Problems with 2003 Honda Odyssey POWER TRAIN

Total transmission failure on 2003 honda odyssey van http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/results.cfm?searchtype=quicksearch&rcl_id=04v176000&summary=true. *tr

Purchase 03 honda odyssey new and has been well maintained. in 4/04 took vehicle in for the automatic transmission recall...under 14k miles. it is my understanding if it was over 15k miles that the transmission would be replaced if the inspection deemed necessary but under 15k miles then the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line. at 89,000 miles check engine light came on as well as the tcs light, then the "d' was blinking. took into dealer and was advised that a new transmission was needed as well as the power control module---the pcm is required whether it needs it or not because that is what honda requires. price quoted $4961. the car only has a blue book value of $5k-7k +/-. this was my first honda and was purchased for the safety and reliability factors---i am amazed that the transmission needs replacing already. honda needs to step up and admit an issue with the 03' odyssey transmissions like they did for the 99-01'. *tr

In january 2005, according to the honda dealer, the oil jet kit was placed in my honda odyssey as per the recall, nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000, for the heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission of my 2003 honda odyssey . however, 4 years later, the 2nd, 3rd and reverse gears of the transmission needed replacement. the dealer has agreed to replace the transmission at a cost of $2500. in speaking to the dealer and other transmission shops in my area, i'm being told many, many honda odyssey's are coming in for new transmissions regularly. could the fix done in my car and others have not corrected the problem with the transmission? could you please reopen the case and investigate if an addition recall is necessary to fix the apparent problem and avert the consequences, as stated in the above reference recall, of gear failure resulting in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash and potential loss of life. thank you. *tr

Just bought a 2003 with 130k mi has had excellent service from the original selling dealer. transmission is now whining when accelerator is pressed at all. was hoping for a cv joint, but turned out to be the differential going bad. we need to leave on vacation in a few days, and now will be renting a van at the tune of about $900 am very disappointed in honda for not taking car of these transmission issues. several motor mounts are failing. a couple of very high ticket items. honda please step up to the plate to keep a certain level of customer satisfaction. *tr

Failure of automatic transmission in 2003 honday odyssey - nhtsa campaign 04v176000. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. the contact stated that he was unable to shift gears in reverse and experienced resistance when shifting from one gear to another. nhtsa recall# 04v176000, component: power train:automatic transmission repair was performed on the vehicle. the dealer advised the contact that they are willing to make the necessary repairs at the owner's expense. the recall was completed at 36,000 miles and the current mileage was 71,000.

2003 honda odyssey transmission failure at 88,000 miles. car has been maintained with proper transmission fluid replacements. at 82,000 miles the transmission had a 4th clutch solenoid failure which was replaced at a honda dealer in brunswick, ga. the transmission fluid had been replaced at 79,000 miles, but we had it replaced again at the time of the repair at 82,000. the check engine light came on with a code dtc p0740 at ~88,000. the honda dealer in marietta, ga diagnosed this as complete transmission failure. i have discovered that this is a very common failure for honda odyssey's. there is an extended warranty offered by honda for 2001 and older odyssey's, but that does not extend to the 2003 model even though the transmissions are virtually identical. the repair has been quoted at $4,630 plus 7% sales tax which is an enormous amount. honda continues to advertise how reliable their vehicles are which is completely false as it relates to transmissions in the odyssey. 88,000 miles from a major drive train component is ridiculous. american honda has offered a discount of 25% on the parts only (the dealer said this is about $900). the bulletin boards indicate 50% has been common and in many cases they have covered the entire amount, but not for me. honda should be required to cover this failure in full. *tr

1. vehicle started jerking very bad because automatic transmission would not go into third gear. 2. transmission failure discovered when taken to dealer. 3. dealer quoted a price of $5800.00 dollars to repair. *tr

Was driving home and started having shifting problems, took it in for service the transmission had to be replaced as well as the radiator. the radiator because i was told they would not warranty the transmission with out it. $ 4,371.08 i was never told about any issues from honda and i never received any thing from honda. on 8/27/10 one year later i had to replace the transmission cooler. then on 9/17/10 they replaced the transmission again. now the second transmission only has 34,000 miles on it and now they just replaced torque converter and it runs like a truck. the honda dealer did all the major maintenance . we have owned four honda's but never again. my son has a 2002 civic and it is on its second transmission. if a recall was on these honda they never sent me anything and i purchased it new. *tr

