2001 Honda Odyssey

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A RURAL ROAD WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER WHERE THE SHOCK, STRUT AND BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. *NM UPDATED 2/9/2006 - *NM

A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS AND DEADLY DEFECT IN THE SPRINGS OF 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY MINI-VANS. ON DECEMBER 9, 2005 WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE DRIVER-SIDE SPRING OF MY ODYSSEY SUDDENLY FAILED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. THIS CAUSED MY VAN''S STEERING TO IMMEDIATELY PULL HARD TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE OTHER LANE IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED TO MY VAN OR TO OTHERS. WE REPLACED THAT SPRING AT OUR EXPENSE AND VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE REMAINING SPRING SHOWED NOTHING UNUSUAL. WE WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT SPRING FAILURE IN RELATIVELY NEW CARS WITH AN NORMAL OR EASY DRIVING HISTORY WAS VERY RARE. WE CHALKED UP OUR EXPERIENCE TO A FLUKE. ON JANUARY 12, 2006 THE PASSENGER-SIDE SPRING SUDDENLY FAILED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. AGAIN, THIS OCCURRED WHILE AT VERY LOW SPEED, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL WHILE THE STEERING PULLED STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT, AND NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED. AGAIN, WE ARE REPLACING THAT SPRING AT OUR EXPENSE. TO HAVE A FAILURE OF A SPRING IS A HIGHLY UNUSUAL EVENT FOR A ''YOUNG'' CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE AND AN EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE RECORD. TO HAVE TWO SUCH FAILURES WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER IS DEEPLY DISTURBING AND LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE SPRINGS. THIS FACT PRESENTS A GRAVE THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF HONDA ODYSSEYS, BUT OF OTHERS WHO MAY BY HIT BY A VAN WHICH HAS CAREENED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD. *NM

WHILE THE VAN WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VAN LIKE METAL HITTING METAL. THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE COIL SPRING BREAKING. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED, "WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM". THE SLIDING DOOR CAN'T BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: OUT OF ALIGNMENT, LOUD BANG/TICKING, SHAKING, ENGINE HESITATION, INOPERATIVE A/C, A CONTAMINATED FILTER WITH METAL SHAVINGS, A/C DRAIN TUBE WAS RUBBING AND DRAINING ON THE STEERING RACK BOOT, COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT FRONT SEAL ON THE BODY WAS DAMAGED DUE TO IT BEING IMPROPERLY PLACED, A/C KNOB WAS BROKEN, THE A/C AIRFLOW AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED, WHEN THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR SPEED DECREASED, VARIOUS DASH LIGHTS WOULD DIM, THE HOOD LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE, STATIC SHOCK PROBLEM, THERE WAS A COOLANT SMELL, DUE TO THE RESERVOIR FLUID LEVEL, THE SLIDING DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED, THE RIGHT DOOR SEAL HAD COME APART, THE SPLASH SHIELD CLIP WAS MISSING, THE IDLE SPEED FLUCTUATED FROM 750 TO 2000 RPM WITH THE VEHICLE IN PARK/NEUTRAL, AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE MIL LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE REPAIRS ARE AS FOLLOWED: WHEELS ALIGNED, A/C CONDENSER AND COMPRESSOR EVAPORATION DRYER, INTAKE MANIFOLD, REINSTALLED REAR EVAPORATOR/HEATER UNIT, INSTALLED A DRAIN TUBE IN THE RETAINER BRACKET, HOOD LATCH WAS REPLACED, PCM REPLACED TO SOLVE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, REMOVED THE BROKEN BOLT FROM THE BLOCK, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY VIBRATION IS STILL UNRESOLVED, AND THE SLASH SHIELD CLIP HAS BEEN REPLACED. *MR SCC *JB

1. WHEEL ALIGNMENT-VEHICLE DRIFTS TO RIGHT REQUIRING DRIVER TO OVER STEER TO THE LEFT TO KEEP VEHICLE WITHIN ITS LANE. WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERFORMED;PROBLE CORRECTED. 2. A/C SYSTEM-VEHICLE HAD APPROX 4500 MILES ONIT WHEN TRAVELING APPROX 50MPH A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FROM FRONT END, VEHICLE SIMULTANEOUSLY HESITATED AND SHOOK. A/C SYSTEM THEN FAILED TO COOL PROPERLY. THREE REPAIR ATTEMPTS WER MADE AND A/C STILL FAILED TO COOL PROPERLY. NOTIFIED MFG. FOR FINAL REPAIR ATTEMP. COMPLETE A/C SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. UPON COMPLETION OF REPAIR, VEHICLE WAS RELEASED WITH A/C DRAIN TUBE RUBBING & DRAINING ON STEERING RACK BOOT, COOLANT RESERVOIR LEFT EMPTY, COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKING AND RIGHT FRONT DOOR BODY SEAL DAMAGED. 3. PULLEY SYSTEM-VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALERSHIPS 5 TIMES FOR ABNORMAL NOISES & VIBRATIONS FROM CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SYSTEM. TENSIONER PULLEY REPLACED TWICE, CRANKSHAFT PULLEY & ALTERNATOR BELT REPLACED X 1. NOTIFIED MFG. FOR FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT. CONDITION CONFIRMED. OUR VEHICLE WAS COMPARED TO LIKE VEHICLES, YEAR 2000 & 2002. MFG STATED "OUR VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." VEHICLE RELEASED WITH CONDITION UNREPAIRED & TRANSMISSION INOPERABLE IN D3, 2ND & 1ST DRIVE GEARS. PLEASE HELP! OUR VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN 1 YEAR OLD YET. IT ONLY HAS 13,500 MILES ON IT. 4. RIGHT/LEFT FRONT DOORS-VEHICLE HAD EXCESSIVE INTERNAL WIND NOISE @ HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNTIL BOTH FRONT DOOR WEATHER-STRIPS WERE REPLACED. 5. HOOD LATCH-COULD NOT OPEN HOOD ON VEHICLE TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID AFTER REPLACEMENT OF A/C COMPRESSOR & CONDENSER. HAD TO RETURN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE HOODLATCH REPLACED. 6. COOLANT SYSTEM-FLUID WAS DISSIPATING FROM COOLANT SYSTEM RESERVOIR. FOUR TIMES A HONDA REPRESENTITIVE HS STATED"IT'S NORMAL FOR ALL ODYSSEY'S TO DO THIS." FOUR REPAIR ATTEMPS WERE MADE BEFORE COOLANT LEAK WAS IDENTIFIED & RADIATOR HOSE WAS REPLACED. WHEN VEHICLE WAS RETURNED, CLIPS WERE MISSING FROM BOTTOM SPLASH SHIELD. THIS LEFT SPLASH SHIELD LOOSE, VIBRATING & AT RISK