2002 Honda Odyssey Side View Mirror Switch Failure

Anyone else out there have a problem with the side view mirror switch
on their 1999-2004 Honda Odyssey? The side view mirror switch on my
wife's 2002 Ody would not move either mirror in the UP direction (left
side or right side mirror) but it would move them left, right, or
down.

When the van was at the Honda dealer this past week getting the
transmission recall service, I had them troubleshoot the problem and
it turned out that the switch was broken (faulty, defective). The
Honda dealer wanted $75 to replace it (parts+labor)!!! I had to laugh,
seemed like way too much money to replace a simple switch. I was
fortunate though that they didn't charge me for troubleshooting the
problem (not that it was too hard to figure out) and I did end up
buying the switch from them (~$23 including tax) and had it replaced
before I left the dealer's lot! It took less than two minutes to
replace it! $75 bucks, what a joke.

Anyhow, the bag that the switch came in said "Japan" or "Made in
Japan" on it but I noticed that the switch I replaced had a "Mexico"
label on it. I was just wondering if there may be a quality issue
involved here? So, I just wanted to know if anyone else had the same
problem. Unfortunately, the van was out of warranty (38,000 miles) so
I had to pick up the bill. I'm still planning on writing Honda to
"complain". Who knows, they may pick up the tab.

Thanks for the feedback.

No, there's not been a problem with that switch. It unfortunately failed and
didn't make it to its life expectancy. But I suppose you expected it to last
forever. Yeah, 38,000 miles or 2-3 years is a little short but s--t happens.
Stop whining over trivial items. Save it for a serious matter, when you
really may need Honda's help. I'll bet you never visit your dealer for your
maintenance but your there bright and early every time they have something
free for you, like any warranty work or product update. And there you go
demanding free parts, free labor, demanding something you think you deserve
but is not spelled out in any contract or warranty. You yell and scream you
got ripped off because they wanted a few extra dollars for their expertise
and knowledge and/or tools that made it able for them to know immediately
what was wrong with your switch. Maybe they get $70 or $80 an hour labor,
but I'm sure you would have felt a whole bunch better to bring it to your
local greasemonkey and pay him "only" $45 an hour for the two hours he would
spend trying to figure out what the problem was, if he could figure it out
the first time.
Get a life!
"Hand" > wrote in message
m...
> Anyone else out there have a problem with the side view mirror switch
> on their 1999-2004 Honda Odyssey? The side view mirror switch on my
> wife's 2002 Ody would not move either mirror in the UP direction (left
> side or right side mirror) but it would move them left, right, or
> down.
>
> When the van was at the Honda dealer this past week getting the
> transmission recall service, I had them troubleshoot the problem and
> it turned out that the switch was broken (faulty, defective). The
> Honda dealer wanted $75 to replace it (parts+labor)!!! I had to laugh,
> seemed like way too much money to replace a simple switch. I was
> fortunate though that they didn't charge me for troubleshooting the
> problem (not that it was too hard to figure out) and I did end up
> buying the switch from them (~$23 including tax) and had it replaced
> before I left the dealer's lot! It took less than two minutes to
> replace it! $75 bucks, what a joke.
>
> Anyhow, the bag that the switch came in said "Japan" or "Made in
> Japan" on it but I noticed that the switch I replaced had a "Mexico"
> label on it. I was just wondering if there may be a quality issue
> involved here? So, I just wanted to know if anyone else had the same
> problem. Unfortunately, the van was out of warranty (38,000 miles) so
> I had to pick up the bill. I'm still planning on writing Honda to
> "complain". Who knows, they may pick up the tab.
>
> Thanks for the feedback.

Howard wrote:
> Get a life!

I sure am tired of seeing schmucks around here like you who don't have
anything better to do than to type 217 words simply to insult someone.
Perhaps it's you who need to get a life? Who do you think you are,
insulting people like this? Please, go away, and don't waste my time.

I guess I do need a life. Perhaps you can direct me to the School of Word
Counting so I can be a graduate like you and occupy my time counting and
curbing the right of free speech all across the land.
Get lost!
"Abeness" > wrote in message
...
> Howard wrote:
> > Get a life!
>
> I sure am tired of seeing schmucks around here like you who don't have
> anything better to do than to type 217 words simply to insult someone.
> Perhaps it's you who need to get a life? Who do you think you are,
> insulting people like this? Please, go away, and don't waste my time.

Howard wrote:
> I guess I do need a life. Perhaps you can direct me to the School of Word
> Counting so I can be a graduate like you

LOL! Actually, I just dumped your insults into a text editor that
counted it for me--I just couldn't resist. It's not curbing free speech,
Howard--I'm objecting to your rude tone. But you're right--say whatever
you want. I'll just try not to listen. ;-)

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> Obviously, you didn't like what Howard had to say--probably because he
> hit too close to home for you, eh?

Ahh, Elmo...

Howard wrote:
> I guess I do need a life. Perhaps you can direct me to the School of Word
> Counting

http://textpad.com

One of the better text editors, for those of us who do a lot of complex
text processing in the course of our work.

