We bought my wife a 2017 Honda Odyssey in 2020 in really good shape and low miles and it's been pretty flawless for 5 years now except for one issue:

The steering wheel shakes like CRAZY under heavy braking and I was told that it's warped rotors. That Honda cheaps out and uses thin/light rotors which warp when they heat up from braking and the only fix is to replace with heavy duty rotors.

So I had this done a few years back when it was really bad and the issue went away for a while but is now back worse than ever. So this van warps even heavy duty rotors? Or maybe the place I got the brakes done at didn't actually replace the rotors with the ones I specified?

Has anyone ever experienced this problem?

In my experience, brake don't 'warp', they get pad deposits on them. This could be due to pad compound or rotor design (non-vented vs vented) and how they deal with heat.

It seems a common issue - this thread says new non-OEM semi-metallic pads fixed it.

https://www.odyclub.com/thread...view=1&sortby=oldest

quote:

So I just wanted to post an update. It turns out the rotors were not physically warped. I initially took the rotors off and sanded the Sh*t out of them by hand with sandpaper. I put them back on the van and initially everything felt good and I was pretty happy but at higher speeds I still noticed the shudder. I wish I had spent more time sanding or maybe done it with an angle grinder or something. The shudder continued to get worse so I went out and bought some cheap semi-metallic pads on Amazon (brand is R1 Concepts). After about a week of driving the vibration was gone.

Find a good brake shop with the ability to turn the rotors, they can determine if they are warped or out of spec, or as indicated below, change the pads.. Seems there is a recall on 16-19 models on the brakes.

Heavy van, front wheel drive, and they can suffer wear like any heavier front wheel vehicle that sees a lot of stop and go in city driving.

Eh Eye says:

The 2016 Honda Odyssey, along with other models, was recalled due to a potential brake performance issue. Specifically, some 2016 through 2019 model year vehicles had a defect that could lead to poor braking. Additionally, common brake pad issues like squealing, screeching, grinding, or squeaking when braking, as well as vibrations or pulsation in the pedal or steering wheel, can indicate the need for brake pad replacement. If you experience any of these symptoms, it's crucial to have your brakes inspected and repaired promptly.
Potential Issues and Symptoms:
Recall:
A significant number of 2016-2019 Odyssey models were recalled due to a brake performance issue.
Brake Pad Wear:
Common signs of worn brake pads include squealing, screeching, grinding, or squeaking sounds when braking, as well as vibrations or pulsation in the pedal or steering wheel.
Extended Braking Distance:
Worn brake pads can also lead to longer stopping distances.
Brake System Warning Light:
A brake system warning light on the dashboard may indicate a problem with the brake system or low brake fluid.
Recommendations:
Check for Recall:
.
If you own a 2016-2019 Odyssey, it's recommended to check the NHTSA website for recall information related to brake issues.
Professional Inspection:
.
If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, have your brakes inspected by a qualified mechanic.
Brake Pad Replacement:
.
If your brake pads are worn, they should be replaced to ensure optimal braking performance.
Brake Disc Inspection:
.
When replacing brake pads, it's important to inspect the brake discs for wear or damage.

Make sure your Wheel Lug Nuts (Bolts?) aren't over torqued. Depending on the design of the Hub/Rotor interface, the Brake Rotors 'can' become distorted if they are over-torqued, which will make it seem like the Rotors are warped.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Make sure your Wheel Lug Nuts (Bolts?) aren't over torqued. Depending on the design of the Hub/Rotor interface, the Brake Rotors 'can' become distorted if they are over-torqued, which will make it seem like the Rotors are warped.

THIS!!! Recommended torque for your Odyssey is 94 ft/lbs.

It sounds like your Honda has the same issue as my first gen Tundra did. Essentially, the front brakes were barely adequate for the load when the brakes were proportioned right. That means the rear brakes are designed to do a percentage of the load. The problem is that the rear brakes didn’t adjust automatically like they were supposed to so within 15,000 miles of adjustment, the fronts were back to taking 90%+ of the load. This would prematurely warp the rotors.

After the third brake job I ordered some cross drilled rotors and the problem went away. The rears still barely applied, but the fronts stayed cool enough to go two normal brake jobs before needing to be replaced. Even then it wasn’t for warpage. It was that the surfaces were beginning to groove and the rotors were too thin to resurface.

With 118,000 miles on our 2012 Odyssey EX-L, I will 3rd the lugnut torque. Get yourself a breaker, 22mm deep socket, and a good torque wrench. Anytime anyone else takes the wheels off and puts them back on, lossen each lugnut a bit with the breaker and then retorque them in a star pattern starting with 70ftlbs, and star pattern again at 94 ftlbs. Check them again after 50 miles. It really is that important.

I watched the guys at Sam’s Club miss torquing one of my lugnuts. The first guy did four out of five. The second guy some managed to check the same four out of five. Both denied it. I went out and bought a digital torque adapter that will measure peak torque when loosening nuts and found the following:



That being said, I did replace the rotors at about 20,000 miles. I don't remember what I used for rotors or pads (probably RayBestos Element 3), but I bedded them myself and haven't had a problem since. This includes 9,000 miles of towing two PWCs on a tandem PWC trailer. I'm sure I've replaced the pads at least once, but I haven't touched the rotors. I used ceramic pads as they don't eat rotors, but they have enough stopping power to activate the antisocial brakes on dry pavement.

On my fourth or fifth Oddy. Currently driving a 2014 with 230k miles on it. I’ve never had rotors warp. Must be luck. I’m sure it’s more prevalent in hotter climates.

The number 1 cause of warped rotors is uneven lug nut torque.

Thanks everyone, I had no idea that it could be the lug nuts or the brake pads.

It has to go into the shop next month for a new timing belt and inspection and I will let the mechanic know about the possible reasons, we use a local independent guy, I refuse to do anything at the dealer unless it's a recall or warranty thing.

We've owned two Odyssey (second gen?, 2003 and currently a 2000). I do the brake myself. In my experience, they tend to chew through pads every 15-20K miles and need the rotors turned every second or third set of pads. I experimented with Raybestos rotors once and didn't have great luck with them. Spent the coin on OEM Honda and had better luck. Like others have said, proper torque is critical on these floating rotor-style set ups.

It's possible that your rotors weren't turned well and true. But I see you had new rotors installed. I don't know what qualifies are heavy duty rotors. I see in Rockauto where is shows "economy, daily driver, and heavy duty." I always go daily driver quality.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
Make sure your Wheel Lug Nuts (Bolts?) aren't over torqued. Depending on the design of the Hub/Rotor interface, the Brake Rotors 'can' become distorted if they are over-torqued, which will make it seem like the Rotors are warped.

Came here to say this. Some shops will just crank done the lug nuts with an impact wrench and this can lead to issues.

Also, what kind of heavy-duty rotors did they use? I had this issue with a 2001 Acura TL. I did the brakes myself and went with a very good set of EBC rotors.

I would ask your guy if he applies any kind of lubricant (typically anti-seize) where the calipers sit in the carrier. This allows them to float more freely.