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Yikes, 4 transmissions! I guess I have a lucky one. May the Force be with you on receiving goodwill. Honda likes to see work done at the dealerships to give you any kind of assistance unfortunately.
2001 Odyssey needs a FOURTH transmission
I purchased our 2001 EX Ody new in June of 2001.
The original tranny died in October 2004 with 42,000 miles.
The second died in February, 2008 with 91,000 on the Odometer (it lasted 49,000 miles).
The third just died this week, August 2011 at 138,000 (it lasted 47,000 miles).
It's at West Side Honda in Knoxville, TN awaiting word from their service mgr and American Honda as to my request for some goodwill. Even though the van is well past warranty, I've never owned a vehicle in which the tranny is a wear item and disposable. What I do next depends on their response. I don't expect to get a tranny at no cost to me, but I also expect transmission to last longer than 40 months and 50K miles. West Side conveniently had no record of performing the last two (the only two) tranny replacements so I had to bring in my binder of 59 receipts from new. Anxiously awaiting the outcome.
I do my own service so my receipts are for Honda OEM parts that I installed - not from Honda dealerships. I fail to see how my performing oil changes and brake jobs could have any affect on the longevity of their transmissions that are not user serviceable, outside of fluid drain and fills which I performed at 15,000 mile intervals with Honda ATF, to no avail.
Has anyone had any luck getting goodwill this late in the game?
The original tranny died in October 2004 with 42,000 miles.
The second died in February, 2008 with 91,000 on the Odometer (it lasted 49,000 miles).
The third just died this week, August 2011 at 138,000 (it lasted 47,000 miles).
It's at West Side Honda in Knoxville, TN awaiting word from their service mgr and American Honda as to my request for some goodwill. Even though the van is well past warranty, I've never owned a vehicle in which the tranny is a wear item and disposable. What I do next depends on their response. I don't expect to get a tranny at no cost to me, but I also expect transmission to last longer than 40 months and 50K miles. West Side conveniently had no record of performing the last two (the only two) tranny replacements so I had to bring in my binder of 59 receipts from new. Anxiously awaiting the outcome.
I do my own service so my receipts are for Honda OEM parts that I installed - not from Honda dealerships. I fail to see how my performing oil changes and brake jobs could have any affect on the longevity of their transmissions that are not user serviceable, outside of fluid drain and fills which I performed at 15,000 mile intervals with Honda ATF, to no avail.
Has anyone had any luck getting goodwill this late in the game?
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118 Posts
My sister had the same problem. She brought it in and got it replaced under the extended warranty. Then the "updated" trans failed in less miles than the "defective" trans. I work at a Honda dealer, and do all her work there. They called Honda, and were told they were well past the 100k limit. Even thought this trans lasted less miles. She ended up selling it for $1900 and bought an Accord. Its the reason I didn't consider a 2nd gen. Odyssey. I bought a 1998 model. Good luck. Steve
Sorry, but you're SOL, as the Honda-supplied replacement transmission had a 3-year, 36K mile warranty and you're beyond that - too bad you didn't drive the snot out of it and had it fail seven months earlier! 
My sister's '99 van just got it's third tranny last week at about 150K miles or so - a $5K hit at a Honda dealer 200 miles away from home (close to where it died, don't know why my BIL was driving it so far away from home when he knew that the tranny was acting up, oh well).
My van was already on it's third transmission at 107K miles when I bought it.
These vans have weak transmissions. It's one of the most common topics on this whole forum.
I read on another automotive web site recently a great comment that rang true to me: "For many people, an Odyssey is their last Honda."
My sister's '99 van just got it's third tranny last week at about 150K miles or so - a $5K hit at a Honda dealer 200 miles away from home (close to where it died, don't know why my BIL was driving it so far away from home when he knew that the tranny was acting up, oh well).
My van was already on it's third transmission at 107K miles when I bought it.
These vans have weak transmissions. It's one of the most common topics on this whole forum.
I read on another automotive web site recently a great comment that rang true to me: "For many people, an Odyssey is their last Honda."
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52 Posts
I know that I'm past any 'official' warranty, but to have three Honda sourced transmissions ALL fail after exactly 40 months of use is not acceptable in anyone's book. My hope is that they show a liflelong Honda owner some Goodwill considering that this van represents my seventh Honda and as my kids are soon approaching driving age, how Honda treats me can affect what they end up driving the rest of their lives, let alone what decisions I might make going forward.
As for the $5K the one poster paid for their replacement OEM Honda tranny, that's outrageous as the trannys don't fail within 36K, so the Honda peace of mind warranty is practically worthless. I can get a 3yr/100K mile warranty at an idependent shop for $2100 and that's what I'll do if my share of this LAST repair exceeds a far lesser amount.
The service manager just called me to tell me that Honda did reply to his (our) request for goodwill with a few questions that he is going to answer and then let's hope for the best. I'll play this saga out to the bitter end and let you know what happens.
As for the $5K the one poster paid for their replacement OEM Honda tranny, that's outrageous as the trannys don't fail within 36K, so the Honda peace of mind warranty is practically worthless. I can get a 3yr/100K mile warranty at an idependent shop for $2100 and that's what I'll do if my share of this LAST repair exceeds a far lesser amount.
