2001 Honda Odyssey Suspension

ON DECEMBER 11 AS MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, SHE HEAR A LOUD BANG (LIKE A GUNSHOT) AND NOTICED A LARGE RUBBER DISC ON OUR DRIVEWAY. NOTHING APPEARED TO BE WRONG WITH OUR VAN. DRIVING THE VAN WAS OK BUT ANY TURNING OF THE VEHICLE RESULTED IN LOUD SCREECHING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE CAUSE WAS A BROKEN SPRING. NO ONE WAS INJURED WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE MY WIFE WAS SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. *TR

MY 2001 ODYSSEY VAN HAS 75,000 MILES ON IT. I FOUND THAT THE BROKEN RIGHT FRONT SPRING WAS THE CAUSE OF A NOISE. WHILE IN THE COURSE OF REPLACING IT, I FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT WAS BROKEN AS WELL, AND IN EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE. I SEE FROM THE OTHER INCIDENTS ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VAN, AND THAT IT IS (OF COURSE) POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC. THE NEW SPRINGS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE OLD ONES- THEY HAVE A PLASTIC SLEEVE OVER PART OF THE SPRING. THIS PUTS A STRESS POINT AT THE END OF THE SLEEVE. I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND IN MY OPINION, THE DESIGN OF THE SPRINGS AND THE SPRING MOUNTS, AS WELL AS THE VERY HIGH PRE-LOAD ON THESE SPRINGS, IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE. I SAW THAT THE NHTSA STARTED AN INVESTIGATION TWO FULL YEARS AGO. WHEN ARE YOU PEOPLE GOING TO START SAVING PEOPLE? ARE YOU WAITING FOR THE FIRST HEAD-ON COLLISION TO RESULT? I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD FORCE A RECALL AND THAT THE DEALER SHOULD BE REPLACING THESE FOR FREE WITH THE (REDESIGNED) SPRING. *TR

REFERENCE PE06007. 1 1/2 YEARS AGO THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED AND OUR VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME SO THIS WAS COVERED BUT APPROXIMATELY 1.5 YRS LATER AND THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THIS EVENING. THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING APPEARED OK ON MARCH 28TH OF 2006 AND THEREFORE THE WARRANTY COMPANY WOULD NOT PAY TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP AND THIS COIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME THE OTHER ONE WAS FIXED AND COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. SEE ALSO 10153819 *DSY *TR

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY WAITING FOR GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN COMPLETELY WHEN A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE COIL SPRING HAD FRACTURED INTO PIECES. DRIVING THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP WAS DIFFICULT. THE CAR PULLED TO THE SIDE AND THERE WERE VIBRATIONS AND RUBBING NOISES DURING THE 1.5 MILE DRIVE. AT THE SHOP THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT BOTH SPRINGS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD FRACTURED. WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE 2ND SPRING FAILURE AND DO NOT KNOW IF IT HAPPENED SIMULTANEOUSLY OR NOT. REPAIR COST IS ESTIMATED AT $900 AND CAR WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE FOR 4 DAYS. CAR IS BEING REPAIRED AND OLD PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *TR

WE BACKED OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY OUT OF DRIVEWAY, HEARD A LOUD BANG LIKE JULY 04 FIREWORK! STOPPED THE VAN AND I FOUND BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING!!! LUCKILY THIS HAPPENS ON OUR DRIVEWAY INSTEAD OF HIGHWAY AT 65-75 MILES/HOUR!!! THANKS GOD IT HAPPENS AT HOME. THE FACT: 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH 75K MILES - BOUGHT NEW IN 2001 IN CHICAGO IL. WE ARE THE ONLY OWNERS FROM DAY 1. - MOVED TO OMAHA NE 2005 - NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT - NEVER RAN OVER HUGE POT HOLE. - NO TRAILER HITCH OR PULLING. - 90% OF THE TIME DRIVING 4 KIDS TO SCHOOL AND SHOPPING. - A FEW LONG-DISTANCE TRIPS OVER 800 MILES (HIGHWAY). - ADMITTEDLY THE VAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE ''SNOW BELT'' OF ILLINOIS AND NEBRASKA AND THEREFORE SALT ON THE ROAD, BUT I WASHED THE ODYSSEY''S CHASSIS AND COIL SPRING EVERY SPRING TO CLEAN OUT THE SALT. HERE IS MY OPINION: I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND VANS IN MY LIFE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COIL SPRING WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL BUT THIS IS USUALLY SEEN IN CARS/VANS/PICK-UP TRUCKS OVER 15 YEARS OLD AND 180-200K MILES OR SO. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN TO A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN AT 6 YEARS AND 75K MILES IS PREMATURE AND MUST BE MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF SOME SORT. INFO IS POSTED AT HONDA ODYSSEY FORUM: HTTP://WWW.ODYCLUB.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=38700*JB

OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY BEGAN MAKING A LOUD METAL ON METAL CLUNK WHENEVER WE WENT OVER ANY KIND OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THE NOISE WAS CENTRALIZED TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN TAKING IT IT TO BE REPAIRED, A SECTION OF THE FRONT COILD SPRING THAT HAD SHEARED OFF FELL FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WE PULLED OVER AND RECOVERED THE SECTION OF COIL AND WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE GOING SLOW AND THAT IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE DONE ANY OTHER DAMAGE. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE WE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ($560) AND WE WERE ALSO ADVISED TO REPLACE THE STRUTS EVEN THOUGH THEY APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH NO LEAKAGE (WHICH WE CHOSE NOT TO DO AT THIS TIME DUE TO COST).

