2002 Honda Odyssey Suspension Problems

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING WAS FOUND BROKEN DURING A REGULAR CAR MAINTENANCE. SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDE WERE REPLACED. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE AGENT AT THE HONDA DEALER THAT THE REST OF THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WERE OK. HOWEVER, ABOUT 2 MONTHS (AND ABOUT 2000 MILES) LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT BROKE. THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. *TR

VEHICLE CREATES VIBRATION AS IF TRAVELING OVER WASHBOARD SURFACE ON OTHERWISE SMOOTH ROADWAY WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW GRADUAL SPEEDS. VIBRATION DISAPPEARS AFTER ACCELERATING THROUGH HARMONICS OR DECELERATING. ENGINE MOUNTS (3) WORN OUT PREMATURELY. SUSPECT POOR DESIGN. EXCESSIVE ENGINE MOVEMENT CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER ENGINE MOUNT MOUNTING BOLT (2 X M10 X 40MM) TO SHEAR & SECOND BOLT WAS STRETCHED AND YIELDED SUCH THAT THE WASHER FACE OF THE BOLT WAS RAISED 1/4" FROM THE MOUNTING SURFACE RENDERING THE TOP MOUNT USELESS. THE REAR MOUNT SEEMS TO BE THE MAJOR CULPRIT. IT IS HARDEST TO SEE VISUALLY & APPEARS THE 1ST TO FAIL CAUSING EXCESSIVE STRAIN & FAILURE ON 2 REMAINING MOUNTS. POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERN. REFERENCE COMPLAINT NO. 10425453. *TR

AS MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE INTO 2 PIECES. HAD SHE BEEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD I CAN THINK OF A NUMBER CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. IN 55 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN OR EVEN HEARD OF IT HAPPENING. AS I SEARCH THE INTERNET, HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH THIS VEHICLE MORE THAN SHOULD BE EXPECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN UNUSUALLY LOUD BANG AS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE COIL SPRING WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,556 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,600.

FRONT PASS SIDE (RIGHT) COIL SPRING BROKE SUDDENLY ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE TOP WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ROAD OUR NEAR HOME. THE COIL POPPED OUT OF THE STRUT UPPER MOUNT AND RUBBED ON INNER FENDER. REPLACEMENT COILS WERE FITTED ON 3-5-2011 TO BOTH SIDES WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THE RIGHT SIDE COIL WAS PREVIOUSLY BROKEN AT THE BOTTOM FLAT WOUND COIL. THE LEFT SIDE FRONT COIL WAS ALSO PREVIOUSLY BROKEN AT THE TOP MOST COIL,FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME . THE SHARP ENDED PIECE WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE REMAINING SPRING PIECE.

CLUNKING/THUDDING NOISE FROM PASSENGER FRONT OF VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN ROAD OR ROUGH PATCHES OF HIGHWAY. VEHICLE EVALUATED BY HONDA DEALER IN 2006 FOR CAUSE. NEVER FIXED. WAS TOLD SOUND COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. HAVE DRIVEN SINCE LISTENING TO SAME SOUND. DISASSEMBLED FRONT RIGHT STRUT ASSEMBLY TO REPLACE STRUT/SHOCK. FOUND PASSENGER FRONT SPRING BROKEN. HAS LIKELY BEEN BROKEN SINCE 2005. SUSPECT THAT OTHER SPRINGS ARE BROKEN ON THE VEHICLE AS WELL. *TR

1) NORMAL DRIVING, NO HISTORY OF ACCIDENTS OR MAJOR POTHOLES, ETC, THAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTED. 2.) FRONT COIL SPRING ON DRIVER SIDE BROKE, WITH PIECES OF THE SPRING FALLING OFF. NO ACCIDENT, BUT NEEDED TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING. 3.) FIXED AT DEALER AT MY EXPENSE. I HAVE A BROKEN PART OF THE SPRING AVAILABLE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A STATE INSPECTION AND HAD FAILED DUE TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE SHOCK ABSORBER FAILED AND REPLACED IT. UPDAYED 10/04/06. *JB

I OWN A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY. ON JULY 22, 2006 WHILE I WAS PARKING THE VAN IN MY GARAGE, I HEARD LOUD CLANKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT LEFT SIDE. LATER NEXT DAY, WHEN I WAS BACKING UP THE CAR, A METAL PIECE FELL ON THE GROUND. IT TURNED TO BE **SUSPENSION SPRING COIL**. I READ FROM OTHER CONSUMER SITES THAT, IN 2001 AND 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY MODELS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. LUCKILY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED THE REPAIR EXPENSES. I SURE HOPE NHTSA WOULD INVESTIGATE INTO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. FOR NOW, I AM JUST HOPING THE OTHER COILS DON'T BREAK WHILE DRIVING. *NM

COMPLETE FAILURE OF BOTH FRONT END STRUTS. RETURNING FROM CHURCH, MY WIFE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. IT SOUNDED LIKE TWO WASHERS HITTING TOGETHER. UPON INVESTIGATION, BOTH STRUT BEARING PLATES WERE BROKEN AND THE STRUTS WERE INOPERABLE. THIS IS 2 WEEKS AFTER A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

