1999 Honda Odyssey

THE SLIDING DOORS ON OUR 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN HAVE BEEN HARD TO OPEN FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. RECENTLY, I PULLED THE HANDLE TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOOR - IT SNAPPED OFF AND IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SERVICE MANUAL, I CAREFULLY REMOVED THE INSIDE DOOR PANEL TO FIND A BROKEN LEVER INSIDE. I HAVE NOT INVESTIGATED HOW MUCH IT MAY COST TO REPAIR THIS BUT I AM HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE RECENT QUALITY OF HONDA PRODUCTS. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE OWNED 3 OTHER HONDAS WITH ONLY MINOR REPAIR ISSUES. THE ODYSSEY IS DEFINITELY NOT UP TO THE USUAL HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS. THE CONVENIENCE OF THE SIDE DOOR IS NOW TOTALLY USELESS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART MIGHT COST $300 OR MORE. WITH THIS OUTRAGEOUS PRICE, I AM WILLING TO SPEND MY OWN TIME TO LOCATE A USED REPLACEMENT MECHANISM. THE ACTUAL BROKEN PART IS A SMALL PLASTIC LEVER INSIDE THE DOOR HANDLE. FROM MY INVESTIGATION, THIS LITTLE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE SEPARATELY AND WILL WARRANT TO PURCHASE OF THE COMPLETE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR FAILURE REPORTS FROM MANY OTHER HONDA OWNERS - IT'S TIME TO LET THEM KNOW HOW UNHAPPY WE ARE. *LA

THE FRONT DOORS ON THIS VAN DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE "NOTCHES," FOR THE DOOR TO REST WHEN OPEN. MOST DOORS ARE MADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN BE FULLY AND/OR PARTIALLY OPEN AND HAVE THE DOORS REST IN A RELATIVELY SECURE STATE SUCH THAT THE DOOR WON'T OPEN OR CLOSE SUDDENLY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IF THE VEHICLE IN ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WHERE GRAVITY CAN CAUSE THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN AND HIT ANOTHER CAR (AS IN A PARKING LOT) OR PERSON; OR CLOSE BY ITSELF AND HIT A PASSENGER WHO MIGHT BE ENTERING OR EXITING. THE DOORS ON THE 1999 ODYSSEY JUST SEEM TO SIT AT WHATEVER POSITION YOU SET THEM TO. THERE IS A SLIGHT FEEL OF A NOTCH IN THE FULLY OPENED POSITION, BUT IT'S NOT OBVIOUS AND CERTAINLY NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO COUNTER ANY FORCE THAT TRIES TO MOVE IT. THE PROBLEMS I FACE IS THAT MY DRIVEWAY HAS A SLIGHT INCLINE. EVEN THE SLIGHTEST TILT IN THE VEHICLE (NOSE UP) WILL CAUSE THE DOORS TO CLOSE BY ITSELF WHEN LET GO. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE USING THE SLIDING DOORS (AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF PROBLEMS AS MANY OTHER ODYSSEY OWNERS ALREADY KNOW) WHEN THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO USE THE FRONT DOORS TO GET IN AND OUT JUST TO PREVENT THE YOUNGER KIDS FROM GETTING HURT. AND OF COURSE, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I DON'T GET CAUGHT MYSELF IF I STEP OUT AND TURN AROUND TO REACH FOR SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR (FOR INSTANCE). RECENTLY, WE HAD SOME MODERATELY HIGH WINDS AND THE DOORS BLEW SHUT WITH THE CAR ON LEVEL GROUND. I'M NOT TALKING HURRICANES OR EVEN GALE FORCE WINDS; I'M TALKING THE WIND BLOWING HARDER THAN NORMAL. THESE DOORS ARE DANGEROUS; THEY SHOULD REST OF NOTCHES LIKE ALL OTHER CAR DOORS. IT SHOULDN'T BE HARD TO VERIFY MY CLAIM ! *LA

WHEN I EXIT THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND STEP DOWN, MY THIGH SOMETIMES HITS THE POWER SEAT RECLINING CONTROL AND CAUSES THE SEAT TO RECLINE. THE SWITCH IS SPRING LOADED AND WOULD NORMALLY AUTOMATICALLY JUMP BACK TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN RELEASED. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, IT'S POSSIBLE TO NUDGE IT WITH MY THIGH AT JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE THAT THE SWITCH DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS CENTER/NEUTRAL POSITION. I'VE TRIED TO REPRODUCE THIS MANUALLY BY PUSHING IT IN THIS AND THAT DIRECTION AND I JUST CAN'T DO IT. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CAUSE RELATED TO BODY POSITIONING AND THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I'M 5'-10", ABOUT 180 LB SO IT'S NOT A CASE OF BEING OVER/UNDERWEIGHT OR ABOVE/BELOW HEIGHT. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. THE FIRST FEW TIMES IT HAPPENED, I EXITED THE VAN AND RETURNED TO FIND THE SEAT RECLINED ALL THE WAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS CONFUSED. I THOUGHT THE SEAT SUPPORT HAD BROKEN. ONE TIME, I EXITED THE VEHICLE, TO CHECK SOMETHING IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND HEARD MY SON CRYING. HE WAS SEATED IN A CAR SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD RECLINED AND THE HANDLEBAR BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS PRESSED FIRMLY AGAINST HIS LEGS. LUCKILY HE WAS OK; BUT THIS INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF THIS DEFECT. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE OF THE SWITCHES AND/OR SEAT. THEY SHOULD NOT BE SO EASILY ACTIVATED. THE SWITCHES ARE LOCATED CLOSE TO THE FOAM OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHICH COMPRESSES EASILY. THE SWITCHES SHOULD EITHER BE RELOCATED FURTHER AWAY FROM THE CUSHION OR THE SWITCHES THEMSELVES SHOULD REDESIGNED TO BE MORE ROBUST. *LA

SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WHILE MANUALLY OPENING DOOR. PIN THAT HANDLE PIVOTS ON APPEARS TO BE MADE OF PLASTIC - PERHAPS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THIS USE? SLIDING DOOR NORMALLY WOULD OPEN AUTOMATICALLY BY MEANS OF AN ELECTRIC MOTOR. AUTOMATIC MEACHANISM HAD MALFUNCTIONED REQUIRING DOOR TO BE PULLED OPEN BY MANUAL MEANS. THIS DOOR OPENS WITH MUCH MORE RESISTANCE THAN A NORMALLY SLIDING DOOR, PROBABLY DUE TO THE MOTOR BEING ATTACHED. KNOWING THIS YET NOT HAVING MUCH EXPERIENCE OPENING IT THIS WAY, I GAVE THE DOOR A GOOD TUG. THERE APPEARS TO BE A FINE LINE BETWEEN PULLING HARD ENOUGH TO GET DOOR OPENED AND BREAKING HANDLE OFF! REPAIR COST $185

AT 54,700 MILES (JULY 2001) THE CAR MADE A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN PUT INTO GEAR. TCS LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SERVICE COULDNOT REPRODUCE CLUNKING PROBLEM. SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS OUT OF WARRENTY I KEPT DRIVING MAKING SURE TO HAVE REGULAR MAINTENANCE. IT CONTINUED TO "REV" WHEN STARTING TO MOVE OR EXCELLERATING QUICKLY. TCS LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AT 100,000 (DEC 2002). I QUESTIONED THEM AGAIN ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION BUT WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER/ ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM.( OUT OF STOCK UNTIL FEBRUARY). TCS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS AGAIN IN JUNE 2003 AT 117,900. CODE SHOWED A TRANSMISSION PO740.TRANSMISSION "SMELLED BURNED." SEPT. 2003 TCS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATE TRAINSMISSION NEEDS REPLACING. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER HAD TOLD ME THAT THE WARRENTY HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO 100,000. THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IN THE ODYSSEY, AND OTHER HONDAS, IS SO WIDE SPREAD THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE NOTHING IS BEING DONE FOR THE CONSUMER. MY COUSIN IN MISSOURI OWNS A 1999 ODYSSEY AND SHE HAS HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE TRAINSMISSION AND CATALYTIC CONVERTOR AS WELL. A PRETTY BIG COINCIDENCE. I COULD NAME OTHER PARTS WE HAVE BOTH REPLACED. COULD IT BE THAT SOME PARTS OF THE ODYSSEY ARE LEMONS? CALLING HONDA COPOROATE IS A JOKE. THEY PUT YOU ON HOLD, HAVE A GOOD LAUGH AND THEN TELL YOU THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE CAR IS OVER THE MILEAGE LIMIT. THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AN INVESTIGATION MIGHT CHANGE THIS ARROGANT COMPANY.

WHEN BACKING VEHICLE UP, TRANSMISSION WILL MAKE A BANG SOUND WHEN UNDER NORMAL TO HEAVY ACCELERATION. WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF REVERSE. WHEN YOU DO, IT MAKES A LOUD BANG SOUND. VEHICLE WILL HESITATE AS YOU APPLY MODERATE ACCELERATION PULLING AWAY FROM A NEAR STOPPED CONDITION. THESE CONDITIONS WERE INTERMITENT BEGINNING AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES (3.5 YEARS OLD) AND HAVE WORSENED AS THE VEHICLE HAS REACHED 56,000 MILES (4.75 YEARS OLD).

WHEN SHIFTING IN TO REVERSE, TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A LOUD BANG AND THEN START SLIPPING. AT THE SAME TIME IT DEVELOPED A STEADY WHINE WHILE IN DRIVE. REVERSE GEAR TOTALLY FAILED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND ON A BUSY ROAD. CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS OUT THE ROAD TO CLEAR THE CURB AND SIDEWALK. AFTERWARDS, WHEN REVERSE WAS SELECTED, IT MADE A LOUD SOUND LIKE A BEARING WAS SPINNING RAPIDLY ON A SHAFT. CONSUMER SEEN AT LEAST FIVE SERVICE BULLETINS PERTAINING TO HIS VEHICLE FAILURE. CONSUMER CONTACTED BOTH CANADA HONDA AND AMERICAN HONDA. AMERICAN HONDA STATED THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN CANADA, IT FELL INTO THE GRAY AREA. CANADA HONDA STATED THEY HAVE A 5YR/100,00 MILE WARRANTY ON THEIR VEHICLES. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS TAGGED IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, THE U.S., PARTICULARLY HAWAII THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CONSUMER QUESTIONED HOW COULD HONDA EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF 2000 AND 2001 HONDA'S BUT NOT 1999 WITH THE SAME DEFECT. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE HONDA TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *PH