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2022 Honda Odyssey - Ear Issues

17K views 89 replies 37 participants last post by  peterway 
#1 ·
As the title states, I have a brand new Odyssey and I cant stand to drive it. I've currently got an offer from Carmax to sell to them at a big loss but I'm trying everything in my power to fix this. I am having ear pressure, full, liquid feeling in ears and tightness in chest when I am driving. Actually, it starts right when the power comes on. I have paid an audio guy to disconnect the ANC. It did not make much of a difference. A little, but the effects were still there. We have gone in diagnostic mode and turned the ANC off but it will not stay off. I have aired the car out. For some reason it has gotten a cow smell to it?! I'm at a loss. I cant drive it because it makes me very off balance and sick. So frustrated because I love it and want it to work but feel like this is a freak thing that cant be fixed. Please help.
 
#3 ·
I have not driven another one, but that is a great idea to try. I'll do this tomorrow.

Also, my state (Oklahoma) does not have a lemon law. SO STUPID. And I don't believe there's an exhuast leak but I wouldn't even know where to look on that. I do know that I can sit in the car with it completely off, but once the battery turns on there's a slight buzz noise, my guess the ANC. That noise instantly throws me off.
 
#4 ·
It is a brand new car. Have you taken it to the dealer and let them know your issue? I would go there first, it’s still under warranty. Check the laws in your state. They may have a certain number of attempts to fix it before buying it back under lemon law if there is an issue that they can’t fix.
 
#5 ·
We contacted the dealer a week after buying it and they were no help at all. They told me "We've never heard of anything like this before!?", and treated me like I was making it up. I talked with the guys in service that told me they absolutely cannot do anything regarding the ANC, and they have no idea what could be causing an issue. We do not have a lemon law here, unfortunately.
 
#6 ·
Does it make a difference if you have the windows open, A/C running, etc.?
 
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#8 ·
You need to disconnect the ANC modules, like the speaker module or something. Something dealer will not do.

Honda HDS will not turn it off completely.

For the smell, let it air out in the hot sun and drive around with all the windows down. Factory smell should go away within a week. Apparently those factory gases are not good for you.
 
#12 ·
You need to disconnect the ANC modules, like the speaker module or something. Something dealer will not do.

Honda HDS will not turn it off completely.

For the smell, let it air out in the hot sun and drive around with all the windows down. Factory smell should go away within a week. Apparently those factory gases are not good for you.
We've even paid an audio guy and he could not fully disconnect it. We have everything disconnected right now and it's still somehow coming through if the car is on.
 
#13 ·
allison728, I'm glad you posted about this. I thought I was the only one who experienced this. My symptoms when driving my Odyssey were exactly the same as yours. I was the only one in the car who felt the weird ear pressure and other sensations. After about 6 months of driving my Odyssey, I hardly ever notice the problem. I don't know if my body just got used to it and I stopped noticing, or if something about the car changed. It is now a non-issue for me, so hopefully the same happens for you.

Just out of curiosity, are you also someone who is very sensitive to vibration? I have an extreme sensitivity to vibration and I wonder if it is somehow related.
 
#15 ·
I have to say, your reply is the one I was hoping to get because I feel so so alone on this. Hearing that you got over it and can drive it fine makes me want to push through, even though I am so miserable driving it. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, and yes!!! I am sensitive to vibrations!!! So sensitive that if a car with a subwoofer pulls up beside me it makes me want to pull my head off. That's interesting! I'm sure there's a connection there.
 
#16 ·
This sounds like a very severe reaction to the internal sounds made by the car. Some people are sensitive to certain frequencies. I'm not a doctor but I believe certain sounds irritate the limbic part of the brain. The classic example is the fingernails on the blackboard sound. It makes most of us cringe! A similar perception may be at work with the odor you're detecting.

I completely believe your story but find it odd that these symptoms didn't appear during the test drives, especially with the severity of your reactions. You felt nothing? If the dealer and Carmax are not options, how about a private sale? You may still take a bit of a loss but it's better than owning a $45,000+ car you can't drive. Best of luck, Allison728.
 
