just read about your flashing panel light problem. The same thing was happening with mine whenever I hit a bump or made a sharp left turn. I discovered that the problem was the sliding door on the passenger side. The door would ever so slightly move away from the door closed switch when hitting a bump. I solved the problem by taking the switch off and putting a washer behind the switch which in turn meant it now stuck out about 3/32 of an inch more. Just enough to solve the problem.

My 2000 Odyssey with 150K on it is starting to have classic transmission failure. Anyone know if I'm covered considering the current lawsuit against Honda?

Roman

We have just 49,000 miles on our car. I knew a transmission lawsuit was pending, but didn't know it had been settled :thumbsup: until we brought the car in this morning. The car had been shifting roughly for at least the last month - I was slow to get it in and am glad nothing bad happened...

I was told that we will be needing new engine mounts too as 3 are cracked (3?) and that this isn't covered under the warranty. Can this be a problem caused by the faulty transmission? I noticed someone else asked this earlier. They will be covering the full cost of a new (rebuilt?) transmission, including labor, but of course they came up with several other things we 'need' to do as well. We have been taking this car to the dealer since we got it in 2001 -- the service manager we used to see for years left recently and the last 2 times with a new service manager I have not been thrilled with his suggestions for replacing this and that for $ and $ and $. We are going to pick up the car now and will take it back when they get the parts in -- glad to have found this forum.

Otherwise we've loved the car with the exception of lousy gas mileage in the city and the fact that everyone and their mother has this car in the same color. Our family has walked to the wrong car more than once and wondered why the doors won't open.:blush2:

Just got the call from the Honda dealer and Honda USA is providing the reman tranny and I will have to pay $850 labor.

This is good news in light of the fact that my brother works for GM and his '02 Tahoe's transmission failed with 78K miles and GM did not offer a thing.

So at least I'll get another 2 years out of the van...I'm not happy with the faulty transmission, but Honda went above and beyond to keep me happy.

I will give Honda my business again.

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Originally Posted by tlamhain

Well, I got my van back on 9/30. It seems to be running fine. I hope that I don't have the same problem in 45000 miles. My husband is insisting we sell the van. Who knows....
Theresa

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I should have listen to the hubby this time..... I just was pulling out of the bank and there was a big clunk/clunk and then my engine and maintenance lights came on, the green D light started blinking and the TCS light was blinking too. I now have 52000 miles on it. So this tranny lasted less then 10000 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spoke on the phone with my Honda dealer and they said if it is the tranny it will be covered 100% labor too. I have an appointment for Monday...

Theresa

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Originally Posted by Jim in NY

Hey, check out the link:

http://www.hondatransmissionsettlement.com


Appears that someone is finally doing someting about this.

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This is the correct website that I got to work....

http://www.hondatransmissionsettleme...php/login.php?

My Van is not covered....
Theresa

The tranny was so bad today that instead of driving to the dealer with it I had to call a tow truck. Sigh.... :mad2: :cryin:

Don't be bullied by your dealer!! I have a 2002 Odyssey w/ 68,000+ miles. Last week it wouldn't accelerate properly one day, so I coasted to the dealer and had them check the car. They called me with the news that the transmission was slipping and that I needed to replace the transmission at a cost of $4100. I was in shock. I called back and asked if they could do something to reduce the cost since I have them do all of the service work on the odyssey and an 03 accord.

Within 20 minutes the dealership called back and said that they would provide the replacement transmission and I would just need to pay labor (about $975). I told him to wait before proceeding any further. That night I researched the problem on this web site and www.autosafety.org; it was clear that honda has a problem with this particular model's transmission. Additionally, it only takes about 2.5 hrs. to do the replacement work (not exactly a $975 job!).

