Power Train Problems of Honda Odyssey - part 1

Vehicle driving at highway speeds and put itself into park while at speed without operator intervention. Vehicle became uncontrollable and an extreme hazard.

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Vehicle has stopped running multiple times while at stop signs or traffic lights when engine is at idle and not running. The vehicle has to be restarted to go after shutting off while in traffic. It is very concerning when this happens in live traffic. The dealer has had the vehicle for days and were not able to replicate what happened. Asked me for more information on what was being used when it happened. They say they ran tests and were unable to get any codes to show what might have happened. The only thing I have seen was reports that the idle stop feature was unavailable previously. Not sure when that happened? this has happened at least 6 different times, last time being may 8th 2026.

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The auto-idle off feature - yes the stall happened in a situation where cars behind me would have expected me to start moving and could have resulted in a rear-end collision. The vehicle has stalled like this three times. The other two times were not in public or traffic situations. It has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It has not been inspected by anyone else. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure, only after.

The vehicle's auto idle stop system is malfunctioning, resulting in the engine failing to restart from a complete stop. This total failure has occurred on five separate occasions, including while stopped in active traffic intersections. Prior to these total restart failures, the vehicle showed the following symptoms: 1) initially, the vehicle experienced rough engine idling, abnormal vibrations, and a raw gasoline odor after driving. 2) this progressed to a noticeable delay between releasing the brake pedal and the engine attempting to ignite, during which the starter sometimes sounded strained. 3) this has culminated in the current defect where the engine shuts off normally when stopped at an intersection, but completely fails to immediately restart when the brake is released. This defect completely immobilizes the vehicle in active traffic lanes, exposing us to an immediate and severe risk of a rear-end collision. When the engine fails to restart, the vehicle locks the transmission out of drive and triggers a warning on the dashboard. It is a highly hazardous situation, especially with a lot of distracted drivers on the roadways.

My 2024 Honda Odyssey ex-l has a recurring auto idle stop failure. About 1–2 times per week, when stopped at a light and auto idle stop engages, the engine fails to restart properly when I release the brake. The engine sputters or shuts down, the battery warning light comes on, and the vehicle shifts itself into park. I then have to hold the start button for several seconds to restart the engine. This creates a safety risk because the vehicle becomes disabled in active traffic when the light turns green. The vehicle was previously taken to a Honda dealer for this issue, and the battery was replaced, but the problem continues.

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I am writing to open a formal complaint regarding a serious transmission defect in my 2019 Honda Odyssey (VIN: [xxx] ). My vehicle is currently exhibiting symptoms that directly match the 'transmission programming defect' documented in ongoing litigation, specifically symptoms: while accelerating produce rough and delayed shifting; sudden jerking, sudden, harsh accelerations and decelerations; and a sudden loss of power. I am aware of case no. Xxx (xxx v. American Honda motor CO. ) and case no. Xxx (xxx v. American Honda motor CO. ), which allege that the 9-speed zf 9hp transmission in my model year suffers from a design defect. These transmission failures create a significant safety hazard. Recently my van report code as transmission system problem the second time. We got mechanic checked and confirmed it is transmission issue. The first time when it happened, we drove the van on highway and suddenly it lose power and slow down by itself. There was no response even we applied gas. We went down highway and drove to a close-by repair shop. They replaced some part for us but it didn't resolve the issue. This time since the error comes, it won't speed up in lower speed except the speed goes beyond 40-50 miles plus. When we back the car, it responses slow or none. It comes with big noise also now. It definitely gets worst. The very common issue when you stop and start to move, it never responses from the beginning even we applied gas, even the passenger can feel the reluctance. It also happens when the van turns. We also had the experience when driving on the highway, it speeded automatically without driver applied the gas. It feels like someone pushing us behind. There was transmission control unit recall for 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey (touring/elite). Honda actually knows the issue but they didn't reveal this to their customer. This brings life threatening concerns on the highway. I hope this complaint can save lives and family information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(.

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My 2019 Honda odessey has had transmission issues since the very beginning. I've experienced jerking/shaking, hesitation before accelerating, delayed shifting, sudden loss of power. Fortunately none of this has resulted in any accident or injury. Unfortunately, yesterday (4/4/2026) I got charged $271. 34 to have to transmission warning light read only to be told, "we cleared all dtc then test drove the vehicle. No dtc found after we drove the car. . . If the consumer complain again he will have to replace the transmission. " of course the warning light appeared again today. The dealership seems to be completely unaware of the multitude of transmission issues documented even though this appears to be a known and well documented defect based on the class action lawsuit browning, et al. V. American Honda motor CO. , inc. , et al. They charge me for the analysis and send me on my way as if they have no idea what is going on with my vehicle. I am the sole owner and have kept the vehicle well maintained at leith Honda, 3940 capital hills drive, raleigh, nc 27616 and I have had all manufacturers recalls handled in a timely manner. I'm sure they can provide service records if needed. The bottom line is they are not being fully transparent and I am paying for their lack of transparency and more importantly putting me and my family at risk by not disclosing the potential risk due to the faulty transmission in these vehicles.

Our 2018 Honda Odyssey repeatedly and without warning completely loses acceleration power, creating extremely dangerous driving conditions. This occurs in two distinct situations:(1)while driving at highway speeds when attempting to change lanes or accelerate, and(2)when stopped at a stop sign or intersection and pressing the gas to merge into or turn into traffic. In both situations, pressing the accelerator results in little to no response — the vehicle will roll but fails to accelerate as needed. These failures have placed our family in multiple life-threatening situations. On interstate 285 in atlanta, georgia — one of the busiest and highest-speed highways in the country — our vehicle has failed to accelerate during lane changes on multiple occasions, nearly causing serious accidents. Most recently, within the past week, my husband was driving on I-285 when he pressed the accelerator and the vehicle had absolutely zero acceleration response. He narrowly avoided a collision. We have also experienced complete loss of acceleration when turning from a stop sign into traffic and when merging — situations where immediate acceleration is critical to safety. The vehicle lags for several seconds before any power is delivered to the wheels, leaving us dangerously exposed in oncoming traffic. All manufacturer recalls have been completed, including the fuel pump recall. The problem persists and has not been resolved by any dealer service or recall repair performed to date. We are aware that this is a known, widespread defect affecting 2018 Honda Odysseys equipped with the zf 9-speed automatic transmission. Hundreds of other owners have reported identical symptoms to NHTSA and to Honda directly. Honda has acknowledged the transmission's behavior to some owners but has stated it is "how the car is supposed to drive" — a response that is wholly unacceptable given the documented near-accidents this defect is causing. We are requesting that NHTSA open or expand its investigation.

Car shifts out of drive and reverse to park randomly. It also doesnt shift out of first gear on a cold start. I have to stop the vehicle, shift back into park and turn the car off then on again before it will shift out of first gear.

When driving the transmission is slipping meaning it jerks forward when accelerating on the road.

I am reporting a safety issue involving my 2019 Honda Odyssey transmission. Since early ownership, the vehicle has had ongoing hesitation and delayed response when accelerating, especially during gear shifts. Over time, this condition has worsened and now includes intermittent loss of power when pressing the accelerator, followed by sudden jerking or lurching forward. The most serious incident occurred recently when the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into park while moving in a parking lot, creating a dangerous and unsafe condition. Additionally, there have been multiple instances where the vehicle hesitated in intersections, creating a risk of collision due to lack of response when attempting to accelerate. Honda dealership technicians have acknowledged that these vehicles are known to have rough or problematic shifting, indicating this may be a broader issue. The final issue has resulted in the vehicle being towed to the dealership for a full evaluation.

Approximately 7 months ago, my 2015 Honda Odyssey experienced an engine misfire with code p0302 (cylinder 2). All spark plugs were replaced at that time and the issue appeared resolved. However, the misfire has now returned with the check engine light on, again indicating cylinder misfire. The vehicle only has 71,000 miles on it, which makes this recurring issue particularly concerning. Based on my research, this appears to be a known defect related to Honda’s variable cylinder management (vcm) system causing excessive oil consumption and spark plug fouling — an issue documented across 2013–2017 Odyssey vehicles and addressed under Honda service bulletin 25-061. I am requesting this complaint be on record and urge NHTSA to investigate this as a safety-related defect. ”.

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After being on idle on a stop light, when releasing the brake to go, warning on dash says "collision mitigation warning" when nothing hit the car and I'm there's enough distance with the car in front and behind. The severity has increased now, after being idle, when releasing the brake, it now completely shuts off, dash says "shift to park", and can't go, unless I push the ignition button. Took it 3x for the same errors on dash, Honda said the 1st time it was low battery, battery was running on low juice and didnt have power to come back from idle, they changed the battery. Now they say they need to replace the starter after few thou$and$. I see online this happening to others too. I fear the car behind me, may rear end me, because I can't go, green light is on, but I can't move as I'm re-starting the vehicle after being on idle. Honda says my VIN is not part of the bad batch. It's happening more frequently and Honda said they were able to replicate.

