2005 Honda Odyssey SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VSA INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ABS WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
COME ON HONDA .... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I LIVE IN A HILLY TOWN. ALL WINTER LONG, NO PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. AS SOON AS IT GETS WARM AND I BRAKING WHEN COMING DOWN A HILL (EVEN A VERY GENTLE SLOPE), THE FRONT BRAKES MAKE THE MOST HORRIFIC GRINDING NOISE. I'VE BEEN TOLD OVER AND OVER BY PEOPLE AT STOP LIGHTS, THAT I REALLY NEED TO GET MY BRAKES FIXED (BUT HONDA CONTINUES TO SAY THE BRAKES ARE IN GREAT SHAPE). MULTIPLE TIMES, WHEN THE GRINDING OCCURS, I BARELY GOT STOPPED FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, LET ALONE EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING. IF HONDA DOES NOTHING ABOUT THIS, IT WILL BE THE LAST HONDA I EVER OWN AND I WILL FOR SURE CONVINCE 100 PEOPLE TO NOT BUY HONDA EITHER. PLEASE FORCE HONDA TO FINALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR
THE ODYSSEY VSA LIGHT WENT ON IN AUGUST 2010. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE BRIGHTON HONDA DEALERSHIP IN MI, THEY SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE MY VSA MODULATOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED FOR THE PRICE OF $1257.44. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANICAL ENGINEER THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. I CONTACTED HONDA AUTOMOBILE DIVISION IN TORRANCE, CA LAST MONTH. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD GO 50/50.
2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. THE DEALER RESURFACED BOTH REAR PARKING BRAKE DRUMS AND THE DISC BRAKES. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES WHEN HE HEARD A SCRATCHING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE NOISE WAS INTERMITTENT AND WAS HEARD DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD THE CONTACT WOULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN SCARED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF MY BRAKES ON HONDA ODYSSEY 2005. THERE IS NO RECALL, SO NOTHING I CAN DO. WHEN GOING DOWN THE HILL AND STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN (PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL), BRAKES SEEM TO GRAB AT FIRST AND THEN LET GO FOR ABOUT A SECOND FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. AFTER THIS BRAKES GRAB AGAIN AND SEEM TO WORK JUST FINE, AS THOUGH NOTHING HAPPENED. THIS REALLY SCARES ME AND MY WIFE WHEN IT HAPPENS. *TR
SPONGY BRAKES WITH LOSS OF BRAKES. *TR
1. DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE ON 12/22/2009 THE DEALER TECH / MECHANIC ADVISED THAT BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS ON MY 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY WERE RUST PITTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT ON A RELATIVELY NEW CAR SINCE I OWN A 10 YEAR OLD 2001 HONDA ACCORD WHICH HAS NOT HAD ANY SUCH PROBLEM SO FAR - UNDER SAME DRIVING CONDITIONS. 2. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT AND WILL REQUIRE A EXPENSIVE FIX (APPROX. $1500 QUOTED BY THE DEALER) FOR A CAR UNDER WARRANTY. CANNOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH RUSTED ROTORS AND 2MM PADS. 3. THE DEALER HAS QUOTED $1500 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT / REAR ROTORS AND PADS. *TR
I HAVE A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY WHICH HAS HAD THE SAME REPORTED STOPPING ISSUE AS REPORTED BY NEWER MODELS. THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE PENDING RECALL FOR 2007-2008 HONDA ODYSSEYS, AND IT DESCRIBED THE EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING WITH MY 2005 ODYSSEY WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES. WHEN THE BREAKS ARE HEATED FROM FULL LOAD OR MULTIPLE STOPS WE HAVE TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO GET IT TO STOP. ONCE THE PEDAL HITS THE FLOOR THEN THERE IS A METAL ON METAL GRINDING SOUND. WE HAVE HAD THIS CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES AT HONDA DEALER AND THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS AND SPECULATE MASTER CYLINDER BUT UNDER COLD CONDITIONS THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS. I CALLED HONDA THIS MORNING AND REPORTED IT, AND I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY ODYSSEY IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT IN TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, HAVE THEM INSPECT IT, AND PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF. I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT. *TR
