# 2003 honda odyssey idle **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 1, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682 "2007-11-01T03:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hexwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hexwood](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hexwood)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682/1 "2007-11-01T03:51:48Z")
I have a problem with my 2003 Honda Odyssey engine idling (is that the right term?)when it is in park or driving at slow speeds like when I’m in a parking lot. Instead of staying at a steady hum, it constantly drops down and comes back up. We brought it in to a transmission repair shop and they said they may have to keep it for 4-5 days to figure out the problem and that with parts and labor it could cost anywhere from $800 or more. Is this answer as vague as I think it is? Is there a likely solution to this problem or will they really have to spend all that time looking for the problem? Thanks, Steve ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682/2 "2007-11-01T14:16:59Z")
Out of curiosity why a transmission shop? I would be inclined in this case if not other trusted mechanic use the dealer for diagnosis if not full repair. $800 number is completely pulled from the air. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682/3 "2007-11-01T14:20:47Z")
What makes you think you have a transmission problem? A disconnected or leaking vacuum hose could cause a fluctuating idle, as can many other things. I don’t think the transmission is the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682/4 "2007-11-01T14:46:19Z")
Has the CEL (Check Engine Light) come on? Even if it has not, it might be a good idea to see if there are any stored error codes in the computer. They would likely be a big help in figuring out what the problem may be. ---
**Author:** ![hexwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hexwood](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hexwood)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-honda-odyssey-idle/6682/5 "2007-11-01T21:55:00Z")
We originally brought it in to a transmission shop because the green light indicating the car is in drive was blinking. We talked to someone at the dealership and they said that it indicated a transmission problem. (Unfortunately, we have moved since we bought the van and are not near a Honda dealer) This transmission shop said it was 1 or 2 faulty sensors and would cost $300 to fix. We thought it might be just a cosmetic problem so we didn’t have it fixed and now we have the fluctuating idle a month later. We took it back there because we thought the problem was linked to the sensor problem. They replaced the air control motor but that was not the problem.