#17 ·
Welp, that's the kicker. I did feel it during the test drive. I just told myself that it was a fluke and wouldn't last. I've been kicking myself on that very thing. I just kept convincing myself that this is the car we need for our family. If I could turn back time......
 
#19 ·
For some reason it has gotten a cow smell to it?!
Sorry about the problems with your dream car.

Does the smell come out of the air vents? It's possible a small critter got into the HVAC ductwork and perished in there.
 
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#28 ·
I didn’t know this model year had ANC - is it all trims?
All Hondas with VCM have ANC. And in the Odyssey's case, all Odysseys since 2011 have VCM.
 
#31 ·
Allsion728, here's a long shot. Have you checked the cargo area behind the third row seat for water leaks? One member drove their Ody for months, not realizing they had a slow water leak in that area. One day they discovered a few inches of water in there due to the terrible build quality at the Alabama plant, and the carpet had molded. Check that area for water or even dampness. I mention this because you wrote about "being in the middle of a stormy season and high humidity."

Even without a leak, check that area on a regular basis. It was discovered that the caring workers at the Alabama plant had missed filling a hole with sealant.
 
#36 ·
I hear you.I have the same issue with my 07' odyssey and when I asked them to check it out, the guy asked if I played music instrument. Not as extreme like what you described but like wearing NCA headphones. Now the problem is the wind noise that many times I thought the window was down. I dont know when it went away. Just give it a few months.
 
#58 ·
When someone told me that it lasted for 6 months for them I felt hopeful, but then I started thinking about driving this car for 6 more months and got all sweaty. I just don't think it's worth it to keep driving in hopes that it will get better or disappear completely.
 
#39 ·
The used car market is booming right now. I wouldn’t sell a vehicle to Carmax if you paid me. Try online sales sites like vroom.com and carvana if the issues cannot be resolved and you have to sell. Or, trade it in on a different vehicle?
 
#40 ·
Sorry to hear OP. Semi-related but I can't drive my 2018 with any of the rear windows down and going more than 30 MPH. I feel this immense pressure in my ear. Very uncomfortable. So the windows are only cracked or open more if only going slower but doesn't happen too often. My kids complain with not having the windows open more but deal with it. Doesn't seem to affect my wife. I am ok with rear windows open in my 2018 Civic though.
 
#43 ·
Hi, I've learned something new today. I never knew about this ANC system in some modern vehicles. I did a little research into the subject and came up with this. the article mentions Honda and the Ridgeline model which is related to the Odyssey. Disconnecting the two mic's and module are explained. I hope this helps you. Here's the link. Disabling Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in Your Car (crutchfield.com)
 
#44 ·
WOW, what a nightmare, "IF" you get rid of this van and buy anything else, PLEASE make sure your "gut feeling/nausa,etc]is noted during TEST DRIVE! ONLY YOU will know if whatever car/van you test drive are giving you "issues/problems"!

all the best..ALL the new vans are about the same, some are better than others, but only slightly, for long term, Toyota is the way to go, that is "IF" you test rides leaves you feeling health, confident ,etc..
 
#45 ·
Allison, Has the audio person been able to fill turn ANC off? You could try to plug the microphones temporarily with mounting putty for pictures/ posters. It's unconscionable that Honda would foist this function on customers with no way to disable it. Honda software is kind of crazy in some instances and shows they have not handled usability as well as they should. There are other people on this forum who share your problem.

It seems like the smell problem could be separate. Can you get an organic respirator to try to diagnose this? Naturally you would not wear this normally, it's just to see how you feel. If the problem is a smell, I would avoid Febreeze and other chemicals like the plague. Remediation companies that get rid of smells like cigarette smoke have ionizers and other tools that may help you.

Best wishes.
 
#46 ·
Allison, this is a confounding problem. My sympathy. I had a similar experience years ago, something that davedrivesody touched on. I once found a turtle on the road, thought it would be a neat pet for a 16-year old and put him in my trunk. And forgot about him. He crawled into the space between the Lt fender and the trunk bed and, well, you know what happened. I went weeks without ANYONE being able to ride in my ‘59 Ford Galaxie Fairlane 500. And I didn’t even have turn the key to smell the funk! Wish you the best.
 
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