CarComplaints.com Notes: The entire 2nd generation Odyssey (1999-2004) is just one giant transmission problem waiting to happen.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,175 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Honda Odyssey body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2002 Honda Odyssey Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #27

Mar 052014

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2002 Honda Odyssey. While the vehicle was parked, the rear sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle would not open without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnosis testing. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Updated 03/03/17

- Benicia, CA, USA

problem #26

Jul 082014

Odyssey

  • miles
For a few months now I have noticed that when I make left turns, whether from a stopped position or a speed of 0-5mph, the van jerks and slows to a almost stop. I am afraid that it will shut down and cause a very serious accident one day. I have called Honda a few times to inquire about it and nothing is being done. The breaks are only a year old and seems to work fine but there is a noise every time I push the brakes. Not the usual bad brakes sound but like a tapping sound. Also the 2 passenger sliding doors will not close or open at times as well as the back windows. The motors has been changed in the panel box, please what could it be and is there any help Honda should be doing as they have stated these problems aren't under warranty?

- Stafford, VA, USA

problem #25

Jul 222013

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
Passenger side sliding door came open about 10 inches while I was driving down the interstate. The power door quit latching and the door ajar light was on randomly. For the rest of the trip, we had to keep pressing the button to shut the door every time it came open. We also had to move the kids around so that no one was sitting in the seat closest to the door. This same thing happened with the driver-side sliding door two years ago. Very expensive fix, not to mention, young children riding in the van and having the door randomly pop open is dangerous and a liability issue. I see on the internet that this has been a very common problem with the Odyssey. It should be recalled. This could be very poor pr for Honda if someone's door comes open and a child falls out.

- Bellefonte, PA, USA

problem #24

Dec 052011

Odyssey

  • 140,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driver's side sliding door would not latch. Have had intermittent problems with it throughout the years. At those times, I manually close the door. Two times in the past week, I did this. Seemed to have latched since the light went out. Driving down the road with my 3 year old on that side, secured in a car seat and the door opened - even though I had the switch to manual. Had to try to get off the road, while at the same time putting the switch to automatic and holding down the close button. Very dangerous!!!!! after looking on the internet, I found that this is a huge problem. I would think it would be a severe liability for Honda. Currently have approximately 140,000 miles on the vehicle.

- Bellefonte, PA, USA

problem #23

Sep 282011

Odyssey

  • 244,000 miles
The passenger side power sliding door on my Odyssey malfunctioned, and abruptly closed after opening about six inches. My daugter's hand was caught in the door, and she has a fractured thumb.

- Port Orchard, WA, USA

problem #22

Aug 252008

Odyssey

  • 77,000 miles
2002 Honda Odyssey ex - left (driver's side) sliding door opened while I was driving with 4 children in the car. At the time I was making a right turn at a slow speed, fortunately they were all buckled in, but they were none the less terrified by the event. My son, who was closest to the door, is refusing to ride in a car. The car is at the Honda dealer in keene, where they say that I need to replace the two sliding door hinges for around $500. I have contacted american Honda, and they say that there is no tsb for the 2002 Honda Odyssey sliding doors (they acknowledge that there is one for the 1999-01 models). I have seen several complaints of the sliding doors opening while driving on 2002 Honda Odyssey's on websites such as carcomplaints.com and carsurvey.org. This was a frightening event and there needs to be, at the very least, a tsb in regards to this defective door. Thank you for your help.

- Saxtons River, VT, USA

problem #21

Apr 062008

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 59,564 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The power sliding door on our van failed causing the door to whip open while traveling on the interstate with our children in the seats next to the suddenly open door (our dog was also in the vehicle and could have stepped out onto the road at 65mpg)! we had zero warning that there was a problem or that anything was wrong. Pulling into a service station they were unable to correct the problem nor could Honda or its dealers via phone. We were forced to drive home with the door taped from the outside and traveling at low speeds so the door would not open on the highway once again. What really makes the situation difficult is finding out via the internet that this is a very common problem with fixes posted on numerous pages. Why there is not a recall when something this dangerous could happen and is this common is why I am writing. I am afraid to drive the 35 miles to the dealership!!! the problem is still not fixed because I am afraid to take the van on the highway. I don't remember the exact day or month we purchased the van but we did purchase the vehicle new. The internet fix did not cure the problem but we did try and it looked like it worked for others. We did not use aaa to tow the vehicle since we were at a service station and they called around for us to try and get a solution. A minor problem is understandable but when a door suddenly opens at interstate speeds I believe there should be a recall or at the very least an investigation. Please respond so we know something is being done to prevent this from happening to anyone else and before someone or something gets seriously injured. If our dog fell out onto a busy interstate I couldn't even imagine the chaos that would ensue much less the heartache of the children (thank god for childseats!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

- Marshfield, WI, USA

problem #20

May 092002

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Odyssey. When appyling pressure to the brake pedal, the contact heard and felt a loud grinding noise. The dealer changed the brake shoes, but the problem still persists. The vehicle was inspected by two additional professional technicains and they advised her that nothing was wrong with the brake system. On two occasions, the sliding door would spontaneously open, allowing her children to exit the vehicle while in motion. The dealer could not duplicate the failure; however, they greased the rollers on the sliding door, which remedied the failure. Several months later, the vehicle was rear ended directly in the center of the vehicle by another vehicle traveling 35 mph. None of the air bags deployed. There were no warning lights prior to the crash. The dealer was not notified. The cotnact took her vehicle to the dealer for NHTSA campaign id number 04V176000 (power train: Automatic transmission). Because there was no discoloration in the transmission fluid, the dealer informed her that the vehicle could not be repaired until it showed signs of failure. The contact called the dealer when she began experiencing failures shifting gears, and they advised her that they would not repair the vehicle under the free remdey outlined in the recall. The dealer refused to provide an explanation. The contact is in the process of having the vehicle repaired. The failure mileage was 20,000 and current mileaege was 80,000. *updated 10/20/08 updated 10/21/08.

