Re: Honda Odyssey, Tranny Problems??

[DanielinTheLions]

Thanks all for the input. I just talked it over with a mechanic and he looked it up on IATN (I believe that's what it's called). Any way what he found was that on the 2004 (and earlier) honda van there is a component in the torque converter and in the clutch packs on second gear that disintegrates and plugs up the filter. So naturally when the filter is plugged the whole unit starves for fluid and it destroyes the entire transmission. To make things even better the only way to access the filter is to remove the transmission and split the case.

He said it looks like Honda released a fix in April 2005 that is supposed to resolve the disintegrating torque converter and clutch packs. So if the the fix has been applied then everything might be ok.

 

[Vikas]

Quote:
Re: Honda Odyssey, Tranny Problems??
Does bear defaecate in woods? Is Pope catholic??

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: DanielinTheLions

Looking to buy a used mini-van. I usually think of Honda as being a good quality buy but I've been reading some reviews on the 2004 model and it sounds like a ton of major automatic transmission problems often costing in excess of $3000 to repair. From the reviews looks like about 2000 to 2004 are the worse years but other years have issues to. Any body have any experiences with these Honda Vans? Trying to decide if they are a worthy buy or a definite avoid.


Maybe this will help:

My neighbor has the old "Accord Odyssey", a '98 with the different transmission and 4 cylinder engine, and that is a really solid car. If you're looking in the '99-'04 range, I'd look elsewhere. Post '05, the Sienna transmission actually looks more problematic than the Odyssey, but reputation is a hard thing to get back.

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: DanielinTheLions

Looking to buy a used mini-van. I usually think of Honda as being a good quality buy but I've been reading some reviews on the 2004 model and it sounds like a ton of major automatic transmission problems often costing in excess of $3000 to repair. From the reviews looks like about 2000 to 2004 are the worse years but other years have issues to. Any body have any experiences with these Honda Vans? Trying to decide if they are a worthy buy or a definite avoid.


Maybe this will help:

My neighbor has the old "Accord Odyssey", a '98 with the different transmission and 4 cylinder engine, and that is a really solid car. If you're looking in the '99-'04 range, I'd look elsewhere. Post '05, the Sienna transmission actually looks more problematic than the Odyssey, but reputation is a hard thing to get back.


That graph is inaccurate.

The Caravan/GC/T&C had many, many more transmission problems than what's showed.

The Sienna has never had any known transmission issues. They are pretty bulletproof.

The Odyssey had a bad transmission in other years too, not just 2002. It's very unlikely that it only peaked that one year. It just shows how useless this chart is.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: hypervish
Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: DanielinTheLions

Looking to buy a used mini-van. I usually think of Honda as being a good quality buy but I've been reading some reviews on the 2004 model and it sounds like a ton of major automatic transmission problems often costing in excess of $3000 to repair. From the reviews looks like about 2000 to 2004 are the worse years but other years have issues to. Any body have any experiences with these Honda Vans? Trying to decide if they are a worthy buy or a definite avoid.


Maybe this will help:

My neighbor has the old "Accord Odyssey", a '98 with the different transmission and 4 cylinder engine, and that is a really solid car. If you're looking in the '99-'04 range, I'd look elsewhere. Post '05, the Sienna transmission actually looks more problematic than the Odyssey, but reputation is a hard thing to get back.


That graph is inaccurate.

The Caravan/GC/T&C had many, many more transmission problems than what's showed.

The Sienna has never had any known transmission issues. They are pretty bulletproof.

The Odyssey had a bad transmission in other years too, not just 2002. It's very unlikely that it only peaked that one year. It just shows how useless this chart is.


The data were simply taken from the nhsta website at the time of publishing. If you have data that show differently, feel free to post it up. But the plural of anecdote is not data.

I also think that if you look at the actual numbers on the chart you'll realize that they show the Odyssey is pretty bad for several years, not just one. Even in 2004 the number of problems look to be more than double that of other minivans.

 

[gfh77665]

Thanks JOD. That chart makes me feel a lot better about my 2006 Odyssey!

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: hypervish
Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: DanielinTheLions

Looking to buy a used mini-van. I usually think of Honda as being a good quality buy but I've been reading some reviews on the 2004 model and it sounds like a ton of major automatic transmission problems often costing in excess of $3000 to repair. From the reviews looks like about 2000 to 2004 are the worse years but other years have issues to. Any body have any experiences with these Honda Vans? Trying to decide if they are a worthy buy or a definite avoid.


Maybe this will help:

My neighbor has the old "Accord Odyssey", a '98 with the different transmission and 4 cylinder engine, and that is a really solid car. If you're looking in the '99-'04 range, I'd look elsewhere. Post '05, the Sienna transmission actually looks more problematic than the Odyssey, but reputation is a hard thing to get back.


