2001 Honda Odyssey

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY PURCHASED BRAND NEW. SHE STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE OBSERVED A COIL SPRING HANGING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND SLIT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAUSING THE BLOW OUT. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE. A PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE BUT DID NOT LEAD INTO A RECALL STATING, " A DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT WARRANTED" (SEE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE06007: COMPONENT :SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.

2001 HONDA ODYSSEY FRONT SUSPENSION COIL BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I PULLED OVER CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP WITH THE COST OF REPAIR ESTIMATE AT $1,200.00. THE VAN HAS 70,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED IN THIS REGION DUE TO A COLLISION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING WIFE & KIDS HOME FROM XMAS VACATION 2009 IN OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY MINIVAN WITH 104,000 MILES. WE HEAR A "POP" NOISE FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT OF VEHICLE, STEERING PULLING TO THE LEFT. I PULLED OVER & INSPECTED. I FOUND A LARGE SEMI-CIRCULAR SHAPED PIECE OF STEEL APPROX 1/2 IN DIAMETER. THIS PIECE OF STEEL WAS CAUGHT AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT & THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. FINALLY I GOT IT PRIED IT OFF (IT WAS ACTUALLY STRUCK IN THAT POSITION) ONCE HOLDING IT IN MY HAND & NOW KNOW IT TO BE A COIL OF THE FRONT LEFT SPRING. *TR

ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 26, AS I WAS APPROACHING MY COMPANY PARKING LOT, I HEARD A CRUNCHING NOISE FROM FRONT END. AFTER PARKED VEHICLE I FOUND ICE/SNOW BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND FENDER SKIRT. I THOUGHT NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ACCUMULATED ICE/SNOW, SO I REMOVE IT FROM VEHICLE. WHEN I LEFT AFTER WORK, THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. I TURNED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT AND DISCOVERED THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT SPRING WAS BROKEN AT THE LAST COIL AT BOTTOM OF THE SPRING. BROKEN SPRING ONLY HAD ABOUT 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE LOWER SPRING SEAT TO SUPPORT VEHICLE'S WEIGHT. THE BROKEN PORTION WAS HANGED ON THE BROKEN SPRING. THE NOISE WAS FROM THE BROKEN PORTION TOUCHING ROLLING WHEEL. THE BROKEN SECTION WAS VERY SHARP WHICH POSED GREAT DANGER OF PIERCING, OR PUNCTURING THE TIRE. WHEN I ASKED THE HONDA DEALER TO REPLACE THE SPRING, I WAS TOLD THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS DAMAGED BY THE BROKEN SPRING. CONSEQUENTLY THE STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED. FORTUNATELY I DROVE ON A LOCAL STREET AT A LOW SPEED THAT DAY. HAD THE SPRING BROKEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AT POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH, I COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR HIGHWAY ACCIDENT, WITH POTENTIAL FOR FATALITIES. A METALLURGIST TOOK A LOOK AT THE SPRING AND TOLD ME THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO CORROSION ACCELERATED PREMATURE FATIGUE FAILURE. THE METALLURGIST ALSO INFORMED ME THAT HONDA HAS CHANGED SPRING DESIGN AFTER 2001 MODEL. I CALLED HONDA NORTH AMERICA AND INFORMED THEM OF THE INCIDENT AND DEFECTIVE SPRING. I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT THAT COULD GREATLY IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, IF IN FACT A TIRE IS PUNCTURED, OR STEERING IS IMPAIRED, DUE TO A BROKEN SPRING. HONDA REFUSED TO ANALYZE THE FAILURE AND TOLD ME TO SCRAP, OR TO THROW AWAY, THE BROKEN SPRING. I KEEP THE BROKEN SPRING IN MY POSSESSION. IF NHTSA WOULD LIKE EXAMINE AND ANALYZE THE BROKEN SPRING, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED, I WILL SEND IT TO YOU UPON YOUR REQUEST. *TR

