2001 Honda Odyssey

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT ONLY A MATTER OF DISAGREEMENT WITH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER CONCERNING PAYMENT OF REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. UPDATED 06/07/2006. *AK *TS

I OWN A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AT 86K MILES. IT WAS REPLACED "FREE OF CHARGE" UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE "NEW" TRANSMISSION WAS GUARANTEED FOR 1 YR OR 12K MILES. I COMMUNICATED MY FRUSTRATION WITH THE WARRANTY OF 100K ON THE FIRST TRANSMISSION AND ONLY 12K ON THE NEW/IMPROVED ONE? WHEN I SPOKE TO HONDA CENTRAL CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS GIVEN THE BROKEN RECORD ABOUT THE 1 YR/12K MILE FREE REPLACEMENT. I STILL ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE THAT IT IS NOT FAIR TO ASSURE THIS CUSTOMER THAT THE "NEW" TRANSMISSION WAS GUARANTEED FOR ONE YEAR AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THEIR SUPERVISOR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BUCK STOPPED HERE AND THERE WAS NO HIGHER CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. AT THE TIME, I WAS FRUSTRATED BUT HAD NOWHERE TO TURN. THE DEALER GAVE ME THE HONDA CENTRAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REP AND THE CENTRAL REP PRETTY MUCH SHUT ME DOWN. LITTLE DID I KNOW AT THE TIME THAT MY NEW/IMPROVED REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION WOULD IN 35K MILES GO OUT AGAIN. THE TCS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR AWHILE WITH THE EGR CODE AND THE 1559 CODE SHOWING. I SEE THERE IS AN ONGOING THEME BASED ON PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS. THIS IS THE SAME THING. THE VAN ROLLS WHEN I AM ON AN INCLINE WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING, I CANNOT AFFORD A 5K REPLACEMENT AND CANNOT RISK DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ANY LONGER. MY WIFE IS USING THE VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT KIDS IN HER CHILDREN'S SERVICES JOB AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED (AS AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT), AND THEN ACCELERATED TO MOVE, THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATES. SUDDENLY, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES AND THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD. THE INTENSITY IS ANYWHERE FROM A MODERATE BUMP TO ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE TIRES TO ??SQUEAL?? AND LOOSE TRACTION. THE SAME SENSATION OCCURS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO THE NEXT GEAR. IN REVIEWING THESE CONDITIONS ON THE INTERNET, THE REPAIR IS A REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE OBD CODE IS A P0740. HONDA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY AND VOLUNTARILY REPLACING THIS TRANSMISSION FOR VEHICLES ORIGINALLY DESTINED AND SOLD WITH IN THE US. MY HONDA WAS PURCHASED IN THE US AND IS REGISTERED IN THE US [NORTH CAROLINA] BUT WAS ORIGINALLY DESTINED AND SOLD IN CANADA. THEY WILL NOT REPLACE MINE TRANSMISSION SINCE IT IS WHAT THEY TERM A GRAY?? VEHICLE [A TERM HONDA USA USES TO REPRESENT VEHICLES THAT ARE NOW IN THE US, BUT WERE DELIVERED TO A CANADIAN DEALER]. HONDA HAS SAID THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION IS IF THERE IS A RECALL FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, SOMETHING THEY DO NOT EXPECT TO OCCUR SINCE THEY ARE VOLUNTARILY DOING IT FOR US VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN THE US AND IS REGISTERED IN THE US AND SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME AS OTHER US VEHICLES. ACCORDING TO INTERNET SEARCHES THIS CAN EVOLVE TO FAILURE MODES OF SUDDEN DOWN SHIFTS WITHOUT NOTICE AND AT ANY SPEED. CURRENTLY THE FREQUENCY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING IS NOW 60% -70% OF THE TIME. THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THESE SYMPTOMS AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED VOLUNTARILY INDICATE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH A POTENTIAL FATAL FAILURE MODE. SINCE A RECALL IS THE ONLY MECHANISM TO REMOVE THE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES, A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED THAT REQUIRES ALL 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY REGISTERED IN THE US SHOWING THESE SYMPTOMS TO HAVE THEIR TRANSMISSION REPLACED. NO DISCRIMINATION SHOULD BE PERMITTED. *NM

TRANSMISSION FAILURE,TRANSMISSION JERKING AND SHIFTING ERRATICALLY,EGR VALVE CODE, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP ADVISOR REPORTED TO ME THAT THE FAILURE IS A RECALL. HONDA WILL NOT WARRANTY PROBLEM. HONDA WILL NOT REPAIR WITHOUT ME PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS. ALL SERVICE ITEMS ALWAYS COMPLIED WITH @ HONDA DEALERSHIPS ACCORDING TO MANUAL SCHEDULING. *JB