Complaint volume
940 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Honda Odyssey Complaints
940 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Honda Odyssey, grouped by component category.
940 Total complaints
13 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
18 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are engine, electrical system, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 13 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 18 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 260 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 40,559 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, electrical system, power train?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Honda Odyssey?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Honda Odyssey
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Honda Odyssey complaints?
13 Crash
3 Fire
18 Injury
1 Fatality
24 Towed
7 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Honda Odyssey complaint categories?
ENGINE 88
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 87
POWER TRAIN 81
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 65
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 62
STRUCTURE 57
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 33
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE 22
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 22
940 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The 2018 Honda Odyssey with 59,000 miles downshifts on its own when we are driving. This has happened about half a dozen times. It is disconcerting because the vehicle slows down. No one has hit us from behind. The Odyssey was at the dealer for a transmission fluid change recently. A multipoint inspection was done with no mention of the transmission or any other problems. There have been no warning lamps, messages, etc. displayed on the instrument panel. There are no service bulletins or recalls at this time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | It was the gear shift, changing from drivre mode to neutral, or from drive mode to completely shut off while I was driving on the the freeway and had to slow down because the vehicles in front of me were slowing down too, because of traffic conditions, the car problem has been confirmed by the manufacturer, there's even a law suit in process here in California for this matter. The car is right now in the dealership for repair, there was no light on in the dashboard warning. This started like to weeks ago, first time just went from driving mode to neutral. Second time shut off and turn on again, third time yesterday, from driving mode changed to neutral and finally completely shut down. I feel unsafe for my wife driving this car and for the kids . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The transmission is unreliable. You push the gas and it hesitates to accelerate or switch to the next gear to speed up. It can shake or rattle the car. Has a trouble at low speeds or shifting to the next gear to increase speed. This makes it dangerous to try to pull out into an intersection because the transmission or gear shifting doesn't always hit and you can get hit or injured. I always have to leave additional space while pulling into an intersection or merging into traffic in case the transmission slips. I have brought this to the attention of my local Honda service station and was told "that is just how this transmission works". | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the messages "Emission System Problem", "Electrical Parking Problem", "Road Departure Mitigation System Problem", "Brake System Problem", "Brake hold System Problem", and "Power Steering System Problem" were displayed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the battery was in good condition; however, the vehicle failed to start 3 days later. The contact was able to jumpstart the battery with the assistance of AAA. The contact replaced the battery. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and several unknown dealers were contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | 122,000 |
| Feb 2024 | STRUCTURE | The rear lift gate is not opening. The lift gate motor and latch have been replaced. The lift gate module seems to have water/moisture after a rain storm causing the gate to not open. Their is an error on the display saying there is a lift gate error and the car is beeping while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | My wife was driving our 2018 Honda Odyssey when there was acute diminished and very unstable engine power on 7/10/2023. She heard a "knocking" noise like metal-on-metal and pushing the accelerator resulted in very uneven increase in speed - in fact, it would not go above 30mph. She immediately took the van to our local car dealership, but it was very difficult to drive the 1-2 miles it took for her to get there. Her safety was put at risk because the engine did not provide reliable power to drive after that acute event and she easily could have been rear-ended or involved in an accident. We were both very thankful that our children were not in the van at the time. The check engine light immediately came on as well when this happened and when she got to the dealer, the service department identified a P0303 stored code suggesting a cylinder 3 misfire on the lower block. There were metal fragments in the oil and they noticed internal noise/knocking. They informed us that we would need to have a new engine installed. I spoke to our dealership today 2/13/24 and they felt like it was highly probable that a manufacturing defect related to the Honda service bulletin 23-097 for Connecting Rod Bearing problems could be the manufacturing defect and culprit for why our engine stopped working. This bulletin covers build dates of 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey vans from 4/9/2018 through 8/28/2018. Our build date was prior to October 2017 is what our dealer has told me. I do not believe that our defective engine would be available for inspection as I believe the dealership discarded it after installing a salvaged engine, also from a 2018 Odyssey. I do not believe any other agency inspected our defective engine after it was removed. The dealership also was unaware of the 23-097 service bulletin, since they were informed of that later in the year during November 2023. We took excellent care of this vehicle (bought new) and all service was performed on-schedule at dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that on various occasions while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and was restarted. