Odyssey transmission failure?

[OVERKILL]

My MIL has a 2001 Honda Odyssey van. Always had an easy life. However, recently if you get on the gas more than lightly to pass, it will shift very abruptly and sometimes the CEL comes on, and then the van stops accelerating. To get it to move again, you have to pull to the side of the highway.... shut it off, wait a few minutes and then re-start it. Then it will shift and accelerate again.

Sounds to me like a pretty standard transmission failure that these vans are known for. The Honda dealer wants more than the van is worth to replace it. They have been considering getting a wrecker transmission for it (400 bucks) and having their independent install it. They would be under 1000 for the whole works. However, I reminded her that the transmission WILL fail again, and she has no idea how long the replacement will last.

They recently traded their other vehicle in on a new Focus. They want to get another one, but can't afford it at the moment. They are using (in a limited manner) the Odyssey at the moment for local driving, as due to their work schedule, they need to have two working vehicles. I was in it yesterday and the shifting felt very sketchy.

Thoughts?

 

[demarpaint]

Sounds familiar! In fact it reminds me of my Honda selling days. I had a few customers who bought used 2000 and 2001 Odysseys that didn't take the extended warranty coming back cursing us several months after the sale because the shop wanted close to $6,000 for a transmission. Ouch!

Try servicing the transmission, but I dobut it will help.

 

[tdpark]

Is the traction control light coming on too? It could be a misfire, what did the code say? Is it hesitating and does the engine stumble. Check the codes could be an clogged egr and bad oil. My car started stumbling, cel came on and loss of power and it was the Clogged EGR. Usually when the tranndy dies it slips like crazy. Have a different mechanic look at it. Does not sound like the transmission but rather egr or bad coil.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: tdpark
Is the traction control light coming on too? It could be a misfire, what did the code say? Is it hesitating and does the engine stumble. Check the codes could be an clogged egr and bad oil. My car started stumbling, cel came on and loss of power and it was the Clogged EGR. Usually when the tranndy dies it slips like crazy. Have a different mechanic look at it. Does not sound like the transmission but rather egr or bad coil.


No, runs fine. No stumble or misfires. This isn't a loss of power. It is the loss of the ability to move.

She confirmed that the TCS light comes on as well (just asked her) when this happens.

 

[cmf]

Sounds like a solenoid problem. They are generally easy to replace but can be expensive for imports.

Did they read the CEL code? It should give you a better indication.

 

[Boss302fan]

Honda Pilot, Odyssy, Acura MDX, etc transmissions are horrible...

Know matter how often you chnage the ATF the transmissions will fail early in life. I have seen numerous fail at 50K miles up to 135K miles. Many other units have had replacement transmissions installed and they also fail. Poor design and [censored] atf fluid equal transmission failure...

 

[OVERKILL]

Just found a site dedicated to this issue, LOL!

http://www.odysseytransmission.com/

Wow!

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: cmf
Sounds like a solenoid problem. They are generally easy to replace but can be expensive for imports.

Did they read the CEL code? It should give you a better indication.


Honda did. They told her she needed a transmission, LOL

 

[Hokiefyd]

How many miles are on this van?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
How many miles are on this van?


Roughly 260,000Km (she's going off the top of her head). That is rough 160,000 miles.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Just found a site dedicated to this issue, LOL!


I think there's a website dedicated to EVERY issue out there.


True, I remember the don't buy a dodge site dedicated to the Caravan and the GM piston slap sites off the top of my head.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
How many miles are on this van?


Roughly 260,000Km (she's going off the top of her head). That is rough 160,000 miles.


Okay. Given the mileage and age, I'd say it's not unreasonable to expect the transmission has begun to expire. 160k miles on most transmissions is fair, and probably pretty good on one of the earlier 2-shaft Honda automatics. Installing a used transmission is just kicking the can down the road in my opinion (and you seem to agree there). Unless they're serious about keeping the van, and it sounds like they're not, a used transmission installed for $1,000 is probably a fair gamble. That's 4-5 months of payments on a new vehicle (or cash equivalent), and it's probably safe to assume it'll last that long. Plus, resale value of an older Odyssey with a working transmission has got to be higher than one without.

 

[Hokiefyd]

By the way, I don't think it would be a lost cause to service this transmission a few times. About 3 quarts should come out with a drain. Has the ATF ever been changed? I suspect it probably hasn't, and you'll get a lot of junk out with a simple drain. I would recommend Honda's new ATF-DW1 fluid from the dealer, just because of how well it has worked for me so far. But I understand the Valvoline Maxlife ATF works well in Hondas too.

I'd drain/refill 3 quarts at a time. Go drive around the block (gently) and come back and do it again. You'll spend, at most, 50 bucks on the fluid. It sounds like they're just buying time to get a new car anyway, so I think it's worth the gamble. I don't know of any fluid change that turns a 160,000 mile transmission into a new one, but for the small amount of money compared with transmission replacement (or money lost on junking the whole vehicle), it's worth a shot.

