2009 Honda Odyssey Steering Problems

Twice during the last year, the bolt securing the drive belt tensioner has broken while driving the vehicle. This results in loss of steering, electrical, and cooling of the engine. The first time the incident occurred on a stretch of rural highway where the lone occupant had to wait for help to arrive. The first date was on May 12, 2022. The second incident took place in an urban area on January 25, 2023. But, with only 8 months in between the incidents, it is apparent there is a problem in this. The original repair in May was accomplished by a Honda dealer.

NHTSA ID

11504351

Incident

Jan 25, 2023

2009 HONDA ODYSSEY. ISSUES ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. ON 4TH GEAR JUST SHUDDERS EITHER DOWNSHIFTING OR UP SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING. AND BESIDES ALL THIS ALSO MAKES A KNOCKING SOUND EITHER BACKING UP OR MOVING FORWARD. BESIDES MAKES A HUMMING SOUND FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11290674

Incident

Dec 21, 2019

THE 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS A KNOWN POWER STEERING FAILURE. AMERICAN HONDA KNOWS THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND HAS ONLY OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 7 YRS/100,000 MILES VIA A TSB, NOT A RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM TILL A YEAR LATER AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HAD DIFFICULTY REVERSING MY CAR AND IT WAS HARDER TO MAKE TURNS FROM A STOP POSITION OR WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN. IF MY STEERING HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN DOWN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS WITH MY KIDS IN THE VEHICLE.LUCKILY I DON'T DRIVE ON FREEWAYS A LOT, OTHERWISE HAVING TO PUT MORE EFFORT STEERING MY CAR OR HAVING IT FAIL WOULD BE BAD. WHEN I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA, THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. WITH THE PUMP FAILING, IT CREATES A UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR NOT ONLY ME, MY KIDS, AND OTHER DRIVERS WHEN I'M STRUGGLING TO STEER MY CAR. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $850 WITHOUT THE GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULDN'T FAIL AGAIN SINCE IT'S A DESIGN ISSUE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER ODYSSEY OWNERS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL THAT HONDA FIXES BECAUSE IT EFFECTS NOT ONLY MY MODEL, BUT MODELS 2007 AND ON. HAVING TROUBLE STEERING A CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL INSTEAD OF A TSB. SOME CARS WILL EXHIBIT THIS DANGEROUS FAILURE AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES AND WE SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZED FOR IT IF IT DOESN'T FAIL RIGHT AWAY. IT'S NOT RIGHT THAT I WAS SOLD A CAR THAT IS UNSAFE, ESP. SINCE IT'S A FAMILY CAR AND I TRANSPORT MY KIDS EVERYDAY IN IT.

NHTSA ID

11034326

Incident

Oct 16, 2017

Mileage

95,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THERE WAS RESISTANCE IN THE STEERING AND ALSO A LOUD WHINING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000. UPDATED 3/27/13 THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LOUD WHINE COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHEN DRIVING, AND EXTRA EFFORT WAS REQUIRED TO THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS; SUCH AS PARKING. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE.

NHTSA ID

10500503

Incident

Apr 26, 2011

Mileage

157,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT 2009 ODYSSEY FROM USED CAR DEALER AT 37125 MILES AND ON THE FIRST DAY ITSELF I NOTICED FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN WHICH IS STILL UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. 1) IT MAKES A NOISE WITH LITTLE JERK DURING STARTUP, SEEMS LIKE TRANSMISSION ISSUE 2) STEERING WHEEL GETS LOTS OF VIBRATION BETWEEN THE SPEED OF 45MPH AND 57MPH AND LOOKS LIKE VAN IS BEING DRAGGED... 3) AT THE SPEED OF 40-50MPH THERE IS WIND SOUND COMING UNDERNEATH OF THE VAN LOOKS LIKE IT HAS SOME KIND OF RESISTANCE BY THE BADLY DESIGNED AERODYNAMIC BODY AND WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL THAT CAR WILL BE DRAGGED BY THE WIND. I HOPE HONDA SHOULD CONSIDER THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY AS TRANSMISSION MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT ANY TIME, EVEN WIND DRAG AND STEERING VIBRATION MAY DEFINITELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484013

Incident

Nov 11, 2012

Mileage

37,250 mi

2009 HONDA ODYSSEY, PROBLEM STARTED ON MONDAY 04/26/10. EARLY MORNING AS I WAS LEAVING MY PLACE FOR WORK, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE 'SOFT'; AT THE FIRST STOP SIGN, IT TOOK THE BRAKE TO STOP THE VAN A LONGER DISTANCE THAN USUAL, SPEED IS BELOW 20MPH. I WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE TO WORK WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT THAT TIME. THEN AT NOON I WENT OUT TO HAVE LUNCH, I DROVE TO A NEARBY PLACE ABOUT 10 MILES, WHILE I'M DRIVING THE VSA OFF SIGNAL LAMP CAME ON, DRIVING SPEED AT 35MPH, GOOD DRIVING/WEATHER CONDITION, ROAD IS WELL PAVED; WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION, I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, AND STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN, THE VSA SIGNAL LAMP IS NOW OFF. NO FURTHER INCIDENT THAT TIME AGAIN. THE NEXT INSTANCE THAT THE VSA SIGNAL LAMP WENT ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY HOME, IT STAYED ON FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN IT WENT OFF. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/SERVICE SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECK, LEFT IT THERE OVERNIGHT AND GOT IT BACK THE NEXT DAY; I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. I'M NOW SUSPECTING THAT THE RECENT RECALLS REGARDING MY07/08 ODYSSEYS IS ALSO AFFECTING CERTAIN MY09. *TR

NHTSA ID

10327876

Incident

Apr 26, 2010

Mileage

15,900 mi

I LEASED A 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH 0 MILES. THE VAN PULLS TO THE RIGHT, HONDA DEALER WORK ON THE CAR 4 TIMES BUT NO SUCCESS, MY WIFE AND 2 LITTLE CHILDREN DRIVE THIS CAR, ONE OF THE MECHANIC STATED TO ME THAT SOME OF HONDA ODYSSEY ARE DEFECTED AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THE VAN HAS ONLY $4000 MILES AND HONDA DEALER IS NOT ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT ODYSSEY HAS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVICE WHAT TO DO. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10320989

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

DRIVE OVER 65 MPH, STEERING VIBRATION BRAKE OVER 40MPH, NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294267

Incident

Sep 18, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi