1999 Honda Odyssey

WE BOUGHT A 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY FROM CARMAX AND THE FIRST WEEK THAT WE GOT THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE TOOK IT TO CARMAX. ACCORDING TO THEM THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. THEN WHEN IT CAME BACK ON FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THEY APPARENTLY FIXED IT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES. NOW WE DIDN'T HAVE WARRANTY AND OUR VAN WAS ACTING UP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GIVE A JERK WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE EGR PORTS WERE CLOGGED AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS MESSED UP FROM DAY 1. WE TOOK IT TO OUR HONDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION, BUT IT WAS. ABOUT A 4 MONTHS LATER IT GOT REALLY BAD AND WE HAD TO GET OUR TRANSMISSION REBUILT, THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM STARTED ALSO (THE CAR ENGINE WOULD STALL RANDOMLY AND IT WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND RESTART THE CAR GOING AT 60 MPH+), NOW WE SPENT 2500 BUCKS TO GET EVERYTHING FIXED. BUT NOW OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS BAD. THE IN DASH LIGHTS DON'T WORK AND THE BACK LIGHTS DON'T WORK. THE DOORS JUST DIED FOR SOME REASON. ONE SECOND THE HANDLES WOULD WORK AND THE NEXT SECOND THE HANDLES ARE DEAD FROM INSIDE. OUR ALARM SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK EITHER BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRIC PROBLEM. ALL WE WANT IS OUR CAR TO BE FIXED. WE'VE BEEN LIED TO BY CARMAX AND THE HONDA DEALERSHIP OVER AND OVER. CAN YOU GUYS JUST HELP US FIX OUR CAR? *NM

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITHIN THE SAME WEEK AS I WOULD DRIVE MY VEHICLE, WITHOUT NOTICE THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THIS EVENT WOULD OCCUR AT TIMES WHEN I TRAVELED ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50- 60 MPH OR ON THE CITY ROADS WHEN I WOULD TRAVEL BETWEEN 25- 30 MPH. I CALLED LEITH HONDA TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSIS AND I EXPLAINED THAT I BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS COVERED BY A RECALL ISSUED BY HONDA CORP. I WAS TOLD THAT IF IT WAS COVERED THE REPAIRS WOULD BE COMPLETED AT NO COST AND MY DIAGNOSIS FEE WOULD BE REFUNDED. I HAD THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED ON 4-28-06. THE REPAIR ORDER STATES DIAGNOSE AND REPLACED ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE RECALL REPORT ON THE HONDA CORP. WEBSITE STATES "HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., HAS DETERMINED THAT A DEFECT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH ON CERTAIN 97-00 HONDA AUTOMOBILES. ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN WEAR PREMATURELY DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH. WORN OUT IGNITION CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING." THIS DESCRIBES MY EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER ON 5-2-06 AND TOLD HIM THAT REPAIRS I HAD ON 4-28-06 SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE RECALL. HE TOLD ME THAT ACCORDING TO THE PAPER WORK HE COULD NOT TELL THAT THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE WAS THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. THE SERVICE MANAGER ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS RECALL WAS COMPLETED BY MAHWAH HONDA ON 5-17-02. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MAHWAH HONDA AND THERE IS NO RECORD OF THAT REPAIR. (THE ADVISOR AT MAHWAH HONDA FAXED ME A LIST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE). I WAS THEN TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT LEITH HONDA THAT SINCE THE RECALL WAS SHOWING AS COMPLETED IN 2002 THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED A SECOND TIME. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA CO., LTD TO FURTHER PURSUE THIS MATTER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN PULLING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THIS STARTED ONE MONTH AGO AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK SINCE THEN. THIS ALSO OCCURRED ONCE WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS STEERED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V120000, REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - THE VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE STALLING HAS NOT RECURRED IN OVER 3 WEEKS. *NM