I called the dealer back the next business day, and this time I spoke to the service magager. I told him that I didn't think that I should have to pay any amount to replace a transmission on a 5 year old car that the manufacturer and dealer know has a defect...i asked to speak to the zone manager of honda north america. At that point, he said that he would call them on my behalf. I don't know if he really did that or not, but he called me back and said that there would not be any charge for parts or labor for the new transmission. He didn't say this, but from what I've seen on the net, it looks like it will be refurbished. Fine...as long as it works!

Yippie! I got my van back last night and it was not the transmission! Well it was but the problem was only a broken wire. They fixed, no charge, and I was able to go pick it up last night!
Let's hope this is the last time I have to deal with transmission problems. Not likely I know......

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Originally Posted by Angie Bravo

This forum has been extremely helpful in resolving my trans problem. A year ago, I noticed that while driving, the car had a hesitation going from 1st to 2nd gear. My revolutions would reach 4 but I would be under 30 miles per hour. I would accelerate the car without increasing the mileage, like if the car was in parking and me hitting the gas. It happened once in a blue moon, but then it started happening more often. I took the car to service many times, and they kept telling me that they couldn't reproduce the problem. The good thing is that by going to the dealership I had proof of the many check-ups they did. Also I proved loyalty to them.
As soon as this hesitation became frequent, they told me that the solenoids (not sure if it's correctly written) needed to be changed. It was a $800 job approx. and I paid for it. This week, the engine light came on and the problem persisted, so the diagnose was a dead trans. The repair cost: $5000.

I jump into the internet to find out if there were any publised problems with trans on the Honda Odyssey and to my surprised I found millions of cases, even articles from newspaper and TV that have come out regarding this problem. I printed everything and went to the dealership. When they saw me so prepared, without opening my mouth they told me that my trans would be fixed at no cost plus they would give me a rental car. I told all the customers in the service area the problem they would face with the Odyssey, and I gave them my phone number so I can tell them what I knew. Honda didn't what to have a customer like me on their back, I was truly ready to go to the local news if they didn't step up and fixed the problem. I encourage each one of you to do the same thing and have them be responsible for the mistakes. We bought the best van in the market and paid a goodwill for it, and we expect service. We are not driving a Caravan, so please fight for your rights.

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I am so glad that I found this forum before deciding to pay $4,500 for the replacement of my Honda Odyssey 02 Transmission with the similar problem - slipping between 2nd gear and 3rd gear. The dealer told me the diagnosis by the computer indicated that the solenoids needed to be replaced in order for them to test if my transmission is bad. I had to pay close to $500 for the replacement of the solenoids so I did pay for it. They then called me and said "Unfortunately, it still didn't work after the replacement of the solenoids, ...., the only way my van can be repaired is to get the transmision replaced and it will cost $4,500 to do that..."

I was helpless until I found this site. I printed out the messages from this site and brought them to the dealer. They said my VIN was NOT covered by the extended warrantee from Honda and could not help. I explained that I had good maintenence records in Honda Services and it made no sense that I had to pay it myself for the bad transmission produced by Honda and the transmisiion problem of Honda Odyssey has widespreaded already. I also told them I currently own another Honda CR-V and it has never had any problem at all. I insisted to talk to their Director and he eventually promised to call American Honda on my behalf. Last night, I got good news - American Honda has agreed to cover all of the expense inclduing the material and labor with 36,000 miles/3 year warrantee. I was a little upset for paying $500 for the solenoids in the beginning, but it worths it becasue I think this $500 made them tried harder to convinced American Honda that I am a good customer...

I was told to drop off my van on Sunday night and they will do the replacement for me once the new transmission arrives. I will update how it goes next week. :)

I have a 2002 odyssey which seems to be having transmission
failures also. Upon accelerating on a slight slope, the rpm goes up
and the speed is fixed at a low speed until about 10 sec. later.
Then yesterday, the problem was so severe that the speed stuck
at 20mph and the car had to be pulled over. I think the problem
is getting worse to I brought it this morning to a non-Honday
repair shop and told them the symptoms.
He told me that this was a known transmission design flaw
problem at that it should be covered up to 100,000 mi and for 7 yrs
and Honda should cover it.
But when I brought it in to the Honda service, they told me that
after a $50 service check, if the transmission had to be replaced
I have to pay $3500 and that the warranty expires after $36K.
I think I need to get the Honda corporate number to help me on this.
I am not paying $3500 for a known design flaw.

