Used 2001 Honda Odyssey Minivan Consumer Reviews
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2001 Honda Odyssey - still going strong
This minivan has always been fun to drive. The way this car was designed, with its tight wheelbase and good road feel made me think that Honda wanted to capture the Accord drivers and had to offer a performance car with the highest safety ratings. It was relatively expensive at the time, but if I'm going to drive my kids and other people's kids everywhere, I wanted to the safest car. At the time, we spent a lot of time driving to activities and vacations. Honda did have a transmission recall, and did the whole replacement for free. We also liked the fact that you could convert the rear seat, which is not something other vans were capable of doing at the time.
My Minivan
We have hod very little problem with the car, and the dealership has been very good from the first day onwards. Even helped with stains on the rear carpet for no charge. The problem we have faced is that the fuel cap once broke down whilst on a long trip, which caused several warning lights to come on (took a lot of reading and calls to finally determine the problem), and reduced economy for that period.
- EX Passenger MinivanMSRP: $4,49530 mi away
- LX Passenger MinivanMSRP: $2,999199 mi away
- EX Passenger MinivanMSRP: $6,995410 mi away
Buy an extended aftermarket warranty
Transmission bad at 37k. Canadian dealer replaced it but that one was no good. Same dealer replaced it again. Now, the new one is no good either and the dealer isn't willing to help anymore. Honda Can. won't help since the van was bought from dealer who imported it into USA after it was sold new in Canada. Guess I got a gray market rig. Local Honda service guy says they're replacing all the trannys in these. Power doors work ok but scare us. If there is no power, the manual open option is very difficult - impossible for a child. If you needed to get out faster than the snail pace of the power door - too bad. Why do the editors love this vehicle? It's been nothing but trouble for us.
Many problems
We bought this van new in Aug of 2001. Within the first 6 months we began experiencing problems with it. The light behind the dash board went out, the automatic doors began sticking, and the transmission began slipping. This van is at the shop every 6 months for some type of issue. I have taken it to the dealership for the transmission at least five different times. Now at 117,400 miles, the transmission goes out and Honda will bck up their product at all. There has been a class action lawsuit because the transmissions are faulty. I expected more from a Honda than constant small problems and a broken transmission. i have never experienced these problems with my Toyotas.
Not really bad, just not really good
First three and a half years went by pretty smooth with just a few annoyances like the sliding doors not wanting to close and the clock light burning out, twice. The last six months have been irritating with the transmission being changed, under warranty, for a computer chip problem, the air conditioning going out, and the EGR problem. The van handles well and the dealership has been better than most. Still, my next vehicle won't be a Honda.
Hit and Miss
My first Honda was a 1986 Accord Sedan LX that I purchased new and got 197,000 miles of wonderful service from. My 2001 Honda Odyssey LX (that I also purchased new) has been both dissapointing and frustrating. Although gently used, the van gets about 11-14 mpg in the city and anywhere from 17-21 mpg on the highway, I've had transmission problems, body side moldings have fallen off, and the van now rattles like a garbage can. The worst part of it is that Honda couldn't care less! Never again!
Be Careful
Bought it new to replace a Plymouth Voyager. The Odyssey ranks right down there with Chrysler mini-vans in terms of reliability; radio electrically shorted at 40,000 miles, transmission at 65,000 miles, front wheel bearing at 70,000 miles, motor mounts at 95,000 miles, passenger door window glide at 105,000 miles (had a cold 600 mile drive home without a passenger window in January as it broke on the week end), driver side window glide at 110,000 miles. Honda paid for the transmission and I PAID for everything else. Total for other items = approximately $2000. Electronic doors "hang" at times but at least they work for the most part. A very nice van IF you don't mind the repair bills.
2001 Odyssey Review
This car is one of the best I've ever owned. Other than routine maintenance, I haven't had to put any money into the vehicle. The storage capacity is awesome even with the back seat in. We can travel with 2 adults and 2 kids with room to spare. We'll own this car for several more years.
Watch out for the
We ordered this car with all the bells and whistles. Probably should have taken one off the lot...We are on our 2nd transmission (with problems as well) and the power doors have continually been a problem since year two. Navigation system needs updating through Honda, but I have to do all the work in obtaining a disc (whats up with that?) Have been told "off the record" that Honda made these so quickly that many have had similar problems. We loved our Accord back in the late 80's and thought Honda was a reliable name. I won't be buying another and am looking for it's replacement!
Great Van
This was the first vehical we have owned that made it 70,000 miles with no service other than scheduled maintenance! It was recently totalled after being hit by a semi but I walked away without a scratch- lives up to the safety claims. Hope to have another one soon.
scared.
