2018 Honda ODYSSEY

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Honda ODYSSEY has 1572 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 19.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is driver assist/cameras problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: driving on i26 traveling east into charleston, sc in second from the left lane, driving at approximately 60 mph during busy rush hour. suddenly, a large suv in the next lane to my left veered into my lane. i turned the wheel sharply to the right to avoid a collision, also similtaneously braking just. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 17 crash reports 23 injuries

1572

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

19.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

348 complaints

22%

• DRIVING ON I26 TRAVELING EAST INTO CHARLESTON, SC IN SECOND FROM THE LEFT LANE, DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH DURING BUSY RUSH HOUR. SUDDENLY, A LARGE SUV IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT VEERED INTO MY LANE. I TURNED THE WHEEL SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A COLLISION, ALSO SIMILTANEOUSLY BRAKING JUST
• DRIVING ON I26 TRAVELING EAST INTO CHARLESTON, SC IN SECOND FROM THE LEFT LANE, DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH DURING BUSY RUSH HOUR. SUDDENLY, A LARGE SUV IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT VEERED INTO MY LANE. I TURNED THE WHEEL SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A COLLISION, ALSO SIMILTANEOUSLY BRAKING JUST
• WHEN DRIVING WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE FREQUENTLY ABRUPTLY DECELERATES WHILE TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF WE ARE BEHIND THE VEHICLE WE ARE TRYING TO PASS AND PULL OUT IN THE LEFT LANE, OR IF WE ARE ALWAYS IN THE LEFT LANE AND JUST APPROACH THE VEHICLE W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 10 crashes

“DRIVING ON I26 TRAVELING EAST INTO CHARLESTON, SC IN SECOND FROM THE LEFT LANE, DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH DURING BUSY RUSH HOUR. SUDDENLY, A LARGE SUV IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT VEERED INTO MY LANE. I TURNED THE WHEEL SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A COLLISION, ALSO SIMILTANEOUSLY BRAKING JUST”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

238 complaints

15%

• WE WERE DRIVING ON I75 NORTH ON SAT JUNE 10. WE WERE RIGHT BEFORE THE ATLANTA MACON SPLIT. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DVD PLAYER TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. THERE WAS NO POWER TO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON IN "PARK"
• NEW 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY ELITE (10-SPEED TRANSMISSION) DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND MANY ERROR MESSAGES APPEARED ABOUT STEERING SYSTEM, BRAKE SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM AND OTHER FAILURES. CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS DOWNSHIFTING. HIGH RPMS FOR SPEEDS WHERE IT SHOULD BE LOWER. SENT TO DEALER FOR 1 WEE
• HORN ON 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY (ELITE & TOURING TRIM LEVELS) FOR SURE. HORN IS A SINGLE TONE LOW NOTE AND IS BARELY NOTICEABLE AND WOEFULLY INADEQUATE. YESTERDAY WHILE TRAVELING ON A NOT VERY BUSY COUNTRY ROAD, I ACTIVATED HORN AT ABOUT A DOZEN BUZZARDS FEASTING ON SOME ROADKILL IN THE ROADWAY AND HAD

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

“WE WERE DRIVING ON I75 NORTH ON SAT JUNE 10. WE WERE RIGHT BEFORE THE ATLANTA MACON SPLIT. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DVD PLAYER TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. THERE WAS NO POWER TO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON IN "PARK"”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

191 complaints

12%

• OUR 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY ELITE HAS A FEATURE CALLED IDLE STOP. THE FEATURE HAS MANY CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET BEFORE IT WILL ACTIVATE. IT SHOULD JUST TURN OFF THE ENGINE WHEN THE CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL IN LIEU OF IDLING. WE ARE SEEING A RANDOM ISSUE WHEN THIS FEATURE A
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND IMMEDIATELY DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SHEEHY HONDA, 7434 RICHMOND HWY, ALEXANDRIA, VA). THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. APPROXIMATELY NINE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REMAINED ON, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. PRIOR TO THIS,

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

“OUR 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY ELITE HAS A FEATURE CALLED IDLE STOP. THE FEATURE HAS MANY CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET BEFORE IT WILL ACTIVATE. IT SHOULD JUST TURN OFF THE ENGINE WHEN THE CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL IN LIEU OF IDLING. WE ARE SEEING A RANDOM ISSUE WHEN THIS FEATURE A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

