Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Honda Odyssey submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE VAN IS GOING BACKWARD WHEN YOU PUT IT IN DRIVE AND WHEN YOU PRESS IT DOES NOT GO FORWARD IT JUST REVS UP THE GAS. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION DRIVING WHEN IT WENT FROM DRIVING TO REVING THE GAS AND NOT GOING FORWARD.
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN WHEN I INSERT IT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN AS MANY MONTHS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED AN OPENING IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THE AIR BAG WAS VISIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V045000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
WITHIN ONE MINUTE OF GETTING INTO MY CAR AND DRIVING MY CAR, THE FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. MY DRIVING CAR SPEED AT THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD POP NOISE, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE HORN BLEW, AND THERE WAS ALOT OF SMOKE. I QUICKLY PULLED THE CAR OVER AND WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR. I OPENED THE CAR DOOR AND A SMOKE VAPOR CAME OUT. I HAVE A BURN TO MY SKIN ON MY LEFT HAND. THE PASSENGER HAS CHEST PAIN. I HAVE HAD RECALLS FIXED BEFORE. ....UPDATED 10-27-15 *BF *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS DIFFICULT TO LATCH IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE LOCK SWITCH HAD TO BE DEPRESSED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN ORDER TO LOCK THE DOOR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/23/14*CN UPDATED 04/13/2015 *JS
IT WAS THURSDAY, EARLY EVENING, AND I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, WHEN THE 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN'S POWER CUT OUT. THE ENGINE WENT DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT JUST SUDDENLY CUT OFF FOR NO REASON. I WAS ABLE WITH DIFFICULTY TO STEER IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE IGNITION "OFF" AND CALLED MY HUSBAND THINKING I MIGHT NEED AAA TO COME TOW THE CAR. AFTER THE VAN SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO START AGAIN, BUT IT SOUNDED TERRIBLE AND THE ENGINE'S ENGAGEMENT FELT WEAK. I WAS A FEW MILES FROM AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND DECIDED TO SLOWLY DRIVE IT THERE AND LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON MY VAN OF WHICH I WAS UNAWARE. I LOOKED UP THE RECALLS ON THE NHTSA SITE THAT HONDA AND ISSUED AND NOTICED THAT MY VAN'S VIN NUMBER WAS IN THE RANGE THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I CALLED LOCAL HONDA DEALERS ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS THE HONDA CORPORATE NUMBER. EACH SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VAN'S VIN WAS IN THE BATCH THAT WAS RECALLED AND EVEN THOUGH THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED WAS THE REASON FOR THE RECALL, THEY DID NOT FEEL OBLIGED TO ASSIST WITH THE VAN'S REPAIR. NEITHER THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER NOR HONDA CORPORATE WOULD GIVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY FELT THEY DID NOT NEED TO SHOULDER ANY OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT COSTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW. CAN CORPORATIONS LIKE HONDA REALLY GET AWAY WITH IGNORING THE LAW? AFTER PAYING FOR A $4,600 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT THEM. *TR
AS MY HUSBAND ACCELERATED, THE STEERING LOST POWER. HE COULD GIVE THE ENGINE GAS BUT COULD NOT MANAGE THE CAR. SOMEHOW HE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR AROUND AND GET THE CAR BACK TO OUR MECHANIC. HE CHECKED IT OUT AND DETERMINED THAT INDEED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. *TR
ON 4/16/2010 MY 2004 HONDA ODYSSEY ENDED UP IN SINGLE CAR CRASH INTO HWY CENTER DIVIDER INJURING US AND TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. WE TOOK QUICK TURN FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER TO PREVENT ACCIDENT AND THAT MADE THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL. WHAT WAS SCARY IS DESPITE MY REPEATED EFFORTS TO STOP OR BRING IT BACK TO CONTROL, IT ENDED UP CRASHING. THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF DISPOSING IT AS TOTAL LOSS AND I WANT TO RULEOUT ANY VEHICLE DEFECT. HOW CAN I HELP YOU? *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A METAL PLATE THAT CAME LOOSE IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THIS FAILURE INTERFERED WITH THE RADIO CONTROLS. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THE PLATE THAT INSTRUCTED DEALERS TO TAP THE PLATE BACK INTO PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIRS.
2004, HONDA ODYSSEY- STEERING COLUMN BUSTED, VECHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH FROM DRIVE TO PARK, WHICH LEAVES YOU IN DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RUNNING VECHILE THAT YOU CAN NOT STOP. FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE A SIMILIAR VECHILE IT MEANS THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS DO NOT OPEN. THIS IS NOT A GOOD SITUATION WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR CHILDREN IN THE BACK OF A MOVING CAR WITH NO WAY OUT. THE 1ST ATTEMPT AT A HONDA SERVICE CENTER WAS PLEASANT AND THE PROBLEM WAS THOUGHT TO BE CORRECTED, HOWEVER THE 2ND TIME NOT SO GOOD. I WAS TREATED VERY POORLY MY SITUATION WAS NOT HANDLED APPROPRIATELY. AFTER 5 HOURS AT A SERVICE CENTER I HAD TO BRING MY VECHICLE TO ANOTHER CENTER SIMPLY I AM IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING A LETTER TO HONDA. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFTEY OF MY FAMILY. *NM
THIS HAPPENED WHILE FINISHING A RIGHT TURN ONTO A SHORT ON RAMP TO THE FREEWAY. WHILE HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY LEFT HAND (RIGHT HAND MEANWHILE MOVING TO NEW POSITION)AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL COUNTERCLOCKWISE TO STRAIGHTEN MY VEHICLE AGAIN, THE LITTLE FINGER OF MY LEFT HAND GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE AIRBAG/STEERING COLUMN AND THE ARRAY OF BUTTONS FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL (NEAR THE BASE WHERE THE GAP THERE IS LARGER). AFTER TURNING THE WHEEL A LITTLE BIT SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TRYING TO FREE MY HAND, I REALIZED I WAS IN TROUBLE: I COULDN'T STRAIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL OUT WITHOUT BREAKING MY HAND, AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL FAR ENOUGH TO THE RIGHT TO FREE MY HAND WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE LEAVING THE ROAD. SO I GRITTED MY TEETH AND YANKED MY HAND OUT, LEAVING A LONG CUT ON THE TOP/SIDE OF MY LITTLE FINGER, BUT ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. LOOKING AT THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION, I SEE THAT LARGE SPACE BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIRBAG ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRBAG (2 O CLOCK TO 4 O CLOCK) COMES TO A NARROWER CONE OR POINTED SHAPE AT THE INFERIOR END, SO THAT WHILE HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WITH THE LEFT HAND (THUMB ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL), THE HAND CAN SLIDE DOWN AND GET 'FED' INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS AND THE AIRBAG AREA. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 22 YEARS WITHOUT ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT, MOST OF THEM WITH HONDA VEHICLES, SEVERAL OF THEM WITH CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLES, AND I HAVEN'T CHANGED MY STYLE OF DRIVING,BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. *JB
THEIR IS VIBRATION IN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR. AT 60 MPH, THE MIRROR, FRONT SEATS VIBRATES. FIRST TIME I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HONDA DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THE WHEEL ALINGNMENT WAS OUT, SECOND TIME THEY SAID THE MIRROR IS BAD AND REPLACED IT. THIRD TIME THEY SAID THEY SEE THE VIBRATIONS BUT CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY SAID THEY TEST DROVE 3 OTHER VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR MILAGE (13.5 K) AND FOUND THAT THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED HONDA AND THEY SAID THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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