general problems of the 2018 Honda Odyssey - part 1

Upon pressing the accelerator from a complete stop, the vehicle does not respond right away. The main incident was when traveling around 50 miles per hour on a highway, the van shifted into neutral on its own and the accelerator would not respond. An error message of transmission failure showed on the dash briefly. The van had to coast through traffic an eventually push off the road.

Vehicle lags in acceleration from a slow rolling start, at random times. There is a clear 1-2 second lag in the acceleration, then a sudden harsh shift into gear. Mostly happens during turns, and if traffic is present, may cause an accident. Also when traveling at low speeds 20-35 mph, there is a transmission jutter. Have spoken with service reps at dealerships and they claim to have no knowledge of these transmission issues.

After I received a software update for my 2018 Honda Odyssey elite the car has been stalling when idle. It is very dangerous because I will be at a stop light in drive, and the vehicle will shut off with no power. Cars will be behind me or no cars, and I have almost been rear ended. I did not have this problem until I received the new software update. It keeps occurring more and more often.

My vehicle repeatedly and unexpectedly shifts into neutral while in drive, causing a sudden loss of power in traffic. This has happened multiple times without any input from me and has nearly caused a crash.

The transmission failed at 108k miles. Honda is charging 10000usd for repair. They want to replace the 9 speed transmission. This transmission is notorious for failure and Honda hasn’t issued a recall yet.

2018 Honda Odyssey (10-speed automatic transmission) what happened: the vehicle is experiencing intermittent loss of reverse and delayed gear engagement from a stop. When shifting into reverse or drive, the engine revs but the vehicle does not immediately move, then jerks into gear. The issue is worse when cold. Warning lights / codes: check engine light on. Honda dealer retrieved diagnostic trouble code p0763 – shift solenoid c electrical. The code returned as a hard code after being cleared. Safety risk: the vehicle hesitates or fails to move when shifting into reverse or from a stop, creating a safety risk in traffic, parking situations, and when backing up. Current status: diagnosed by Honda dealership. Repair recommended. Honda corporate case opened.

Summary: engine seized due to internal bearing failure with metal shavings found in oil filter. Full description: my 2018 Honda Odyssey experienced a sudden engine failure around 116,500 miles. The dealer confirmed the engine is seized and showed significant metal shavings in the oil filter and pan. I have performed all maintenance according to Honda’s recommended schedule using the correct oil and filters. Honda corporate denied assistance based solely on mileage, even though this issue matches symptoms described in current NHTSA investigation pe25-001 (connecting rod bearing failure in Honda 3. 5l v6 engines). There were no prior warnings other than a brief check-engine light and rough running before the engine locked up. The vehicle was in motion at the time and could have caused a hazardous stall, serious injury, or death. Given that Honda has issued recalls for similar rod bearing defects in other model years (2015–2020) and this failure mode presents a clear safety risk (loss of power, engine seizure), I request NHTSA include my case in its investigation and compel Honda to extend recall coverage to 2018 Odyssey owners. I can provide dealer diagnostic reports, photos of the oil filter debris, and all maintenance records if needed.

On [xxx], while driving in traffic, my 2018 Honda Odyssey suddenly and without warning shifted itself into park. The vehicle slammed to a stop in the middle of an intersection, stranding my family and creating a serious risk of collision and injury. The vehicle would not move afterward and had to be towed from the scene. After the failure, the dashboard displayed multiple warnings: “transmission problem,” “stop driving when safe,” “emission system problem,” and *“blind spot information system problem. ” the gear shift indicator also blinked. The Odyssey has remained undrivable since the incident. The vehicle is at stockton 12 Honda in sandy, utah, where the dealer confirmed a hard transmission failure (ro #[xxx]). Honda corporate opened two cases (#[xxx] and #[xxx]). Despite my repeated calls and emails, Honda’s assigned case manager verbally denied coverage on sept 12, 2025, stating the denial would only be reflected in Honda’s internal case notes. This failure is identical to the defect described in NHTSA recall 19v-299, in which the transmission control unit (tcu) can reboot due to low voltage and cause the transmission to shift into park while driving. Although my VIN is not currently flagged, my Odyssey ex-l uses the same zf 9-speed transmission and tcu as affected trims. I have a tow record, witnesses, and video evidence documenting the event. The vehicle remains disabled, leaving my family without safe transportation. This is a serious safety defect that should require investigation and expansion of the existing recall. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2018 Honda Odyssey gear shifting switch letters are rubbing off. This caused the drive to click wrong button as they do not have letters to identify the functionality of the each button. This can cause accidents. I see many online forums customers are discussing the same issue. . Read more...