FRONT SUSPENSION - COIL SPRING FAILURE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE THE RT FT SPRING BROKE WITH A LOUD NOISE, CAR PULLED TO ONE SIDE ON SHORT DRIVE WITH HARD TO CONTROL PULL TO RIGHT, A 8" PIECE WAS FOUND ON GARAGE FLOOR, NO TIRE DAMAGE FROM BROKEN SPRING UPON INSPECTION THE LEFT SIDE SPRING IS NEAR FAILURE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED VEHICLE MILEAGE 75K, THIS IS A FAULTY HONDA PROBLEM BUT HONDA NEVER OWNS UP TO EVER HAVING SUCH PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH NEIGHBORS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM, THIS IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE SO THEY SAY. BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS REPLACED. *JB

ON 12/28/05 THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE ON OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY LX WITH 79,662 MILES. THIS OCCURRED ON A RESIDENTIAL SIDE STREET AT LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT, HOWEVER, THIS WAS CONTROLLABLE. NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED AS THE SPRING BROKE CLEANLY AND COLLAPSED VERTICALLY (TIRE, STRUT, STRUT TOWER ARE FINE). THIS WAS REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE BY OUR LOCAL HONDA DEALER. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT I NOTED THAT THIS SEEMED UNUSUAL, HOWEVER, I'M NOT SURE IF THE DEALER NOTIFIED AMERICAN HONDA OF THE ISSUE. I'M AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE OTHER SPRING AND PLAN ON CALLING HONDA TO DISCUSS. *JB

IN OUR DIRVEWAY WE FOUND A METAL CIRCLE, ABOUT 1/2 " IN THICKNESS, ABOUT 8" IN DIAMETER, APPARENTLY MADE OF IRON, WHICH WAS A RUSTED THROUGH, A BIT TWISTED AND OBVIOULSY SNAPPED IN ONE SECTION. WE DISMISSED IT AS GARBAGE. THREE WEEKS LATER WE HEARD A NOISE ON OUR VAN & BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. ON EXAMINATION OF OUR VAN, THE MECHANIC BROUGHT OUT ANOTHER PART TAKEN FROM OUR VEHICLE IDENTICAL IN CONDITION AS THE ONE FOUND IN OUR DRIVEWAY. HE SAID IT WAS A FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING AND THE VAN, A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH APPX 58500 MILES, WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *NM

FRONT RIGHT SPRING FRACTURED CAUSING THE SHOCKS TO FAIL ALSO. REPAIRS TOTALING $699.37 INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT SPRING AND FRONT SHOCKS. *JB

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING ON OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN WITH APPROX. 56,000 MILES IS BROKEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN. *JB SEE ALSO 10212265 *DSY

NOISE COMING FROM FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF VAN. RUBBER SEAL AT TOP OF STRUT WAS HANGING DOWN. SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE WAS BROKEN. HONDA DEALERSHIP SAID BOTH SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE SPRINGS, STRUTS, SEALS...ETC. COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF FRONT SUSPENSION PARTS. {BOTH SIDES} RON AT EXT. 118038 AT AMERICAN HONDA STATED THAT PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. AMERICAN HONDA PAID FOR ALL PARTS BUT NOT LABOR. TOTAL BILL OVER $2,000! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A RURAL ROAD WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER WHERE THE SHOCK, STRUT AND BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. *NM UPDATED 2/9/2006 - *NM

A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS AND DEADLY DEFECT IN THE SPRINGS OF 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY MINI-VANS. ON DECEMBER 9, 2005 WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE DRIVER-SIDE SPRING OF MY ODYSSEY SUDDENLY FAILED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. THIS CAUSED MY VAN''S STEERING TO IMMEDIATELY PULL HARD TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE OTHER LANE IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED TO MY VAN OR TO OTHERS. WE REPLACED THAT SPRING AT OUR EXPENSE AND VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE REMAINING SPRING SHOWED NOTHING UNUSUAL. WE WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT SPRING FAILURE IN RELATIVELY NEW CARS WITH AN NORMAL OR EASY DRIVING HISTORY WAS VERY RARE. WE CHALKED UP OUR EXPERIENCE TO A FLUKE. ON JANUARY 12, 2006 THE PASSENGER-SIDE SPRING SUDDENLY FAILED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. AGAIN, THIS OCCURRED WHILE AT VERY LOW SPEED, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL WHILE THE STEERING PULLED STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT, AND NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED. AGAIN, WE ARE REPLACING THAT SPRING AT OUR EXPENSE. TO HAVE A FAILURE OF A SPRING IS A HIGHLY UNUSUAL EVENT FOR A ''YOUNG'' CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE AND AN EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE RECORD. TO HAVE TWO SUCH FAILURES WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER IS DEEPLY DISTURBING AND LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE SPRINGS. THIS FACT PRESENTS A GRAVE THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS OF HONDA ODYSSEYS, BUT OF OTHERS WHO MAY BY HIT BY A VAN WHICH HAS CAREENED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD. *NM

2001 HONDA ODYSSEY LX FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE. THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. WHEN THE MECHANIC REMOVED THE SPRING FORM THE VEHICLE, IT WAS FOUND COMPLETELY FRACTURED AND JAGGED IN VARIOUS PLACES. *SC *JB

AT 49,000 MILES THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A ROARING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHICH BECAME LOUDER AND LOUDER DAILY. THESE BEARINGS ARE SEALED AND SHOULD AT LEAST LAST FOR 100,000 MILES. THEY WERE REPLACED AND THE NOISE STOPPED.*AK

PROBLEM WITH SWAY BAR LINKS ON 01 HONDA ODYSEEY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STEERS TO RIGHT WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE, BUT THERE IS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER PERFORMED REPAIR FOUR TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. *YH

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHETHER YOU ARE DRIVING IN THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT LANE.*AK