- Centreville, VA, USA

problem #19

Feb 032008

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 41,000 miles
Yesterday (2/1/08), odometers read approximately 41,000. Passenger side sliding door refuses to latch close. After open and closing several times, finally a hard push after the last close, the door latches close. This happened 3 times the whole day. Today, this happened again, while my wife was driving with two small child's. the door won't latch & car won't lock a call to Honda customer service, got the answer there's no recall on the 2002 Odyssey regarding the sliding door. When ask if 2008 model has all the bugs fixed, answer was "what can american Honda do for you". you should bring the vehicle to dealer for check up. I answer there's nothing you can do, thanks.

- Alhambra, CA, USA

problem #18

Dec 202007

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles
When the temperature is below 30 degrees both of the passenger sliding doors on the 2002 Honda Odyssey freeze and will not open. When I have to drive my children to school each cold morning, they need to climb in through the front doors and proceed to the middle and last seats in the van. I have even installed a remote starter, so I can have the car running trying to heat up the inside for 20 minutes or so. This running of the car still does not help the situation. When the children exit the vehicle, they must exit in the reverse manner when we get to school. I feel this is extremely dangerous in the event that we all need to exit the vehicle quickly for an emergency. This situation of the doors freezing has been going on since we purchased the vehicle new. The first time it happened in December of 2002, I mentioned this to the dealer, however, all they did was add some silicone spray to the sides of he doors and the seals/gaskets around the doors. I park outside every day in the elements of the winter months in Chicago and when the car was at the dealer, of course, it was indoors, and they could not re-create the freezing door situation. In checking with carstats.com, it appears that other vehicles have the same problem in cold weather. Something should be done before someone does get injured. Right now it has just been a major inconvenience to me and my children as this happens every time the weather is below freezing (with or without freezing rain). No here is it December 2007, five years later, and I now own the vehicle and the problem still exists. Of course there is no more warranty, and I refuse to have to pay for something like this. I had a 1994 Voyager and this never happened to that van. I am just really frustrated at this door freezing situation every winter since we have owned this vehicle.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #17

Mar 212004

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The automatic sliding doors continually and sporadically: 1 won't open manually or using the key, trapping person inside 2. will not close all the way using either method, causing a moving hazard 3. does not "sense" when something is obstructing the pathway (ex: My hand) so does not stop, causing an injury hazard 4. opens by itself when the car is parked, causing potential weather damage or theft oportunity.

- East Barre, VT, USA

problem #16

Oct 142004

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,000 miles
Vehicle came to abrupt stop while traveling at a speed around 40mph, in some instances, it downshifted and won't accelerate at the same rate of speed that almost cause an accident (transmission was causing the vehicle to act like that). 2nd, sliding door on both side of the vehicle won't open in so many occassion, winter or summer.

- Sterling, VA, USA

problem #15

Sep 042003

Odyssey

  • 13,000 miles
The sliding door failed to open at times, which indicated a serious safety hazard. Occupants of the vehicle were unable to open the door from inside or with the automatic button. As result a two year old child's hand became stuck in the door.

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #14

Apr 082002

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 800 miles
Driver and passenger side rear doors stick.

- Woodburn, IN, USA

problem #13

May 012003

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,000 miles
Passenger side auto-sliding door opens and closes itself on occasion; has not yet happened while driving, as having door locked seems to prevent it from opening on its own. Usually closes itself while I am leaning in putting my child in the car seat, and pushes me against the door frame until the sensor makes it open again.

- Severn, MD, USA

problem #12

Apr 012002

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100 miles
Sliding doors will not open at times. Serious safety hazard especially when you may need to get children out of the car. Occupants of the car cannot open the doors fromt he inside at times. The doors stick shut and will not open. Went to the dealer over six times and was told each time that it was normal and they would lube the track. This does not fix the problem and this is not normal. I need this fixed before there is an accident and someone is seriously injured.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #11

Dec 152002

Odyssey

  • 17,000 miles
The passenger's sliding door closed up on child's finge, the button was pushed by accident. The door was suppose to have a sensor to open automatically if something or someone was in its path.

- Melbourne Beach, FL, USA

problem #10

Nov 012002

Odyssey

  • miles
The right or passenger side automatic door has intermittent problems where it will not function properly. It may only open half way and stop, then either close or not at all unless done manually. Certain times it opens and does not close at all, or slowly at first and then stops. Sometimes it does closes but does not pull itself in towards the car to latch shut. It wont do it for weeks then it may do it once or multiple times a day. Once had to go for 2 days with just manual doors as the electric did not respond at all, and then finally it did. Its frustrating because it is intermittent, and I knew it was going to happen and should not have bought automatic doors since the Odyssey has had this problem ever since it came out.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #9

Dec 112002

(reported on)

Odyssey

  • miles
Consumer state power door would not properly close electrical. Consumer would have to close door manual. Dealer has been contacted.

- Centennial, CO, USA

problem #8

Sep 292002

Odyssey

  • miles
When vehicle is parked over night, the vehicles sliding door will open by itself. When consumer opens sliding door it will only open half way. Dealership has been contacted.

- Plymouth, MA, USA

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