Rod knock diagnosed and confirmed by dealership July 15, 2025. Van is currently at dealership and is available for inspection. I have paused work to allow Honda (case 15705425) and now this team the opportunity to diagnose and inspect first hand. Inspection and first hand visuals have only been completed by certified Honda dealerships. All warnings and my concerns are documented in our ros with Honda dealerships. When any light or reminder came on, I immediately took the van to Honda for service. Safety: slow starts and sluggish acceleration. Noise that was not normal. Out to eat 30 minutes away from home July 13 and van wouldn’t start. Dealership thought initially battery but then kept van overnight and nod rock confirmed. Also repaired back suspension. Additional details: problem has been reproduced and confirmed. Have been experiencing slow start, van not driving properly. Our family went out to lunch July 13 and van wouldn’t start. Waited handful of minutes and then started. Immediately took to dealership next day. Honda dealerships have done all servicing and repairs on this van. (I was told there are 55 repair totaling $22k for your research purposes. ) Honda notified me July 29, 2025 that they will not offer any assistance and/or goodwill because of the age and mileage of the van. Escalating case 15705425 up Honda chain - we have been very loyal to Honda. As of today, July 31, 2025: van sits at dealership; has been there since July 14, 2025. I have been advised not to drive the van, esp on the highway. I want to keep the van and want to drive it for many more years. Took very good care of it and followed all of Hondas recommendations for servicing. Just put brand new tires front suspension (March 2025) and rear suspension (July 2025) on it as well. Appreciate your investigation. I’m working diligently to do the right thing and allow the proper people time to investigate the van before any work begins on the engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the failure has caused the vehicle to hesitate while attempting to accelerate. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions while driving on the interstate and the freeway. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the software needed to be updated and the vehicle needed to be driven approximately five thousand miles to correct the failure. The vehicle was repaired, and the transmission was replaced once before. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, the warranty department failed to return the call. The approximate failure mileage was 108,900.

As reported previously to Honda the vehicle jerks when accelerating at high speeds. It was recommended to die a transmission flush which was performed and did not resolve the issue. Slow acceleration at times is also a safety issue especially on highways.

Engine has been running very rough the last 20k miles, and east coast Honda in surfside beach, SC noted engine bearing wear prior to the rough engine performance during a service visit in may 2023. In June-July 2025 driving on interstate 95 driving between washington d. C. And surfside beach, SC, we went to pass and the engine cut rpm's drastically and went into 'limp mode' nearly causing an accident with the sudden decrease in speed. We have asked american Honda customer service [800-999-1009] to provide an engine evaluation but they have declined and have stated our VIN is not included in the rod bearing recall/TSB. We did mentioned about the further investigation for 2018 Honda Odyssey's but was advised any action we take would not be compensated since the vehicle is out of warranty by date and mileage (73,000 miles).

The transmission is very jerky and has completely lost power before. It has refused to shift and stalled in the middle of the road. It is very scary.

Honda issued a recall on the fuel pump December 2023. They did not have any parts available to replace mine. I had brought in my Odyssey elite to space coast Honda multiple times before the recall stating my engine wouldn't crank. I was unable to get the fuel pump replaced until December 5, 2024. One year after the recall. I am now getting emissions system problems and stop driving when safe engine temperature too hot. The dignostics that were pulled were p219a secondary p219a, p0420, p219a. Also, my intake manifold gaskets are leaking coolant. I have had nothing but problems with this van since April 5, 2023 with my car not starting and stalling. My kids and I were stranded at their school two times and there were multiple times at my work. I don't believe I should have to pay thousands of dollars for these items to be replaced since I believe they're an issue due to me driving on a faulty fuel pump. I even called Honda customer service multiple times and they told me to keep driving it even though I expressed concern for my kids and having been stranded multiple times. Both dealerships said there was nothing wrong even though I brought it in multiple times for the same issue.