169 complaints

11%

• IF ACC (ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL) IS ENGAGED (AS WELL LKAS -- I HAVE NOT TESTED WITH ACC ALONE) AND THE CAR GOES DOWN A HILL (EVEN WITH MODERATE SLOPE), THE BRAKES DON'T APPLIED PROPERLY, AND THE CAR SPEED KEEPS ON INCREASING VIOLATING THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING. AT SOME POINT DURING THE VIOLATION, T
• HAVING ISSUE OF ACCELERATION AT ROAD SPEED. WHEN DOING ROAD SPEED I HAVE HAD FLAT ACCELERATION WHEN PRESSING GAS PEDAL. ALMOST FEELS AS IF VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO STALL OR DECELERATE. DEALER WITH VEHICLE AND THEY CAN'T FIND ISSUE. DEALER CLAIMS THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY HONDA COMPANY REPORTS ABOUT THI
• THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN TRYING TO ENTER TRAFFIC AFTER STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION. IT PAUSES FOR UP TO 5 SECONDS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC. THE ANNOYING ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON STOPPING IS, DISABLED AT THE TIME. IT HAS HAPPENED CONSTANTLY SINCE PURCHASED.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“IF ACC (ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL) IS ENGAGED (AS WELL LKAS -- I HAVE NOT TESTED WITH ACC ALONE) AND THE CAR GOES DOWN A HILL (EVEN WITH MODERATE SLOPE), THE BRAKES DON'T APPLIED PROPERLY, AND THE CAR SPEED KEEPS ON INCREASING VIOLATING THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING. AT SOME POINT DURING THE VIOLATION, T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

158 complaints

10%

• WE WERE DRIVING ON I75 NORTH ON SAT JUNE 10. WE WERE RIGHT BEFORE THE ATLANTA MACON SPLIT. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DVD PLAYER TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. THERE WAS NO POWER TO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON IN "PARK"
• NEW 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY ELITE (10-SPEED TRANSMISSION) DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND MANY ERROR MESSAGES APPEARED ABOUT STEERING SYSTEM, BRAKE SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM AND OTHER FAILURES. CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS DOWNSHIFTING. HIGH RPMS FOR SPEEDS WHERE IT SHOULD BE LOWER. SENT TO DEALER FOR 1 WEE
• 1. ONE OF THE TWO KEYS PROVIDED DID NOT OPEN THE DOORS. WE TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND IT WAS REPROGRAMMED. 2. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK, NOT EVEN FROM THE INSIDE. THEY HAD THE DOOR LATCH REPLACED. 3. LAST WEEK THE BACK DOOR WOULD CLOSE BUT WOULD NOT LOCK BY I

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

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1572 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: DRIVING ON I26 TRAVELING EAST INTO CHARLESTON, SC IN SECOND FROM THE LEFT LANE, DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH DURING BUSY RUSH HOUR. SUDDENLY, A LARGE SUV IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT VEERED INTO MY LANE. I TURNED THE WHEEL SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A COLLISION, ALSO SIMILTANEOUSLY BRAKING JUST
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WE WERE DRIVING ON I75 NORTH ON SAT JUNE 10. WE WERE RIGHT BEFORE THE ATLANTA MACON SPLIT. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DVD PLAYER TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. THERE WAS NO POWER TO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON IN "PARK"
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: OUR 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY ELITE HAS A FEATURE CALLED IDLE STOP. THE FEATURE HAS MANY CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET BEFORE IT WILL ACTIVATE. IT SHOULD JUST TURN OFF THE ENGINE WHEN THE CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL IN LIEU OF IDLING. WE ARE SEEING A RANDOM ISSUE WHEN THIS FEATURE A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: IF ACC (ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL) IS ENGAGED (AS WELL LKAS -- I HAVE NOT TESTED WITH ACC ALONE) AND THE CAR GOES DOWN A HILL (EVEN WITH MODERATE SLOPE), THE BRAKES DON'T APPLIED PROPERLY, AND THE CAR SPEED KEEPS ON INCREASING VIOLATING THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING. AT SOME POINT DURING THE VIOLATION, T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)