2000 Odyssey trans recall?

2000 Honda Odyssey EX
Just turned 126K miles.
All scheduled services done by Honda dealers at scheduled times and
mileages.

Problem: Started experiencing transmission slippage last week. Check Engine
light and TCS light both came on. Took it in to the Honda dealership last
Friday where they diagnosed it as a Code P0740. Was told that it could be
the torque converter locking up or one of many other things involved with
the automatic transmission. Given the option of ordering a $500 part and
hope that it fixes the problem or clearing the codes and continue driving
it. As I am not one to waste money on guesses, I chose to clear and
continue.

The following day, same problem occurs, same lights on the dash. I park the
car for the weekend and wait until Monday for the dealership to open again.
I wanted them to double-check it just to make sure they weren't getting a
false readout caused by a loose wire somewhere or something like that.
(Better safe than sorry.) I also wanted to have clear documentation showing
that I brought it back in ASAP when the problem reoccurred. They ran another
diagnostic and got the same results. Given the option of clearing and
continue driving or ordering a replacement tranny for over $4,000. Nothing
was said about a recall or a TSB for this problem. One of the service
managers did mention having had other Odysseys in with similar problems but
no one made any effort to research the problem further.

Any suggestions?

TIA,

Michael

 

Ask politely but firmly for Honda to replace the transmission.

Tell your story over at http://www.odyclub.com and see what you get. If
you have a good dealer who will go to bat for you, at the VERY least
Honda will give you the transmission if you pay for the labor. But that
should be your LAST concession; what you want is for Honda to step up to
the plate and give you a new tranmission, all up all out.

They did extend the warranty for those transmissions officially, to 7
years/100K miles. So you're beyond that--but Honda has had SERIOUS
transmission troubles of late, and the last thing they need is a slew of
people like you with problems.

If your dealer is any good, you will get a new transmission for the
asking.

If he's not any good, you need to call American Honda's customer service
line (see odyclub.com for the number) and open a case with them on this.

 

All these suggestions are well and good, but a positive answer may very well
rest on the maintenance history of this vehicle. If you've done all your
maintenance at the dealer, ask him to review and confirm thay you've done
everything the factory has suggested to maintain your vehicle. If you had
all the maintenance done elsewhere be prepared to produce all your receipts
that document you followed the recommended schedule. If you don't have any
of this documentation, brush up on your debating and persuasion skills,
you'll need it. Be prepared to spend some money.
Good luck,
Howard

 

Thanks to both of you gentlemen. I will contact my dealer today and ask them
to rectify this problem as nicely as I can. I have had ALL of my
maintenance, even simple oil changes, done through the dealer and they have
a complete record of everything done to this vehicle, including the problems
we had with the power doors early on. They replaced the control modules on
both doors when we had about 40K miles on it and were out of the warranty
and they swallowed the $700 cost for that. So hopefully they will do the
same with this tranny problem.

I checked the odyclub site and was impressed with the organization and
content of the site so I joined. I will continue to peruse their postings.

Again, I thank you both for your input.

Michael

 

I do use dealer service for exactly this reason. Sure, it's a little
more expensive--but I consider it an insurance policy. It's cheaper and
more effective than HondaCare.

To dismiss the dealer as being an overpriced incompetent place is, many
times, penny-wise and pound foolish.

 

Well, I took your advice and visited the OdyClub site and, after reading
about the numerous problems involving Honda and their transmissions, I
printed out a list of the TSBs issued concerning the problems and made an
appointment with the Service Manager at my local Honda dealer. I went into
his office and calmly and clearly explained what was going on and how we had
had all of our maintenance done on time and by their mechanics. I also went
on to explain all that I had discovered about transmission problems through
the OdyClub web site and then I politely asked them to go to bat for me and
contact Honda and ask what they would do about this problem. He took my info
and promised to call me back the next day.

Next day comes, I get a call from the Service Manager explaining that he had
talked to Honda and explained the situation to them. After checking
everything out, they agreed to replace it with a new transmission if we
would agree to pay the labor costs. When asked how much that would be, they
replied, "About $575.00 - $600.00." I agreed to pay this since it was a lot
better than the $4,000.00 they wanted to charge me for a rebuilt
transmission in the first place.

He then told me that he would call me when the transmission arrived and we
would schedule a date to do the work. He ordered the tranny last Thursday
afternoon.

He called me Friday morning to say that the tranny was already there so we
scheduled the work for Monday (tomorrow morning).

Now, although I am hesitant to agree to the labor charges since some people
report not having to pay them, I would rather pay a small portion of the
costs since it does have so many miles on it, rather than waste time hashing
it out with the dealer and the manufacturer. I must admit that I am both
pleased and suspicious of the dealer. Pleased with their quick response and
suspicious in that they acted like they had never heard of a transmission
problem with my particular vehicle and in the way they were able to get a
tranny so quickly.

If anyone can offer a way to verify that Honda has replaced these
transmissions at no cost to the customer, please let me know as I'll gladly
bring this issue up to them tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I'll just have to
swallow it and pay them for their labor. In any case, I'm going to have a
new transmission and get my much-needed vehicle running again.

M

 

You are correct there.

It is general practice in the Honda world for Honda to buy the part and
you buy the labor. Especially with respect to the transmission, that
makes everyone very happy.

 

Honda picking up the remanufactuered transmission is a goodwill decision.
However while they (Honda) pay an agreed upon rate for parts and labor, a
retail Customer such as yourself will likely pay what ever the market will
bare at retail rates usually somewhat more than the wholesale warranty
rates.

Dale P............

 

That may be. I was told that the "warranty labor cost" would be about $575 -
$600 so I can only take their word for it. I can't help but wonder though
(being human and cynical by nature the way I am) if Honda wouldn't have told
the dealer to replace it "at no cost to the customer" and they're just
telling me to pay the labor costs so they can pocket the extra cash for
themselves. I'm tempted to call Honda myself to see if they even called
Honda and what was said about it.

M

 

Hmmmm. That could be, of course. But I have extensive experience in
this, going back 20 years. I had a 79 Civic with a rusting gas tank
that started leaking; Honda bought me the tank and I paid the labor.

 

I have a 2004 Odyssey with 1500 miles on it. Today
I got TCS and check engine signs on the dashboard, and the vechecle stops
at low speeds...

What are my options? Do I get a new Van as a replacement?

Please respond.

thanks,
-Sri

 

Of course you won't get a new van.

Take it back to the dealer and they will fix it under warranty.

Stewart DIBBS