Well I got suckered in to the same motto "Honda's the best car you can buy." Turns out I bought a big gold lemon. Horrible road noise. My Suburban get better gas mileage. Gas tank leak. Engine mount failure. Electrical issues. Now having problem with transmission, 2 weeks after warranty goes out. Problem shifting from 1st to 2nd. Dealer says need new trans for $4500. Guess I was a fool to bring it to the dealer for any repairs at that price. Might as well buy a new car, not Honda, paint this one yellow and park it by the dealership. Aamco said they could rebuild it for $2300 and said they do it everyday with the Honda's. Imagine that.

The usual problems with the transmission it seems. After reading the comments here, and at 108,000, I guess I feel lucky to have gotten this far on one transmission - which is ridiculous. We bought a Honda so we wouldn't have to deal with issues like this. We paid sticker and waited for 6 weeks - for this???? After looking at the consumerreports.org terrible reviews of the transmission and at the Wikipedia page - class action lawsuit, known extensive problems, etc., I'm disgusted that Honda is trying to make us pay $2200 for the repair. I'm fighting it tooth and nail - we'll see what happens. Since the lawsuit resulted in a warranty extension to 109,000, maybe they'll extend that to mine? I do worry that our problems won't end there, though.

Bought a new 2002 Honda Odyssey Vn at Maronne Honda in Hollywood, Florida. Had all scheduled maintenance and changed oil every 3,000 miles (have receipts for all work). Transmission needs total replacement at 54,666 miles and it isn't covered under warranty. According to dealer Honda recognized they had a major problem on 2000 and 2001 transmissions and covered them under warranty after standard warranty expired but the chose not to cover the 2002'a even though the vehicles have the same problem. I have a Toyota Camry with 200,000 miles and it has never had any transmission problems. Extremely upset that Honda doesn't take responsibility for the known defect and cover repairs. It is a source of embarrassment for the company in my opinion and I plan to let everyone know. I will be purchasing a Toyota Sienna and never will purchase another Honda. When we dropped the van off for what we thought would be a minor repair we actually looked at a 2009 CR-V and were going to purchase it the following day. Not now.

I bought this 2002 Odyssey brand new. I bought it over a Toyota, Dodge, because it was a Honda. Have gone above and beyond in taking care of it. Check engine light comes on and I took it to the dealer they ran the code and said you need a new transmission. It will cost you around $4200. I am so mad right now I spent $28,000.00 on a Honda for durability, reliability, and longevity. I got screwed at 87,000 miles!!!!! What makes me even more pissed is that I am reading all of these other people with my exact same story and Honda is doing Nothing? If anyone has had success with Honda in getting this taken care of please tell me how you did it. My dealer says no way, They have offered me $3900.00 to put towards a new Honda.

I was 2 weeks out of my extended warranty when my transmission failed. Honda dealer stated that it would cost $3427.00 to fix and that was with a little discount from the Honda. I have been left without a car since this happened and the only thing the dealer can say is that it needs to be fixed or we can buy another car. I don't know about anyone else but times are hard for my family right now and it is hard to afford a new car. I have had my honda for just over 4 years and originally bought it because of its reported GREAT reputation (LOL). I had a 1998 Honda Accord that we bought new never had any problems with it. I always wanted an Odyssey but am very disappointed at this point. My next car will NOT be a Honda.

Apparently, I didn't do my homework on the 2002 Odyssey and get to enjoy the perpetual fisting its transmission is going to dish out. We purchased it used last year in expectation of our fourth child being born and stayed brand loyal to Honda because of our two previous purchases of a 1999 Accord and Civic of the same year. Not a single problem with those cars. Everything went fine with the Odyssey until the transmission went out at approx 97,000. It was a surprise for us, but it was covered under the standard warranty and recall for that model. Took a week to get the part and replace. We pick it up and in seven days, same problems. Sudden revving in first, slippage out of second into first and then the emission light goes off! That's when the thing practically blew up. So, we haul it down to the dealer again and seriously, they tell us they can't duplicate the problem. Within minutes of that call, they call back and I quote, "We just lost first." So, transmission number two is installed.

