10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
11,438 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Honda Odyssey drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2018 Honda Odyssey Owner Comments (Page 5 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #43

Aug 222021

Odyssey

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2018 Odyssey at 62000 mileage right now, there is happen a lot of delayed response when accelerating, then start fast, it was scary while I am at middle of intersection waiting for left turn, or at stop site and or red lights. Is this an SAFETY ISSUE? I feel somedays I may get hit accident from this issue.

- Rosemead, CA, USA

problem #42

Jul 172021

Odyssey

  • miles
The transmission on this vehicle is super jerky when accelerating at low rates of speed and decelerating. The extreme concern is when accelerating from being completely stopped. More than once I have almost been in a major accident because when I pushed the accelerator the vehicle took a second or two to begin and once it accelerated it was extreme to the point of spinning the wheels and the vehicle being moved too late and in the middle of an intersection with a vehicle headed right towards us. If the car had accelerated when the gas was pushed like it should I would have not been in this predicament. This is very concerning and not how this vehicle should perform.

- Indian Trail, NC, USA

problem #41

Jul 052021

Odyssey

  • miles
Vehicle dash showed the following problems when parked in front of store at full stop: Brake System Problem, Emission System Problem, Road Departure Mitigation System Problem, Hill Start Assist Problem, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) Problem, Power Steering System (EPS) Problem, Brake Hold System Problem. Upon driving the vehicle to get home the vehicle would not accelerate above 40 mph. (Your system will not allow me to upload pictures in jpg format)

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #40

May 062021

Odyssey

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission hesitates when accelerating from a stop; transmission hesitates between gears while driving; transmission indecisive and slams into a gear and hesitates again when pressing accelerator - all causing loss of acceleration; all warning lights come on and have to jump the van daily to get it to start even though battery is still good and no accessories are on; if there's no power, cannot shift car into neutral to position car to jump or tow it; lose power to multiple systems and have to hold button to reset it; cannot access battery to jump or replace without removing air intake; while driving at highway speeds, unexpectedly lose acceleration like the vehicle shut off; issues with both sliding doors not opening or closing automatically; latch on gas tank door sticks and there is no manual release to open it - had to disassemble it multiple times to put gas in the car; numerous recalls in addition to the above; vehicle is now out of warranty period with unresolved safety and mechanical issues; have experienced issues since the vehicle was purchased new ~August, 2017.

- Broken Arrow, OK, USA

problem #39

Apr 102021

Odyssey

  • 78,000 miles
I'm an owner of 2018 Odyssey ex with 9-speed trans. This is my third Odyssey I own. I have two 2016 and one 2018. I'm very disappoint about this 2018 trans and the lack of attention from Honda regarding this known issue. From the part saleperson to the advisor, all noted the issue with these 9-speed transmission. Rattle, hesitation, shuddering, jerking, were some of the ongoing issues. I completed intense research and found tons of people have the same problem. I was rear ended due to this hesitation and miss gear issue while driving. The is a safety issue and needs to be addres before someone is serious hurt.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #38

Apr 092021

Odyssey

  • 40,000 miles
In the middle of the night my car alarm went off for no reason and I was unable to turn it off because the car was stuck in a loop of powering on and off. An error message on the dash suggested a failure of engine auto idle. I pushed the engine auto idle override button and managed to turn car off. Next morning I jump started it and was able to drive it for a few errands. The following day the alarm went off again. This time pushing the engine auto idle override did nothing. I was able to stop the alarm, but could not break the loop of the car powering on and off. I had to let the battery die. I tried jumping it again but it now won't power on long enough to try to start. Honda told me I was on my own to get it towed in. Tow truck came but there is a serious defect in the transmission ' there is no way to manually shift this vehicle into neutral. You must be able to power the car on and use the transmission push buttons to shift to neutral. Honda is refusing to provide assistance getting the car in to be looked at. I'm lucky this power on/off loop didn't happen while driving, but a piece of trash van sitting in my driveway unable to be moved does me no good either.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #37

Apr 072021

Odyssey

  • 50,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The transmission seems to shift to neutral when I try to accelerate to make a right or left turn. It seems like the system is indecisive and it just revs as if it is in neutral. I bought this van new in 2017. My mechanic just did some work and noticed it on a test drive and says this transmission is made by a german company that has this known issue. This is a safety issue because I have almost been T-boned on turns because the car does not move and just rolls for 3-5 seconds. This is a known issue an needs to be fixed

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #36

Jan 052021

Odyssey

  • 26,000 miles
I'm owner of 2018 Odyssey. I have 9-speed trans. This is my third Odyssey I own. I'm disappoint about this trans. Hesitation, shuddering, jerking, were some of the issues. In taking the Odyssey into the dealership to address the issues they sad the model 2018-2019 with 9 speed trans. Just have problem. Wow I just have 31000mils. (my previous 2011 Odyssey shift whit no problem) I was research and find lot off people have same problem, even someone filed class-action lawsuit alleges that the nine-speed zf 9hp automatic transmission. What I need to do?

- Richmond, TX, USA

problem #35

Jan 212021

Odyssey

  • 58,000 miles
Car delays when attempting to accelerate when stationary. Car then lunges forward when the transmission engages. At times I'm stuck in the middle of the road as vehicles are approaching. Makes if very dangerous when attempting to cross road.

- Laurel, MD, USA

problem #34

Jan 072021

Odyssey

  • 65,000 miles
All warning lights popped up and continued to cycle through when I was driving causing the vehicle to go into a safety/limp mode. Shifting became very difficult and the maximum speed topped out at 45mph.