 

[cmf]

I agree. I would just get a junker transmission installed and use it in the mean time.

I did some research and people who have had this issue have replaced solenoids. The transmission worked fine with the solenoids replaced, but still suffered the complete failure only a few days later. What it seems to come down to is that the transmissions start failing and the debris ends up clogging solenoids, which gives symptoms that mechanics instantly think "solenoid!". But that's only a symptom and the underlying problem is much worse.

 

[Jeff_in_VABch]

I would run the car through the auction so you can get some money for it.

If the transmission is working on auction day, that would be a bonus.

It's a common problem nowdays for the repairs to be way above the vehicle value. Those cars go to auction every day. I once saw two similar cars at the auction, the one with no engine sold for more than the running one. You just cant predict what will happen.

 

[JTK]

2001-2003 were the worst years for the Honda Odyssey trans. For later years, issues were no more common than they were for Chrysler and Ford minivans.

Regardless, try to find a used Odyssey. Especially one for a bargain. Ain't gonna happen because they STILL hold their values extremely well, transaxle issues or not.

If that 2001 is in good shape, it would easily be worth up to a cpl grand to have a used or reman'd trans installed by an independent shop.

Going to a dealer or dedicated trans shop would be cost prohibitive.

Joel

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: JTK
2001-2003 were the worst years for the Honda Odyssey trans. For later years, issues were no more common than they were for Chrysler and Ford minivans.

Regardless, try to find a used Odyssey. Especially one for a bargain. Ain't gonna happen because they STILL hold their values extremely well, transaxle issues or not.

If that 2001 is in good shape, it would easily be worth up to a cpl grand to have a used or reman'd trans installed by an independent shop.

Going to a dealer or dedicated trans shop would be cost prohibitive.

Joel


It's comical really. The van really isn't that nice. Certainly no nicer than other vans of that vintage. I cannot see why it commands a premium, particularly given the transmission issues.

It is from Nova Scotia. So it has some rust. It has higher mileage, I'm sure she is not willing to dump a couple grand into it. She seemed satisfied that she could get a used transmission in for under 1K. But even then, she may just be better served trading it (and capitalizing on that goofy high resale) on something newer like a used Focus.

I mean our Expedition is a whopping 1 year newer and is in better condition and is much better equipped. Yes, it sucks gas. But I mean from a how they were outfitted standpoint, I just don't see the appeal.

 

[silverrat]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL


It's comical really. The van really isn't that nice. Certainly no nicer than other vans of that vintage. I cannot see why it commands a premium, particularly given the transmission issues.


Really compare it to a 2001 Caravan, or Venture, Montana etc. and you'll see why it commands a premium.

 

[Vstrom]

I had a 2003 Pilot- same issues with the trans, acted a little odd one day so I dumped the fluid and was horrified at the amount of stuff on the magnetic drain plug. Drained and refilled it twice, as that used all the fluid I had on hand. Worked fine after that but the handwriting was on the wall...traded it a week later.

I had dropped 3 qts of the fluid very 5,000 miles since new, a partial change. That cost me a lot as the proprietary fluid isn't inexpensive. Apparently didn't help much, as I was at 90k when the problems started.
BTW there is a company on ebay that will sell you a reman trans for $1800 delivered, supposedly built buy the same company that Honda uses. Problem is all I've read is the remans have the same problem as the original eventually. Swapping it is a pain, the entire subframe etc has to come off as the trans comes out the bottom, which means you got to find a way to get the vehicle 3 ft in air, without using the front wheels...thanks Honda for that design. I could do it and really considered it but it has been blazing hot here and with workload I really didn't have the time right now.

I bought that Honda, planned to keep it for many years and really loved it until this, but I'm done with Honda until they figure out how to design and build a good trans. Had an Accord that Honda extended the powertrain warranty on because of trans problems, but they've ignored the thousands of early Pilot/Odyssey trans failures. My dad had an Oddyssey that was on it's second trans, he didn't keep it long either. Briefly considered a new Pilot but I've read many complaints of poor workmanship now that they come out of Alabama.
What I don't understand is all the really good engines out there backed up by a POS transmission, no reason it shouldn't last as long as the motor.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

It's comical really. The van really isn't that nice. Certainly no nicer than other vans of that vintage. I cannot see why it commands a premium, particularly given the transmission issues.



I found it comical too, how people thought they were the greatest mini vans ever. Anyone who worked for Honda knew better, those transmissions SUCKED! The V6 Accord transmission was another pile of junk. As a rule of thumb all Honda automatic transmissions of that era left a lot to the imagination. I can't commet on the newer ones though.

A junk yard transmission is a real carp shoot, even if the yard guarantees the transmission, its the labor to replace it a second time if the unit fails. This sounds like one of those times when cutting losses might be the best thing to do. JMO