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My 2019 Honda Odyssey is currently diagnosed with a connecting rod bearing failure, which matches the safety defect in NHTSA recall 23v-751. While my VIN is excluded, I am reporting this as part of the NHTSA investigation pe25-008. For several months leading up to the failure, I noticed a faint, repetitive knocking sound coming from under the hood. During my regular service visits to authorized Honda dealerships (including a visit in December 2025 at approximately 80,000 miles), I mentioned these unusual noises and asked the technicians to verify the vehicle's safety. On at least one occasion, repairs were made to the steering system to address noises, but the engine knocking persisted and eventually worsened until the rod bearing failure was confirmed in January 2026. This defect presents a serious risk of sudden engine seizure and loss of motive power at highway speeds.

Vehicle intermittently loses propulsion during acceleration when merging. Engine rpm remains low despite throttle input. After a delay, transmission re-engages abruptly with a metallic scraping noise. This creates unsafe merging conditions. This happened today, 2/14/2026 in 4 instances in the same trip. It has also occurred approximately 50 other times over the past six months when the mileage was as low as 66,100 miles.

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The failure had occurred while driving from a stoplight, while the auto idle system was enabled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The failure had occurred three times; however, the failure had not reoccurred after turning off the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that the failure might not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,549.

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.

Our 2019 Honda Odyssey ex-l was our primary family vehicle. We conducted all routine maintenance as required by Honda, including transmission fluid exchange. Our vehicle experienced rough shifting consistently and at 102,000 miles experienced a total failure in the transmission dog clutch, with emissions lighting also being present. Vehicle required a tow to Honda and was cited" internal failure in the transmission. The confirmed related dtc's are p0841: transmission fluid pressure sensor/switch a circuit range/performance; p0844: dog clutch malfunction; p0170a: dog clutch abnormal operation. Parts $:5,736. 73/labor $2,385 plus fluids and freight. We were not aware Honda used the zf transmission during this year model and experiencing rough shifting up to 102,000 miles which prompted our investigation. Thankfully, the car was parked however, had this been while on the road, this would have presented a major safety and risk to our family and others. This has set our family back quite a bit as we have to replace the transmission and cannot guarantee the new one won't provide similar issues. Honda denied our good-will assistance request. We bought a Honda under the assumption it was a reliable brand. We will never buy Honda nor recommend again. Terrible experience.

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.

Transmission stops producing power and has delayed acceleration. Almost caused an accident and possibly fatalities.

Improper seal on the seam (?) above let water leak into my power tailgate control module. It caused all the dash lights to sporadically rapidly flash, told me I have a transmission problem and my blind spot warning didn’t work right. Pulled out the tailgate module to find water in the module with a failed circuit board. Also wires leading into the module were wet.

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.

I am submitting this complaint to report a serious and recurring safety issue with my Honda Odyssey involving the camera system. Multiple warning messages and fault codes appeared on the dashboard simultaneously, including: -collision mitigation system problem -adaptive cruise control problem -lane keep assist problem -auto high beam problem these systems are all disabled. This failure occurred without warning and immediately compromised several critical driver-assistance and safety features. We have serviced at Honda dealerships and they said the only fix is a new $1500 camera (but the camera still works). Despite this, no recall has been issued. We have owned Honda vehicles for decades and never had these type of issues. A recall needs to be announced and owners allowed a fix at no charge. The transmission warning lights are also coming on intermittently and we paid to have Honda diagnose. The transmission is fine they said. Please help.

While driving pressing on the gas pedal I got a minute of no acceleration, it felt like the van stopped on me, and then I start pressing on the gas pedal harder but nothing happens and then it shoots forward like a jet, this happened a few times, very dangerous, could have got hit from behind from oncoming traffic behind me since the van just slowed down so much, then shooting forward was also scary. I did take it to a mechanic in the past and they couldnt figiure out what was wrong. The transmission light went on last week and the van didnt drive, I had to tow it to two different mechanics, both letting me know that I had to replace the transmission on my van, this is only a 2019 and only has 74,000 miles on it, this shouldnt happen.