2003 honda odyssey transmission issue please refer to http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0falle/467 there are many complaints against honda odyssey's transmission problem whose owners are frustrated with the manufacturer and our government's lack of action to enforce the better quality and continued support for consumers. i have 2003 honda odyssey which needs new transmission at a quoted cost of over $4,000 at the dealer who denied for being able to cover it under warranty. what upsets me is that there is a "good-will repair" by the honda motors america, who has known about the issues involving all honda odysseys they made, numerous complaints and they are handling it on a case by case; no uniform regulations are being applied. such unfair practices of customer services. at the moment, my car is still at the dealership until i have time to talk and complaint to the company. no action will be taken according to the company. however, 99-2001 models, they have extended the warranty to 109k mileage. some of the customers with over 145k-189k have been reimbursed the cost by the company. and they are not willing to do it unless you have to be persistent and loud. taking too many bureaucracy in resolving the problem when the problem with this model of car is wide spread. *tr

We own a 2003 honda odyssey and we are having repeated transmission failures. short time line: 37k first transmission fails - replaced by dealer with honda transmission 97k second transmission fails - replaced by dealer with after market transmission 128k third transmission fails - still negotiating replacement through warranty on transmission #2. a quick check on the internet will find volumes of information on transmission failures in the 2003 vans. there is clearly a design flaw that must be changed. all transmissions failed with the van was being driven. *tr

While driving on the interstate my 2003 honda odyssey started to put out smoke from under the hood and the transmission would not engage. luckily we were able to pull out of traffic without hitting any other cars. we were towed to a repair shop where they said the transmission overheated and due to the damage had to be rebuilt. there is a recall in place (nhtsa # 04v176000) for our vehicle for this issue. in speaking with honda it appears recall work was done in 2004 (a revision to the oil cooler return line), but we still experienced the transmission defect. i just wanted to file the complaint in case others had found that honda's repair solution had not been effective for them either. *tr

We are the original owners of this car bought new in dec 2002 and it has been maintained very well. the car was subject to a recall for the transmission for the addition of an oil jet to properly lubricate the 2nd gear and this was performed as soon as we received the notice in 2004 at 31,000 miles. it was inspected for problems related to this defect at the time of the service and was passed as clean. at 107,000 miles, a blinking "d" illuminated on the dashboard gear display and it was taken in for service to honda. it was determined that the 4th gear switch needed to be replaced and this was done at my own cost of $300. at 121,000 miles the transmission suddenly started slipping on shifts and downshifting at speed. again, taken for service and the honda garage determined that a new transmission was required at a cost of $4800 with tax. i contacted american honda, opened a case and was denied my request for them to share the cost of fixing this. researching this issue online has made it clear that it is unsafe to drive this car as is because the transmission could downshift into an incorrect gear at highway speed, causing loss of control and/or immediate transmission failure. *tr

Honda 2003 odyssey transmission failure. what scared us most was that it happened yesterday right on the highway when our whole family with two young kids was riding together. luckily i was able to pull it over to the shoulder before transmission totally gave up on us and the vehicle couldn't move at all. our odyssey was bought new in october, 2002 as 2003 model. it has less then 90k miles and been well maintained. the problem started to surface around 70k, which at first didn't look so severe. the engine shook at stop sign and low rev, transmission didn't go smoothly during acceleration. we had mechanics looked at it, and based on their suggestion we had tire balanced and rotated. last week the engine light went on, so we called honda dealer and were told to wait until over the weekend to see whether the light would go off. since it happened before and the light did go off after a few days, we took his word. only after this incident did i find out over the internet that the transmission issue with honda odyssey was not an isolated case. it received so much complaint resulting into a class action settlement which honda offered extended coverage to 109,000 miles or 93 months for some '99-01 odysseys in the u.s.a. although from 2002 model odyssey was outfitted with a five-speed automatic, general reliability of the transmission did not improve until 2004, which the end of model year for second generation odyssey. i shared my story hoping that honda could acknowledge the transmission defect in 2002-04 models and take similar actions, so that we as customer would have a safe and peace-in-mind environment every time we step into our minivan. *tr

It shudders when driving between 30-35 mph speed. i showed to mechanic and he told me that torque converter lock-up clutch is causing this issue and it is very common problem with odyssey. i perform all regular maintenance but still this happened. *tr

I bought the 2003 odyssey brand new and have had regular maintenance at the same honda dealership. 2 weeks ago, around 67,000 miles, the transmission started showing problem that it would slip and go into neutral, the engine rpm flared and the car lost acceleration. then the car shook when the transmission tried to engage the gears again. the dealer checkup indicated that the 2nd and 3rd gears failed and the transmission needed to be replaced at my own cost $3,400. i later found out there were many owners of 2003 odyssey having the same problem. *tr