Five days ago, the same problems again. Revving, slippage and emission light. It's down at the dealer now and we already had the call, "We can't duplicate the problem." Told them to drive it around until it fails because if it toasts on me while I'm towing my kids around, I'm going to be the last thing they want screaming in their lobby. Let's see how long before I get the call that transmission number three is going to installed.

This is the last Honda I will purchase.

My husband, 2 year old daughter and I were on our way to maine for vacation from n.j.. We were following my dad's car, and brother-in-law's car, we went thru the toll plaza onto the ny thruway and all of a sudden i felt like i had no control over the car it was accelerating when i was braking, and braking when i was accelerating, the needle on the rpm gauge was going crazy and there was no shoulder to pull over to since there was construction. Tractor trailers were flying by us, i drove 10 miles an hour with the hazards on and was finally able to get over when i did all the lights came on and smoke poured out of the hood, we got out of the van and stood on the side so that we wouldn't get hit and it was freezing as it was VERY early in the morning and my daughter was crying because she was cold. It took a week for the rebuilt to come, we had to pay for a rental car to finish the trip for our vacation. Now it is the end of sept, and we have only put on about 2000 miles and this tranny is acting weird again, almost as if it is getting stuck when it shifts, and i was driving down a hill and the car lurched and breaked and i didn't even have my foot on the brake. I used to love driving and now i'm scared to death to get behind the wheel, especially since i have a 2 year old daughter. we still have about 5000 to pay off on it, we only just got the vehicle at the end of june of this year we bought it used. I really wish there was a way to bring a class action suit against honda!

Engine light came on. I took it to my local mechanic that said the problem was a PO740 Tourque converter/circuit failure. He told me something involving the transmission. Could cost anywhere between $2,500-$3,600 to fix. Called American Honda they stated that my warranty was up and that I would need to have checked at an authorized Honda dealer in order to be able to receive ANY compensation from them. Made an appointment with local dealer and the best American Honda will do is a a re-built transmission with a 3 yr/36,000 mile warranty after I pay the labor cost of $1,050.00 And of course the week's worth of car rental. I most say that I have had excellent luck with this vehicle unitl now and I expected more from Honda especially on a vehicle that only has 66,000 plus miles. Thanks for nothing Honda! Here I come...TOYOTA!!!

We ordered our Honda Odyssey in November of 2001 (since none were available used at the time) and spent the extra money for the Honda reputation of quality and reliability. What a joke! In March of 2004, at almost 50,000 miles and after several trips to the dealer to complain about strange shifting, revving of the engine as if we were in neutral, and such, it was finally determined that the transmission needed replaced. Of course the warranty was expired. We didn't go for the extended warranty - because it was a HONDA! Honda of N. America helped with the replacement expenses, after our continued nagging. In November of 2005, at 87,000 miles, the recall for the PCM was issued and we went back to the dealer for the repair. In May of 2007 at 114,622 miles the rear main seal broke and the transmission had to be pulled so the seal could be replaced (it should have been replaced during the first transmission issue anyway, but it was not done). June of 2008 until present, at about 135,000 miles we have experienced continuous transmission fluid leaks. The seal was replaced in June and again in August. We went back to the dealer on the 18th of August since it was STILL leaking, and now lights were coming on all over the dash - GUESS WHAT? THEY SAY IT NEEDS ANOTHER TRANSMISSION for $4200! So much for the reliable, quality reputation! We deliberately stayed away from chrysler and dodge vans when we were shopping around because we didn't want to have to deal with these problems. My husband is very mechanically inclined and has babied this vehicle with all it's regular maintenance, oil changes, and transmission flushes which is probably the only reason it has lasted as long as it has. For those out there going through these same problems here's a word of advice...make sure to have them change the retainer clip on the axle whenever they pull the transmission, it's also called a set ring (part #44319-S0X-A01) - this should be done even if the dealer says "it looks okay". We are now having to put on yet another seal and replace this clip to see if we can baby it along a little longer until we can come up with a plan to get rid of it or fix it! By the way, the dealers are all well aware of these problems, as evidenced in the commentary from our mechanics at Duncan Honda in Christiansburg, VA, yet Honda has yet to do anything to correct the issue. It's obvious from the other complaints on this site alone, that we are all going through the same BS! The other reason we elected to buy a Honda was the fact that they retain their value so well. So much for that, now it'll cost us more to fix it than it's worth and it's only 6 years old! We can't even trade it in for a reliable vehicle, because nobody wants to deal with them - the complaints and problems are all over the internet. We will NEVER buy another Honda and we will never recommend them to others. In fact, we are telling our friends and family who also own other model years of the Odyssey to get rid of them before it's too late! We are in agreement with the other comment that called for a Class Action Law suit. Someone needs to do something, Honda should pay for the repairs costs we've incurred, the time we've spent, and at the very least should put a new transmission in at no charge. We are absolutely irate!

