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
2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. (2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES, AND AS SOON CAR WAS PUT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF, WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, TURNING TO BLACK SMOKE AND FIRE WITHIN ONE MINUTE. WHOLE ENGINE, DASH AND FRONT OF CAR WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) CAR WAS TOTALED. *NM