Transmission failure for the second time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving various speeds, the transmission would sporadically downshift. the dealer stated that the second and third gears failed and the transmission needed to be replaced. several years ago, the vehicle was inspected according to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission), but no repairs were made. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 112,375. updated 09/01/09. *lj at a stop after the leaving the interstate, the vehicle slipped put of gear. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. a diagnosis revealed the transmission was slipping on 1-2 and 2-3 shifts and needed to be replaced. no abnormal discoloration was found in the transmission and an oil jet kit was installed. updated 09/03/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. the contact stated that the transmission needed to be replaced in his vehicle because the warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. the warning light stated that the gear failure will cause the transmission to lock up. the contact took his vehicle to the dealer and they are researching the failure. the failure mileage was 35,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving 70 mph the vehicle gradually decreased speed. the contact was able to drive safely to the emergency lane. there were no prior warning signs. the dealer inspected the vehicle and determined that the transmission failed. the contact was given an estimate of $5,000.00 to repair the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that they would pay half of the cost to repair the vehicle. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer also advised the contact that nhtsa campaign id number: 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) was performed prior to the failure. the failure mileage was 78,000 and the current mileage was 85,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving less than 35 mph, the transmission became locked. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the vin could not be verified by the dealer. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were less than 73,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving less than 50 mph, the traction control system warning light and the emission control light illuminated. in addition, the rpms began to increase. the contact noticed black smoke under the hood of the vehicle. she was unable to stop the vehicle immediately because there was nowhere to pull the vehicle over. once stopped, all of the occupants exited the vehicle. the driver was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. one week prior to the incident, the vehicle was inspected and the contact was informed that there were no failures with the vehicle. a case was filed with the manufacturer, but they could not promise any liability or assistance. the transmission was determined to be the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were less than 45,000.

we are the original owners of this car bought new in 2003 and it has been maintained very well. the car was subject to a recall for the transmission problems but when we called honda they claim no recalls on the transmission. it was inspected for problems related to this defect at the time of the service and was passed as clean. at 107,000 miles, a blinking "d" illuminated on the dashboard gear display and it was taken in for service to honda. it was determined that the 4th gear switch needed to be replaced and this was done. the transmission suddenly started slipping on shifts and downshifting at speed. again, taken for service and the honda garage determined that a new transmission was required at a cost of $5800 with tax. i contacted american honda, opened a case and was denied my request for them to share the cost of fixing this. researching this issue online has made it clear that it is unsafe to drive this car as is because the transmission could downshift into an incorrect gear at highway speed, causing loss of control and/or immediate transmission failure. that's funny several of our friends own honda odyssey around 2003 and they seem to have one major repair to replace the transmission but how come no recall???? paid alot for odyssey but would not have bought two transmission @ around 5,000 for each. how does honda get away with this type of business. i have paid for a honda but will not buy another honda. have learned my expensive lesson. not happy honda owner! *tr

Transmission system failure. *tr

Had first tranny go in may of '09 at 85,500 mls had work done by honda to put new tranny in at my expense that one just went in 2 and a half years with just less then 60,00 mls and again honda does not want to cover it. *kb

2003 honda odyssey with 88,000 miles that is spontaneously going out of drive into neutral causing lack of acceleration and over revving of engine. this will happen at inopportune times such as entering freeway and merging with oncoming traffic. transmission light and tcs light are on. told by dealer transmission needs replacement and there is no manufacturer assistance for cost incurred. *tr

Bought a 2003 honda odyssey in january 2009 and by may the transmission went bad. contacted honda in regards to the recall and they said the second gear was replaced when the previous owner had it. however, contacted the local honda dealer who's service manager indicated that no repairs were ever done on the vehicle (which the car fax indicated the same thing) the van has now sat in the driveway for nearly three months and i am paying $357/month on the loan and full insurance coverage. no one seems to want to honor the recall. when i asked the local honda dealer for the number of the district service manager, he refused and when i called back and asked another individual if they could give me the number, her response was "what do you need that for? it's pointless to call because it's just going to lead you back to us!" i wasn't expecting the local honda dealership to be on the defense but apparently they didn't want me to call. my grandfather owns the same vehicle i have and had his transmission completely replaced because of the recall. my question is: why am i not having the recalled honored for my vehicle? the recall clearly states that the gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash. not something i want to happen, especially with my five children in the car! please advise me on what i can do to get the ball rolling and get this issue cleared up and my van back on the road. thank you for your time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. in 2004, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). she took the vehicle to the dealer and they installed a jet kit for the transmission, so it would not experience discoloration due to overheating. after the installation, the failure recurred. she called the manufacturer and was informed that they would not repair it again. the contact would be responsible for the repair costs. the failure mileage was 82,893. updated 06/11/09.*lj updated 06/12/09.*jb