I bought it Sep 2004 with 79K. Started having tranny problem 2nd-3rd slip around 90K+. I found ATF was really dirty. then I change it frequently (4times, each time 3.5QT) the slip problem were gone. But the engin light and TCS kept coming back. And then slip problem came back on 100K+.
Then I change ATF for another 3 times again, and each time found a lot of dirty deposit on the bolt. Now it can only run on neutral gear http://forums.carreview.com/images/smilies/idea.gif
:idea:from 0 to 65 mph. I am waiting HONDA USA to investigate my case.

Also, I found the speed indicator always higher than Police Speed Monitor.
eg. My car showed 30 mph but Police see it run at 28 mph. So my odemeter may also show higher milage than the actual milage.

My Odyssey started having problems sticking between 2nd and 3rd gear just after my 90k transmission flush/maintenence. It wasn't happening all the time and I thought maybe the car was just cold. I went over 100k and then my engine light and TCS lights came on. I took it in and after 3 hours I called them to see what was up. They said the transmission needed replaced and the service manager had already put a call into Honda America to see what they could do to help. I hadn't found this board and was way outside the warranty so I had no idea why they made that call ( I do now). But I am glad they did as they quoted me $3500. While I was researching the problem they called back and said Honda would not replace it for free or give me a rental car but "Honda wanted to know what they could do to keep me a happy and satisfied customer" (I had made it quite clear this was my 3rd Honda and we would be replacing our other car in the next year or 2 and HAD been planning on a Honda). I went on and on about how I bought this car when there were none on the lot to test drive, you went on a waiting list (took 4 months to get it) and had to pay full sticker price. I bought it sight unseen based on the Honda brand and all I expected with that. End result we offered to pay what I'd been making as car payments last year $550 and they jumped at it. Car is back and running well. My service dept was very easy to work with and although free would have been nice I know if this had happened to our Ford they would not have helped us at all. We will look at a Honda for the next car but probably go back to old faithful accord. My accord was never in the shop for a problem over 200k miles

I am so glad that i found this forum .Im having these same tranny issues Ihope I can get this resolved. I went out on a limb by puchasing this vehicle I need to grow old with it but I cant afford a 4000 trans.

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Originally Posted by nvansover

If you have similar symptoms in your '02 Odyssey, and read all the "horror" stories above, you may have real concerns by now. I know I did. I was real scared and certainly didn't feel like forking $5k+ on a 3+ year old car with 29k miles (bought in Dec. '01).

So take it easy: there's about a 4-months gap between this reply and the one before it, and I think by now, Honda figured out how to handle this issue – they're doing a good job. Please read on.

Facts:
1. They're not hiding anything anymore. In fact the service reps were discussing my case with me present in the room and referred to it as the "classic transmission issue".
2. As of now, there is no formal warranty extension from Honda, for 02 models, regarding this transmission case. However, when I described the problem to the service rep I was very polite and said "I have a really bad feeling about it – I read about this problem on the Internet and it doesn't look good". That's it. No more. His answer: "I wouldn't even think having you pay for a new transmission. With your mileage, this is absurd". I came in, early bird, armed with gobs of printouts (this forum) hidden in my briefcase, ready for a real war, to the bitter end. It wasn't necessary. Not at all.
3. He actually told me that Honda would replace transmissions with way more mileage on them, suffering from the problem. (I want to say, any number below 100k, but take my estimate here very carefully, please. And I'm not sure about the years either.)
4. Many of you may have received by now, a letter fro Honda, about warranty extension for "EGR valve". This has nothing to do with the transmission problem. However:
a. Sometimes, symptoms related to a malfunctioning EGR valve may be mistaken for transmission problem.
b. Specifically, if you see your RPM needle up there on the 3-5 area and the vehicle is not accelerating – it's no EGR!!
5. Why do I say "above and beyond"? Not only the transmission was free, with NO hassles, Honda paid for the loner car and even fixed a malfunctioning SRS unit (red light came on) free of charge. Out of warranty.
6. Interesting: The faulty transmissions were indeed outsourced (OHIO?) and the contractor if footing the bill for the replacements.
7. I was trying to get some information regarding the malfunction itself, but I'm not sure I understood the explanation very well. The way it was put to me, I'm not sure that even the service people really know. They apply external tests to the transmission, and if these fail they send the whole thing away and put a new one. The technical explanation contained words like "parts failing", "pressure", "leaking", "inability to transfer power", etc.