I am getting this car as a teen from my parents and after reading reviews i am scared. the last thing i need is my dad giving me an earful for blowing out the transmission which is bound to happen. after reading other reviews i am surprised it has gone 120k with the stock transmission the service light will NOT turn off. i just found out the bumper is nothing more than plastic. this thing is a hog at an SUV like 15 mpg. pickup trucks get more than that. although having bad mileage, it does have a lot of kick to it. but once again, scared to blow out the transmissiion
Boring box
This is a very boring boxey vehicle with a great engine and drivetrain. The vehicle's side doors rattle and the service depatment does not know how to fix them. The gas mileage is terrible and hadling is slugish. It's great for traveling with kids. Hard to park and backup. Rear visability is poor.
145,000 miles and going strong!
We purchased our van brand new and have been extremely pleased with the purchase. We have had to repair the basics that would be expected in a 9 year old, 145,000 mile vehicle. Honda extended the warranty and fixed the transmission at 105,000 miles. Other than that, it's been brakes, tires, timing belt, fluids, etc. No major mechanical or electrical problems
An excellent vehicle
I am in my late 60's, so I have owned a few cars. This car is the best car I have ever owned. I also want to say that the service I have received at three different dealerships. It has been excellent.
Love it!!
We tested all the available mini-vans before we bought this.We love it.One day after we bought it we took out the 2nd row seats, folded down the 3rd seat and loaded up the van with furniture, our dog and our luggage. We drove 2000 miles through the Rockies with no troubles on the hills-lots of oomph.
Doesn't age well...
I was very happy with the minivan for the 1st year. But the last 1 1/2 years it has not been aging well at all. Very disappointing for a Honda. Brakes are noisy, driver side sliding door doesn't work on either remote 50% of the time, starting to get power failures, odd noise at start up (hopefully just a belt), and we are already on its 3rd battery.
Minivan
Bought this vehicle new in 2001 and it now has 98,500 miles. Has been in for service only once since new for uneven idling and turned out to be a loose connector. No transmission problems as other have stated, I even tow. Side doors do stick, but all you need to do is spray the seals with Teflon spray.
Great Family Vehicle
Purchased new in 12/05..had to wait 2 months after ordering. EX model with navigation. Has been a great vehicle and very reliable, though we've had it serviced regularly as recommended. Purchased for safety rating & reliability. Lots of room, especially with rear seat folded flat. Brakes have been okay but not strong. Power sliding door has stuck during freezing weather. In spite of others' concerns, that's to be expected. Maybe Honda could make a suggestion about best way to "unfreeze" stuck door. Honda has offered extended warranty on transmission and EGR valve, but haven't used it. We added leather and flip down video since they it weren't options when purchased. No regrets.
Nascar Dad
My wife and I have two mini vans, a dodge and our odyssey. let me say this, there is NO comparison between these two vehicles! I've had numerous problems with the dodge and only routine maintenance on the odyssey. The odyssey handles, accelerates, and drives like a dream (compared to other mini vans)... I travel between 30-40k a year on the road, so I have alot of seat time to back up my claim. I would highly recommend the odyssey to anyone!
This van is a piece of junk
We have owned this van for 2 years, bought it with 113000 miles and have already spent 1800 on it. Now the transmission and catalytic converter are going out. I am so angry at Honda for keeping this van on the road.
Best Minivan Ever!!!!!!!!!!!
There just isn't a better minivan on the market. We love ours so much, we're selling it to lease a new one. Just take a look at where the resell values are at compared to every other minivan out there. Honda is the best, hands down!
An o-kay minivan
Pretty good car,love the ext design, but terrible int design and gas mileage, very comfortable seating and third row seating good enough for medium sized adults, a Good car, but could be better
Good overall
Good overall since bought. No major problems. Problems with door sticking, taken to dealer couple times. Rick Case is good about repairs etc. Stay away from Motor Cars Cleve Hts. They kept the vehicle all day 3 times for a clinking noise. They could'nt find problem. Eventually they wanted to replace my whole subframe to solve the clinking noise, which was repaired at Rick Case with a simple bolt tightening.
Hoosier review on Honda Odessey
Just bought the vehicle and it is much more powerful than my previous minivan, a '94 Dodge Caravan 3.0. The ride seems a bit harsher than I would have expected as I drove a 2002 Honda Accord with same powerplant and transmission. The Accord was much quieter and sounded more solid. The Odessey sounded much quieter than my Caravan. Sound system is not up to par for vehicle
Not Happy
When we bought what we thought would be our dream van with 27k on it we were expecting at least 250k -300k before any major problems,well not so.I drive about 60k a year and and need dependability so I bought a honda knowing about there good name.I now have to spend 1500+ to repair the AC which blew apart.The van is serviced every 6k and this should never have happened.I am looking elsewhere for my next van/truck.I had a plymoth van that was still going strong after 300k maybe luck maybe not.