Blinking d on transmission, with check engine light. transmission locks up, no response. *tr

Catastrophic failure to automatic transmission in 2003 honda odyssey. very expensive repair. numerous published problems with this transmission. *tr

Automatic transmission not immediately going into reverse for several second that went on for 10 days. then trouble going into drive for several seconds as well for 3 days. not going in to gear while driving during gear shifts or stops for 2 days. completely unable to put the van in any gear while on my way to the dealer for service appointment. they told me the transmission needs to be replaced after only 73k miles. *tr

Driving car on pa turnpike when engine revved and the engine light came on, the traction control light came on, and the gear indicator light blinked on and off. car slowed down and shifted back into gear. the lights remained on. i took it to our mechanic and he instructed me to take to a honda dealer for repair because the transmission needed to be replaced. he indicated that there should be a recall on this. i took the car to the honda dealer and they confirmed that the transmission has to be replaced at a cost of $4,700. they mentioned a "jet kit" recall which i never heard of. they will call their district manager and find out if honda will replace the transmission at no cost. they will get back to me in 24 hours. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving between 40-45 mph on normal road conditions, the automatic transmission slipped and began shifting erratically between gears. the engine revved extremely high and then the rpm's decreased to zero. suddenly, the vehicle resumed to normal operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing, but they could not duplicate the failure. on a separate occasion, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for an identical failure. currently, the vehicle is being repaired. the transmission and engine control module were replaced. the failure mileage was 20,334 and current mileage was 110,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). immediately after the repair, the contact noticed that the failure still persisted. several years later, when attempting to make a turn at 5 mph, she noticed that the vehicle would not shift gears properly. in addition, the engine warning indicator was illuminated on the instrument panel. the dealer stated that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that they would only assume partial financial responsibility for the repair, the contact would have to pay $1,700. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 22,332 and current mileage was 72,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. when driving between 30-35 mph,the vehicle would slightly lose power, as if she removed her foot from the accelerator pedal. after a brief moment she can resume normal vehicle operation. in year 2004 her vehicle was repaired according to recall number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). after the repair, the failure became progressively worse. on one occasion the vehicle was towed to a certified repair shop. the mechanic stated that the entire transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired to-date. she called the dealership and advised to take it in to have it inspected. she called the manufacturer and was told that they would not assist her with the repairs. the current mileage was 124,372. the failure mileage was approximately 8.

The key for my 2003 odyssey can be pulled out in any gear. it has already resulted in a small collision . when the car was parked on a small incline, i failed to put the car in park when i pulled out my key. the car subsequently rolled down the incline and crashed into a parked car. the honda dealer indicated the ignition switch needed to be replaced because it was worn. in the meantime, i now just try to always remember to set the parking brake and double check when i park that the car is actually in park before i pull the key. *tr

While traveling on highway 5, the vehicle suddenly stop accelerating and i had to pullover on the side of the freeway. the engine starts but the vehicle could not move forward or back. vehicle had to be towed to a nearby honda dealership. diagnosed the problem was due to a transmission failure. the repair cost will be $3800. did several hours of research and realized honda have a lot of transmission problems. i will have to pay for the repair even though honda should be accountable for their poor craftsmanship. *tr

While traveling on highway 5, the vehicle suddenly stop accelerating and i had to pullover on the side of the freeway. the engine starts but the vehicle could not move forward or back. vehicle had to be towed to a nearby honda dealership. diagnosed the problem was due to a transmission failure. the repair cost will be $3800. did several hours of research and realized honda have a lot of transmission problems. i will have to pay for the repair even though honda should be accountable for their poor. *tr

The gear ratio on my 2003 honda odyssey is incorrect according to the auto repair place i took it to have it looked at. the transmission slipped and went into neutral with no warning and has done it several times in the last two months. i took it in and had it put on a diagnostic machine when the "check engine" light came on. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving approximately 55 mph, the transmission downshifted when accelerating. suddenly, the vehicle lurched forward and the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the warning indicator remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they replaced the relay switch. the technician recommended that the transmission be replaced. the vehicle was previously repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission); however, the remedy was insufficient. the transmission was replaced by an independent mechanic. the failure and current mileages were 120,000.