To summarize this very long post (sorry...): If your case fits the more-or-less obvious "statistics" posted above, reasonable mileage, etc., expect the problem to be handled well.

Personally, I believe Honda should simply extend the warranty. They already agreed to carry the burden of fixing it anyway, so why not give all owners the peace of mind and get the good reputation they deserve?

I hope this helps.

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Im having the same tranny problems . but each time I carry it to the dealer they tell me that they cant duplicate the problem . Yesterday I carried it in only to hear the same report . This slipping occurs at least 3to 4 times per day. I know that I'm eather getting the run around or they are totally insane. I am so glad I found this forum. now I'm better educated about how wide spread this actually is. There is NO reason for a tranny crap out at 58,000 miles. The thing that I cant understand is that they are sending people back out on the roads knowing that the tranny is going to breakdown. This could lead to accidents. The management at honda in not taking responsibility is opening itself up to lawsuits beyond belief. thanks for all your comments.

I feel better but bad after I found this forum regarding numerous Odyssey transmission problems. I feel better because I found that many other owners share similar problems, but bad because it's a very dangerous life safety problem. I can't fall to sleep after I read through these 100+ postings.

Similar to many other cases, the green "D" light is flashing after driving for a few miles. As far as my wife and myself can remember, it started sometimes in Dec. 2006 (2 months ago) when the van was right under 70,000 miles. (It is just over 72,000 miles nowi) It came on and go. Now it becomes persistent recently.

We noticed similar trans slipping from 1 to 2 to 3 gear, most notably from 2 to 3 gear. We also feel hard and bumpy when down-shifting. Sometimes, the steering wheel is hard when making turns.

We already called a nearby Honda dealer for a checkup this Wednesday. We bought the van from an independent car dealer, but have the van serviced at this dealer.

I called American Honda this morning to report trans problem. The service rep checked, and no surprise, our van wasn't covered in any recall. She logged the case for me and made a note to the dealer when the van is checked this Wednesday.

I hope Honda will step up and resolve our case like many others. It takes time to build reputation, safety, reliability. It could be ruined, too.

I'll update later.

Well, after waiting for the whole day, Honda dealer service advisor called back saying that American Honda is willing to pay for a new (rebuilt, I suppose) transmission, but we have to pay for the dealer's labor at about $740 plus tax, and no rental car offer.

We're told that we should feel grateful that American Honda is paying for a $3500 trans even though the car is out of warranty. I told them that it's a known design flaw and they should cover both part and labor. The class action lawsuit settled at the end of 2006 didn't cover 2002 model since this lawsuit started 3 years ago and not many cases were reported back then. It appears that the transmission complaints are catching up with 2000/2001 models.

Then we talked to the service manager. He said that Honda regional manager was just at the dealer. This is what they're willing to do --- sound like take it or leave it. He implied that we shouldn't call the American Honda trying to ask for more since the regional manager may even take back his offer. So we're pressured to back down and agreed to let them do the job first. My wife and I think that we'll take the offer first so that they can order the new trans. In the meantime, we're finding ways to pay for the labor portion.

