2001 Honda Odyssey Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the passenger’s side of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the passenger’s side front and rear wheel bearings had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred on the driver’s side while driving. The contact also stated while driving, the brake pedal was depressed but hesitated to respond causing a 3-feet stopping distance delay. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 164,000.

VAN WAS PARKED AFTER A LONG TRIP (~700 MILES) AND NO TROUBLE NOTED AT THAT POINT. NEXT TIME THE VAN WAS DRIVEN THERE WAS A RUBBING SOUND WITH FREQUENCY AT TIRE SPEED AND A RATTLING SOUND. CHECKED WHEEL WELL AND FOUND PIECE OF BROKEN FRONT SPRING IN THE PASSENGER WHEEL WELL, STILL TANGLED WITH THE STRUT ASSEMBLY, WHICH WE REMOVED SO WE COULD DRIVE HOME. FORTUNATELY NO TIRE DAMAGE WAS NOTED, BUT THE SPRING LOOKS LIKE IT COULD POP OUT OF THE CONTAINING COLLAR. LOOKED LIKE A FATIGUE FRACTURE, SUSPECT IT OCCURRED DURING THE TWO WEEKS THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN AN UNHEATED BUILDING. ABOUT 3/4 TURN OF THE COIL WAS BROKEN OFF. AFRAID THE OTHER SPRING COULD GO AT ANY TIME! THIS COULD BE BAD AT HIGHWAY SPEED IF THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. *TR

THE TCS. & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS TURNED ON, GEAR WOULD JAM IN, AFTER A STOP THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL, WOULD FREQUENT JUMPS WHEN THE GEAR CHANGED, CANNOT ACCELERATE, AFTER REGULAR MAINTAINENCE WITH OIL CHANGES N TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE, THE ISSUE UNRESOLVED. DIAGNOSED BY 3. AUTO EXPERTS AS TRANSMISSION ISSUE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH 1999- 2001 ODYSSEY MODELS. ONLY 82540 MILES. I AM 2 ND OWNER. I AM RETIRED AND NEED REDRESSAL OF THIS ISSUE AS I CAN'T AFFORD SERIOUS REPAIR COSTS. *TR

PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER FRONT. HEARD IT AGAIN WHEN I CAME TO A STOP SIGN AT END OF BLOCK. EXITED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING VISIBLE WRONG WITH TIRE. PROCEEDED 1/2 MILE DOWN NEXT STREET AND CAME TO A STOP AT LIGHT, UPON WHICH I HEARD ANOTHER NOISE FOLLOWED BY A METAL CLANK. I AGAIN EXITED MY VEHICLE AND FOUND 3/4 OF FULL COIL NEAR MY TIRE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY UPON WHICH IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER COIL HAD CRACKED AND DISLODGED FROM THE VEHICLE. TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT STRUTS/COILS AND RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE REAR SHOCKS AS WELL. HONDA CORPORATE DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS BEING A CHRONIC ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER I DO SEE REPORTS ON LINE OF OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 143,000. UPDATED 3/14/11 *CN THE SWAY BAR LINK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 04/25/11

2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO THE HONDA OWNER LINK WEBSITE THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RECALL FOR THE ODYSSEY MINIVANS. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND MENTIONED THE RECALL, THEY DIDN'T RESPOND. THEY JUST DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEMS AS A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION, A NEW ECU WAS NEEDED, THE FRONT AND REAR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN AND THE RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THEY CONCLUDED THE TRANSMISSION WAS INDEED FAILING. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS REPLACEMENT OR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. *JB

THE COIL SPRING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE IN 2 PLACES. UPDATED 06/21/10.*JB *TR