"Howard" > wrote in message > ...
> No, there's not been a problem with that switch. It unfortunately failed and
> didn't make it to its life expectancy. But I suppose you expected it to last
> forever. Yeah, 38,000 miles or 2-3 years is a little short but s--t happens.
> Stop whining over trivial items. Save it for a serious matter, when you
> really may need Honda's help. I'll bet you never visit your dealer for your
> maintenance but your there bright and early every time they have something
> free for you, like any warranty work or product update. And there you go
> demanding free parts, free labor, demanding something you think you deserve
> but is not spelled out in any contract or warranty. You yell and scream you
> got ripped off because they wanted a few extra dollars for their expertise
> and knowledge and/or tools that made it able for them to know immediately
> what was wrong with your switch. Maybe they get $70 or $80 an hour labor,
> but I'm sure you would have felt a whole bunch better to bring it to your
> local greasemonkey and pay him "only" $45 an hour for the two hours he would
> spend trying to figure out what the problem was, if he could figure it out
> the first time.
> Get a life!
> "Hand" > wrote in message
> m...


You work for a Honda service department somewhere don't you?

Here's my take socket head: When you stop charging me 4.0 hours of
labor charges for work that takes you 1.5 hours because it's "in the
book," I'll stop complaining.
When you stop trying to up sell me on maintenance I "need" for my car,
I'll stop asking for free anything.
When you tell me you've done all of the "work" to my car but won't
produce the old parts, I'll start believing you're honest.

Until then...I'll go to my ASE Master Tech and a guy I trust over you
any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Jumper wrote:
>
> Until then...I'll go to my ASE Master Tech and a guy I trust over you
> any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

LOL... touche!

i had a VW rabbit, and a trusted watercooled VW only mechanic. he did my
engine rebuild, and i had to upsell *him* on doing things, like new CV
joints, etc.

since the engine was out, i wanted new CV joints, motor mounts, etc.

of course, he just charged me for the parts... labor was included in the
rebuild/reassembly. couple hundred more, but cheaper than doing it at a
later time.

most dealers ARE out to "get you". they dont care about dealership
loyalty, repeat business, etc.

i wonder how the service dept at the online dealers like majestic are.
the parts depts are willing to cut a deal, and just judging from the
people here (me included), they get lots of repeat business.

"You work for a Honda service department somewhere don't you?
Here's my take socket head:"

Being around cars all my life, I'll take that as a compliment. But no, I
don't work for a Honda service department. Contrary to most small brained
car owners who think the dealer is only out there to rip him off, I have
great respect for any technician who has the expertise to do the a repair
correectly. Whether he works in a dealer or an independent shop. And if you
actually looked before you leaped you'd have seen my previous posts DO
suggest any brand specialist or shop that advertises as a particular brand
specialist and is recommended by his customers for expertise on the
particular brand. I respect the technician who has amassed thousands, or
tens of thousands or perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of
their business. Whether they are are indepent Honda, Toyota or Chevy repair
shops or a franchised dealer. They deserve a return on their investment up
to a limit.
What do you do in life? Are you a plumber? Are you a doctor? Do you charge
less because the toilet went in quicker so you'll lower the agreed on price
you made with your customer? Or the last patient was out of the examining
room 10 minutes faster than the last patient. Do you charge less for your
jobs because you've become proficient at what you do?
Get real! An independent may charge less per hour,.but any busnessman goes
by an industry standard. That standard is a Chilton or Motor manual. If a
shop can charge less per hour and still do the job with expertise and
satisfy his customer, then he is the successful one. You, as the customer,
have the freedom to choose any dealer, technician, greasemonkey or
shade-tree mechanic you want.

"When you tell me you've done all of the "work" to my car but won't
produce the old parts, I'll start believing you're honest."
Did you ask up front for the old parts? If you did, and they didn't have
them then don't pay. Does your independent ASE tech do that for you? Why,
you don't trust him either?

"When you stop trying to up sell me on maintenance I "need" for my car,
I'll stop asking for free anything."
If your vehicle is due for a particular maintenance that you didn't ask for,
it's their duty to inform you. If they failed to tell you, would you be the
first to complain that the dealer or technician/mechanic/ greasemonkey
failed to tell you if you suffered a failure because it wasn't noticed.
They are in a business. It's their job to sell., providing of course it IS
needed. If it's not needed, shame on you for buying. Did you ever hear of
Caveat Emptor? Perhaps that's a little foreign to you!
Why do you think you desrve something free? When you go to your supermarket,
where you spend more than on your car, do you ask them for free eggs? milk?
They make you walk all the way to the back of the store for your basic
foods. Don't you think there's a little "upselling" going on there? Haven't
you stopped by the fancy display and bought those delicious chocolate
cookies, because they're on sale, or you were hungry. Do you complain about
that?

"When you stop charging me 4.0 hours of labor charges for work that takes
you 1.5 hours because it's "in the
book," I'll stop complaining."
I would have quit going back after the first time that happened. But if you
aren't smart enough to change dealers or go to an indepedent shop after you
felt you've been overcharged or abused more than once, I can understand your
frustration with some common sense.

That's just my 2 cents. You're entitled to yours too.

P.S. I hope I haven't burned out any text editors.