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled on approximately eight separate occasions. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the connecting rod was damaged, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,667. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 178,667 |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | A defective/leaking seal in the rear of the vehicle area caused water damage and corrosion on the tailgate control unit. As a result of the control unit failure the blinkers and lights stopped working while driving. In addition rear tailgate does not open. Dealer confirmed the issue, fixed the seal and replaced control unit. Research shows this is a recurring problem on this model vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | The transmission is unreliable. You push the gas and it hesitates to accelerate or switch to the next gear to speed up. It can shake or rattle the car. Has a trouble at low speeds or shifting to the next gear to increase speed. This makes it dangerous to try to pull out into an intersection because the transmission or gear shifting doesn't always hit and you can get hit or injured. This transmission has been weird since the car was new. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | ADAS system is not working due to internal camera failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 10/4/2023 (55K miles), the vehicle suddenly lost power at interstate speed and dropped to three cylinders. Warning lights came on disabling all automatic safety systems. I took the vehicle to a parts store and OBD indicated an oil pressure sensor in VTEC Bank 1. After restarting the vehicle I once again had all 6 cylinders, but all safety systems failures were still indicated on the dash. I replaced the battery (5.5 years old) and all systems returned to normal. After a the PGM-FI update for idle stop issues (recall) was performed at the dealer on 1/31/2024, two days later (2/2/2024) the previous event recurred resulting in severe loss of power and all safety systems indicating failure. I replaced the 4 month old battery under warranty believing the battery had failed prematurely. The problem did not resolve after replacing the battery and multiple restarts. I returned the car to the dealer service center on 2/3/2024 running on three cylinders and then suddenly 6 again after a restart part way there. Dealer diagnosed issue as intermittent fault P2652 Rocker Arm Oil Pressure Switch B (Bank 1) and replaced it at my cost but did not charge diagnoses. Operation returned to normal. ***I have driven Honda vehicles for 25 years with very few issues. Something is seriously wrong in their ECU program/electrical system that causes vehicle to suddenly lose power and safety systems due to an intermittent oil pressure sensor fault. I am a Mechanical Engineer with more than 18 years working in mechanical and electrical aerospace systems. Honda needs to identify the root cause of this failure mode and issue yet another recall to address the systemic hardware and software issues. Both times this occurred, I had 4 young kids in the car and could not maintain safe interstate speed or accelerate to get on the highway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The vehicle had low voltage indications and electrical issues that would affect many of the electrical systems in the car (power doors, main entertainment system, etc). More concerning, the vehicle would shift into park while driving and then would shut off. This posed a serious hazard when driving quickly. Honda was unable to remedy the issue and could not come up with a definitive cause. Another recall with these same problem was issued for other VIN numbers of the same make, model, and manufacturing year. My VIN was not included in that recall. The recall needs to be expanded to include more VINs as this is an issue in 2018 Honda Odyssey vans and poses a risk to me and my family while driving in its current state. My transmission is now experiencing issues due to shifting into park while driving and needs to be replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE | What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Rod bearing failure lead to engine seizing How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? We started hearing the ticking in October, I visited the dealership and contacted Honda multiple times and either told to take no action or wait for the recall. Case #[XXX] We expressed our concern to both the dealership and Honda about not addressing the issue because we had a big trip for Christmas coming up. My mother-in-law has terminal cancer and the entire family was getting together for Christmas with her. To get there we drive 20 hours from Arkansas to Utah. We followed the advice of the dealership and Honda and waited. Unfortunately about 50 miles out of Amarillo the van started to make loud engine noise and stalled. While going 75 miles an hour down the interstate I lost power steering and my brakes were very unresponsive. Luckily, we were in the farthest right lane and I was able to get us safely to the shoulder. We feel blessed to have made it off the road, it was a very dangerous situation. Now my van with 70K mile has a seized engine and is stuck 12 hours away in Amarillo Texas. I am requesting that Honda reimburse my rental, ship my van back home to Bentonville, and send a new engine for the dealership to fix the now seized engine. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes the issue has been diagnosed by Brown Honda in Amarillo TX by Todd Burkham the Fixed Operations Director Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Only by Brown Honda in Amarillo TX Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Only the ticking sound that we took the vehicle in for starting in late October. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 Honda Odyssey motorized tailgate has completely stopped working. Will not open. Numerous accounts say this is due to water getting into the rear tailgate control module and have had tremendous amount of rain this week. Have not had it looked at by dealer yet but must be fixed. Warning message appeared twice on dash 10 minutes before the failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Engine developed a tapping noise. Took it to the dealer and they diagnosed bad bearings that would have seized the engine very soon. Looks like a manufacturing defect of the crankshaft. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | see attached document | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Dash displays error message "Power Tailgate Problem". Tailgate does not open AT ALL with either of the following methods- key fob, button on dash, or button on tailgate. It is stuck and poses a significant safety issue. What if we had a accident, all doors were stuck, and needed an exit out the back of the vehicle? The tailgate is totally inoperable and Honda needs to fix this issue as it is an extremely common issue and not very cheap to repair. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Warning messages for the following appeared: brake system lane keeping/assist system collision mitigation system problem road departure mitigation system problem auto-high beam problem adaptive cruise control problem None of these safety features now work. Our local dealership told us it was a failure of the multipurpose camera unit. The fix we are told is a $1400 part. The rear camera was just recalled by Honda and repaired within the last month. This failure should not have happened and greatly impacts the safety of the car and it is a common problem when searching Honda message boards. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | STRUCTURE | Power tailgate problem. Middle both passenger side door did not latch. Power tailgate cannot open automatically. It happened recently, and happened every year as far as I remember, when raining season, or winter time. It just happened few days ago. Passenger side door did not latch. I was driving with baby in car seat, on freeway, when door latch did not lock properly. My wife had this incident as well, and called Honda dealer, and they may or may not repaired the latch, and we rarely have this incident anymore after my wife called Honda dealer, cause she freaked out door was open loosely while driving. But on left side, occasionally cannot open or closed, not as extreme as before we complained to dealer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | STRUCTURE | On the way home, the rear door controller was damaged and the rear door opened by itself. So I pull the car to the side of the high way and tried to close the rear but couldn't. I drove my car to my home with the rear door open. It was a crazy experience to me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The power tailgate control module failed due to water leaking through holes in the seam. The power tailgate problem light came on when the issues began. I was unable to open the tailgate using the button by the driver's controls, the remote fob, or the exterior button on the tailgate. The only way to open the tailgate was the manual release on the interior tailgate. There was constant beeping while driving forward or in reverse. We removed the power tailgate control module, and there was obvious corrosion around the entire part. We applied seam sealer on the driver side roof rail and installed a new ptg control module. The new module began having similar issues approximately 2 weeks later. We removed it, and could see obvious corrosion beginning on one side of the ptg control module. We applied seam sealer above the rear tailgate window and attempted to clean the affected areas on the ptg control module in hopes that it will work again. The power function of the tailgate is not working, but the power tailgate problem light is not on and there is no beeping. I am now able to open the tailgate manually using the exterior button on the tailgate. Driver's control button, remote fob button, and button on the tailgate to close it do not work. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | STRUCTURE | POWER LIFT GATE AND POWER SLIDING MINIVAN DOOR DO NOT WORK LEAK IN BODY CAUSED ELECTRICAL SHORT AND CORROSON OF LIFTGATE POWER CONTROL UNIT. BAD DESIGN SAFETY ISSUE. DANGER OF CHILD ENTRAPMENT. SHOULD BE RECALL AND HONDA SHOULD FIX | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE | I have a 2018 Honda Odyssey Touring. On December 8th exactly one week after I had my van serviced at the local Honda Dealership I broke down on the interstate. My van started making strange noises and the check engine light started blinking. I lost all power and had to merge over to the emergency lane almost causing an accident. I contacted the service manager at the local Honda dealership. I explained to him what was going on, I also told him that I noticed a slight tapping sound the week prior and asked them to check it out when I brought it in for service on November 30th. I was told they didn't notice anything wrong and that the only thing I needed was front brake pads. Upon searching the internet I found there is currently a recall on some of the models for faulty connecting rod bearings. Preston Locklear the service manager was unaware of the recall, so I emailed him the recall service letter. He called me back to inform me that my van does not fall under the build dates approved for the recall. That afternoon the service writer called me to inform me that my engine is blown, when I asked him how they determined that his reply " we sent a tech out and he pulled the dipstick and seen metal". He then went on to say that if I want to determine the cause of the failure I would have to pay to get the oil pan dropped. When I asked ow much that would be they said they had to get back to me. They finally called me back December 22nd with a quote. I was told it would be about $600. I contacted Honda recall center and asked for help. I was assigned a case worker. He called me back December 29th saying there was no help they could offer. I had my van towed from Honda to an independent shop. They pulled the oil pan and found the #6 connecting rod bearing failed. I would like for Honda to help me with this matter. It is an obvious problem with this engine. They are o it recalling 250k but they need to recall all of them in those years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Multiple error lights come on at various times, including but not limited to road departure mitigation warning, vehicle stability assist problem, hill start assist problems, brake hold system problem, power steering system problem. Upon first dealer inspection no problem was identified. On follow up after ongoing recurrence of the issue, dealer found multi purpose camera internal fault along with recalled fuel injector repair requirement. Estimated 2,000 to fix MP camera. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I am having the problem with the Honda fuel injector system causing warning lights to go off. This has been a problem for 3 months and I’ve been told that there is a major supply issue. The problem has gotten so bad that my car keeps going into limp mode bc the transmission warning light is forced on. This is a safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |