2013 Honda ODYSSEY

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Honda ODYSSEY has 275 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: upon starting from a stop sign or red light, there is sometimes a "hesitation" where the tachometer falls from around 2000 rpm to about 1000, then recovers after about 1 second. the car has been to the dealer twice - they are unable to replicate the condition. *tr. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 19 crash reports 16 injuries

275

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

75 complaints

27%

• UPON STARTING FROM A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, THERE IS SOMETIMES A "HESITATION" WHERE THE TACHOMETER FALLS FROM AROUND 2000 RPM TO ABOUT 1000, THEN RECOVERS AFTER ABOUT 1 SECOND. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE - THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE CONDITION. *TR
• A DEER RAN IN FRONT OF OUR 2013 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN, WE HIT THE DEER DEAD CENTER NEITHER HEADLIGHT WAS BROKEN HOWEVER, THE GRILL, AC CONDENSER, FAN, GRILL, BUMPER, HOOD, LOCK ASSEMBLY AND SECURITY SYSTEM , RADIATOR SUPPORT AND MANY OTHER PARTS WERE DAMAGED TOTALING $4263.06. THE MOST INTERESTINGLY IN
• AIR CONDITION IN THE VEHICLE COMES BY ITSELF AND GOES OFF AFTER CERTAIN TIME EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IS OFF. WE GET COLD IN THE VEHICLE AND DOESN'T HAVE ANYWAY TO SWITCH IT OFF. DRIVER NEED TO SWITCH OFF FAN WHEN IT'S TOO COLD AND SWITCH ON THE FAN WHEN THE CABIN BECOMES HOT. HAVING DRIVERS MIND IN M

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“UPON STARTING FROM A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, THERE IS SOMETIMES A "HESITATION" WHERE THE TACHOMETER FALLS FROM AROUND 2000 RPM TO ABOUT 1000, THEN RECOVERS AFTER ABOUT 1 SECOND. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE - THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE CONDITION. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

56 complaints

20%

• WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE HONDA DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD. *TR
• THE BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BECOME WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE RESURFACED. ONLY THREE THOUSAND MILES AFTER THE REPAIR THE BRAKE ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE. DRIVING HABITS ARE NOT THE CAUSE - AS THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS EVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READY MULT
• VEHICLE IS JUST 1 YR OLD, AND HAS A LITTLE OVER 12000 MILES. WHEN I DRIVE AT 50MPH OR HIGH AND APPLY BRAKES STEERING SHAKES SERIOUSLY. THE DEALER SAID THE ROTORS NEED RESURFACING, AND IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. 15 DAYS AFTER THEY DID IT, THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN, AND THE DEALER SAYS IT NEE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE HONDA DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

20 complaints

• THE THIRD ROW, RIGHT HAND SIDE ARM REST/CUP HOLDER AREA WALL GETS HOT TO A POINT THAT PASSENGER ON THAT SIDE CANNOT SIT AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A PERSON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COOLING/AIRCONDITIONING OF THE CAR AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE FIRE. *TR
• WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE 2013 MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE DO NOT SOUND THE BEEPER IF THE DRIVER OR FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS OPEN WHILE DRIVING. PAGE 77 OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL CLEARLY STATES "THE BEEPER SOUNDS AND THE INDICATOR COMES ON IF ANY DOOR OR THE TAILGATE IS OPEN WHILE DRIVING." WE HAVE CONTAC
• CHILD OPERATED BUTTON TOO CLOSE AUTOMATIC REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND REACHED BEHIND FOR SEAT BELT. IT WAS DARK AND THE CHILD WAS FEELING AROUND FOR THE BELT, WHEN THE DOOR CLOSED ON CHILD'S HAND AND CRUSHED FINGERS. THIS WAS IN THE REAR PART OF THE DOOR, NEXT TO WHERE THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR IS. CHILD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“THE THIRD ROW, RIGHT HAND SIDE ARM REST/CUP HOLDER AREA WALL GETS HOT TO A POINT THAT PASSENGER ON THAT SIDE CANNOT SIT AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A PERSON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COOLING/AIRCONDITIONING OF THE CAR AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE FIRE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