MY HONDA ODYSSEY WAS PURCHASED ON APR. 1999. ON 5/7/2004, I HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AT NARDY HONDA AS THE VEHICLE WON'T CHARGE. ON 8/2/04, THE CAR BROKE DOWN AND LATER FOUND OUT THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET BROKE (SHEARED IN HALF). HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE LATER PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRACKET. ON 8/27/05, THE BRACKET BROKE AGAIN IN HIGH WAY. HONDA AGAIN PAID FOR THE REPAIR AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (LUNDGREN IN MA SINCE WE WERE TRAVELING OUTSIDE NY). I COMPLAINED BOTH TIME AND THIS TIME QUESTIONED IF THE DESIGN OR PART IS AT FAULT. HONDA TOLD ME THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE TORQUE OF THE SCREWS FOR THIS BRACKET SO I ASKED IT TO BE DOUBLE CHECKED. THE CAR WAS THEN CHECKED AT NARDY HONDA IN OCT. 05 (PAID FOR BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN). ON 2/4/06, THE CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT IS THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ALTERNATOR TO THE BRACKET. I HAVE THE BROKEN BOLT AND BRACKET FROM THE 2ND TIME. I HAVE CALLED HONDA SERVICE AGAIN AND QUESTIONED THE DESIGN, PART, AND OR SERVICE PROCEDURE TO BE AT FAULT SINCE I BELIEVE THE ASSEMBLY SEEMS TO FAIL INSTANTLY UNDER HIGH STRESSES CAUSED BY EITHER THE TENSION OF THE BELT ENGAGEMENT OR CONSTANT TENSION. THE BOLT WAS SHEARED OFF AS WELL. BOTH FAILURES INDICATE HIGH STRESSES. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN OR WILL DO FOR ME THIS TIME. NOW, I AM REALLY WORRIED THAT THE CAR CAN BREAK DOWN ANY TIME AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IF THE DRIVER OTHER THAN ME (MY WIFE OR MY SON) DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE SUDDEN BREAK DOWN. I ALSO NOW QUESTION IF THE INITIAL REPAIR WAS NOT CAUSED BY BAD ALTERNATOR BUT WAS THE FACT THAT THE BRACKET WAS ALSO BROKEN SO THE ALTERNATOR WON'T CHARGE AS THE BELT WAS STUCK. *NM

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND THE HORN BEGAN TO HONK CONTINUOUSLY. SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AS THE INTERIOR BEGAN TO FILL UP WITH ACRID, DARK SMOKE RISING FROM BENEATH THE STEERING COLUMN BY HER LEGS. SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED AND QUICKLY ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VAN SINCE THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS BURNING HER EYES. THE DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK. AFTER STRUGGLING IN PANIC, SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SQUEEZE OUT THE OPEN WINDOW. LUCKILY MY 3 YOUNG CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE. WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND THE KEY IN HAND, SHE CALLED ME AT WORK. I HAD HER CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT . WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THEY TOO WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE BY CUTTING THE BATTERY WIRE AND FINALLY STOPPED THE BURNING OF THE WIRES BY PULLING THE MASTER FUSE. I CONTACTED OUR HONDA DEALER AND THEY REFERRED ME TO HONDA AMERICA. HONDA AMERICA AUTHORIZED OUR SHOP TO DO AN INITIAL TEAR DOWN. AT THAT TIME, THEY FOUND A COMPONENT IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT SHORTED WHICH CAUSED THE BURNING OF THE WIRES. THE WIRES BURNED COMPLETELY FROM THE FUSE BOARD AND INTO A WIRE HARNESS BUNDLE. NO FUSE WAS BURNED. I DO NOT KNOW YET HOW FAR THE DAMAGE PROGRESSED OR WHAT OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE FRIED BY THIS RUNNING SHORT. AFTER A WEEK OF DELIBERATION, HONDA INFORMED ME THIS MORNING THAT IT WAS A WEAR OUT OF A PART AND OF NO FURTHER CONCERN TO THEM SINCE THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. BEING TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE WITH WIRES BURNING, THE OCCUPANT EXPERIENCED SEVERE SICKNESS A COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT AND HER LUNGS HURT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE VEHICLE SITS IDLE AT THE SHOP WHERE WE TOWED IT. I DON'T WANT TO AUTHORIZE REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE NHTSA DETERMINES IF AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. THERE ARE NO AFTER MARKET ADDITIONS. ALL MAJOR, MAINTENANCE EVENTS WERE PERFORMED BY OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER FOR AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN OUR POSSESSION. *NM

BEGINNING IN 2000, WHEN THE CAR WAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED MAJOR EQUIPMENT FAILURES. FIRST, THE EGR VALVE MALFUNCTIONED; IT WAS EVENTUALLY REPAIRED AT HONDA'S EXPENSE. NEXT, ONE OF THE MOTORS FOR THE SIDE POWER DOORS FAILED. THAT COST APPROXIMATELY $800 TO REPAIR. THEN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND HONDA EVENTUALLY COVERED THE FULL COSTS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS, WE WERE PLAGUED WITH AN ERRATIC "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT, AND SOMETIMES THE COMPUTER CODE WAS INADEQUATE TO DIRECT A REPAIR. IN 2003 THE RADIATOR ROTTED OUT, AND THE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COST US $800. IN 2004 THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILED, AND THAT REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COST US $1400. ON JULY 22, 2005, THE REAR A/C VENTS FAILED TO COOL, AND I CALLED FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT OUR LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THAT CHECKED AND REPAIRED. THE REPAIR WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 25, 2005. WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON JULY 23 WITH THE A/C TURNED ON (THE FRONT VENTS CONTINUED TO COOL), THE ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO PULL OFF INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT, AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER TURNING OFF THE A/C. IT IS NOW AT THE DEALER'S SHOP, AND THE LABOR COSTS ALONE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE A/C FAILURE WILL COST MORE THAN $350. AFTER INSPECTING THE SYSTEM FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS JULY 25, THE DEALER'S MECHANIC STILL COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HATE THIS CAR! I HAVE HAD MANY MORE PROBLEMS THAN I EVER EXPECTED, AND THE RESPONSES FROM AMERICAN HONDA AND FROM THE LOCAL DEALER HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING. NEITHER ESTABLISHMENT KNOWS HOW TO RELATE SUCCESSFULLY TO CUSTOMERS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A REAL LEMON, AND I AM STRUGGLING WITH MY DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO BUY TO REPLACE IT. ALTHOUGH HONDA HAS A GOOD REPUTATION, I HAVE NOT FOUND THIS CAR TO BE RELIABLE. IN FACT, IT IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS IN MY LIFE, CAUSING ME TO GNASH MY TEETH WHEN I AM DRIVING IT, FOR I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN IT AT ALL.

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 1999 INTO CRESCENT CITY, CA ON A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD DOWNHILL IN 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN PULLING A SMALL CAMPING TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAD 102,606 MILES ON THE VAN - JUST SHORT OF THE 105,000 MAINTENANCE PERIOD WHEN THE SPARK PLUGS WOULD BE REPLACED. A SPARK PLUG HAD COME LOOSE AND STARTING PINGING UP AGAINST THE IGNITION COIL. THIS CAUSED THE IGNITION COIL TO FAIL AND BLEW THE IG COIL FUSE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO COMPLETING STOP. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED. I WAS ABOUT 20 MILES OUSIDE CRESCENT CITY WHERE I WAS TOWED INTO CRESCENT CITY. THE VAN WAS SERVICED BY KEN'S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR, 1250 6TH STREET, CRESCENT CITY, CA 95531, (707) 464-4955. THERE WAS NO HONDA DEALER IN TOWN AND GETTING PARTS WAS DIFFICULT. A NEW IGNITION COIL WAS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE HONDA DEALER IN EUREKA, CA ON FRIDAY JUNE 10. KEN'S REPLACED THE FUSE AND DETACHED THE BURNED-OUT COIL AND I WAS GOING TO MAKE MY WAY TO REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK TO CAMP ON 5 CYLINDERS ON THEN ON TO EUREKA ON JUNE 10 TO HAVE THE HONDA DEALER FIX THE VAN. HOWEVER, JUST OUTSIDE OF CRESCENT CITY THE SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN RIGHT OUT OF THE CYLINDER TAKE THE REMAINING PART OF THE IGNITION COIL WITH IT. THE THREADS FOR THE SPARK PLUG WERE COMPLETED STRIPPED OUT. I HOBBLED BACK TO KEN'S. KEN HAD TO INSTALL A THREAD REPLACEMENT WHILE I RENTED A CAR TO GET THE NEW IGNITION COIL FROM THE HONDA DEALER. THE HONDA DEALER COULD NOT RE-ROUTE THE PART (THEY CLAIMED) AND COULD NOT GET THE PART TO KEN'S UNTIL SATURDAY JUNE 11. KEN'S SUCCESSFULLY RETHREADED FOR A NEW SPARK PLUG, EVACUATED A PIECE OF THE OLD SPARK PLUG OR COIL THAT FELL INTO THE CYLINDER, PUT ON THE NEW COIL AND GOT ME BACK ON THE ROAD. KEN'S REPRTED TO ME THAT 2 OTHER SPARK PLUGS WERE LOOSE. THE MAINTENANCE PERIOD FOR REPLACEMENT OF SPARK PLUGS OF 105,000 MILE IS TOO LONG. I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH FATAL CONSEQUENCES FOR MY FAMILY.

THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V423000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. THE KEY WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE OFF POSITION WITHOUT VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK VEHICLE OWNER SPOKE WITH AMERICAN HONDA ON 03/08/2005 AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. AMERICAN HONDA CONFIRMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND STATED THAT THE OWNER COULD BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION ON THIS ISSUE. DEPENDING ON THE REPORT OF THE DEALER TO HONDA, HONDA MIGHT BE WILLING AS A GOOD-WILL GEATURE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE. *BF *NM

ON 10/16/03, I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WOULD GO DEAD WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY TEN DAYS AFTER I HAD BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE "CHECK ENGINE WAS ON" DUE TO "CATALYTIC EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD. INTERMITTENT CODE". AND THE DEALER RESET THE LIGHT. IT WAS DETERMINED THIS TIME BY MY HONDA DEALER THAT THE CAUSE WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THIS WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL (02-031). *AK