USING THE VEHICLE DAILY UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS AROUND A SMALL TOWN NOISE WAS HEARD EMANATING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. INSPECTION OF THE EQUIPMENT FOUND BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKEN AND THE UPPER TURNING BEARINGS DAMAGED DUE TO THE COIL SPRING FRACTURES. THE USAGE OF THE VEHICLE AS A GROCERY GETTER DOES EXPLAIN A POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE AND THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. BOTH FRONT COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES ALONG WITH THE STABILIZER LINKS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST. *TR

AS BEST WE CAN DETERMINE (BASED ON NOISE) THE COIL SPRINGS FAILED WHILE PARKING AT LOW SPEEDS. NOT KNOWING WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE CAR WAS USED AT HIGHWAY SPEED FOR A SHORT TRIP FOLLOWING THIS. IT PULLED HARD TO ALTERNATING SIDES (RIGHT AND LEFT). CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO REPAIR WHERE WE WERE ADVISED WE ARE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD THE SPRING PUNCTURE THE TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT COST OF $850. THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT IS TWO FOLD. FIRST - THIS WAS A DANGEROUS FAILURE THAT I DO NOT FEEL IS ACCEPTABLE IN A CAR OF ANY AGE; AND SECOND - THIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONDA COVER. *TR

ON JUNE 28, 2006 I HEARD A NOISE NEAR THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND FOUND THE COIL SPRING CRACKED AND WAS IMPINGING ON THE TIRE. HONDA COVERED THE COST OF THE SPRING, BUT NOT THE STRUT OR THE LABOR. ON MARCH 12, 2009- I HEARD A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE RIGHT FRONT PART OF THE CAR AND BROUGHT IT TO A SHOP AND THEY PUT IT ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING CRACKED- WE PAID OUT OF POCKET THE COST OF THE SPRING AND THE STRUT AND THE LABOR. IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE CRACKED SPRING CAUSED THE STRUT TO LEAK WHICH THEREFORE REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I WAS ABLE TO DO A VISUAL CHECK OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH LOOKED FINE.UPON STARTING UP AGAIN IT STARTED TO SOUND LIKE I WAS DRAGGING METAL. I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT RIGHT HOME AND CALL THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER THEIR INSPECTION THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING HAD CRACKED AND BROKEN. THIS WAS SOMETHING THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH AND SAID THAT WITH MY MILEAGE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND IN FACT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. UPON BEING GIVEN THAT DIAGNOSIS I DECIDED TO TALK TO OTHER CERTIFIED REPAIR PEOPLE AS WELL AS TWO OTHER HONDA DEALERSHIPS AND THEY AGREED THAT IT IS NOT A NORMAL ISSUE. UPON EVEN FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS COMMON, BUT ON ONE WEBSITE I FOUND 24 OTHERS WHO REPORTED THE SAME INCIDENT ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF IT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE HOW MANY MORE ARE THERE THAT HAVEN'T REPORTED THIS ISSUE AND HAS ANYONE BEEN INJURED BECAUSE OF IT. RIGHT NOW MY VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE FINAL REPAIR WILL CONSIST OF OR IF IT WILL LEAD TO ANY OTHER ISSUES .THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

TODAY, NOTICED SOME VIBRATION AND GRINDING COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE GRINDING WAS BAD ON BACKING UP OR TURNING RIGHT, AS WELL AS WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS. THE STEERING ALSO PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT. AFTER A MILE, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC, AND THE SAW THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN AND HAD CUT INTO THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE MECHANIC STRONGLY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE STRUT ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS DOING THE DRIVER SIDE. SINCE I DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT REPAIRING CARS, I WANTED TO RESEARCH PRICES ON THE INTERNET. MY SEARCH TURNED UP A RECALL ON THE PART FOR A 2001 ACURA MDX, BUT ONLY THESE COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2001 ODYSSEY. I DID REGISTER THE COMPLAINT WITH HONDA. THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES. *TR