The best of the bunch
I Started my car buying experience 20 years ago and I was an American buyer, but I had friends that had Hondas with 200k and bought them used with close to 100k. Now I see why. This blow the socks off of Dodge, Ford, and Gm. Nissan and Toyota are always going to play catch-up with Honda when is comes to Mini Vans. I bought this new and have 63k on it now. This handle better than all of those above and I have had no problems worth commenting about. If I'm in the Mini Van market in about 200k more miles I'd buy another.
Starting to have some problems ....
We bought the Odyssey in July 2001 after extensive due-diligence. Loved the vehicle for next 14 months for obvious reasons, but now starting to have some very annoying problems: 1) body integrity is very poor (have had this problem on prior owned Hondas) as chips in paint on hood, bumper, etc starting to show after 18 months; 2) both rear power doors have gone and had to be replaced by dealership (fully covered under warranty, but still a pain in the arse to have to spend a day at the Honda dealership), and now the passenger side has broken yet again (not looking forward to another trip to dealership - waste of my time).
Heart Broken Honda lover
Our '01 Odyssey just had its first birthday two weeks ago and have enjoyed the van thoroughly. It has been a perfect vehicle. Unfortunatly it was totaled two days ago, I plan on buying another one. Finding what you want for MSRP is tough.
Best Van, but...
Found a used 2001 with 13000 miles (stellar condition) and was able to get a good deal on the vehicle. Love the interior space. Engine is good (transmission shifts are fair -- the 2002 tranny is better). Solid build quality and handles great, but I took a rock off the windshield the 2nd day I owned the vehicle and the windshield cracked. Took many hits in my old car and never had the the windshield crack -- don't know if it is an issue with the huge Odyssey windshield or just bad luck.
Winner
This vehicle has met or exceeded all expectations. It drives great, handles well, and can be filled to the top with tons of stuff. Never had one issue with the drivetrain or engine, just flawless. The side door design could be more robust, with stronger hardware.
Frozen Doors
Good first year. The car has not aged well since. Sliding doors freeze shut in the winter and electric motors burn out (both sides). Driver's side sliding door rattles, dealer can/will not fix. Passenger sliding door needs a push when cold. Transmission shifts roughly when cold (high RPMs too), told this was a "feature" by the dealer (yeah, right). OEM tires very noisy. Door speakers rattle, work intermittantly. Brakes grind stopping from low speeds. Good concept, rotten execution. Never again
I have a lemon of the batch
zpoorly built vehicle. Dealer had to replace high-mount brake spoiler because the gasket underneath melted in hot weather. Rear light covers-cracked and peeled off. Dealer had to repaint the front bumper because of discoloration (yellow) - original paint is silver. Repaint part of roof top because of rust spot from under the paint! steering wheel cant to the left. Very loud metalic bang (like someone hits the engine w/a hammer) when the AC is engaged after engine started if the car is unused for overnight - the dealer still can't figure out!!!! I need advice!!!!
We love our Odyssey!
We have driven this minivan crisscrossed throughout the southeast and loved every mile. The car has had no repairs. It runs like a sewing machine and has great room for all that my wife buys. We both drive it around town and wish it got better mileage, but at 19mpg city I'll take it.
Seat belt issues
I was totally satisfied with my Odessey up until very recently. The seat belts in the second and third row seats need replacing. They easily lock into position but will only readjust when completed reeled in. It appears that seat belts are a problem in the car. I cannot get them replaced because they are on national back order. I look forward to seeing the replacement to the Odessey in the fall but the seat belts need improving. I'm not sure how much I can trust these seat belts with my kids. Come on Honda.
JUNK
WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. CONSISTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND NOISES. HONDA WILL SOON OWN THIS ONE UNDER THE LEMON LAW.
Think Twice Before Buying!
We purchased this vehicle & 100 miles later the CHECK ENGINE & TCS light came on. Took it back to COMMUNITY HONDA where we purchased it 5 days previously & was told that they already had the rebuilt transmission, that the previous owners brought it in 10 days prior to the sale & decided to trade it in instead of pay for a new transmission.Meanwhile, Community Honda certified the vehicle, ordered a transmission but never put it in & put the van on the lot to sell. When confronted they offered to give us $100.00 & said they didn't know. We demanded to cancel our contract & are in the process of returning the vehicle! Very unethical!!
Fabulous Van!
We LOVED our Odyssey! It never had ANY problems in all of its 8 years we had it! At the time we bought it, we had 3 small children! Great on long trips! Easy to park! Very comfortable seating... We just traded it on an SUV (Acura MDX) to do better in the snow, here in Colorado.
