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 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,478 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 transmission problems

transmission problem

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2002 Honda Odyssey Owner Comments (Page 11 of 24)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #266

Jan 262009

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

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

2002 Honda Odyssey transmission failure. While driving 60 mph, the consumer felt a huge lunge in the vehicle. The consumer was thrown forward, then backward against the headrest and the RPM's and speed of the vehicle dropped considerably. The consumer was informed the transmission had failed.

- Pelahatchie, MS, USA

problem #265

Feb 042009

(reported on)

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
2002 Honda Odyssey ex has a transmission problem. Consumer states that the dealership said the only solution is to replace the transmission. Consumer wants to know why no recall or some other solution? the consumer stated the transmission was slipping. The seals and bushings needed to be replaced and the internal filter was clogged with debris from the lining on the plates that wore off due to normal friction from the paper-like lining which caused the transmission to overheat and slip.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #264

Jan 162009

Odyssey

  • 104,000 miles
We purchased a 2002 Honda Odyssey seven years ago. We also purchased the seven year/100K Honda warranty. At 104,000 miles, the transmission started slipping. We have always taken our van to a Honda dealership for servicing and followed their recommended maintenance plan. I've called Honda America and they told me our VIN did not qualify for the class action suit filed for owners of 1999-2001 Odyssey that were experiencing the same issues. After doing some research, I've discovered that many Odyssey owners are experiencing similar failures due to what I believe a flawed design of their transmission. There are a plethora of stories on the internet describing how their transmission problems have failed anywhere from 46K miles to 126K miles and left their families stranded or in danger. I have scheduled an appointment with the Honda dealership we have been using for the last 5 years. I fully expect them to try to convince me to pay for a new transmission. Honda has built a defective product and they should be responsible for their actions. Please review the number of complaints about Odyssey transmissions. I believe you will find a significant number honest consumers in the same situation.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #263

Nov 152008

Odyssey

  • 85,000 miles

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

My wife's 2002 Honda Odyssey van slips during second or third gear, during November 2008, my daughter informed me of a problem, she described the problem as the tcs light and engine light came on plus the van was driving slowly. When I took it to the Honda service department (brando Honda in Florida), they said it was requiring a maintenance performance (oil change) and turned the engine light off. At the end of December both lights lighted again, I took the van back to the dealer thinking that it was possible something related to transmission maintenance (fluid change), after setting up the transmission fluid change, I mentioned that the transmission was skipping possibly second or third gear, the service rep offer to do a diagnostic for $40 and to call me back to let me know if anything was wrong. The service rep called the next day and told me that the transmission was beyond maintenance and required repair which was going to cost around $5,000. I declined because I was not going to spend that kind of money on a van 2002 van. He replied by offering to get the van apprised by one of their appraiser to which I agreed. But I got a call back from a salesman who offered me $3,000 as trade in. Much worse was that even after the service rep claimed that the transmission was beyond maintenance they proceeded to complete the $59 dollars maintenance because it was agreed when I dropped the van. I look everywhere (everyone knows what the Honda charges for this kind of work) but the lower I found was $2,200, now I have to spend a great amount of cash in the present economy to replace or repair the transmission, get in a new car, or park the van until I find the money. I know that most Honda's between 2000 and 2004 are having transmission problems but I have not seen any solutions. I read in the internet that Honda was extending the warranty on these transmissions but I found nothing on their official webpage.

- Brandon, FL, USA

problem #262

Jan 232009

Odyssey

  • 108,000 miles
Our 2002 Honda Odyssey had terrible jerking when shifting last Friday. I was on the highway, and when I would pres son the gas to accelerate, the car would jerk and slow down. At 70mph, this was very dangerous. Apparently, this is a very very common problem with these cars and Honda is refusing to acknowledge that the transmissions are faulty.

- The Woodlands, TX, USA

problem #261

Jan 072009

Odyssey

  • 96,630 miles
The transmission of our 2002 Honda Odyssey started slipping when shifting from 2nd into 3rd gear around 40,000-50,000 miles. The failure occurred about once a moth. The Honda dealership had installed an A/T oil jet kit around that time because of a safety recall, but the transmission slipping was unaffected by that remedy. The frequency and severity of slipping has increased and is currently at 3-4 times per week. At 96,500 miles the check engine light has come and the Honda dealer told us that the transmission and transmission control unit have failed and need to be replaced. Since the slipping has been occurring more frequently, safety has become a major concern to us. The vehicle cannot be trusted to accelerate out of dangerous traffic situations (I.e., merging into highway traffic, passing, driving in hilly areas), since one cannot predict when the vehicle loses power/slips out of gear. It has taken 3 minutes once to shift from 2nd into 3rd. We have been lucky so far that nothing more seriously has happened, but based on our experiences and reading about the experiences of others, it is only a matter of time until this transmission design issue will lead to serious accidents (hopefully not fatal). Honda has offered to replace the transmission and control unit at a reduced rate, but since this issue should be covered by an extended warranty (as was the case for the 99-01 Odyssey models) or a recall, any repair cost that the customer has to bear is adding insult to injury. I hope, the NHTSA will look into this issue thoroughly and advocate on behalf of the consumer. Please don't wait until someone gets seriously injured.

- Eugene, OR, USA

problem #260

Dec 112008

Odyssey

  • 72,000 miles

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

Honda 2002 Odyssey ex-L wagon 4D has only 72,000 miles. It stopped in the middle of the road and after taking it to the dealer, it was diagnosed that the transmission need to be replaced. The cost quoted was about $3000. I checked the website and there are complaints about this model and year and apparently is a factory defect. I am asking for Honda to bear all costs of repair/replacement of this transmission.

