My 2005 Honda Odyssey has 112,000 miles and I am having intermittent problems when I am in a hard turn and going in reverse. I took it to my mechanic and we could not replicate the problem. They looked at the undercarriage to see if there was some sort of physical problem, but could see nothing. The most extreme case of this happening to me was after I tried to back out of a tight U-turn in front of my house–my van seemed stuck no matter which way I turned the wheel. I finally had to go forward on my grass so that I could get the steering wheel straight and then I could reverse. I can’t tell if it is an engine problem or if there is some physical problem. The first time it happened I was backing out on a snowy hill and I thought my tires were slipping. But I have brand new snow tires on the van and it wasn’t much snow. It has happened since on all conditions, so I know it wasn’t the snow, but that is what it feels like, if you’ve ever been stuck.
I don’t think this is related, but just in case, I only noticed this problem after I had the timing belt, water pump and engine mounts replaced.
It doesn’t happen every time I am turning and in reverse, but now I am avoiding that action because I never know if I’ll get stuck.
If you have any ideas of where to start to figure out this problem, please advise! Thank you!
I’d guess you are having a transmission problem as these vehicles are notorious for this. See the link below;
I had a E-150 ford van that turned so sharply it would not move in reverse. I stopped turning so sharply and it didn’t bother me. That isn’t the same thing as your problem. Your car is 100% different. You may need an alignment and maybe there is a bent tie rod which won’t be a problem when it gets adjusted. A wrong engine mount could be a problem but I don’t see anybody but me doing that. It helped a little when I did that on an 82 Accord. Oops 83 Camry. Also adding another correction. Bent tie rods should be replaced because one coud change an angle enough to cause problems.
Okay, so updated information: I was able to replicate the problem. The way the steering wheel is turned is not the issue, it is if I am pressing on the gas quickly that it won’t go when in reverse. So when I accelerate in reverse, I encounter the problem. I have an appointment at the dealership tomorrow, so hopefully I can get a diagnosis. I’m trying to educate myself as much as possible before I go. Thanks!
If this only happens in reverse, and it always shifts from P or N into D and other forward gears without any issue, it might well be something simple to fix. Esp b/c you mention there’s a engine mount involvement, which might mean it is just the transmission linkage that needs to be adjusted. The thing you move to shift is attached to the car’s body, but the transmission is attached to the engine, so it might have shifted a little with the new mounts. Suggest to remain optimistic.
I took it to a transmission place today and they tell me it isn’t the transmission. They ran a diagnostic and the only code that comes up was an ABS code for low battery voltage. They referred us to a mechanic to do a full brake inspection. He thought it was a ABS problem, that engaging the brake and then accelerating in reverse is somehow tricking the ABS system. That does seem to check out as far as the feel of the problem–it really feels like it is stuck, or that the parking brake is on or something when it happens. Any thoughts?