While driving, the vehicle loses power, hesitates, and jerks, then stalls and shuts off without warning, especially in extreme heat and stop-and-go traffic. The failure occurs more frequently when the fuel level drops below approximately half a tank. After stalling, the vehicle will not restart until it cools down for 20–30 minutes, then temporarily operates normally before the issue repeats. Warning symptoms prior to failure include loss of acceleration, hesitation, and engine overheating. A fuel pump–related fault code has been detected. The vehicle has stalled while driving, creating a serious safety risk due to sudden loss of power in traffic. This condition matches NHTSA recall 23v858000, which states the fuel pump may fail and cause engine stall while driving. The fuel system component believed to be involved is available for inspection upon request. The issue has occurred multiple times and is reproducible under similar conditions.

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Hello - on [xxx], while travelling to visit family for the christmas holiday, a warning about a transmission system error came on. We pulled over, check fluids, looked the vehicle over, added approved coolant which appeared a little low. When we started our van, all the lights were off, and we were able to reach our destination without incident. On [xxx], all fluids were checked prior to leaving to return home and we began our journey home. About 20 minutes out from our destination, our transmission warning light came on once again. We were able to make it home. We contacted the dealership and dropped it off immediately on Monday morning only to find out that the transmission needed to be completely replaced. We obtained a second opinion with a local transmission shop who then proceeded to tell us that this was a known issue with this year of Honda transmissions and that there are some well documented issues with this particular transmission and that this was unfortunately not the first case they had seen. We purchased our 2019 Honda Odyssey from o'daniel Honda in omaha, nebraska through the costco auto program in August 2019. We have regularly maintenance done on this vehicle as recommended at another local dealership closer to our home. At present time, my [xxx] Honda Odyssey with barely 100,000 miles on it now sits in a transmission shop awaiting a full transmission replacement. We bought this vehicle in the security and knowledge that it would be a solid, reliable vehicle for our growing family at the time with the reputation for exceeding 250,000 miles when properly maintained. For this transmission issue to be so well documented and known and for Honda to completely turn a blind eye to this and not stand behind their workmanship is absolutely appalling. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The transmission in my 2019 Honda Odyssey failed prematurely at approximately 102,800 miles, requiring a full transmission repair/replacement. Prior to failure, the vehicle exhibited known warning symptoms including harsh and erratic shifting, hesitation, delayed engagement, and loss of smooth acceleration. These symptoms progressively worsened and ultimately resulted in unsafe drivability. This failure is consistent with a well-documented pattern of transmission defects affecting 2018–2019 Honda Odyssey models. Numerous owners have reported similar issues through NHTSA complaints and Honda service channels. A transmission failure at this mileage is not consistent with reasonable consumer expectations for a modern vehicle and presents a safety concern due to unpredictable shifting behavior, hesitation during acceleration, and loss of drivability. These issues increase the risk of collision, particularly when merging, accelerating from stops, or driving in traffic. Honda has declined assistance solely on the basis that the vehicle is outside the powertrain warranty, despite the failure aligning with known defect patterns rather than normal wear and tear. I am submitting this complaint to document a recurring defect and request further investigation into premature transmission failures in this model year. After receiving a replacement transmission in my 2019 Honda Odyssey, the vehicle continues to experience the same failure symptoms: harsh shifting, delayed engagement, and intermittent slipping. These ongoing issues indicate that the replacement transmission did not fully correct the underlying defect, which is consistent with other complaints submitted to NHTSA regarding 2018–2019 Odyssey models. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this recurring defect and track the persistent issues associated with replacement transmissions in this model year.

Vehicle was driving normally down the highway then proceeded to shutdown without warning. Suddenly all of the trouble lights appeared indicatinging engine, transmission, hill assist etc cut on without warning. The van would not drive above 55 mph when turned back on.

The car sporadically does not shift from 1st 2 second and then abruptly shuts cause a loud jerk of engine and car. It is startling and scary when it happens. I’m afraid the car will break down while in the road. Every time we take the car to dealership they “cannot replicate” issue therefore there is nothing to fix on an issue that is all over the internet with Honda vans and suvs.

