Since this post is rather long I’ll separate it from the ongoing trans thread.
Bought my Odyssey new August/2003. Around 25k miles it started a high pitched whine at steady speed light throttle around 60 mph. A couple months later I received the recall for the transmission spray jet install which I did, that was at 30k miles.
I complained of the “whine” at that time and get the “deer in the headlights” look from the service manager at Honda of Ft. Myers. I inform him a search on the internet for this symptom leads to possible transmission problems. There were not many sites dealing with it at that time, now there are hundreds if not thousands of complaints. Service manager says he has not heard of this problem (BS!). They keep the vehicle over night to drive the next day after telling me they could hear no whine, when I pick it up the next day (third trip 20 miles each way) I’m told “could not reproduce” (BS!). I drive it with mechanic in passenger seat, he does hear the whine, we rule out alternator, wheel bearing, A/C, he mentions possible internal transmission problems. Service manager and mechanic inform me when they installed the trans spray jet the trans fluid looked very bad (at 30,000 miles!) and recommend it be changed. Since I do all my own work I buy enough Honda fluid for 3x drive drain and fill procedure. I’m told since it set no codes they can do nothing (BS!).
The first drain at 30k the fluid looked like brown crud, I was shocked at how bad it looked. Looking back its obvious the transmission had already had a serious issue and should have been replaced at that time as was allowed by the recall for the spray jet. I’ve done 3x changes every 30k miles since (suffering pouring fluid down the little dipstick hole, NOT what I paid for!) and fluid has looked fine ever since that first change but the whine has been there now for 6 years and covers a wider driving speed but absolutely miserable to drive at steady freeway speed. The transmission has been shifting very hard from 1 to 2 for nearly 2 years.
Last week I finally got P0740. I talk to the service guy at the dealer, and he says they only do a complete trans replace for that code and Honda is unlikely to help. I call Honda 800# and open a case. I hear total denial and then talk to the next level of denial Darrell Harville and told they’ll send the info to Honda of Ft. Myers. Take the vehicle in for the dealer to read the code, it’s confirmed, and before I even get home there is a call on my answering machine from the dealer’s service manager. I call him the next day and he says Honda will do nothing about it. I was told by Darrell Harville the service manager will contact a field rep more mechanical in nature than the warranty center and they would likely want more information. The short amount of time it took my local service manager to call me back makes me wonder if he talked to anyone? I was also told by the service manager they talk to the same people I do at the 800# and there is no field rep. Huh? The 800# tells me there is a separate field rep, the service manager tells me the 800# is all there is? Which one is not telling me the truth?
I call the Honda 800# again and ask to speak with the case manager Darrell Harville, I’m told he is not available, I inform the new denial person of more details and she says the information will be passed on to Darrell Harville and he will call me. That was two days ago, I’m still waiting.
Honda told me $3600. to replace the transmission but I will not pay for something that should have been fixed when it was in warranty and I complained about it. What incentive does Honda have to fix the problem if they stand to profit from it?
I am also currently looking at new and used cars and was considering an Accord, but my experience with 7 years of a whining Odyssey, the denial there was a problem, and now that it is officially failing and they don’t want to stand behind it makes me unwilling to repeat the same treatment a second time.
Do what’s right Honda, stop advertising how long your product lasts and actually back it up with more than advertising hype.
Bought my Odyssey new August/2003. Around 25k miles it started a high pitched whine at steady speed light throttle around 60 mph. A couple months later I received the recall for the transmission spray jet install which I did, that was at 30k miles.
I complained of the “whine” at that time and get the “deer in the headlights” look from the service manager at Honda of Ft. Myers. I inform him a search on the internet for this symptom leads to possible transmission problems. There were not many sites dealing with it at that time, now there are hundreds if not thousands of complaints. Service manager says he has not heard of this problem (BS!). They keep the vehicle over night to drive the next day after telling me they could hear no whine, when I pick it up the next day (third trip 20 miles each way) I’m told “could not reproduce” (BS!). I drive it with mechanic in passenger seat, he does hear the whine, we rule out alternator, wheel bearing, A/C, he mentions possible internal transmission problems. Service manager and mechanic inform me when they installed the trans spray jet the trans fluid looked very bad (at 30,000 miles!) and recommend it be changed. Since I do all my own work I buy enough Honda fluid for 3x drive drain and fill procedure. I’m told since it set no codes they can do nothing (BS!).
The first drain at 30k the fluid looked like brown crud, I was shocked at how bad it looked. Looking back its obvious the transmission had already had a serious issue and should have been replaced at that time as was allowed by the recall for the spray jet. I’ve done 3x changes every 30k miles since (suffering pouring fluid down the little dipstick hole, NOT what I paid for!) and fluid has looked fine ever since that first change but the whine has been there now for 6 years and covers a wider driving speed but absolutely miserable to drive at steady freeway speed. The transmission has been shifting very hard from 1 to 2 for nearly 2 years.
Last week I finally got P0740. I talk to the service guy at the dealer, and he says they only do a complete trans replace for that code and Honda is unlikely to help. I call Honda 800# and open a case. I hear total denial and then talk to the next level of denial Darrell Harville and told they’ll send the info to Honda of Ft. Myers. Take the vehicle in for the dealer to read the code, it’s confirmed, and before I even get home there is a call on my answering machine from the dealer’s service manager. I call him the next day and he says Honda will do nothing about it. I was told by Darrell Harville the service manager will contact a field rep more mechanical in nature than the warranty center and they would likely want more information. The short amount of time it took my local service manager to call me back makes me wonder if he talked to anyone? I was also told by the service manager they talk to the same people I do at the 800# and there is no field rep. Huh? The 800# tells me there is a separate field rep, the service manager tells me the 800# is all there is? Which one is not telling me the truth?
I call the Honda 800# again and ask to speak with the case manager Darrell Harville, I’m told he is not available, I inform the new denial person of more details and she says the information will be passed on to Darrell Harville and he will call me. That was two days ago, I’m still waiting.
Honda told me $3600. to replace the transmission but I will not pay for something that should have been fixed when it was in warranty and I complained about it. What incentive does Honda have to fix the problem if they stand to profit from it?
I am also currently looking at new and used cars and was considering an Accord, but my experience with 7 years of a whining Odyssey, the denial there was a problem, and now that it is officially failing and they don’t want to stand behind it makes me unwilling to repeat the same treatment a second time.
Do what’s right Honda, stop advertising how long your product lasts and actually back it up with more than advertising hype.
