Faults:

My passenger side door went dead and I haven't been able to use it for about a week. I read the thread on Fuse 13 and it worked!!! Thanks to the person who posted it!

General Comments:

The Honda Odyssey is so versatile and I love it. My husband uses it to haul 10 foot boards and also haul his go kart to the track. I will be buying a new one as soon as I can afford it!

Faults:

At 40,000 miles the transmission had to be replaced. Then again at 83,000 miles the transmission failed.

Now at 144,000 miles the transmission needs to be replaced again, and they want me to pay for it.

General Comments:

Had the power door switches replaced, hood latch, rear windshield wiper motor twice and now on the third transmission.

Also I'm told the catalytic converter needs to be replaced, which is another very expensive item.

All this for $30,000. What a bargain!

Faults:

Several times per year, there are problems with power sliding doors that malfunction.

Trim has fallen off the upper rear glass.

EGR valve has failed.

Transmission failure repaired under extended warranty at no charge, recall issued.

I have heard that transmission problems affect the Pilot, some models of the V6 Accord, and the Acura.

The clock on the dash is not visible at night because the backlight bulb is blown; repair requires pulling apart the whole dashboard at great cost.

General Comments:

The van is comfortable.

Handling is not great, but acceptable as it is a van.

Gas mileage is poor; about 12-13 mpg in city, about 19-20 on long highway trips.

The engine is bulletproof, although I find the 'V-tech' annoying when it trips in and out.

Good acceleration, but constantly hunting gears when going uphill.

The engine burns no oil.

The engine is where Honda shines. It is a beautiful sound when I accelerate. Some may say harsh, but that's subjective.

If Honda get the serious transmission problems resolved, then this van would be a great choice.

Faults:

First, a little about myself. I have never towed a boat, trailer, small homes, or anything else with my 2001 Honda Odyssey. I have never used my minivan to go drag racing. I am not an aggressive driver. I can be found puttering in the far right lane at the stated speed limit. As proof of my superior driving habits, we routinely have squeezed 26-27 miles per gallon out of our Odyssey. I've changed the oil every 6,000 miles and ALL preventative maintenance has been performed.

Despite all of the above, the transmission in our Odyssey has failed four times, requiring a replacement. I am now contemplating whether to pay for a fifth transmission. Our van has 140,000 miles on it.

The first transmission went at 25,498 miles (August 2002). The second died after 17,364 miles (September 2003). The third died after 32,481 miles (October 2005). The fourth died after 68,657 (January 2009). The part is clearly badly designed and/or badly manufactured.

Despite this, Honda has only offered to provide me with another complimentary refurbished transmission and left me with a $1600 repair bill for labor and shipping. Do I invest the money knowing full well that the newly installed transmission will last only a couple of years? Or do I cut my losses and count the quarters in the couch to determine whether I can afford a car payment for a replacement vehicle (definitely Toyota this time)? I'll let you know.

General Comments:

We were deeply impressed by the comfortable interior, fuel economy (for a vehicle this large), maneuverability, and safety features of this mini-van.

However, it has been the least reliable vehicle my wife and I have ever owned. Unfortunately, in my mind, Honda has not done enough to stand by a product which is clearly flawed.

I have been a loyal Honda customer for 25 years. This is my 7th Honda. It will be my last.