2002 Honda ODYSSEY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
960 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
84,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 746 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 466 of 960 complaints (48.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 595 | 62.0% |
| Braking behavior | 65 | 6.8% |
| Engine operation | 36 | 3.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 2.2% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 1.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 12 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 466 |
| Power Train | 127 |
| Air Bags | 77 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 |
| Electrical System | 28 |
| Engine | 27 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 27 |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 466; Power Train: 127; Air Bags: 77; Vehicle Speed Control: 30; Electrical System: 28; Engine: 27; Structure:Body:Door: 27; Unknown Or Other: 24
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 62 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 84 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 151 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 189 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 176 |
| 150,000 and above | 84 |
Under 25,000: 62; 25,000 to 49,999: 84; 50,000 to 74,999: 151; 75,000 to 99,999: 189; 100,000 to 149,999: 176; 150,000 and above: 84
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (189). 214 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 47 |
| 2003 | 62 |
| 2004 | 91 |
| 2005 | 47 |
| 2006 | 48 |
| 2007 | 57 |
| 2008 | 118 |
| 2009 | 90 |
| 2010 | 110 |
| 2011 | 73 |
| 2012 | 45 |
| 2013 | 37 |
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 19 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2001: 3; 2002: 47; 2003: 62; 2004: 91; 2005: 47; 2006: 48; 2007: 57; 2008: 118; 2009: 90; 2010: 110; 2011: 73; 2012: 45; 2013: 37; 2014: 26; 2015: 32; 2016: 19; 2017: 11; 2018: 10; 2019: 8; 2020: 8; 2021: 6; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 3; 2025: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 595 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 65 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 36 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002746 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)
APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES AFTER THE 15,000-MILE MAINTENANCE, AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR ON I-95, THE ODYSSEY BEGAN JERKING, LUNGING AND CLUNKING. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TELEPHONED AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER CARE. WE WERE TOLD TO PROCEED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC. A MECHANIC TOOK A FIVE-MINUTE TEST RIDE. THE VAN DID NOT REPLICATE THE JERKING AND CLUNKING AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND WE SHOULD PROCEED ON OUR WAY. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT IF THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS A …
Owner-reported narrative. 16,130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002746 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009521 · 2003-02-27 (February 27, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009521 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10013774 · 2003-04-01 (April 1, 2003)
MY 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS SOME FEATURES I WAS NOT TOLD ABOUT. EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES IN A NEW DIRECTION, FORWARD OR REVERSE YOU HEAR A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AS THE BRAKES ENGAGE THE ROTORS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HAZARD AS WELL AS AN ANNOYANCE. I DON'T BELIEVE THE BRAKES ARE ENGAGING AS SOON AS YOU STEP ON THE PEDDLE. THEIR P.R. SPIN SAYS THEY MANUFACTURER ROOM FOR HEAT EXPANSION IN THE BRAKE PADS. I HAVE NEVER EVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT EXHIBITS THIS PROBLEM. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THEIR NOISY GAS TANK SLOSHING THAT IS VERY PROMINENT …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013774 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016406 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)
MY 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE IN THE REAR BRAKES. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER I CHANGE DIRECTIONS FORWARD OR REVERSE. I CALLED EVERY HONDA DEALER IN SAN DIEGO AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. AFTER THEY FIRST DENIED HAVING ANYONE ELSE COMPLAIN OF THIS. FINALLY A SERVICE ADVISOR ADMITTED THEY ARE TRYING TO FIX THE NON-EXISTING PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED MANY HONDA'S AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION AT THIS TIME IS TO HAVE THE BRAKE CALIPERS LUBED FOR THE SHORT TERM BUT THE NOISE WILL COME BACK. HONDA IS APPARENTLY TRYING TO REDESIGN THE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016406 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028740 · 2003-07-21 (July 21, 2003)
WHEN DRIVING MY ODYSSEY, NORMALLY IN THE 30-50 MPH RANGE, ALL OR MOST OF THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR AND WARNING LIGHTS WILL FLASH INTERMITTENTLY FOR A BRIEF SECOND OR TWO. THE NUMEROUS (25 + ) TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED IS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE ONE THINKS THE VAN HAS STALLED. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PATTERN OR CONNECTION SUCH AS PLAYING/NOT PLAYING RADIO, A/C, AMOUNT OF GAS, ETC. . . I WILL SAY 75-85% OF THE OCCURENCES HAPPEN ON THE ROAD LEADING TO OUR SUBDIVISION (USUALLY 30-50 MPH DRIVING). ALSO, I'M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES I HAVE MISSED IT B…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028740 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037965 · 2003-08-29 (August 29, 2003)
ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE STALLED AND SLIPPED GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, VEHICLE VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER SAID VEHICLE WOULD BE OKAY TO DRIVE UNTIL IT COULD BE REPAIRED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038893 · 2003-09-15 (September 15, 2003)
I OWN A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY WHICH HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS. THESE ARE 1.WINDSHIELD THAT WAS NOT SEATED PRPERLY AND WOULD WHISTLE WHEN DRIVING AT 55MPH. THIS TOOK 4 VISITS TO THE DEALER BEFORE RESOLUTION WHICH WAS A NEW WINDSHIELD. 2. THE SRS LIGHT FOR THE SIDE RESTRAINT SYSTEM COMES ON, THE DEALER STATES IT IS BECAUSE OF A SENSOR BUT IT MUST BE RESET BY THE DEALER. I AM TOLD NOT TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT TO CAUSE THE SENSOR TO GO ON. I WONDER IF THIS INCLUDES PASSENGERS TOO? I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THA TPLUGGING MY PHONE INT…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048510 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)
2002 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHT EQUIPMENT. HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING DRIVER TO HAVE POOR VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD. *MR *NM THE HEADLIGHTS HAD GONE OUT INTERMITTENTLY SEVEN TIMES IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. *SC THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. (THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ADD TO). *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048510 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002144 · 2003-01-06 (January 6, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL PULL TO LEFT, DUE TO A FAULTY POWER STEERING. DEALER HAS INSPECTED SEVERAL TIME AND COULD NO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002144 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040210 · 2003-09-12 (September 12, 2003)
SRS WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON DASH BOARD.*MR THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL AUDIO CONTROLS WENT HAYWIRE. WHEN THE CONSUMER PUSHED THE UP BUTTON ON THE RADIO, IT CHANGED THE TRACK NUMBER. WHEN THE CONSUMER PUSHED THE DOWN BUTTON, IT TURNRED THE VOLUME UP. ONE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN AND FIXED THE AUDIO PROBLEM. THIS DIDN'T WORK. ANOTHER DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE WORKED. *PH *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040210 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090180 · 2004-09-28 (September 28, 2004)
THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR AN OIL LEAK AT THE DEALER. WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE A FRIEND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND TOLD CONSUMER IT WAS NORMAL TO SMELL GAS. *AK THE GAS SMELL CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE GAS CAP NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DRIVEWAY WOULD BE COVERED IN OIL. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT ROUGH AND WOULD JERK. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090180 at NHTSA ↗