The vehicle would make noises and stalls during accelerations and decelerations. It would struggle to shift into gear, especially from 1st to 2nd gear. When the vehicle comes to a stop at traffic lights or stop signs, it's really hard to get the car to move when accelerating. In high speed on the highway, the vehicle would struggle to increase speed when accelerating and the vehicle would automatically slow down and get weighted down. This would result in having to pull over. Sometimes, the vehicle would not be able to be put into park, and automatically shifts to neutral not allowing it to be put into park mode. When attempting to put it back onto drive, the vehicle would not go and emission and transmission warning would start flashing. The majority of the time, the emission or transmission warnings would not flash. This is very frightening because I was not able to control the speed of the vehicle, and luckily when the car automatically shift to n and came to a stop, I was able to pullover to the side of the busy highway right on time. The car has been inspected for the same issues in the last 3-4 years by the dealership for the same problem. The transmission fluid got changed and that was all. Now it's happening again.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated when the vehicle was shifted into park(p), the contact was unable to shift the vehicle out of park(p) into drive(d). The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v299000 (power train, electrical system); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 700.

I have had four diagnostics on this vehicle and it's pointing to sensors which are inside the transmission transmission was not leaking and wasn't slipping or nothing I went to get in the vehicle after it was sitting for an hour and I put it in reverse it went right back in the park I put it in dry went right back in the park I couldn't get it out of the park and it was saying on the dash that stop driving one safe transmission problem emission system problems okay like a four diagnostics that are saying that it is sensors transmission pressure sensor a park neutral switch is bad power source failure steering angle low voltage sensor failure four different things I cannot get any help I hear a bunch of different stories some are saying the transmission not so we're saying it's not a transmission isn't slipping I drove it car was fine it won't go into drive I've been told and I researches so much that if it's happened on the road it could slam in the park the be able to roll they could crash it's a very bad safety issue there are recalls on 50,000 of this year of the Honda Odyssey I'm being told that my VIN number is not on the recall list I don't understand why not it's doing exactly what all the other 50,000 recalls are doing and I can't get help fixing mine.

Transmission failure. We had issues with acceleration and hesitation. When brought to the dealership they didn’t find anything wrong, but then the transmission ended up failing completely.

[xxx]: van failed while driving on interstate / all dash / warning lights while driving on [xxx] / car inoperable while driving / towed to crest Honda, nashville TN Feb 11, 2025: crest Honda repaired airbag and replaced negative battery connector and cable (believed to be the source of the [xxx] van operations failure. Drove it home (6-7 miles) from Honda dealer. Later that evening, started van at house - all warning lights / would not go into gear. Towed to crest Honda Feb 12. Feb 14, 2025: crest Honda said transmission had failed, it was not the battery connector, provided a quote $7714. In March 2025, crest Honda replaced the transmission for total price of $7714. 65 - I paid for the transmission. The transmission failed at 117k miles. The van has a comprehensive dealer service history, including all transmissions fluid changes. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6.

In several occasions there is a delay in acceleration. This typically is happening when I take off from a stop sign and turning, others I have literally been on highway merging and loss all acceleration al though I can hear rpm ramp up, there is no action till 10-15 seconds later. I am very lucky no was injured in that instance and could have been a terrible accident going 70+. I see this is an ongoing issue, and because it is not consistent in manner people fail to repair/research issue.