That graph is inaccurate.

The Caravan/GC/T&C had many, many more transmission problems than what's showed.

The Sienna has never had any known transmission issues. They are pretty bulletproof.

The Odyssey had a bad transmission in other years too, not just 2002. It's very unlikely that it only peaked that one year. It just shows how useless this chart is.


The data were simply taken from the nhsta website at the time of publishing. If you have data that show differently, feel free to post it up. But the plural of anecdote is not data.

I also think that if you look at the actual numbers on the chart you'll realize that they show the Odyssey is pretty bad for several years, not just one. Even in 2004 the number of problems look to be more than double that of other minivans.


I understand that the numbers are still higher compared to other vans, but those numbers don't make sense.

Either way, we know the Odyssey has a terrible transmission. No chart is going to change that. lol

The main issue I have with that chart is in regards to the T&C and such minivans. The transmissions in those vans suck (my Grand Caravan went through 4 transmissions), and they are still having problems with them in the latest generation. There is no way they had less issues than any of the two vans combined even.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: JOD

The data were simply taken from the nhsta website at the time of publishing. If you have data that show differently, feel free to post it up. But the plural of anecdote is not data.


Who reports transmission issues to NHTSA? If its under warranty and it blows you let the dealer fix it. If it's after warranty maybe but I bet few do. I know when I blew the transmission in my 2000 Explorer in 2003 at 59k, I reported to nobody. Took it to a transmission shop, paid them and drove away poorer but with a working transmission.

 

[hypervish]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: JOD

The data were simply taken from the nhsta website at the time of publishing. If you have data that show differently, feel free to post it up. But the plural of anecdote is not data.


Who reports transmission issues to NHTSA? If its under warranty and it blows you let the dealer fix it. If it's after warranty maybe but I bet few do. I know when I blew the transmission in my 2000 Explorer in 2003 at 59k, I reported to nobody. Took it to a transmission shop, paid them and drove away poorer but with a working transmission.


I didn't report my Grand Caravan's transmission the four times it was replaced either. You make a valid point. And, I know for sure the shop (my uncle's shop) that replaced it didn't report it either.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: itguy08

Who reports transmission issues to NHTSA? If its under warranty and it blows you let the dealer fix it. If it's after warranty maybe but I bet few do. I know when I blew the transmission in my 2000 Explorer in 2003 at 59k, I reported to nobody. Took it to a transmission shop, paid them and drove away poorer but with a working transmission.


Is there a reason that Honda owners will disproportionately report transmission failures? It's more a gauge of relative problems, not absolute numbers. There are other data out there as well (True Delta, Identifix, the dreaded Consumer's Reports). They all seem to indicate the same thing, between '01 and '03-'04, Odyssey transmissions were really bad.

NONE of the data sets out there are perfect, but I'd put more stock in the totality of them than 3rd hand anecdote. But that's me, people are free to make their own decisions.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: JOD
But the plural of anecdote is not data.


I love that quote!

It's funny; different resources out there that are ostensibly backed-up by consumer reporting all correlate. Resources as you mentioned...True Delta, Identifix, Consumer Reports, and the NHTSA data you just posted. They all indicate pretty much the same thing: Odyssey transmissions were pretty poor through most of the 2nd generation van (1998-2004), got much better in 2004, and transmission reliability with the more recent generations (2005-current) are in line with the industry average. In general, I've never seen anyone who refutes the data post anything to the contrary, except for stories like "my sister's cousin's brother's best friend had this van one time..."

Regarding the Mopar minivan transmissions, I find the chart to be pretty representative of what I've seen. Hypervish, you had a '98 Grand Caravan if I recall, and those transmissions were pretty lousy back then. By the 4th generation Mopar van (2001-2007), the transmissions were fairly reliable. I owned two of those vans (a 2003 and a 2007) and I moderated a Chrysler minivan message board; ownership experience generally correlates with the graph posted. That is, there were a limited number of issues, and the vast majority of people had good service from their Mopar transmissions.

Just as the vast majority of people had good service from their Toyota transmissions. Just as the vast majority of people had good service from their Honda transmissions.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

The difference between Chrysler and Honda is people do not have a perception of high quality with Chrysler. People KNOW that Chrysler makes poor vehicles. Many people do not know about Honda's transmission problems of the early 00s

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: JOD
But the plural of anecdote is not data.


I love that quote!


...there were a limited number of issues, and the vast majority of people had good service from their Mopar transmissions.

Just as the vast majority of people had good service from their Toyota transmissions. Just as the vast majority of people had good service from their Honda transmissions.


I also love that quote!