I STARTED DRIVING MY VAN THIS MORNING, WHEN I MADE A SLIGHTLY TURNING, I HEARD SOME CRACKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT WHEELS, LATER ON; I SENT MY VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO CHECK WHAT WAS HAPPENED, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE'S SPRING COIL WAS BROKEN, IT HAS NOT YET BEEN FIXED DUE TO SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THE HONDA PARTS WAS NOT AVAILABLE THEN I DROVE HOME FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES DRIVING, ANOTHER LOUD CRACKING NOISE AGAIN UNDERNEATH LIKE EARLIER INCIDENCE, I THEN PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WATCHED THE FRONT TIRE OF THE DRIVER SIDE, I FOUND THE SPRING COIL BROKEN NOT LONG AGO AFTER THE RIGHT ONE BROKEN. I REPORT THIS BECAUSE THE MILEAGE FOR MY MINIVAN WAS ONLY AROUND 122,950 KM FOR A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY, I DOUBT THIS INCIDENT WILL INFLUENCE MY FAMILY AND MY LIFE IF I WAS DRIVING IN HIGHWAY. COULD YOU PLEASE SET UP AN INVESTIGATION GROUP TO STUDY THE RELIABILITY AND DURABILITY OF SPRING COIL MATERIAL TO AVOID FUTURE FAILURE OF SUCH INCIDENCE. I DO HOPE I CAN HAVE COMPENSATION FOR ME TO FIX MY CAR DUE TO MATERIAL FRACTURE. *TR

I WAS BACKING MY 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK FROM THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE. THE WHEELS WERE TURNED FOR EXITING THE DRIVEWAY ONTO THE ROAD. CONTINUED TO HEAR RANDOM NOISES DURING THE NEXT 3 DAYS OF DRIVING AND FINALLY CRAWLED UNDER THE VAN. THEN I NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. LUCKILY IT DID NOT PUNCTURE ANYTHING AND LODGED ITSELF AGAINST THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE SUSPENSION CAVITY. IN THIS POSITION IT STILL PROVIDED SOME SUSPENSION. I WILL BE TAKING THE VAN IN TO HAVE THE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS IN THE FRONT OF THE VAN REPAIRED. I WILL BE INSISTING THAT HONDA PAYS FOR THE REPAIRS AS I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR SITUATIONS AND PRIOR INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA THAT SHOULD MAKE THIS A RECALL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2001 MY HONDA ODYSSEY OVER BUMPY ROADS THERE WERE A LOT OF CLUNKS AND VIBRATION. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE CHECKED VEHICLE AND SAID FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY PURCHASED BRAND NEW. SHE STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE OBSERVED A COIL SPRING HANGING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND SLIT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAUSING THE BLOW OUT. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE. A PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE BUT DID NOT LEAD INTO A RECALL STATING, " A DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT WARRANTED" (SEE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE06007: COMPONENT :SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 122,000.

2001 HONDA ODYSSEY FRONT SUSPENSION COIL BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I PULLED OVER CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP WITH THE COST OF REPAIR ESTIMATE AT $1,200.00. THE VAN HAS 70,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED IN THIS REGION DUE TO A COLLISION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING WIFE & KIDS HOME FROM XMAS VACATION 2009 IN OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY MINIVAN WITH 104,000 MILES. WE HEAR A "POP" NOISE FOLLOWED BY A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT OF VEHICLE, STEERING PULLING TO THE LEFT. I PULLED OVER & INSPECTED. I FOUND A LARGE SEMI-CIRCULAR SHAPED PIECE OF STEEL APPROX 1/2 IN DIAMETER. THIS PIECE OF STEEL WAS CAUGHT AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT & THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. FINALLY I GOT IT PRIED IT OFF (IT WAS ACTUALLY STRUCK IN THAT POSITION) ONCE HOLDING IT IN MY HAND & NOW KNOW IT TO BE A COIL OF THE FRONT LEFT SPRING. *TR

