Honda Odyssey known faults (1995-97 2.2l 4wd)

Looks like a "mommy wagon" is in my future
ANy known weak points with the Odyssey wagons? Looking at something c
1995-1997 vintage, 2.2L. Possibly the 4WD version, which I think is
based on the CRV running gear.
Geoff

 

1.\ Fuel gauge is off by a quarter tank. So even if you fill-up your tank,
gauge shows 75% full. Of course you won't be able to figure out how much
more is in your tank when it points to E.
2.\ Front door armrest squeaks
3.\ Ventilation levers too tight, as if they will break if you slide them
4.\ My rear suspension thumps and squeaks and nobody could diagnose it
right. I finally decided to do it myself by replacing the rear lower arm
with a used one from a wrecker. Honda doesn't sell bushings, only the whole
lower arm assembly.
5.\ My driver side ball joint snapped possibly due to metal fatigue.
Luckily, I was doing only 20 KPH in Vancouver when it snapped. Had it
snapped when I was traversing the winding British Columbia roads at 120 KPH,
you won't be able to read this post at all.
6.\ Low-end torque is pathetic. Do not try to pass a 53 footer on a single
lane road if you are not confident of what you are doing. Well you could
possibly do it at around 6000RPM on the second gear. Passing while doing 90
KPH upwards is a breeze though.
7.\ Fuel consumption with airconditioning on while on city streets is worse
than a 6 banger.

 

Thanks for that. The power seems to be a common complaint when loaded
up. It is nothing that money (and the V6) won't fix, but unfortunatly
that isn't an option... I have been driving a 2l diesel Nissan station
wagon for the last few years, so the Odyssey would be a 30-50%
increase in power!
Geoff
New Zealand

 

I don't know what models you have in your neck of the woods. But here in the
States the Odyssey was never based on CRV platform and never had 4 wheel
drive.
The Odyssey has always been based on the Accord platform. As an Accord
platform variant they have been very reliable and practical. The gas mileage
was never as good as an Accord because of the additional weight, but is
quite respectable for a van.
The problems mentioned by NNTP are mostly because of age and a little
knowledge could have solved most of his problems. I'm willing to bet he
never took it to a dealer who would know his vehicle and how to solve the
problems they see day in and day out. Let's take a look at his problems one
by one and see:
1.\ Fuel gauge is off by a quarter tank. So even if you fill-up
your tank,
gauge shows 75% full. Of course you won't be able to figure out
how much
more is in your tank when it points to E.
Remove the fuel pump/sensor from the tank and clean the buildup on it or
replace it if it's a problem. "Sh-t happens"
2.\ Front door armrest squeaks
How can an armrest squeak. Something in the door panel is loose, tighten it.
No rocket science here!
3.\ Ventilation levers too tight, as if they will break if you
slide them
Lube cable/linkage with silicone or replace cables. It's called MAINTENANCE!
4.\ My rear suspension thumps and squeaks and nobody could
diagnose it
right. I finally decided to do it myself by replacing the rear
lower arm
with a used one from a wrecker. Honda doesn't sell bushings, only
the whole
lower arm assembly.
The top of the shock mount has a rubber bushing that IS sold separately. It
is a common item to wear after many a year, and had his tech been aware they
could have fixed the problem easily.
5.\ My driver side ball joint snapped possibly due to metal
fatigue.
Luckily, I was doing only 20 KPH in Vancouver when it snapped. Had
it
snapped when I was traversing the winding British Columbia roads
at 120 KPH,
you won't be able to read this post at all.
Parts do wear out. A GOOD technician would have spotted the worn out ball
joint and warned the customer before it broke and not put him in danger.
It's called PREVENTIVE maintenance.
6.\ Low-end torque is pathetic. Do not try to pass a 53 footer on a
single
lane road if you are not confident of what you are doing. Well you
could
possibly do it at around 6000RPM on the second gear. Passing while
doing 90
KPH upwards is a breeze though.
7.\ Fuel consumption with airconditioning on while on city streets
is worse
than a 6 banger.
These last two items sound like this motor is either well worn (lots of
miles) or has also received the lack of attention the rest of the vehicle
received. The SOHC 2.2L non-Vtec motor is not a barnstormer, but is
adequate. I would suggest that you look for a 1998 model Odyssey that has
the V-tec motor (at least here in the States it does). The extra power is
welcome and makes the vehicle much more compatible.
Of course if your budget will alow, go for the later model with a V-6.
There's very little diiference in gas mileage, but tons more room. And don't
let anyone scare you about the transmission. Honda is taking care of their
"problem" by replacing them at no cost to the customer.
Do have a qualified technician (Honda experienced) check out any vehicle you
are looking at. You'll know what to expect in it's future and be better
prepared to make an offer to it's true value. Good luck!
Howard