2003 honda odyssey at 79k miles. the transmission fail when the engine warm-up (approx. 45 minutes of run times). now it can only drive in city but don't know how it will last. i toke to dealer and have it diagnose the problem (cost me $105 for honda dealer). they state that i need to replace transmission, ecm module and front sway bar link are cost $4500. *tr

Transmission code appeared about 80k miles; having issues with hard shifting took to local honda dealership who stated nothing wrong with vehicle. car has been maintained and had complete failure of 2003 odyssey transmission today. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. while driving at approximately 55-60 mph, the check engine and traction control system warning lights illuminated. in addition, when shifting gears, the vehicle was hesitant to engage for a few seconds. the dealer performed a transmission flush yet the failure persisted. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where he was advised that the vehicle would need a new transmission and an updated pcm at the contacts expense. the contact declined and the vehicle was not repaired. the contact believed the vehicle was affected by nhtsa campaign id number:04v176000 (power train: automatic transmission) but could not verify if his vin was included in the recall. the failure mileage was 93,824 and the current mileage was 105,826.

Failure of the transmission in a 2003 honda odyssey. the can had 95k miles on it which is very low for a modern transmission failure. research show that the honda odyssey have an extremely high transmission failure rate however honda refuses to officially recognize the problem. *tr

While accelerating from a traffic light the vehicle's transmission locked up in 2nd/3rd gear, the van shook violently and almost came to a stop. the "check engine" and "tcs" light came on. i was able to get car home by switching into d3 gear. i brought the car to my local mechanic who said that it was a transmission failure. he told me to take the van to my local honda dealership to get a full diagnostic test. i did this and the service technician wrote "...when driving it was banging into 2nd gear. they recommended that the transmission and abs control unit be replaced. the original approximate replace/repair quote was $4,700. after filing a case complaint with american honda, they offered a total replace/repair price of $4,255. there are recalls and a campaign relating to these issues. *tr

Gear shift locked up in 2007. felt slipping between gears when going at low speeds, but occurred so intermittently that could never get mechanic to feel slip. 2008 then one day the van began having problems accelerating. the van would rev, but would hesitate to accelerate when first placed into drive. once moving van moved and problem seemed to go away so we continued to drive for several days. no indicator lamps came on. van continued to have problems when placed into drive, van would rev, and hesitate, but eventually accelerate. 5 days later, as i was driving the van, the indicator lamps came on indicating malfunction. tcs light also came on. i continued to drive the van to go home. the van stopped accelerating as i was pulling onto a highway with three children in carseats. fortunately, i was able to coast into a turn lane and no one was injured. the van is currently in the shop for transmission failure. nothing has been done yet as we are in the initial stages. we were told that there was no extended warranty on the transmission recall. there appears to be heavy chatter online of transmission failure in the odysseys. the transmission was recalled in april 04. our van had 26000 miles so the recall indicated for inspection of the second gear for heat discoloration if no damage then recall indicated to install an oil jet kit. this was installed august 2004 . total transmission failure 2008. *tr

My 2003 honda odyssey transmission failed while driving down i-75. there was zero warning and the car completely stopped moving. we luckily had enough momentum to pass a safety railing and then proceed to pull of the road. *tr

Automatic transmission completely failed while driving in city traffic. if i had been in an intersection an accident would have most likely occurred. this honda has 82,000 miles on it and no warranty. *tr

Own a 2003 honda odyssey bought brand new, transmission failed at 97,000 miles. dealer service is not sure if the transmission failed due to defects or the computer that controls the transmission caused the failure, the computer was also found to be a problem and is being replaced. vehicle does have factory installed traction control system that has never been turned on since we have owed the van. vehicle is being repaired by honda due to buying an extended warranty. honda refuses any ownership of problem or reimbursement of expenses. all maintenance has been performed by honda dealerships. transmission failure should be a rare occurrence for any of today's' vehicles. with honda's reputation on the line, you would think that honda would have addressed this problem by now and not let it continue into future model years. seems excessive that model years 1999 through 2008 are still having transmission problems. so far charges that have accumulated are shipping charges for the replacement transmission, all wheel alignment, still counting. *tr

Malfunction indicator lights came on. dealer diagnosed egr valve which i replaced. (filed complaint with honda of america since there was a recall. they said my miles were too high to qualify.) the vehicle was purchased used and we were not made aware of the recall or service bulletins. egr valve did not solve the problem. vehicle drops hard into gear when starting. started revving with no forward acceleration randomly. i took it back to the mechanic three times but they were unable to replicate the revving. problem got worse and local mechanic said the transmission failed and had to be replaced. *tr