I PURCHASED A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY OCTOBER 2004. WITHIN WEEKS AND TO THIS DAY I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM; THIS IS AFTER NUMEROUS REPLACEMENTS OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE FRONT BRAKES REPEATEDLY MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN MAKING A HARD STOP OR STOPPING ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE, NOTICED MORE IN THE SUMMER. THE DEFECT IN THE BRAKES FEEL AS IF THE BRAKES ARE GOING TO FAIL; I HAVE TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE BECAUSE I FEEL THE PEDAL GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE REAR BRAKES ALSO ARE DEFECTIVE AND ARE NOISY WHEN APPLIED AND THE CAR IS MAKING A TURN. I HAVE ADDRESSED THE ISSUE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH THE DEALER. INITIALLY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE FAULTY AND WOULD BE REPLACED. AFTER THEY WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS ADMITTED THAT THE ODYSSEY AS BRAKING PROBLEMS, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED SO THEIR HANDS ARE TIED, I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, TO BEING TOLD MY BRAKES MUST HAVE BEEN DUSTY, AND/OR THAT THEY JUST NEEDED AN ADJUSTMENT. ONE THING THOUGH, THE BRAKES HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED BEING THEY WERE WORN TO THE POINT OF NEEDING REPLACEMENT. I KNOW I AM NOT THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN IN REGARDS TO THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. WHY DOESN'T THE NHTSA ENFORCE ITS AUTHORITY AND DEMAND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED IN THE 2005 ODYSSEY MINIVANS? *TR
WHEN TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT OR A SLOW TURN ON THE ROAD WAY I GET A LOUD NOISE LIKE THE BRAKES ARE BAD. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 39,000 MILES ON IT AND HONDA NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS WEAR PROBLEM. THESE SEEM TO BE A USE OF POOR MATERIAL IN THE MANUFACTURING OF WHAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF A VEHICLE AND THAT IS THE BRAKES. IT SEEM LIKE THIS IS A FAILURE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF HONDA DOES NOT NOTIFY US AND GET THE PROPER BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE. HONDA SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO JUST PASS THIS OFF AS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND PASS IT OFF AS NORMAL BREAK WEAR. PLEASE HELP US HONDA OWNERS GET THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED AND ASAP IF NOT TOMORROW. *TR
WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING SPACES OR MAKING OTHER SHARP TURNS, VAN MAKES LOUD GROANING NOISE. HAVE HAD THE FOLLOWING DONE: BRAKE DUST BLOWN OUT, ROTORS RESURFACED AND PADS REPLACED, ALL OF WHICH HELPED FOR AWHILE BUT THEN NOISE RETURNS. CAR WAS SHIMMYING WHEN STOPPING FROM FREEWAY SPEEDS BUT THAT HAS STOPPED WHEN BRAKES WERE REPLACED. HONDA CLAIMS NO KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REFERRED THEM TO THESE WEBSITES. I HAVE AN '05 EX WITH ABOUT 45K ON IT. *TR
2005 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING HAS SOFT BRAKES AT LOW MILEAGE AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 25,000 MILES SINCE THEY WERE RUSTED OUT, EVEN THOUGH BRAKES HAD BEEN SERVICED BY HONDA AT ALL PRESCRIBED SERVICE INTERVALS. HONDA REPLACED ALL 4 ROTORS AND PADS AT MY COST, CLAIMING THAT THIS WEAR WAS NOT ABNORMAL AND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COVERED EVEN IF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER ORIGINAL 3-YEAR WARRANTY. MY CONCERN (WHICH I SHARED WITH THEM) IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE PARTS FAILED AFTER A VERY SHORT INTERVAL EVEN THOUGH THE VAN WAS SERVICED AT THE INTERVALS PRESCRIBED BY HONDA AT A HONDA DEALER. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE BRAKING DISTANCE WITH THE RUSTED-OUT ROTORS INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE DRAMATICALLY, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR
VAN ALWAYS HAS A GRINDING NOISE WHEN YOU PUT THE BRAKES ON HARD. IT APPEARS TO BE ONLY ON THE FRONT. WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER, THE TECH RODE WITH US TO HEAR THE NOISE AND REPLACED THE ROTORS & RESURFACED THE DISCS BASED ON THE HONDA TECH LINE. THE TECH INDICATED THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA VANS, AS THE FRONT OF THE VAN IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE BRAKES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY HONDA. IN LESS THAN 10,000 MORE MILES, IT WAS MAKING THAT NOISE AND STILL IS. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE MULTI POINT INSPECTION, THEY ALWAYS INDICATE THAT THE BRAKES HAVE PLENTY LEFT. IT GRINDS EVERYTIME YOU PUT THE BRAKES ON AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE OLDER CARS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE WORN DOWN COMPLETELY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE AT 10 MPH, THE BRAKES MADE A LOUD SQUEAKING SOUND WHEN THEY WERE DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE AS WELL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 07/15/08. *LJ UPDATED 07/15/08
PURCHASED A BRAND NEW HONDA ODYSSEY 2005 EX-L FROM FREMONT HONDA IN 2005. JUST AFTER TWO YEARS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE HOT AND ARE APPLIED SHARPLY E.G. WHEN COMING DOWN A HILL THEY MAKE A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. SOUND SEEMS TO COME FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CAPITOL HONDA FOR A REGULAR OIL SERVICE AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE SOUND IS NORMAL, IT IS THE ABS KICKING IN. THIS IS NOT THE CASE, AS I FEAR THE BRAKES WILL FAIL ONE DAY AS IT SOUNDS LIKE METAL ON METAL AND MAY HAVE AN ACCIDENT ONE DAY. I HAVE RAISED THIS CONCERN WITH AMERICAN HONDA WHO HANDLES CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH ONLY 21,000 MILE ON THE VAN. THEY STATED I AM OUT OF WARRANTY OVER 3 YEARS/ 36,000 MILES AND TO TAKE IT BACK AGAIN TO THE DEALER. I WILL TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON 10/31/08. I WANT TO ELEVATE THIS ISSUE/ CUSTOMER CONCERN TO NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE GRINDING BRAKE NOISE OF 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN. ALSO CONDUCT A GOOGLE SEARCH ON HONDA ODYSSEY GRINDING BRAKE NOISE AND YOU WILL SEE HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES - THERE IS CLEARLY A FAULT THAT HONDA NEEDS TO RESOLVE AND RECALL ITS VEHICLES AND FIX FREE OF CHARGE BEFORE LARGE SCALE ACCIDENTS OCCUR. *TR
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CAR SURGES FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I TOOK IT INTO MAHWAH HONDA AND THEY CHECKED THE CAR AND THE ERROR CODES AND FOUND NO PROBLEM.. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR WAS BEING PRESSED. BOTH MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN WE WERE DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP. *TR
BRAKES, WHEN APPLIED AT SPEEDS OVER 60MPH CAUSE THE VAN TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY. BRAKES ALSO "WHINE" WHEN SLOWING ON APPROACH AND INTO A PARKING SPACE. DEALER HAS RESPONDED THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUES, SO NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. ISSUES HAVE CONTINUED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.*CN
BRAKES GROAN AND SHUDDER WHEN APPLYING SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE OR SERVICE BRAKES UNLESS I PAID FOR TOTAL COST. I PAID FOR COST OF REPLACING PADS AND MACHINING ROTORS OUT OF POCKET. *JB