ON JUNE 28, 2006 I HEARD A NOISE NEAR THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, SOUNDED LIKE A FLAT AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND FOUND THE COIL SPRING CRACKED AND WAS IMPINGING ON THE TIRE. HONDA COVERED THE COST OF THE SPRING, BUT NOT THE STRUT OR THE LABOR. ON MARCH 12, 2009- I HEARD A RATTLING NOISE FROM THE RIGHT FRONT PART OF THE CAR AND BROUGHT IT TO A SHOP AND THEY PUT IT ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING CRACKED- WE PAID OUT OF POCKET THE COST OF THE SPRING AND THE STRUT AND THE LABOR. IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE CRACKED SPRING CAUSED THE STRUT TO LEAK WHICH THEREFORE REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT. *TR

AS BEST WE CAN DETERMINE (BASED ON NOISE) THE COIL SPRINGS FAILED WHILE PARKING AT LOW SPEEDS. NOT KNOWING WHAT HAD HAPPENED THE CAR WAS USED AT HIGHWAY SPEED FOR A SHORT TRIP FOLLOWING THIS. IT PULLED HARD TO ALTERNATING SIDES (RIGHT AND LEFT). CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO REPAIR WHERE WE WERE ADVISED WE ARE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD THE SPRING PUNCTURE THE TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT COST OF $850. THE REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT IS TWO FOLD. FIRST - THIS WAS A DANGEROUS FAILURE THAT I DO NOT FEEL IS ACCEPTABLE IN A CAR OF ANY AGE; AND SECOND - THIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HONDA COVER. *TR

ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 26, AS I WAS APPROACHING MY COMPANY PARKING LOT, I HEARD A CRUNCHING NOISE FROM FRONT END. AFTER PARKED VEHICLE I FOUND ICE/SNOW BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND FENDER SKIRT. I THOUGHT NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ACCUMULATED ICE/SNOW, SO I REMOVE IT FROM VEHICLE. WHEN I LEFT AFTER WORK, THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. I TURNED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT AND DISCOVERED THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT SPRING WAS BROKEN AT THE LAST COIL AT BOTTOM OF THE SPRING. BROKEN SPRING ONLY HAD ABOUT 1 TO 2 INCHES IN THE LOWER SPRING SEAT TO SUPPORT VEHICLE'S WEIGHT. THE BROKEN PORTION WAS HANGED ON THE BROKEN SPRING. THE NOISE WAS FROM THE BROKEN PORTION TOUCHING ROLLING WHEEL. THE BROKEN SECTION WAS VERY SHARP WHICH POSED GREAT DANGER OF PIERCING, OR PUNCTURING THE TIRE. WHEN I ASKED THE HONDA DEALER TO REPLACE THE SPRING, I WAS TOLD THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS DAMAGED BY THE BROKEN SPRING. CONSEQUENTLY THE STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED. FORTUNATELY I DROVE ON A LOCAL STREET AT A LOW SPEED THAT DAY. HAD THE SPRING BROKEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AT POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH, I COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR HIGHWAY ACCIDENT, WITH POTENTIAL FOR FATALITIES. A METALLURGIST TOOK A LOOK AT THE SPRING AND TOLD ME THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO CORROSION ACCELERATED PREMATURE FATIGUE FAILURE. THE METALLURGIST ALSO INFORMED ME THAT HONDA HAS CHANGED SPRING DESIGN AFTER 2001 MODEL. I CALLED HONDA NORTH AMERICA AND INFORMED THEM OF THE INCIDENT AND DEFECTIVE SPRING. I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT THAT COULD GREATLY IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, IF IN FACT A TIRE IS PUNCTURED, OR STEERING IS IMPAIRED, DUE TO A BROKEN SPRING. HONDA REFUSED TO ANALYZE THE FAILURE AND TOLD ME TO SCRAP, OR TO THROW AWAY, THE BROKEN SPRING. I KEEP THE BROKEN SPRING IN MY POSSESSION. IF NHTSA WOULD LIKE EXAMINE AND ANALYZE THE BROKEN SPRING, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED, I WILL SEND IT TO YOU UPON YOUR REQUEST. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I WAS ABLE TO DO A VISUAL CHECK OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH LOOKED FINE.UPON STARTING UP AGAIN IT STARTED TO SOUND LIKE I WAS DRAGGING METAL. I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT RIGHT HOME AND CALL THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER THEIR INSPECTION THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING HAD CRACKED AND BROKEN. THIS WAS SOMETHING THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH AND SAID THAT WITH MY MILEAGE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND IN FACT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. UPON BEING GIVEN THAT DIAGNOSIS I DECIDED TO TALK TO OTHER CERTIFIED REPAIR PEOPLE AS WELL AS TWO OTHER HONDA DEALERSHIPS AND THEY AGREED THAT IT IS NOT A NORMAL ISSUE. UPON EVEN FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS COMMON, BUT ON ONE WEBSITE I FOUND 24 OTHERS WHO REPORTED THE SAME INCIDENT ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF IT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE HOW MANY MORE ARE THERE THAT HAVEN'T REPORTED THIS ISSUE AND HAS ANYONE BEEN INJURED BECAUSE OF IT. RIGHT NOW MY VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE FINAL REPAIR WILL CONSIST OF OR IF IT WILL LEAD TO ANY OTHER ISSUES .THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