 

Additional info.
Items #1 to #3 were covered by Honda "silent" recall. I bought my 95 Ody
when it has already logged 92K kms. Had the previous owner brought it to the
dealer before 60k, Honda would have fixed it for free. The float arm in the
fuel sensing device is short which results in the wrong gauge reading. The
arm rest squeaks because of wrong design, the plastic material easily breaks
too.

#4 It was not the bushing on top of the shock. It is the bushing on the
lower control arm. You were right, those guys who checked it sucks.

#5 The ball joint snapped at the "neck" part. It did not popped out of it's
socket. I wonder if there is a way to eyeball check if a ball joint is
cracked and about to fail.

This is not to discourage people to buy used Odyssey. I actually like my 95
Ody lot better than my previous Caravan, Voyager and Nissan vans. Howard is
right about proper maintenance and having the right mechanics. BTW, i have
now logged 270k KMs and still going fine without any majors (except those
mentioned).

 

Here in New Zealand, we get a lot of our cars as used imports from
Japan, which means a wide range of models (and some really wierd
ones). The 4WD (and standard) Ody is one of them. I don't knwo how
much difference the 4WD will make - I mena it is a van after all. the
used cost is much the same.
They all seem to be around 100,000km (60k milies) so a cambelt would
be needed pretty much as soon as you drive off the lot. I don't know
how hard this will be to do. I plan on doing most of the maintenance
myself, unless I can get a good price for one of the kids on Ebay
NZ prices FYI
95-96 2.2l $NZ8-10k ($US5k-6300)
97-98 Vtec 2.3 $NZ13-14k ($US 8.2-8.8k)
98 V6 $NZ17-18k ($US10.7 - 12k)
so you can see there is a fair bit of difference for the next step
up.
Geoff

 

I appreciate your praise and honesty about the Odyssey.
I want add one thing to set the record straight. I've read a few posts in
this newsgroups claiming the existence of "silent recalls" There is no such
thing as a silent recall. The manufacturer may voluntarily issue a recall or
the government, usually NHTSA, may announce and force a recall. Either one
is announced to the public and letters of notification is mailed to
registered owners. What some may have experienced is what is called
"goodwill" from the dealer to the customer when an item has prematurely or
unexpectedly failed in service even after the initial warranty expires. The
dealer is reimbursed by the Mfr extending a policy of "goodwill" to the
customer. The dealer is given discretion to spread this goodwill. Not all
dealers are given this option, only the well performing (warranty handling,
customer satisfaction) dealerships. This policy shows the care and concern
of the manufacturer when something unexpected may occur. Mistakes do happen.
And it's not necessarily always happening to major systems or safety items
on the car. I've seen it on interior parts such as cupholders, ashtrays and
glove boxes. But things do wear out and don't last forever. Catastrophe can
be avoided with preventive maintenance.
BTW, I am a consumer, a Honda owner and a 30 year veteran of Fixed
Operations (Parts and Service) in Honda dealers.
If there's anything I can answer for you, I'll try my best to answer for
you.