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #259

Jan 192009

Odyssey

  • 59,600 miles
The car transmission is not working properly. The car odometer is 59,600 miles.

- Flushing, NY, USA

problem #258

Jan 052009

Odyssey

  • 105,500 miles
Transmission suddenly and unexpectedly started slipping gears at 105K miles. Regular routine maintenance has always been performed though few records were kept. Vehicle has always been driven gently in varied city and highway conditions. Government ordered recall work was done in 2004 and Honda records say problem was "fixed". repair records indicate that an A/T oil jet was installed after technician made subjective decision that there was no visual damage. Recall was ordered due to faulty transmission design issue involving second gear that may cause catastrophic failure under certain conditions. Now transmission is having problems with second gear engagement under all conditions. Local Honda dealer refuses to accept any responsibility since the vehicle is out of warranty though they admit that there was a serious design problem with '02 transmissions, just as there was with 99-01 models that received an extended warranty due to class action lawsuit. Fear is that the "fix" that was installed back in '04 was not sufficient to prevent failure of second gear mechanism. There appears to be thousands of similar complaints listed on the internet, some involving serious accidents or near misses. This design defect should receive prompt attention by Honda or NHTSA. Owners should have confidence that repair of their vehicles is safe for the long term, not just a few thousand miles.

- Kingsport, TN, USA

problem #257

Jan 042009

Odyssey

  • 97 miles
Transmission problem with 2002 Honda Odyssey. I've been going to the Honda dealership here in killeen Texas every month for more than 6 months now reporting the transmission problem that I'm having with my van and everytime I go there the dealership told me that the computer diagnostics doesn't find it or the mechanic did not find any transmission problem. And now the dealership is telling me that I might have to pay $3000 for repairs and that my warranty had expired September 2009.

- Fort Hood, TX, USA

problem #256

Oct 302008

Odyssey 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 107,500 miles

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

The contact owns a 2002 Honda Odyssey. While driving between 35-40 mph on normal road conditions, the transmission began to slip excessively when pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal. The failure would occur intermittently. The engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they recommended that the transmission be replaced. The vehicle was previously repaired according to NHTSA campaign id number 04V176000 (power train: Automatic transmission); however, the remedy did not sufficiently correct the failure. Currently, the vehicle is inoperable and has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 107,500 and current mileage is 109,540. Updated 2/2/09 updated 02/04/09.

- Winter Garden, FL, USA

problem #255

Dec 202008

Odyssey

  • 125,000 miles
After 60,000 miles, our 2002 Odyssey's transmission failed and we had it serviced at autowest Honda in fremont. It is now 125,000 miles later and the transmission has failed again. The way in which it failed was identical to the failure at 60,000 miles. Due to way in which it failed, I am deeply concerned that the repairs being done to fix the recall issue for the transmission failure are not adequate or the transmissions used to replace the recall have an identical design defect.

- Frermont, CA, USA

problem #254

Dec 292008

Odyssey

  • 75,600 miles
2002 Honda Odyssey mini-van: Transmission does not between 2nd and 3rd gear. This causes the vehicle to effectively drop out of gear while in traffic which can cause an accident. This occurred twice on December 29, 2008. I have scheduled an appointment with local Honda dealer to evaluate failure. However, this appears to be a common failure for Honda Odyssey transmissions based on discussion forums on internet. A class action law suit has begun against Honda.

- Bozeman, MT, USA

problem #253

Dec 052008

Odyssey

  • 79,000 miles
I have a 2002 Honda Odyssey with 79,000 miles and the transmission is failing.

- Spring, TX, USA

problem #252

Dec 242008

Odyssey

  • 140,000 miles
Automatic transmission failed. This is the 2nd time. First one was replaced at 68,000. This one has about the same mileage on it 70,000.

- Mogadore, OH, USA

problem #251

Dec 192008

Odyssey

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Odyssey. While driving at an unknown speed, the engine revved to over 3,000 RPM's. as the contact slowed down the vehicle, the gear shifter jumped into gear. The transmission jumps into gear and the engine revs at both low and high speeds. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. They also found failures with the ECM. The repair would cost over $4,000. The contact will call the manufacturer for further assistance. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 85,000.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #250

Nov 242008

Odyssey

  • 95,000 miles
While driving highway with cruise control on at 75mph, suddenly lock to low gear which caused to high RPM and I was not able to change the gear for more than 10 minutes.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #249

May 082006

Odyssey

  • 60,000 miles
Automatic transmission is hesitating (one of the gears is malfunctioning).

- Littleton, MA, USA

problem #248

Jun 022008

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Ltr from senator feinstein on behalf of constituent, regarding his complaint filed with NHTSA re 2002 Honda Odyssey transmission problem. The check engine light illuminated. The consumer was informed there was a known transmission problem with that model year.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #247

Dec 012008

Odyssey

  • 95,000 miles
This is for a 2002 Honda Odyssey. Around 95,000 miles, the van began to have issues when shifting between gears. It would stick or hesitate. My wife did not take it into Honda until around 114,000 miles B/C she did not realize how serious the issue was. At 114,000 miles, the check engine light came on. When we took it to Honda, they said the entire transmission needed to be replaced and would cost about $4000. I then found out this was a known problem and there was a class action suit that required them to extent the warranty to 109,000 for up to 2001 models. Since we are out of that range, they refused to repair it. Consumer reports sites issues with transmissions in all the 2nd gen(1999-2003) Odyssey, but since the lawsuit only mentioned 2001S, we are out of luck and Honda does not stand behind the vans even when there is a known issue.

- Lilburn, GA, USA

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