TODAY, NOTICED SOME VIBRATION AND GRINDING COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE GRINDING WAS BAD ON BACKING UP OR TURNING RIGHT, AS WELL AS WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS. THE STEERING ALSO PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT. AFTER A MILE, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC, AND THE SAW THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN AND HAD CUT INTO THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE MECHANIC STRONGLY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE STRUT ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS DOING THE DRIVER SIDE. SINCE I DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT REPAIRING CARS, I WANTED TO RESEARCH PRICES ON THE INTERNET. MY SEARCH TURNED UP A RECALL ON THE PART FOR A 2001 ACURA MDX, BUT ONLY THESE COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2001 ODYSSEY. I DID REGISTER THE COMPLAINT WITH HONDA. THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES. *TR

LAST WEEK ASS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MINIVAN MADE A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VAN APPEARED TO DRIVE OK, ALTHOUGH SHE ONLY DRIVES IT AROUND TOWN AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 40MPH. TODAY, THE DEALER TOLD US THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SPRING HAD SNAPPED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OUR VAN. THE DRIVER SIDE SPRING SNAPPED IN DECEMBER 2007. THE HONDA ODYSSEY FORUMS AT WWW.ODYCLUB.COM HAVE MANY INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING. *TR

ON MARCH 14, 2008, WHEN STARTING 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY, A LOUD BANG SOUNDED. VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING WHEN BANG SOUNDED. MILEAGE 39,139. VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, PULLING STRONGLY TO RIGHT. HUSBAND CHECKED VEHICLE, FOUND RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN. ORDERED NEW COIL SPRING AND STRUT AND REPLACED. ON DECEMBER 17, 2008, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE HEARD ANOTHER LOUD BANG, WHILE VEHICLE NOT MOVING, AND HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY DRIVING IT, AS IT WAS PULLING STRONGLY TO THE LEFT. HUSBAND FOUND LEFT COIL SPRING BROKEN. MILEAGE 43,743. TALKED TO HONDA USA, AND REPORTED PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER TO CONFIRM LEFT COIL SPRING BROKEN. BOTH BROKEN PARTS HAD NO CORROSION, IT WAS A CLEAN BREAK. PARTS CURRENTLY ORDERED THROUGH HONDA ESTORE. HONDA REVIEWING CASE. FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS FOR SAME PROBLEM ON YOUR SITE, AND OTHERS. HOW SERIOUS OF AN ACCIDENT MUST IT BE BEFORE YOU WILL FIND THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COIL SPRINGS? THANK GOODNESS MY CHILDREN WEREN'T IN THE VEHICLE, AND I HADN'T BEEN MOVING WHEN THE COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *TR