Not bad for a van
This is our second van. The first was a Dodge Caravan, still rolling after 118K, so no complaints. But the Odyssey is tighter in turns, much more stable at speed, much more fun to drive, much easier to drive many miles a day, and so far has not even hicupped much less caused any problems.
Engine leak
Problems began also with doors stuck frequently, loose seals on doors, and needing new brakes at 20k and 40k. At 3 years and 2 months, engine leak and then 2 mo later transmission failure. Oversease Warranty is 3 yr/36k mile, so will be very expensive fix!!!
Great Van
I have had a wonderful time owning the Honda Odyssey. Everything about it is great. LOTS of room for everyone and everything.
Great car but tranny problems
All-in-all, I think the reviews I have read here are quite hard on the car. We have put it to tough use and had virtually no problems with the well-designed interior. Yes, the left slider sticks despite periodic lubrication by dealer. The brakes have always felt overworked but have been replaced with disks all-around on later models. The big problem IS the tranny. At around 82,000 miles, it was replaced under specially extended warranty for the second time. That was a couple of months ago and wife, tonight, reports same warning lights are on again, although it could be anything, of course. If you buy one used, please get the whole situation IN WRITING, about any tranny warranty extension!
Over-rated vehicle (2001)
I have had 2 transmissions replaced by Honda. Only have 89k on odometer. Bought car new have two other Hondas. Oddessy highly over-rated vehicle. Tires need to be replaced at 30-35000 miles (on 3rd set) regardless of type or driving habits. Numerous other ankle biter problems, gas cap door sticks (5x), brake noises, replaced radiator after 2000 miles. I am not happy with this van.
We got a lemon
I wanted this van because of the great Honda Odyssey claim to fame, but our van was a lemon. So many things went wrong from the start and every time Honda said "this is so unusual for an Odyssey" yeah, yeah, yeah....now it is 149,000mi and needs new transmission. we've already replaced brakes 2x, go through tires too quickly, interior lights out, ....hatch lock broke, automatic door sticks even after SEVERAL times in to fix, ...and lots more.... Time for a change.
always want one, finally got one
We just bought an 01 ODDY from a private seller. It has 26.5k miles, like the mini so far. I've read alot about the Tranny, and our's having a rough time shifting (up/down) between 20-25 mph when cold. After moving a bit, things would be fine. Taking it to dealer for a check with my extended warranty.
The best people hauler
We now have over 175,000 miles on our Odyssey EX and to date we can't complain. The seats are very comfortable. Great driving position. Great visibility. Lots of room inside and all seats are comfortable. Rear seat folds flat in the floor. Dual power doors are a great idea. Has been hit a few times and still drives great. Doesn't leak or burn oil. Has held value exceedingly well. Decent power and handling. Quality of materials is impressive. Engine is soooo smooth! Yes, we had a transmission issue that was fixed by Honda (even though it was well outside the factory warranty - Thank you Honda). The only other repair has been the engine mounts. The rest is maintenance.
second home
van rides well, great for kids, video works well,
Sold on Odyssey
Just completed 879 miles from Dallas to Atlanta in one day. My average speed was about 80, with prolonged periods of 90-100MPH. Flawless performance. The interior room is amazing compared to Windstar (a recent vacation rental). The Honda can handle 6 people and their luggage to the airport, the Ford could not. Concern: Our Odyssey's tranny had to be replaced after 18 months. Under slightly uphill loads the tranny hummed/squealed (almost un- identifiable), it took the Honda tech almost 20 minutes of me pointing it out until he recognized it. They replaced it under the warranty, no questions.
Quite The Ride In The A.T.L. !!!
Have had 1 Serious electrical failure, repair exceded 3 days. Small pebble cracked windshield. Paint quailty is comming into question lately. Steering wheel vibrates above 45mph on smooth pavement. The quality overall is good, and the car is safe for Atlanta driving/commuting. This is the car to have if you need a minivan. Good Performance, Good Radio Very roomy, very nice, Well Done Honda.
Wasn't worth the hype
Bought it because it was a Honda. At least they covered the transmission the first time it went out at 70,000 miles even though it was properly maintained, better than GM or Ford would do! But, between the sticky rear door, front brakes every 20K and timing belt (why have one not a chain) the money spent is like a Chrysler. Higher resale was a joke because if I had bought a Chrysler for 3,000 cheaper I could have taken advantage of the Cash for clunkers and ended up ahead.
MY ODYSSEY
THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST MINIVAN IN THE MARKET. MOST OPTIONS AND FEATURES FOR THE MONEY, BEST CRASH TEST RATINGS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE THE 3RD ROW SEAT AT HOME TO GET MORE CARGO SPACE.