Emission Control (Engine Light) non-warranty:
- Vent shut-off valve replaced
- Bypass Control valve Solenoid replaced
- 2-way valve replaced.
Transmission 2 replaced under warranty:
- 60000km - transmission replaced
- 60000km - new transmission replaced. Vehicle had not been test driven by dealership and they had not detected that the replacement was defective.
Wheel Bearings:
- Rear replaced at 98000 km.
Doors:
- Constantly sticking doors. No effective repair.
- 2 handles broken as a result. (One under warranty one not)
Gas Gage: replaced under warranty.
Power Window: Regulator replaced under warranty.
- Poor internal ergonomics. Armrests too low, Mirror adjustments not readily visible, seats less comfortable than my '93 civic.
- Have spent more on maintenance than my '93 civic.
- Least reliable an most ecpensive vehicle to maintain that I have ever had.
- No automatic shutoff of internal lights resulting in many dead batteries.
- Intermittent engine light problems do not automatically clear. One has to go to dealer and pay $50 to have it reset.
Your comparison with your '93 Civic is not apt. The '99 Odyssey was actually built by Isuzu, not Honda. An Oasis with Honda nameplate.
The comment following the original review is incorrect. The 1999 Odyssey is made and designed by Honda and made in Ontario Canada in a Honda factory. Warts, transmission problems, sticking doors, plugged EGR valves, road noise, short warranty, high prices and all, the 1999 Odyssey is a real Honda.
Maybe I should be surprised that Honda is having problems. But I have been hearing more about Honda problems lately. Problems like the original poster. Durability problems like transmissions going bad, noises, rattles, engine problems. My Odyssey has had transmission problems, rattles and lots of power door problems. Honda is just another vehicle. Not better than the other cars. Mine is worse than the Ford I used to have. Even an old Ford served me better.
You need to understand the 99' Odyssey was the first year of the total remake of the earlier model. I understood at the time there could be problems with a new model like the 99' Odyssey, and there was.
My EX model had power door problems... fixed every time by dealer. EGR Valve problem... check engine light... once again fixed by dealer. A few recalls I can't remember off hand, which were also fixed by the dealer. All at no cost except for the time lost at the dealer, which I was there anyways for an oil change or tire rotation anyways. The ride is not the best, only because the suspension is made for better handling in emergency situations, and it does handle better then any other van I've drove, and if you have kids... you can't hear the road noise anyways. No transmission problems yet...70.000 miles and counting.
My Ex has been a wonderful van that has done what I asked it to. And holds it value unlike the others.
The fold down back seat was the best idea at the time. And still is.
After perusing various complaints & compliments on a
number of different vehicles, it appears that the comput-
erized compexity of all the late 90's on models, at least
for cars, has made it difficult for any of the manufact-
urers, including Honda, to build cars like they did in
the "good ol' days". What manufacturer is better than
Honda at responding to complaints? Maybe Nissan? Subaru?
Toyota used to build cars that you just couldn't kill,
& small trucks that would go on running forever. But not
anymore. Maybe the American & Euro manufacturers convin-
ced the Japanese that it was in all the car makers best int-
erests that the Japanese start making more crappy cars, & in
general, less quality built consumer level vehicles...
Perhaps the only practical solution for those low on
funds to keep these high tech vehicles running, is to
find an old Toyota Corolla, with a body not rusted out,
fix it up, good paint job, do all maintenance required,
& drive it "to the wheels fall off".....
Yeah, it seems to be getting that way.
Just read any review of the 2007 Mercedes S Class (the one that's coming out in 2006). It is so chocked full of computer stuff one wonders if it could ever be successfully repaired if involved in even a minor fender bender.
But, as with the past, the S Class and others show the future of cars (as they did with airbags, ABS, etc.). And that's scary, since once these cars go out of warranty the owner may be stuck with some insanely expensive repair bill for what is essentially a new computer.
Imagine getting a $7,000 repair bill on the computer-laden Hyundai you bought used for $4,000.
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