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 vehicle experienced a sudden internal transmission failure (power train). While driving, the vehicle began making grinding noises during acceleration and lost propulsion. The vehicle then displayed multiple warning indicators, including a transmission warning and a blinking electric parking brake indicator. After stopping, the vehicle would not engage drive and became inoperable, requiring towing. The transmission remains available for inspection at the dealership. This failure created a safety risk due to loss of propulsion and inability to move the vehicle under its own power, including the risk of being stranded in traffic or unable to safely clear a roadway. The problem was confirmed by an authorized Honda dealership, which diagnosed an internal transmission failure and recommended full transmission replacement. No prior transmission repairs had been performed by outside shops. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Honda dealership. The manufacturer has not physically inspected the vehicle beyond dealership diagnosis. Warning symptoms included intermittent grinding during acceleration and loss of power shortly before complete failure. Warning messages and indicators appeared at the time of failure.

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.

1. The usb port not working in the center console 2. Battery was draining and it was struggling to start, died at lights and barely turned back on 3. Door sensor on passenger side kept saying it was open when it wasnt 4. Air barely working 5. Wind sound whipping through the driver side 6. Raining in to the vehicle on the passenger side 7. Screen barely works, sometimes it takes forever to turn on sometimes it just wont switch or load or it just stays on a black screen 8. After taking it for the who knows how many times for the popping sound they deemed the steering column unsafe to drive and replaced that and they had the vehicle for almost a month because they couldn't get the parts, in that time they even admitted they felt the transmission issues 9. Starter was replaced after complaining for months about it dying at lights or stops and it being rough to start 10. Popping sound from the axle when you go over anything or turn the wheel 11. Back passenger door wont shut it just keeps popping back open 12. Doors dont lock when you walk away 13. Passenger doors will unlock but driver side doesn't 14. The passenger door got stuck and we had to crawl through and push it open 15. Transmission gets stuck and wont go over 30 and the rpms go up but the speed doesn't move, it shifts hard and makes a thud sound, and the engine is crazy loud 16. Has a crazy vibration coming from it 17. Will brake on its own with nothing around it 18. Was switching to sport mode on its own in the middle of driving 19. The new steering column was getting stuck and acting up and it was trying to merge in to the other lane but lane assist off 0. We had an exhaust leak 21. Pieces of trim with vents broken inside 22. Pieces of trim falling off 23. Weather stripping for the passenger back door just fell off, still waiting on them to replace that 24. The fan is extremely loud 25. When putting in to park, or drive you have to really hit the buttons because they aren't switching easy.

Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2025 Honda Odyssey, which has been diagnosed with a transmission failure requiring full replacement due to faulty internal seals. The vehicle is less than one year old, and this type of premature failure raises serious safety concerns. I first became aware that something might be wrong during a routine oil change on November 11, when technicians noticed signs that the transmission might be leaking or malfunctioning. I continued to monitor the vehicle, and on November 28, I was informed that the entire transmission must be replaced due to faulty seals inside the transmission assembly. A critical component like the transmission should not fail this early in the life of the vehicle, and a structural defect such as faulty seals may indicate a manufacturing issue that could affect other vehicles of the same model and year. Information from the dealership: sheehy Honda of alexandria diagnosed transmission failure caused by faulty seals recommended repair: complete transmission replacement explanation: premature failure of internal transmission seals leading to fluid loss and unsafe operation repairs completed so far: diagnostic inspections confirming failure this vehicle is used to transport children, and a sudden transmission failure presents a significant safety risk. For a new vehicle to require a full transmission replacement within its first year of use is highly concerning. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue to determine whether other 2025 Honda Odyssey vehicles may also be experiencing similar premature transmission failures. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I can provide repair documentation, inspection notes, photos, or any additional information upon request. Sincerely, allison epps 334-464-0233 alijepps@gmail. Com vehicle: 2025 Honda Odyssey.

-torque convertor/transmission. We do currently have it and it could be inspected. -a sudden transmission failure could pose a safety risk to us and others. -yes, see story below. Technician drove and did report feeling the shuddering. -yes, by Honda and now a third party mechanic. -no lights. We received a recall/extension warranty for the torque converter/transmission. My van is currently having shuddering issues. When we took it to milton martin Honda in gainesville, GA, they reported the issue is present, but not at a certain "threshold" for them to be required to fix it. They then proceeded to charge me $175 for diagnostics because the issue did not reach said "threshold. " they then proceeded to tell me that a torque convertor will cost me $5200 and that the reason it is so expensive is because they just raised their prices on torque convertors. Definitely appears that they are weaseling out of fixing these recall/warranty extensions and then up-charging when people do have to pay cash for the vehicle to get fixed. Also I have researched and torque convertors with labor are not that expensive and thus things seems a bit nefarious. Currently we are getting a third party mechanic involved to assess the vehicle further.

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