My 2018 Honda Odyssey experienced a heavy snowfall in January 2025. The control panel displayed an alarm, power tailgate problem , and the trunk door could not be opened. I asked a professional who pointed out that it is usually due to water intrusion into the control unit located on the rear driver's side body panel, which causes the tailgate to fail to open, close normally, or even open accidentally. They believe that this is a manufacturing defect caused by the manufacturer and there is a safety hazard. For safety reasons, I went to the dealer for an inspection. They said they could not find the cause but that the control panel was broken and needed to be replaced. I had to spend a lot of money to replace it. But I still think that the problem was caused by the manufacturer itself.

I just had several recalls completed on my van. The issue that they couldn’t fix (which I have seen on so many message boards) my car stalls when starting from a stop. If I’m at a stop sign and press the gas nothing happens for 2-3 seconds and then it will catch and take off throwing everything in the car and the people forward. It is terrifying! I’ve had it happen with cars approaching and just been a sitting duck, thank the lord it engaged in time. This seems to be a very prevalent issue and I don’t understand why a recall hasn’t been done before someone dies. My trunk also doesn’t work automatically anymore and they said I had a leak that would be $300 to diagnose and $500 to fix. I know ther are lawsuits for both of these issues. Recalls need to be issued.

Issue-1 high pressure fuel pump in the engine bay (no the fuel pump that was recalled for some vins) failed at 88000 miles. There was a loud motorcycle exhaust kind of sound coming from the engine bay , which is more audible from inside the cabin than from the engine bay itself. Took it to service center for a 1500$ replacement. Wrote to Honda customer care , but they rejected by claim and goodwill refund saying there is not recall for this item. It is example of poor quality of Honda these days especially with this 2018 nine speed model. Issue-2 major safety issue. The vehicle doesn't accelerate while moving from a complete stop or turning into a busy intersection , making us prone to big collison from oncoming traffic. The vehicle lags for 3-5 seconds before it accelerate rapidly. This is an ongoing issue with this model which Honda ignores and is a disaster waiting to happen. Nhtsa should look into this and recall all Honda 2018 9 speeed Odysseys to fix this issue. It is been 6 years and Honda comfortably ignoring this safety hazard especially for a vehicle meant for kids.

When trying to accelerate from a stop either in an intersection or from a driveway the vehicle takes a long moment before it responds. . . Leaving my family vulnerable to cars coming from the opposite direction. I think it's the transmission but it could have to do with the fuel intake. . . It has been ongoing for months and months. The dealer has attempted to rectify but to not avail. . . . Very dangerous.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to park(p), and the vehicle shut off while approaching a traffic light. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while driving and exiting a parking lot. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Transmission hesitation when turning from stop. Scary when traffic is coming. Not safe and seems to be a common, known issue. . Read more...

We started hearing a metal knocking type noise on start-up and acceleration. We took it to a mechanic who diagnosed it as a rod-bearing problem. Then we took it to the Honda dealership thinking it was related to recall 23v751000 which also deals with 2018 Honda Odysseys, but for some reason our VIN was not included in that recall even though our problem sounds exactly like what is mentioned in the recall. The dealership said we are 6 months out of warranty and would therefore need a new engine. I used one costs $9,000 and a new one would be $22,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "engine management system failure" was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that there was a failure with the engine and the transmission. The dealer was then notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the engine or the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Forward collision warning comes up on vehicle. There is a problem with the transmission. The car automatically shifts itself from d to s.

I bought new and have 59,000 miles on the car. During the past year or two, when I get to a stop sign and about to cross or turn into a busy road (that has no traffic signs for the cars traveling on that road), the car hesitates when I step on the gas pedal, then after a second or two, the car lurches forward (abruptly) while screeching the tires. My analysis is that there is something about making several complete stops in short succession (as a driver would do in an attempt to inch into a busy intersection of fast moving traffic in order to get a better view and position the car for a smoother merge) which triggers the car to stall for a second or two. I say this because it does not happen at any other types of intersections. The danger here is that a second or two is crucial in avoiding a crash when you are trying to merge into a gap in traffic. Then after hesitation, the car lunging forward in an uncontrolled manner can cause an inexperienced driver to loose control of the vehicle during a turn. There are many similar complaints filed with NHTSA and posted on online owner forums. Many owners have reported to Honda, but Honda’s response is that this is how the car is supposed to drive. Nhtsa, where are you? we need help on this.