- North Port, FL, USA

problem #33

Jan 072021

Odyssey

  • 72,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Without warning while driving transmission failed and dropped into a lower gear. This caused a sudden reduction in speed and difficulty in safely removing the vehicle from the highway.

- Glasgow, KY, USA

problem #32

Oct 142020

Odyssey

  • miles
While driving, the car rattles badly when gear shifts down on a ramp at speeds of 15 to 30 mph.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #31

Aug 312020

Odyssey

  • 35,400 miles
Odyssey transmission system problem and blind spot system problem messages and issue surfaced several times while we were driving on the turnpike, I was unable to backup the vehicle at service plaza and also was unable to backup vehicle while parking on our home driveway! not able to backup vehicle is a huge safety and security issue. I tried calling Honda roadside assistance, but was told tow truck was restricted on Ohio turnpike. Issue surfaced several times. Dealer looked at the issues and performed diagnostic service. Dealer determined ' after codes were cleared, issue could not be duplicated'. I am not convinced the problem is fixed. I would like to know if there are any known issues like this on 2018 Odyssey's with 10 speed auto, electronic press button transmission! a case 11543835 has also been opened with Honda, but have not received any response yet.

- Clarksburg, MD, USA

problem #30

Aug 112020

Odyssey

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, multiple error messages were displayed on the instrument panel including the transmission system failure message and the vehicle began to severely shake and vibrate. In addition, the back-up camera would not operate. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer dch Honda located at 1101 U.S. 9, old bridge, NJ 08857 was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 20,000.

- Morganville, NJ, USA

problem #29

Mar 012020

Odyssey

  • 110,000 miles
2018 Honda Odyssey with 9 speed transmission is dangerously unpredictable when accelerating. Especially from fully stopped condition. It does not matter whether advancing straight ahead or turning into either direction. Terrain conditions do not seem to affect this behavior. The driver may experience widely variable responses to a consistent application of throttle. Vehicle may, without any way for the driver to predict, 1) accelerate with a normal predictable response to throttle pressure, 2) respond to the same throttle input by very slowly accelerating (even if the driver significantly increases throttle input) or 3) immediately. Not move at all while engine revs, then moments later, the vehicle will accelerate so rapidly that it launches into traffic or the tires first lose traction before it launches. In inclement weather the condition is exacerbated into an even more dangerous lack of vehicle control.

- Beavercreek, OH, USA

problem #28

Feb 272020

Odyssey

  • 33,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while reversing at about 2 mph, the transmission went from drive to park without warning. The vehicle was taken to the genthe Honda dealer, located at 15100 eureka rd, southgate, mi 48195, where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. The VIN was not provided.

- Slatrock, MI, USA

problem #27

Mar 022020

Odyssey

  • miles
The transmission in this vehicle lags and slips regularly when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. It is a major safety issue. We took the vehicle in to a Honda dealer to service this problem under warranty and were told that the performance we are experiencing is normal for this specific transmission. It us unacceptable that Honda would allow this transmission to be used by so many in such an unsafe way.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #26

Dec 302019

Odyssey

  • 41,000 miles
I have had this very problem in my 2018 ex with nav res. I'll be on the highway, going 65mph+, and I will accelerate to change lanes or pass and the engine will seemingly stall for several seconds. As I press the gas, the car actually decelerates as if it's coasting in neutral. After a few seconds, it reengages, the engine revs a little, and the car begins acceleration. I also often notice that the van does a similar thing when I'm accelerating from a stop to enter traffic or make a turn. When I hit the gas, the car coasts forward for a second before actually accelerating. It is actually dangerous, especially since it has happened when there has been oncoming traffic. I have had it into the dealership multiple times and they 'can't replicate the problem.' Today my dealership told me that I should open a case with Honda, which I did. I was told that the 9-speed transmission was discontinued because consumers 'complained' and 'didn't like it.' They further said that they could not replicate the problem and therefore could not fix it. In the case of my van, it is defective and dangerous. My son is learning to drive and I am fearful for his safety. I have felt in danger in this car myself. When I asked about to whom I could speak to address my concerns, I was directed to 'page 2 of the online owner's manual.' This has happened on numerous occasions and has been into the dealership frequently without resolution.

- Libertyville, IL, USA

problem #25

Dec 092019

Odyssey

  • 2,500 miles
The 10-speed transmission on my 2018 Honda ex-L Odyssey van slips. This has intermittently happened since the vehicle was new, but it is getting worse over time. The slippage occurs most often when starting after a stop. The engine will rev for to a full second before the transmission "catches" and starts to move the vehicle. Sometimes the vehicle will start with a jerk, other times, the acceleration will be slow. This unpredictable acceleration makes it dangerous to pull out into traffic. I've had several "near miss" incidents where the unpredictable transmission performance almost caused accidents. This is a safety hazard and Honda needs to repair it immediately lest lives be lost.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #24

Nov 262019

Odyssey

  • 29,500 miles
Owner of 2018 Odyssey exl resnav w/ 9speed at wife is primary driver and we recently returned from a road trip. Vehicle performs very smoothly 95% of the time. The other 5% you can expect abrupt and violent up and down shifts. Further, this is the safety vs annoyance issue, the vehicle will hesitate when accelerating from a stop. This is a factor threat when pulling into traffic. Hesitation can and will cause an accident. Honda of na needs to get to work and take responsibility for this unacceptable safety issue. Someone is going to be hurt.

- Collierville, TN, USA

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