NHTSA Complaint #10376906 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

WE HAVE A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY W/LESS THAN 65K MILES ON IT AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE BOTH THE REAR AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS. THE REPAIR BILL WAS $1041.65 PLUS THE LABOR TO DIAGNOSE THIS ISSUE BOTH BY LEITH AND BAYLEAF. THE CRACKED REAR MOTOR MOUNT NOTICED BY LEITH HONDA ON CAPITAL RD. IN RALEIGH, NC. THEY QUOTED CLOSE TO $900 FOR JUST THE REAR MOTOR MOUNT REPLACEMENT, AND THEY SAID THAT THE OTHER MOTOR MOUNTS COULD BE BROKEN BUT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE MOTOR OUT TO SEE. WE HAD BAYLEAF TIRE AND AUTO REPAIR IT BECAUSE THEY WERE RECOMMENDED TO US AND THEIR QUOTE WAS LOWER. THEY FOUND THAT THE SIDE MOTOR MOUNT WAS BROKEN AS WELL. CHRIS OF BAYLEAF SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD ODYSSEYS AROUND THE SAME MODEL YEAR COME IN FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND HAD CALLED HONDA TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN PLENTY OF EVIDENCE ONLINE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE MOTOR MOUNTS RELATED TO THE ECO MODE (DROPPING FROM 4 TO 3 CYLINDERS TO SAVE FUEL) BEING INSTITUTED IN THE ODYSSEYS IN THE MID-2000'S WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING CHANGE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH COULD NOT HANDLE THE ADDITIONAL VIBRATION. HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?Q=HONDA+ENGINE+MOUNT+DESIGN+FLAW HTTP://GRASSROOTSMOTORSPORTS.COM/FORUM/OFF-TOPIC-DISCUSSION/HONDA-ODYSSEY-ENGINE-MOUNTS/30508/PAGE1/ HTTP://ACTION.PUBLICBROADCASTING.NET/CARTALK/POSTS/LIST/1560611.PAGE OUR CAR MAY HAVE NOT SET ON FIRE LIKE A REAR-ENDED PINTO, BUT THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT ADDITIONAL DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED THAT WE'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THIS APPARENT DESIGN FLAW. HONDA SHOULD RECALL ALL MOTOR MOUNTS WITH THIS FLAW AND SHOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR REPAIRS RELATED TO THE APPARENT MOTOR MOUNT DESIGN FLAW IN THE ODYSSEY. *TR