This is on a re manufactured n/c tranny Honda put in 64000 miles ago at 38000. Trans is erratic in shifting now and losing fluid consistently. From the left output shaft seal.

At the first replacement service manager recommended trans cooler be installed. I put in a super duty size for motor homes uo to 24000 lbs. And have changed fluid every 15000 miles since. that is probably the only reason this piece of crap tranny lasted 64000. miles. I am replacing the seal and going to see if Honda will pop for another tranny. See my original complaint number 1.

Transmission went on the way home from vacation at 44,000. Broke down on NY Thruway - Very dangerous and very inconvenient. $2900 to replace transmission.

Transmission went on the way to vacation at 87,000. Broke down on Exit 2 of NJ Turnpike. Very dangerous and very inconvenient. Had to leave car and rent one to continue on our vacation. Will get fixed this weekend - $3300.

Honda Odysseys are notorious for this, and depending on where you break down, this can be VERY DANGEROUS. We have 2 kids under 10, and this has happened twice with them in the car on highways with cars running at an average of 75 mph. Honda is really taking chances with peoples' lives turning out faulty product. It's a crime.

2002 Honda Odyssey, began having trouble with the transmission at 50,000 miles. When I brought it to the dealer then, they said nothing was wrong with it. Then a couple years later, at 90,000 miles, driving from Massachusetts to Florida the "D" light stayed on flashing. No other indicators came on at that time. The light subsequently went off and everything seemed fine. Eight months later, 110,000 miles, the Check Engine and TCS lights came on. Brought it to the dealer for service and they determined the transmission needed replacement. After much debate, they agreed to replace it with us only having to pay for labor, as we had it to them for all major services and began having the problem while it was under warranty and they had record of that. Now, after less than 20,000 miles on the new transmission, I am having trouble with it stuttering when shifting. I had it back to the dealer last month and they told me it definitely was not the transmission, probably an EGR problem, especially since no indicator lights were on. Now, just yesterday, the "Check Engine", "TCS", and "Maintenance Required" lights all came on. Don't tell me this is not another transmission problem. I will be bringing it to the service department tomorrow. I should have kept my Chrysler van and never have gotten a Honda - what ever happened to their reliability? Perhaps reliability for their servcie departments keeping busy.

The transmission seemed to slip between second and third intermittently when I first bought the car new in 2002. The dealer could never replicate the problem naturally. I've done all the scheduled maintenance. My check engine light went on about a week ago and I finally had time to take it in. It's a Honda. I never expected the service rep to tell me I needed a new transmission because of a torque convertor failure. My warranty was 72 months or 100,000 miles and lapsed six months ago. After reading about so many other failures, I'm really steamed about this.