2018 Honda ODYSSEY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
979 owner complaints analyzed
16 distinct recall campaigns
23,695 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 268 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 252 of 979 complaints (25.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 160 | 16.3% |
| Braking behavior | 141 | 14.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 122 | 12.5% |
| Engine operation | 90 | 9.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 52 | 5.3% |
| Steering behavior | 34 | 3.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 252 |
| Engine | 186 |
| Power Train | 163 |
| Unknown Or Other | 146 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 132 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 113 |
| Structure:Body | 93 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 83 |
Electrical System: 252; Engine: 186; Power Train: 163; Unknown Or Other: 146; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 132; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 113; Structure:Body: 93; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 83
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 137 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 43 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 34 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 137; 25,000 to 49,999: 43; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 34; 150,000 and above: 10
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (137). 711 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 64 |
| 2019 | 66 |
| 2020 | 33 |
| 2021 | 53 |
| 2022 | 54 |
| 2023 | 100 |
| 2024 | 219 |
| 2025 | 211 |
| 2026 | 166 |
2017: 13; 2018: 64; 2019: 66; 2020: 33; 2021: 53; 2022: 54; 2023: 100; 2024: 219; 2025: 211; 2026: 166
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 160 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 141 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 122 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 11029929 · 2017-09-26 (September 26, 2017)
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 WEEK. DEALER REPLACED POWERTRAIN COMMAND MODULE AND O2 SENSOR. MESSAGES DISAPPEARED. 1 WEEK AFTER THAT, TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS DOWNSHIFTING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. PARKED VAN AND CENTER CONSOLE SCREEN WENT BLACK THEN HAD BROKEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 550 miles reported. Look up ODI 11029929 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11104136 · 2018-06-26 (June 26, 2018)
PUSH BUTTON SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IS PROBLEMATIC. IF THE DRIVE BUTTON IS NOT PRESSED FIRMLY ENOUGH THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN REVERSE, BUT THE DRIVER THINKS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE. IF THERE IS A PERSON BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE OPERATOR PRESSES THE THROTTLE THEN A POSSIBLY DEADLY ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR. WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THERE IS AN AUDIO NOTIFICATION (A CHIME SOUND) THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE. THE IS NO SIMILAR NOTIFICATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING FLAW.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104136 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11032131 · 2017-10-06 (October 6, 2017)
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, THE CAR EVEN ACCELERATES WITH THE ENGINE ENGAGING IN HIGH RPM; I.E., 100% OPPOSITE TO SUPPOSED BRAKING. FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY CRUISE CONTROL IS AT 45MPH. THE CAR KEEPS ON INCREASING DOWNHILL TILL SAY 51MPH, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE GOES TO HIGH …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11032131 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11052039 · 2017-12-03 (December 3, 2017)
WHEN THE FOB IS STORED NEAR THE VEHICLE IT CREATES A POWER DRAIN ON THE BATTERY. WE WERE CAMPING FOR THE WEEKEND AND THE FOB WAS GENERALLY NEAR THE VEHICLE (IN THE CAMPER). WHEN WE LEFT THE CAMPGROUND AT THE END OF THE WEEKEND, THE WARNING INDICATOR SAID NOT TO USE ANY AUXILIARY POWER. I AM NOT SURE HOW THE VEHICLE USES THE BATTERY VS THE ENGINE OR ALTERNATOR TO POWER THE INTERIOR OUTLETS, USB CHARGING PORTS, AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THE DVD/RES SYSTEM, BUT THE PREVIOUS POWER OUTAGE IN THE VEHICLE HAS US ON HIGH ALERT AND WE FEEL IT IS RELEVANT AS…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11052039 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11080185 · 2018-03-19 (March 19, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF WHEN PROMPTED. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, ALL OF THE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN WHEN PROMPTED BY THE KEY FOB. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE MITIGATION ENGAGED WITH A VISUAL AND AUDIO ALARM; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO OTHER VEHICLE AROUND. FURTHERMORE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED AND THE CROSS-TRAFFIC MONITOR MALFUNCTIONED AND HAD TO BE TURNED OFF. DEL RAY HONDA (2500 SOUTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, DEL RAY BEACH, FL) WAS MADE AWARE O…
Owner-reported narrative. 636 miles reported. Look up ODI 11080185 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11063205 · 2018-01-17 (January 17, 2018)
THE VAN WILL STALL AFTER STOPPING. WHILE TURNING RIGHT, I STOP AT A STOP SIGN, WAITING AND WHEN IT'S SAFE, GO TO START TO TURN, PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VAN WILL STALL. IT WILL TAKE ME RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR AND PUSHING IT AGAIN TO GET IT TO MOVE AGAIN. THIS IS TERRIFIYING. THIS HAS HAPPENED UPWARDS OF 20 PLUS TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VAN IN AUGUST 2017.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11063205 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11113272 · 2018-07-24 (July 24, 2018)
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 THIS. THIS EVENT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. LAST EVENT INTERESTING IS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN DECELERATING TO ENTER EZPASS EXPRESS TOLL AT AT 50MPH AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO FLOW OF TRAFFIC
Owner-reported narrative. 180 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113272 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269353 · 2019-10-18 (October 18, 2019)
ALL MY ALERTS CAME ON WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE THIS MORNING. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON - HONDA TOLD ME TO COME BACK IF IT DOESN'T TURN OFF IN A WEEK. THOUGHT GAS TANK/NEW GAS ISSUE. THEN ALL ALERTS CAME ON TODAY. HONDA DIAGNOSED AS A ISSUE WITH FUEL INJECTORS. OUT OF WARRANTY. $2,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11407055 · 2021-04-08 (April 8, 2021)
SSINCE THE COMPUTER WAS UPDATED, THE GAS NEEDLE IS WRONG. IT MAY SHOW FULL WHEN YOU FILL GAS TANK, BUT LESS THAN 25 MILES NEEDLE WILL DROP DOWN APPROX.1/8 BELOW FULL AND WHEN YOU FILL UP. GAS NEEDLE WILL BE BELOW 1/2 FULL AND IT WILL ONLY TAKE APPROX. 8TO 9 GAL YO FILL UP TANK IT APPEARS TO BE 2GALS +, - WRONG. DOESN'T MATTER IF VAN IS MOVING OR STILL. ALSO THE GAS MILEAGE SEEM TO BE LESS..
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11407055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11122737 · 2018-08-27 (August 27, 2018)
ON MARCH 24, MY 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY SHIFTED INTO PARK AT 65 MPH ON I-95 IN PHILADELPHIA. THE HONDA REP, OLIVER (A HONDA EMPLOYEE), EXPLAINED TO MY HUSBAND THAT WHEN THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR CONNECTED TO THE COLLUSION AVOIDANCE SENSOR DISCONNECTS, A COMPUTER ASSUMES THE CAR IS OFF AND THAT FORCES THE CAR INTO PARK REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED IT IS GOING. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE ENTERTAINMENT PANEL SCREEN WENT BLANK AND WHILE IT WAS REBOOTING, I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR, NO GAS, NO BRAKE, STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. WHEN IT REBOO…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11122737 at NHTSA ↗