1999 Honda Odyssey EX review from North America
"Would have been a great car, but too many problems with the transmissions"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I bought my Odyssey new in September, 1999.
The transmission failed in February, 2000 and had to be replaced after only 5,000 miles.
18 months later the transmission started to lag when shifting. We eventually lost reverse and the entire transmission had to be replaced again in October, 2001. They told us that Honda had redesigned the transmission for 2001 and this time we were getting the "updated transmission." Our warranty was extended to 5 years.
In May of 2004, with 53,000 miles on the car, the transmission started to slip and "clunk" and eventually failed again. The car's fourth transmission was installed.
On July 31, 2004, the transmission failed rather suddenly, stranding my family on a major highway.
We will not be bringing the car back to my house this time. They have had 3 chances to fix this problem and the car remains unsafe to drive. Under my state's "Lemon Law," we are entitled to a refund from Honda even though the car has 56,000 miles on it. That is what we will be pursuing.
General comments?
I have had four Hondas and Acuras, and generally love their cars. The Odyssey set the standard for minivan design; but there is no question that the 1999-2004 Odyssey is a problem car. One can only hope that Honda will not repeat this debacle with the redesigned 2005 Odyssey.
Recommended reviews
| 1999 - Odyssey EX 6 cylinder 3.5 litre A lot of classy van for the price |
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| 1996 - Odyssey LX 2.2L 4 cylinder A roomy yet small van that drives like an Accord! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 56000 miles |
| Previous car | Volvo 850 |
| Date of Entry | 2nd August, 2004 |