- check Better Business Bureau record, possibly log in a complaint
- call other nearby dealers for their part & labor for replacing the transmission
- call the independent car broker and see what he thinks
- call/write the dealer's general manager?
- call American Honda again?

hello yangsu,
for my case, the dealer told me the same thing.
At first, they will only pay for parts and not labor but maybe nothing
at all. But after I persisted, they agreed to pay for the labor also.
so no cost at all. Looks like after the 2001 model, all issues are
handled on a case by case basis. So push until the dealer pays for all.
Start by complaining in several forums. then you can try
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

which is a govt site that you can complain and hopefully if enough
people complain, the govt will force a recall.
I would complain up the ladder. Talk to the supervisor and so on up.
Show this forum, etc.

You can also try to complain only local TV stations that fight for
consumers. Don't give up. And get tips for other forums.
There are so many forums w/consumers complaining about the
Honda tranny issue. Best of luck!

we live in washington & bought a year old '01 odyssey from a broker in bellevue. it was a converted honda of canada model & in thepast 8 months or so have had the same issues. 1st the tcs & ck eng lights came on simultaneously but no obvious trany problems. chkd online, found all the posts & immediately took it to local honda dealer for diagnostic. claimed it was egr, fixed it & lts went off. maybe 6 months later lights come on and it starts chugging shifting from 1st to 2nd. return to dealer. lo & behold trany needs replacing. called honda of america - "not their problem" same with canada.
has anyone else run into this & gotten any resolution?? am spittin mad about this & can't believe a company with honda's rep is being this difficult & for a "family" car at that!!
help if you can...

On 24 February 2007 the transmission failed on the 2002 Odyssey that I purchased new in October 2001; it had 67,000 miles on it at the time of the failure. As you might expect, I was quite disturbed with the failure, particularly in light that the mileage was well-past the 40,000 mile power-train warranty. My disappointment grew when I learned on this Web forum that the 2002 Odyssey has a well-known transmission problem and is quite costly to repair (approximately $5000).

With great anxiety I called the local Honda dealer and spoke with the service manager. The manager requested that I bring the car in for inspection. Two hours later she called to report that the transmission had indeed failed prematurely and that on my behalf she had spoken to Honda corporate and obtained permission to replace the transmission at no charge.

A few days later I returned to pickup the Honda. The transmission was replaced and I was charged nothing for the repacement! This incident speaks well for Honda and fully restores my faith in Honda's desire to provide customer satisfaction.

Vince Mystik

I also have a 2000 Honda Odyssey built in Canada. I purchased from a dealer in USA. This week suddenly TCS lamp and Engine Check lamp came on. I contacted the dealer that sold the car to me. I had two letters from American Honda. One, extended warranty for 7 yr/100000 miles for the transmission, and another for ERG ? something. It was out of the warranty period. (97000 mileage)

First the dealer said only the transmission will be covered, but after a phone call to America Honda, they told me that America Honda would replace everything free of charge, and a rent-a-car!

I drove off the dealership in my car with "Check Engine " lamp on. The dealer didn't have a transmission on site and I was assured there would be no problem with the transmission for now.

Next day, I got a phone call from the dealer. The transmission will be in on Monday. I am to take the car back to the dealership tomorrow and will drive off in a ren-a-car that will be paid by America Honda.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by canuckoddy

We have a Canadian built 02 Odyssey, bought from an American dealer with only 38 miles on it. At the time there was a 6 month wait for one, so we snapped it up. We had never heard of grey market cars, foreign made cars sold by American dealers. Don't every buy one. Honda Canada will not cover any recall work, even if you take it to Canada, if the vehicle has non-Canadian license plates. American Honda will not honor any grey market cars, even if sold by one of their authorized dealers.