20 complaints

• THE THIRD ROW, RIGHT HAND SIDE ARM REST/CUP HOLDER AREA WALL GETS HOT TO A POINT THAT PASSENGER ON THAT SIDE CANNOT SIT AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A PERSON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COOLING/AIRCONDITIONING OF THE CAR AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE FIRE. *TR
• 2010 & 2013 HONDA ODYSSEY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RADIO ISSUES IN BOTH VEHICLES. *SMD THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE 2010 MODEL. HOWEVER, WHEN HE DID OWN THE VEHICLE, THE SIRUS XM SATELLITE RADIO WOULD CHANGE STATIONS ON ITS OWN, OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD. DURING THAT PERIOD, TWO RADIOS W
• AS VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE, OCCUPANTS HEARD A SUDDEN, LOUD NOISE FROM ROOF OF CAR. NO FLYING DEBRIS WAS NOTED, NO OTHER VEHICLES NEARBY, NO TREES, ETC. IN VICINITY. AS SOON AS WAS SAFE, WE EXITED INTERSTATE AND OPENED SUNROOF COVER TO FIND THAT THE GLASS HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED, AND TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

15 complaints

• AIR CONDITION IN THE VEHICLE COMES BY ITSELF AND GOES OFF AFTER CERTAIN TIME EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IS OFF. WE GET COLD IN THE VEHICLE AND DOESN'T HAVE ANYWAY TO SWITCH IT OFF. DRIVER NEED TO SWITCH OFF FAN WHEN IT'S TOO COLD AND SWITCH ON THE FAN WHEN THE CABIN BECOMES HOT. HAVING DRIVERS MIND IN M
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED HIM THAT THE HUMIDITY SENSOR ACTIVATED
• THE VIEW SCREEN WHICH IS SHARED BY THE CLOCK, RADIO, PHONE AND BACK UP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN WEARING POLARIZED SUNGLASSES THE BOTTOM RIGHT QUADRANT AND PART OF THE BOTTOM LEFT QUADRANT OF THE SCREEN ARE BLACKED OUT WITH A YELLOWISH EDGE. THIS MAKES BACKING UP ON SUNNY DAYS HAZARDOUS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“AIR CONDITION IN THE VEHICLE COMES BY ITSELF AND GOES OFF AFTER CERTAIN TIME EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH IS OFF. WE GET COLD IN THE VEHICLE AND DOESN'T HAVE ANYWAY TO SWITCH IT OFF. DRIVER NEED TO SWITCH OFF FAN WHEN IT'S TOO COLD AND SWITCH ON THE FAN WHEN THE CABIN BECOMES HOT. HAVING DRIVERS MIND IN M”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 275 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: UPON STARTING FROM A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT, THERE IS SOMETIMES A "HESITATION" WHERE THE TACHOMETER FALLS FROM AROUND 2000 RPM TO ABOUT 1000, THEN RECOVERS AFTER ABOUT 1 SECOND. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE - THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE CONDITION. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO SHAKE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE HONDA DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ROTORS ARE WARPED, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: THE THIRD ROW, RIGHT HAND SIDE ARM REST/CUP HOLDER AREA WALL GETS HOT TO A POINT THAT PASSENGER ON THAT SIDE CANNOT SIT AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A PERSON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COOLING/AIRCONDITIONING OF THE CAR AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE FIRE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE THIRD ROW, RIGHT HAND SIDE ARM REST/CUP HOLDER AREA WALL GETS HOT TO A POINT THAT PASSENGER ON THAT SIDE CANNOT SIT AND IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A PERSON.THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COOLING/AIRCONDITIONING OF THE CAR AS WELL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE FIRE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)