Exactly right. Despite the loudly trumpeted junk on the Net the overwhelming majority were simply driving them. Even the Chryslers.

Too many folks get burnt and can't get past it. If you buy enough cars there will be a bad one sooner or later because EVERY mfgr makes a lemon once in a while.

The big difference is how they handle it...

 

[rjundi]

I understand the 2000-2004 had more than typical transmission issues. Honda seem to acknowledge with 8yr/100k warranty on it.

The question is if replaced does it actually fit it?

The folks I know with 2006-present Ody seem to have relatively trouble free ownership. Little nags but nothing crazy and a nice driving (for minivan) vehicle and wonderful motor.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

I also love that quote!

Exactly right. Despite the loudly trumpeted junk on the Net the overwhelming majority were simply driving them. Even the Chryslers.

Too many folks get burnt and can't get past it. If you buy enough cars there will be a bad one sooner or later because EVERY mfgr makes a lemon once in a while.

The big difference is how they handle it...


This exactly! Chrysler vehicles I feel get a bad rep not because they are all bad, but because the ones with problems usually get ignored by corporate. While these owners have a right to be upset, their stories are usually the ones plastered all over the internet.

The same goes for the Ford 6.0L Diesel. Is it a perfect motor? No, but many of them go 300k miles without problems if taken care of and not modified. Most of the problems come from people who modify the [censored] out of them with tuners and/or don't take care of them, then post all over the internet about how its Ford's fault that their truck won't hold up to being tuned to 600 hp and redlined every day.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

I also love that quote!

Exactly right. Despite the loudly trumpeted junk on the Net the overwhelming majority were simply driving them. Even the Chryslers.

Too many folks get burnt and can't get past it. If you buy enough cars there will be a bad one sooner or later because EVERY mfgr makes a lemon once in a while.

The big difference is how they handle it...


This exactly! Chrysler vehicles I feel get a bad rep not because they are all bad, but because the ones with problems usually get ignored by corporate. While these owners have a right to be upset, their stories are usually the ones plastered all over the internet.

The same goes for the Ford 6.0L Diesel. Is it a perfect motor? No, but many of them go 300k miles without problems if taken care of and not modified. Most of the problems come from people who modify the [censored] out of them with tuners and/or don't take care of them, then post all over the internet about how its Ford's fault that their truck won't hold up to being tuned to 600 hp and redlined every day.


Part of the problem with the 6.0diesel were people hopping them up wayyyyyy too much.

 

[DrDusty86]

The 6.0 PSD had some deadly flaws right out of the box. Casting sand in the block, ERG coolers plugging up because the wrong coolant used. When EGR coolers failed, they often took out the oil cooler as well. Small TTY head bolts on an engine that was "HOPPED UP" from the Ford factory @ 325hp. The International VT 365 was detuned at around 185hp-235hp and it wasn't perfect still but the issues were cut by 97%.
Head studs
EGR delete
Oil cooler relocation
Coolant filter
Stilactate free coolant
FICM Relocated to the fender or firewall
2 micron fuel filter install
Drilled service cleaning port on turbo
Frequent oil changes
DRIVE IT LIKE IT WAS STOLEN
=happy 6.0PSD

Miller, The hopping up of the 6.0 done by people was only 5% of the issues IF THAT. The majority was the flaws above. Some trucks needed work to just back them off the dealer delivery truck. It is not IF A STOCK 6.0 IS GOING TO BE MAJORLY COSTLY, IT IS WHEN

 

[CELICA_XX]

Originally Posted By: pbm
I would only buy a Honda with an M/T.

Best advice on the forum.

I don't understand why more people aren't mad about this. Any type of failure under 120,000 miles is absolutely unacceptable to me.

Why do people keep coming back for more ?

Awful transmissions.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
My dad is selling an 08 Honda minivan because of the things that have gone wrong with it including but not limited to 3 or 4 trans failures..


I participated on a busy Odyssey board for 6yrs, owned a 2008 and I've never heard of a transmission failure on a 2007+ Odyssey. A few torque converter replacements, yes.

The 2007+ 4-shaft design (prior were 3-shaft) are largely problem free. No more issues than any other modern 5spd. This 4-shaft AT is shared between the Ody, Pilot and Ridgeline and is built for 4wd use. They are easier to change ATF on than an engine oil change.

My recommendation for a Honda Odyssey would be stick with 2007+ and keep it simple with an LX if you can find one. Our 2008 was basically problem free in the ~6yrs/70K miles we owned it. I did swap out the factory Z1 ATF for Valvoline Maxlife early on.

 

[supton]

I dunno--I'd call a torque convertor failure a transmission failure. Yes, I know, a clutch failure =/= transmission failure; but I don't see why I'd not call a convertor failure a transmission failure. ?