THE CONSUMER HEARD NOISES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION. *NM THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND OFF FOR NO REASON, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD COME ON, TRANSMISSION FAILED, THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT EASILY, THE RPM ARROW WOULD ERRATICALLY SWING FROM DIFFERENT LEVELS WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS STRUGGLING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE TCS LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT ALONG WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE HEATER EXHILARATED A LOUD SOUND WHEN IN USE. *SC

THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT HAD COME ON CONTINUALLY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED, THEY STATED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM WORKING ON THE PROBLEM, BUT IT MAY TAKE UP TO 4 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER. *AK EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON 8-10 WEEKS FOLLOWING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED SINCE PURCHASE. NUMEROUS PARTS HAD BEEN REPLACED AND THE PROBLEMS STILL OCCURRED. THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK *SCC *JB

VEHICLE PULLS HARD TO RIGHT UNDER ACCELERATION. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX, AND AMERICAN HONDA DENIED PROBLEM EXISTED, CALLING IT A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. I PERSONALLY DROVE 7 OTHER 2002 ODYSSEYS AND DETERMINED THAT THIS "CHARACTERISTIC" IS NOT NORMAL. BBB ARBITRATION WAS USED, IN WHICH THE BBB RULED AGAINST HONDA. AMERICAN HONDA FIELD ENGINEER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR TWICE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. IN LAST REPAIR, THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER WITH CONSIDERABLE PULL TO THE LEFT UNDER STEADY SPEED, BUT HARD PULL TO RIGHT WHEN ACCELERATING. BBB RULING INDICATED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I AGREE. QUERIES OF INTERNET WEBSITES FOR ODYSSEY OWNERS INDICATES THIS PROBLEM DOES EXIST ON OTHER VEHICLES. I EXPECT THE NHTSA TO FORCE HONDA TO DEAL HONESTLY WITH THIS ISSUE. DT

THE VAN BEGINS SHAKING, THEN STALLS WHEN CRUISING AT ANY SPEED BETWEEN 50-60MPH. THIS ALSO OCCURS AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP, THE CAR IS INCREASINGLY FAILING TO START IN 1ST GEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO TURN LFT ACROSS TRAFFIC. ALSO, WHEN BRAKING TO SLOW THE CAR (NOT STOP IT) IT WILL SUDDENLY SHIFT TO A LOW GEAR, THROWING THE DRIVER INTO THE STEERING WHEEL (WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE SEATBELTS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY TIGHTEN OR OTHERWISE RESTRAIN THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS). IT IS LIKE A 20MPH HEAD-ON-COLLISION. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, THIS IS A DESIGN FEATURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THE TRANSMISSION IS OPERATING NORMALLY AND ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE "FEATURES" NOT PROBLEMS. NICE TO KNOW HONDA HAS ENGINEERED A "GIVE THE DRIVER WHIPLASH" FEATURE INTO THE CAR, AS WELL AS A FEATURE TO CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL AT THE STATE HIGHWAY SPEEDLIMIT. I SUPPOSE IT IS TO HELP HONDA'S BOTTOM-LINE BY HAVING ODYSSEY OWNERS BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR REGULAR REPAIRS AFTER BEING REAR-ENDED BY OTHER CARS ON THE FREEWAY. PLEASE NOTE, ALL PROBLEMS STARTED AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED THE DVD PLAYER WE PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF SALE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE HONDA DVD SYSTEM, BUT WE ARE PRETTY SURE IT IS NOT. MR

VEHICLE PULLS WITH SLIGHT VEERING TO RIGHT AND LEFT. THERE IS ALSO VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS OF 40 - 70 MPH. DEALER BALANCED WHEELS, CHECKED HUB AND WHEEL RUN OUT, INNER CV JOINTS, SHIFTED FRONT SUBFRAME TO RIGHT, SHIFTED STEERING KNUCKLES TO THE LEFT TO GAIN MAXIMUM LEFT BIASED CAMBER, REPLACED ORIGINAL WHEELS/TIRES WITH EX MODEL TIRES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES. HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONSUMER STATES PERFORMANCE OF VEHICLE AND THE WAY DEALERSHIP HAS CONDUCTED BUSINESS IS UNSATISFACTORY. *TT

AXLE BEARING WHEEL BROKE OFF WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BROKE OFF ,AND CONSUMER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE VERY WELL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

VEHICLE WAS HARD TO PUT INTO REVERSE. ONCE IN REVERSE CONSUMER HEARD A CLANKING NOISE, AND COULD NOT STEER CAR. WHEEL WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER STATED THAT A BOLT WAS NOT PROPERLY SCREWED ON. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS IF RIDING ON HIGHWAY. *AK THE BOLT HOLDING STRUT MOUNTING WAS NOT PROPERLY SCREWED AT FACTORY. *YH