I PURCHASED A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING MODEL IN AUGUST 2005. WITHIN DAYS, I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT BRAKES WHEN MAKING A HARD STOP OR STOPPING ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE. I HAVE ADDRESSED THE ISSUE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH THE DEALER. INITIALLY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE FAULTY AND WOULD BE REPLACED. AFTER THEY WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. NEXT THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS GRAVEL IN THE PAD. THE LAST TIME I WENT IN, THEY CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I ASKED THEM HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY HAD ON THIS ISSUE AND I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE. THE MANAGER BECAME HOSTILE AND WAS EXTREMELY RUDE. EVERYTIME I TAKE IT IN, I AM TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT MYSTERIOUSLY, THE BRAKES ARE BETTER FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. I FEEL AS IF I PAID $37,000 FOR A VEHICLE THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE SAFE. HONDA MUST BE MADE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE RESOLVED TO TRADE THE VEHICLE IN AND BUY ANOTHER BRAND AS THE DEALER REFUSES TO HELP AND HAS RESORTED TO BEING DOWN RIGHT HOSTILE ABOUT THE SITUATION. *TR
AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ON MINIVAN SAFETY, WE PURCHASED A 2005 HONDA ODDYSEY IN JANUARY OF 2005. WITHIN MONTHS, WE NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKING HARD OR COMING TO A QUICK STOP. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS COMES AND GOES AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE DUPLICATED FOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE STILL COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS AND STILL NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO ATTEMPT TO TRY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT ANOTHER BRAND (OUR SECOND CHOICE OF MINIVAN) WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST CHOICE.
FRONT BRAKES MAKE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND PULSATION UNDER MODERATE BRAKING. MOST NOTICEABLE ON DOWN-HILL STOPS IN WARM WEATHER. *JB
WE BOUGHT OUR 2005 ODYSSEY IN NOVEMBER OF 2004. WE HAVE HAD CONSTANT GRINDING/SCRAPING NOISES WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE DAY WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN 2005 AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN TRAVELING DOWN HILL AND COMING TO A STOP. THE NOISE IS GOD AWFUL!!! NHTSA NEEDS TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM AS THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON FILE. *NM
MOST RECENT ON 1/7/2006 WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND COMPLETE FAILURE. PUMPED 2 OR 3 TIMES AND BRAKES WORKED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 OTHER TIMES, ALWAYS AT A SLOW SPEED, USUALLY WHILE APPROACHING A TURN, TWICE WHILE PULLING UP TO OUR DRIVEWAY. PUMPING BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES BRINGS FULL BRAKING POWER BACK. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR A DAY AND A HALF. AST. SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO OTHER COMPLAINTS OF FAILURES KNOWN TO HIM. *NM
I HAVE A COMPLAINT TO FILE ON THE 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY EX MODEL. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER WE PRESSED ON THE BRAKES, THERE IS A LOUD CREAKING SOUND, A SOUND OF METAL CREAKING AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO SNAP. IT HAPPENS WHENEVER WE HAVE TO BRAKE SUDDENLY OR DO A HARD STOP. AND WHEN WE DO A HARD STOP, THE CREAKING SOUND IS ACCOMPANIED BY A SENSATION OF HESITATION COMING FROM THE BRAKES, AS IF THE BRAKES HAVE SKIPPED OR SLIPPED AND THEY HAD TO TIGHTEN AGAIN TO STOP. AS A RESULT, OUR BRAKING DISTANCE IS QUITE TIGHT AND WE HAVE TO GIVE OURSELVES EVEN GREATER DISTANCE TO BRAKE SAFELY. BUT IN HARD AND SUDDEN STOPS, WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY AND THUS FAR WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT WE HAVE NOT HIT ANYONE OR ANYTHING. BUT WE HAVE HAD CLOSE CALLS. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND GONE TO SEVERAL DEALERS TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. EACH TIME I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME, I AM FORCED TO DRIVE A VAN IN WHICH I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN ITS BRAKING SYSTEM. *JB
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Quick Summary
The 2005 Honda Odyssey has 48 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.