I have a 2003 Honda Odyssey with 84k miles on it. About 15k miles ago, we noticed the van would begin idling at higher RPM's, sometimes between 1500 - 2000 RPM. Strangely, this only happened in summer months during especially hot days. We took it in to the Honda dealership � was told the pressure wire switches in the steering column were loose - they tightened them, charged me almost $200 and said the problem should be fixed. As I was driving home that very afternoon (in June), the problem returned. I took it back the next day; they could not re-create the problem nor diagnose what was wrong. This same problem has happened off an on (only on a warm engine in the summer) since then. Before taking a long trip this past July, I took it back to the dealer preemptively, hoping they might be able to find something wrong, as the problem has continued intermittently - they found nothing. Three days later that same week, while stuck in traffic on I-64 near Virginia Beach on a hot day, the RPM's reached 2000 (while idling) in bumper to bumper traffic on the highway - the temperature gauge slowly crept up past the midway point between C & H. I pulled off, put the car in park, and the tachometer went all the way to 4000 RPM (like there was no longer a load on the engine to keep RPM�s down), the temperature went screaming toward H, and I shut the car off. I restarted it 5 minutes later, the temperature was lower, but the RPM's were still between 3-4000, and the car would not allow me to take it out of park, I had to activate the gear-override switch in the steering column to get it into drive to make it to a gas station. I shut the car down for 45 minutes, restarted it, and the car was fine the rest of the week. What in the heck is going on? I read a column in a local newspaper that the Honda CRV's have been found to have faulty "idle air control". This has become a safety issue and I am considering trading the van in if it can't be fixed. - Mike, Columbus, OH

I have an '03 Odyssey as well and have had this problem moderately since I bought it brand new. It got really bad at around 55k miles when the engine RPM would rev up from 800 to 1000 and down to 800 when it was idling.

I went in to get the 60k service preemptively hoping that will solve the problem. I was told that my engine mount was broken and that was the reason for the problem. 2 days after the $920 service (also included coolant flush, power steering fluid flush) the problem returned.

This time I was also told that the pigtails in the power steering connections are the source. They replaced the connectors and voila the problem is gone. I have been scratching my head ever since and trying to dig more information about it. I'm led to believe that the Honda service people were telling us correct info, its just hard to understand.

I'm sure others would have this problem in the future, just wanted to share my experience with others.

My '03 HO van has always had a habit of mini-lurching while idling at, say, a stoplight. I have to be very cognizant of pressing hard on the brake to avoid hitting the car in front. Anyhow, I've tolerated this problem, that is, until my car started this constant revving, also while idling (after having been picked up from a maintenance service appt, no less!) Vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom, all while remaining under the 1 on the tach. Sometimes the need didn't show the revs happening, but it was noticeable to everyone in the car. And then it would throw in a sudden lurch to see if I were still paying attention. So off to the dealer for a look-see. guess what - my warranty is already up and they said it would be $90 to diagnose. Wonderful. If they can't duplicate the problem, I'm out $90. Wonder of wonders, they verified it and said some flimsy thing like they repaired the cracks in the power steering switch wires. How the heck does the steering impact the revs from the engine??? Granted, I'm just a simple blond lady with no auto/mechanical inclinations, but that didn't ring true for me. Funny thing is, the revs have stopped, but not the lurching. Hmmmmph. Back to square one. The good thing is, I left the dealership with another problem that I have already added to this site, namely the driver's window auto-up button. Is this the cycle of auto-life? Time for a throwback to schwins!