At critical accelerating situations (turning, merging, passing. . . ) the minivan will hesitate, and no power is delivered to the wheels. As a result, the car does not perform as intended and can cause an accident when turning, merging, or attempting to pass. The only resolution is to remove any pressure from the accelerator and allow the car 1-2 seconds to recover, then you can usually accelerate slowly. Sometimes this has happened multiple times in the same accelerating event. This happens on 2018-2019 Honda Odysseys with 3. 5l v6 with zf 9hp transmissions. This has happened multiple times and Honda has failed to correct this issue. This is a known issue and has been part of a class action lawsuit. The most recent incident occured yesterday and the vehicle automatically shifted into neutral and would no long drive.

While driving, the transmission will go into limp mode and will not drive over 40 mph. Comes on and off intermittently. Will not show error code. Was almost rear ended by semi trailer when happened.

On the week of may 3rd my car began to shift into different gears with no notice or reason while driving, when it would do this it would show a warning signal on the dash that stated"transmission issue!" and the gear letter would flash on the dash. I brought the car in to the dealership it was purchased from (ira Honda saco, me) as the car was shifting into reverse and park while driving causing significant safety issues for myself and my children in the car. When I arrived I was told there was issue with loaners although the service employee was great in helping me find one eventually that day as I'm a solo parent with multiple children. However, when I brought the car I said there was a recall on the transmission for this exact issue. I was told my make model and year matched but not the VIN so it couldn't be the transmission recall/issue. Then I was told the issue was the fuel injectors but that they were not covered by any warranty so I'd need to pay out of pocket. Then I was told it was partially covered and I ended up paying out of pocket for the remainder and was told the car was all set no more issues, it's fixed, completely safe to drive. Now barely 4 weeks later on 6/1024 while driving on the highway the car slams into park with the same exact warning flashing on the dash. The car behind me nearly rear ended me and my seatbelt engaged as I was going 65mph and came to a complete halt, causing bruising to my chest and collar bone. I immediately brought it back to the dealership and they suddenly say it's the transmission (like I said last month) but that it's not under warranty and is $6300 to repair that Honda can't guarantee they can cover with a claim and they also don't have a loaner or any vehicle I can use to safely transport myself or my children. Yet the only reason I am at the dealership with a car that has now twice nearly caused severe injury events or death is due to the dealership's misdiagnosis of the issue and the guarantee the car was fixed.

On April 13th, 2024 our son was driving the family 2018 Honda Odyssey (approx 83,000 miles) in a nearby city. He was driving at 43 mph when the vehicle shifted from drive to neutral without his shifting it. He tried to brake using the brake pedal but was unable to stop or slow the vehicle. He also tried to accelerate and was unable to accelerate the vehicle. All the lights on the dashboard lit up and he was forced to use the emergency brake to stop the minivan. A good samaritan stopped and assuming that the battery was the problem, tried to help jump-start the vehicle -- but they were unable to start the car. Our son called us, and I drove 20 or so miles to his location. After trying a jump box in the vehicle, we called aaa. After trying a jump start and a new battery, at this point the technician said that the vehicle would need to be towed. The transmission of the minivan appeared to be locked and the towing company was not able to find a means to unlock the transmission. As a result, the front tires were placed on skids, which allowed the minivan to be drawn up onto the bed of the tow vehicle and towed the vehicle 20 miles to the local dealer, which had originally sold us the vehicle and had completed all recent maintenance. On Monday, the Honda service technician assessed it. We were advised that the 2018 Odyssey would require a new engine. After involving american Honda, we learned that the transmission was also affected, and the car would need to have $28,000 of repairs. After a month of discussions with american Honda, they closed our case without a teardown to identify root cause of the event. Our son could easily have been killed by being in a vehicle that could not be controlled while it was moving down the street. He used the only means available to him to stop the vehicle – the emergency parking brake. American Honda has told us that we must pay the $1600 to tear the engine apart to learn the cause. We have more history than can fit here.