7.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,180
Average Mileage:
92,350 miles
Total Complaints:
8 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (5 reports)
  2. replace transmission (3 reports)
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problem #8

Jun 112013

Odyssey EX 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 136,000 miles

Most Honda odyssey owners has this problem and why don't the company fix this problem. Something is not right with their manufacturing of this transmissions company should look into it and fix the problem or else customers should boycott Honda products.

- Thomas J., Newhydepark, NY, US

problem #7

Aug 012010

Odyssey EXL V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

Here are my issues I have had with the transmission. Please note, I have had all of the required services to the transmission 1) At about 20,000, I noticed from 2nd to 3rd gear, the shift was not smooth. It was as if it didn't know if it should go to third or stay in second. Entire car would shake and stutter. Honda could never duplicate the problem. I drove the car and got it to do it. Service manager said it was the sophisticated system and it was normal for the transmission to "kind of hunt" for the correct gear. This has been a problem the entire time. 2) At about 80,000, the transmission started shifting hard from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd. The tachometer would also rise about 500 RPM's suddenly before shifting. Service person could not duplicate the problem. I have brought the vehicle back to the dealership about every 1000 miles since then. 3) Honda has now done everything from replace the motor mounts to state the bearings are compromised. They said this could have been the issue since the engine weight bearing down on the transmission could have caused a slight misalignment. This didn't work. 4) I had the transmission service done at 90,000 miles at Honda. Problem still existed. At this time, my Honda Accord transmission went suddenly and luckily I had an extended warranty on it up to 100,000. The Accord was at 99,995! 5) Honda states that the front end struts had slow leaks and needed to be replaced. I did not repair. I went on vacation with car. Put on about 4000 miles. 6) Brought car in after vacation. Suggested I have a transmission service done since the fluid looked "burnt". I stated that I just had it done about 6000 miles ago. Service person looked into computer and after about a 10 second pause stated that what I had done was only the first of three required flushed and the second would be about $200. I called American Honda Corp. who stated that the service I needed was to have the trans flushed and drained 3 consecutive times and it is done all in 1 service yet Honda wanted to charge me again. I also asked about the "small leaks" in the struts. Service person stated that no leaks were found. I guess the struts fixed themselves sometime on our vacation. 7) To date, I have 120,000 on the car with still the same issues. I'm sure one day the transmission will fail and I will be the proud owner of a Honda worth nothing.

- Tom G., Orland Park, IL, US

problem #6

Apr 082010

Odyssey DX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 132,000 miles

2003 Honda Odyssey, lurches from stop light from first to second gear and clunks into second. Just bought the van used, put $1,000 into struts and shocks and brakes and now the a tranny problem! Honda service reps @ Brook Dale Honda in Edina MN were like the enemy? soon as I started to talk about transmission problems they played dumb, claiming the 2003 Honda Odyssey is not a problem vehicle when it comes to Transmissions and because it is a 2003 its too old and a high mileage vehicle so basically I am on my own, where the F@#k has that service rep. guy been for the last 6 years I was shocked to see how many horror stories are out there on this transmission. Those creepy Honda Executives should get down on thier hands and knees and apologize to Odyssey owners and then give them all new friggen transmissions.

Instead those creeps "Honda Franchise Dealers included" look at it as a new revenue stream a way of extorting another $4,000 out of Honda owners. With sh*t transmissions those clowns can actually estimate the millions of dollars they will make on transmission repairs and it all gets rolled into profit expectations and helps keep the stock holders happy. Tthier heads are so swollen it will take 5 years for them to see the negative results of their greed. Slime, never should have let them get a foot hold in this country.

- Jay J., Edina, MN, US

problem #5

Feb 052009

Odyssey LX ?

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,000 miles

Had recall on transmission on 04, fixed per dealer. Went out in 09 at 87000 miles and dealer would not cover replacement. Should have been covered under warranty or factory recall. Said would cost $4700 to fix. Crazy!!! Will never buy another Honda, worse customer service ever. Dealership even damaged my car while in their possession and sent me off with 0 gas. I will buy Toyota Sienna next time

- Katrina W., Friendswood, TX, US

problem #4

Jan 282009

Odyssey LLX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,698 miles

I was on my way to school it ran like it always did, until I got on the small street, as i try to accurate my car started to stall, the ticker went up and down but the car was not moving, my car felt like it was on neutral, my D was also flashing, then it eventually stop and not go anymore. my car has been in the shop for a few days now but still no word. they told me that my transmission has fail and that i might have to replace the whole thing. i just so upset because the car was running great until one day it just stop with no warning. what make me madder is that I only own the car for almost a year 11 months to be exact. When i bought the car there was only 36000 miles on it. I thought that it was a good deal. the body in good condition, and the car ran great. the price was $14,000. I knew the deal was to good to be true.

- maige123, Sacramento, CA, US

problem #3

Aug 112008

Odyssey LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

Greetings!

I bought a 2003 Honda Odyssey, with 40,000 miles on it three years ago. About a year ago started to (randomly) not shift in First gear. Now is doing it very often and I am "afraid" to have it checked. It will cost me a bunddle! I read a lot of scary stories on these transmissions on the web. Help!

- Otto T., Ann Arbor, MI, US

problem #2

Jan 022008

Odyssey EX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

I am writing to you in regards to my 2003 Honda Oddessy for which I just had the transmission rebuilt. I had brought the car to my local Honda dealer several times with concerns regarding the transmission beginning in 2007 (at less than 100,000 miles). Finally in 2008 as the problem progressed (and of course over my extended warranty period), it was determined that a transmission replacement was necessary. Since this was increasingly becoming a safety issue (car did not consistently shift between 1st and 2nd and would require a manual downshift to a lower gear and then back to drive), I brought the car to a local transmission technician as soon as possible and $2,355.42 later, the car is fine. Unfortunately, it was exactly to avoid this kind of major repair issue that I bought a Honda. The Honda was my first foreign auto and I paid a premium for it specifically because of the promise of a dependable auto that I could use for many miles. I abandoned the American auto makers so I wouldn�t be faced with the dilemma of a new car once it hit 100,000 miles or having to sink a lot of money into it and wonder if I�m throwing good money after bad.

In shopping around to determine how much it would cost to fix the transmission and trying to determine if I should buy a new car (the good money after bad dilemma), I discovered that the transmission issue for Odyssey�s between 1999 � 2004 was rather prevalent. I had done the required repair based on a recall in 2004 but had been assured that this was not related. However, the recall was indicative of the same transmission problem that led to my having to replace the transmission. The problems with the Honda transmission for these years is well documented (or well lamented) on the Internet. Evidently, Honda produced a substandard transmission for those model years. That leaves me wondering why, having paid a premium to purchase a Honda based on the reputation for reliability and high mileage, I am paying for Honda�s poor business decision to try to use a less expensive vendor? Honda made a good profit margin on my purchase since I know the Honda prices didn�t get reduced in 2000-2004 to reflect the lower-cost, lower-quality transmission nor to compensate buyers like me for their future transmission expense. I am therefore writing today to request that Honda reimburse me for the enclosed transmission repair.

- Bob F., Winchester, MA, US

problem #1

Aug 242007

(reported on)

Odyssey EXL 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

The transmission selector will not move from park. You need to play with the selector for about 5 min before it dis-engages from park. Wiggle the dam thing press on the brake and so on. after the thing is fine you can shift to reverse neutral and drive with no problem

- John D., Waterbury, CT, US