We have it serviced at the dealership we purchased it from, and the service advisors told me for years they couldn't get any information on Canadian vehicles. The recalls on the Odyssey were in the news, so I knew there had to be something out there. I finally talked to the owner of the dealership, who got the recall information on the transmission lubricant, and did the work without charge in Sept. 2005. In Feb. 2006 it started shifting hard, then having trouble at stop signs, but the service dept. said they couldn't replicate the problem and couldn't fix it. It started getting worse the end of March, with the RPM indicator into the red zone changing into 2nd. I took it in to get it checked and for the 90000 mile work, and was told the transmission is "full of metal", and needs replacing.

The service bulletins on this problem are identical for Honda Canada and American Honda. It states that for vehicles under 24,000km/15,000 miles to update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler line. For vans over this mileage, the dealer inspects for discoloration due to overheating; if found the transmission needs to be replaced. If not, do the "simple revision". At the top of the bulletins, the reason for the recall is that overheating can lead to gear tooth chipping and gear breakage. Could this be the metal our transmission is full of, 6 months after the recall work was done? Hmm.

American Honda closed our case because the dealer had already done the recall work, satisfying the claim. I asked if the recall work had not been done properly, especially since the vehicle had 60,000 plus miles on it - well over the 15,000 limit - and the dealer never said anything about inspecting it, just that was all that needed to be done. Had the work not been done, American Honda would have to consider our case.

The dealer has had our vehicle for 6 days now, and the service manager will not return my calls. Honda Canada says our model is not covered by the 7yr/100,000 mile warranty on the transmission, but won't tell me why. I talked to the NHTSA and filed a complaint. No help anywhere yet. Any ideas, anyone?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mojojojo3698

I have a 2002 Odyssey with 35k miles. Very recently I've experience my transmission slipping on acceleration and hills. It's in the shop as I'm typing this. The Honda technician says the transmission will have to be replaced. He says that Honda has admitted quietly that the transmission is not ideal with the 240 HP engine. The vehicle weight, the engine HP and typical driving patterns create the problem. Honda is claiming 2% failure rate. They added extended warranties to the 2000 and 2001 years because of this problem. They haven't added the extended warranty to the 02 model yet but the technician expects Honda will. But no guarantees. If you're on the standard warranty and have more than 36k miles, keep fighting with Honda if your transmission fails. They may still cover the cost. Honda service will not rebuild the transmission. They will only replace.

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You say that they exteneded warranties on the 2000 and 2001, my 2000's just went out. Up to how many miles will they cover replacement? I am so upset now my wife wants a new vehicle! PEASE HELP !

:mad2: Dose any one have any good news about what to do about this big mess, up to now all I ever heard about Honda was they are the best Automotive company. Man would Toyota love to hear about our problem so that they can rube it in thier face!

There's probably something wrong with your tranny. Inspect it for faults.


____________________
2005 Toyota Tundra Accesorios - Tundra 4x2 06 Catalog by Toyota Motors

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jean6061

we live in washington & bought a year old '01 odyssey from a broker in bellevue. it was a converted honda of canada model & in thepast 8 months or so have had the same issues. 1st the tcs & ck eng lights came on simultaneously but no obvious trany problems. chkd online, found all the posts & immediately took it to local honda dealer for diagnostic. claimed it was egr, fixed it & lts went off. maybe 6 months later lights come on and it starts chugging shifting from 1st to 2nd. return to dealer. lo & behold trany needs replacing. called honda of america - "not their problem" same with canada.
has anyone else run into this & gotten any resolution?? am spittin mad about this & can't believe a company with honda's rep is being this difficult & for a "family" car at that!!
help if you can...

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I have a dead honda 2001 odyssey. 66500 miles. currently sitting at honda dealer as I am trying to get it fixed under warranty since the us warranty was extended for this car, why not the canada one even since all the transmissions were probably made at the same place. anyway, I have not resolved, and am furiuos!!!

I have contacted someone in washington state that had problem also, and he is still trying to fight it as well. we must all stick together to have any chance.