The service manager just called me to tell me that Honda did reply to his (our) request for goodwill with a few questions that he is going to answer and then let's hope for the best. I'll play this saga out to the bitter end and let you know what happens.
I'm pulling for you; keep your stick on the ice!
Definitely I'd go with the aftermarket shop if the dealer won't help any. My sister's van died out in the middle of nowhere, so they had it towed ($400) to the nearest Honda dealer where it was repaired (I was against this myself, but it's their van and $), since it would have been a second huge towing bill to get it 200 miles back to home in the big city with lots of repair options.
My BIL and myself were going to change it out ourself later this fall at my brother's shop where there is a 2-post hoist. I can get a remanufactured tranny wholesale (connections, don't you knowD) for $1700. The best-laid plans of men & mice . . .
Definitely I'd go with the aftermarket shop if the dealer won't help any. My sister's van died out in the middle of nowhere, so they had it towed ($400) to the nearest Honda dealer where it was repaired (I was against this myself, but it's their van and $), since it would have been a second huge towing bill to get it 200 miles back to home in the big city with lots of repair options.
My BIL and myself were going to change it out ourself later this fall at my brother's shop where there is a 2-post hoist. I can get a remanufactured tranny wholesale (connections, don't you know
D) for $1700. The best-laid plans of men & mice . . .Good Luck. I'm also curious. Let us know what Honda does.
My van very similar to yours. 2001 LX. Bought new. Also, on 3rd Transmission. (approx. 42K on orginal, 67K on 2nd, dealer:rollingeyes:,
3rd on me. AMCO (be careful, $3K).
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52 Posts
The Verdict is in
Yes, the same dealer replaced the tranny each time and each tranny from the first to the third lasted exactly 40 months - how's that for consistency.
Well, the dealer called to inform me that American Honda send the message for me to pound sand! I guess they need the couple of thousand dollars of goodwill for my tranny to help pay for the recall of 1,000,000 vehicles globally to address the faulty window switches that have caused 6 or so vehicles to CATCH FIRE. How the mighty have fallen.
What a short sighted reply from a once respected company. Now my children get to hear how poorly HOA treated a lifetime Honda vehicle owner, which will likely affect their buying decisions when it comes time to buy their first (and subsequent) cars. Needless to say, my wife's next vehicle WON'T be a Honda and neither will the first cars that I buy (or help buy) for my children.
Way to go Honda, you saved a couple of thousand dollars. How much profit are you losing from the lost car sales of an entire family that will no longer buy from your company. I will pen a letter to the president of American Honda, not that he actually gives a S&!T about the customer - just his year end bonus.
Yes, the same dealer replaced the tranny each time and each tranny from the first to the third lasted exactly 40 months - how's that for consistency.
Well, the dealer called to inform me that American Honda send the message for me to pound sand! I guess they need the couple of thousand dollars of goodwill for my tranny to help pay for the recall of 1,000,000 vehicles globally to address the faulty window switches that have caused 6 or so vehicles to CATCH FIRE. How the mighty have fallen.
What a short sighted reply from a once respected company. Now my children get to hear how poorly HOA treated a lifetime Honda vehicle owner, which will likely affect their buying decisions when it comes time to buy their first (and subsequent) cars. Needless to say, my wife's next vehicle WON'T be a Honda and neither will the first cars that I buy (or help buy) for my children.
Way to go Honda, you saved a couple of thousand dollars. How much profit are you losing from the lost car sales of an entire family that will no longer buy from your company. I will pen a letter to the president of American Honda, not that he actually gives a S&!T about the customer - just his year end bonus.
Thanks for letting us know what happened.
My sentiments exactly. I will not buy another Honda. I to cannot figure
out HOA's thinking. Whenever, I talk to friends/family, when it comes to
Honda, all I can say, is .....3rd transmission, NO help from Honda.....
Wear and tear is understandable. But We all know, the early transmissions had a "design" flaw, which never got fixed. WE GOTTA BELIEVE, HONDA OF AMERICA KNOW'S THIS. THEY JUST DON'T CARE, SUCH SHORT SIGHTED
THINKING.....Sure ruins their reputation....
If they had admitted the transmissions had a bad design, and said, they
would replace for even a small fee, they would have kept their "GOODWILL"..
After reading all of these posts, add trans. filter, change fluid more often, it just boils down to a "poorly designed transmission", that is prone to early failure.
Honda should have just given all early Odyssey owners a lifetime guarantee on the transmission.
Sorry for venting.....
I had slipping transmission on my '02 Ody (100K miles) rebuilt by Suburban Transmission in Laurel, MD, last month. I wanted OEM replacement transmission but Honda just reduced their transmission warranty to 1 yr! Their trannys must be failing a lot. Suburban rebuilt mine and fixed a "design flaw" and gave me 3 yr 36k mi warranty for under $4k.
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415 Posts
Sorry to hear bout your experience. Did you try to call Honda directly. The dealer really has to push for you or they wont approve. I just got my 03 TL (104K) tranny replaced (Same tranny) with a reman and they gave gave 50/50 with new ECU and 3/36.
Good luck. P/
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