10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
7,464 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Honda Odyssey Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #34

Jun 202024

Odyssey

  • miles

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

I don't yet know the exact cause of the problem, but while at highway speed (approx. 72 mph), my wife pressed the gas pedal to accelerate, and it didn't work. She continued to press the pedal, and after several seconds, the vehicle did accelerate. I see this issue on severe threads and will be contacting the dealer or my mechanic as we are very concerned about this safety issue, the vehicle not accelerating when the gas pedal is pressed.

- Cooper City, FL, USA

problem #33

May 142024

Odyssey

  • miles
Since 2020, we have noticed that the 2018 Honda Odyssey we own will not accelerate when the gas pedal is pressed. There is a noticeable delay between 1 to 3 seconds for the vehicle to accelerate. Once the vehicle accelerates, it does so at an increased rate of speed that is dangerous and scary. This has led to 100+ near miss collisions with pedestrians and other oncoming vehicles at 4-way lighted intersections, highway on-ramps and other driving scenarios. This has caused me and my family traumatic stress (injury) as we've had so many close calls due to Honda's manufacturing failures and failures to address this problem. We have to drive extra cautiously and under stress in anticipation of the acceleration delay. We took to the dealership several times and they said there appears to be no issue even though I'm certain they didn't do thorough test drive to inspect problem. We will seek legal remedies if NHTSA and Honda will not address this defect that is being reported by hundreds of other 2018-19 Honda Odyssey owners.

- Yucaipa, CA, USA

problem #32

Apr 202024

Odyssey

  • miles
When starting from a stop - either dead stop or coasting stop, but after applying the brake, when you start gently pressing the accelerator, nothing happens for an excessive amount of time. Likely only a second, but feels much longer when you're trying to make a left hand turn in front of oncoming traffic. The van may be barely rolling, because the brake isn't engaged, but you're only coasting with no response from the gas pedal. Then, after the short delay the engine feels like it is trying to catch up to where it should be based on the amount you've already depressed the pedal, and the van starts so fast the tires are peeling out. Our Odyssey has done this for several years. Its 100% a transmission software problem occuring when the car starts rolling from a stop and is "between" 1st and 2nd gear in an almost "neutral" state to prevent engine braking when throttle is not being applied, which would make for a not so smooth driving experience. However, this transmission obviously has really poor response times moving between these "in gear" and "neutral" states, and thus, we get the hesitation everyone has described when throttle is reapplied. The 1st gear in this transmission is EXTREMELY short. Fun fact, if you switch from automatic to standard shift mode(S) and use the shift paddles to force it to start in either 1st or 2nd gear, it's literally impossible to replicate the hesitation issue whether you're in ECON mode or not. By putting it standard shift mode, you take the TCU programming that was implemented to make the overall operation of the transmission feel more smooth, completely out of the equation so that you're fully in a particular gear, no matter what your throttle position is. The 9-speed transmission in these vehicles was KNOWN to shift extremely rough between gears; this is dangerous. From Honda - "If we can't find an error code, the problem doesn't exist and hence, we can't fix it." Pls review, hopefully this will make Honda address

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #31

Oct 012023

Odyssey

  • 61,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that on several occasions, while at a stop or rolling to a stop, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating and then abruptly accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and filed a complaint and referred the contact to the local dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

- Lehi, UT, USA

problem #30

Jan 262024

Odyssey

  • miles
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.

- Wilmington, NC, USA

problem #29

Jan 022024

Odyssey

  • miles
The battery in our van weakened and needed to be replaced. Upon replacement with brand new battery, a ton of new warnings began. These included problems with: Adaptive cruise control; lane assist; collision avoidance; auto high beam, and maybe another. Doing some research online, I found that many other Odyssey owners experienced similar issues associated with battery replacement. Local Honda dealer told me the MOST recall repair may take care of it. It did not. Was told the internal front multipurpose camera just happened to coincidentally go out at the same time as the battery. Honda wants $1500 to replace the camera. Honda USA declined to help. In the meantime, our vehicle has none of the safety features available; and regular cruise control is not an option if the camera is not replaced. I believe Honda knows this is an issue and should be help responsible for replacing defective cameras.

- Raymore, MO, USA

problem #28

Nov 282023

Odyssey

  • miles

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

My van has been having increasingly frequent speed control problems. When attempting to pull out from a stop, the gas pedal will become unresponsive. Then, I will press the gas pedal harder and the vehicle will burn rubber. This happens intermittently, but at least 3-4 times a week. The most dramatic example of this happened, yesterday, while I was trying to make a left turn cross two lanes of traffic with children in my vehicle. I lightly pressed the gas, rolled out into the intersection, lost gas pedal response. I pressed the pedal hard to attempt to move out of path of oncoming traffic where I was stalled. The car burned rubber, then immediately lost gas pedal response again. I had to again press the gas pedal and burn rubber a 2nd time to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. Losing all gas pedal response while oncoming traffic is approaching is terrifying. I have already attempted to have this repaired several by Honda at a dealership. They applied a software update but the problem has not resolved.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #27

Sep 282023

Odyssey

  • miles
On several occasions (roughly 5 separate and unique incidents), the vehicle put itself into neutral (N) while driving. There are instances when the vehicle was in motion and others when it is at a stop. The screens in the dashboard cluster and in the center of the front dashboard go blank momentarily and the transmission changes from drive (D) to neutral (N) without any apparent cause or any warning whatsoever. The power steering is also resetting, causing the steering to momentarily become much more stiff and harder to turn. It-??s currently at the dealer undergoing inspection and repair, but the fact that this is causing a safety issue that makes the vehicle undriveable while at any speed without warning is a serious safety issue.

- Decatur, GA, USA

problem #26

Sep 202023

Odyssey

  • miles
Honda Odyssy 2018- While slowing down and then trying to accelerate does not accelerate and stalls in the lane and requires pumping of accelerator pedal before gear is changed. some time when this happens you can heard grinding noise of gear change. Last time it happened it showed 'Transmission system Problem' and 'Blind Spot Info system Problem' on screen. This is after dealer has looked at the problem and I was told it happened when tech test drove also. Dealer had updated software but it did not fix the issue. This is a safety concern, as if you can not accelerate to maintain the speed of other cars in your lane, cars behind you can get into accident.

- Zionsville, IN, USA

problem #25

Jan 022021

Odyssey

  • 40,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while slowing and then attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the delay was approximately two seconds before the vehicle accelerated as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure but no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the failure had become progressively worse. The manufacturer was not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

- Portland, TX, USA

problem #24

Jun 232023

Odyssey

  • miles

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

I am having an identical issues as described in NHTSA ID Number 11526094. Vehicle hesitates when accelerating from a stop. Have been almost hit a couple times as it is unpredictable when this happens. This is a dangerous behavior and I cannot in clear conscience sell this minivan to another family. I have returned it to the dealer multiple times and they were eventually able to reproduce the problem and captured the behavior on diagnostic equipment. Their finding is that when the accelerator is slightly pressed, and then release (like one might do when entering an intersection to make a left hand turn) the transmission jumps to 5th gear. When the accelerator is pressed to complete the left turn, the transmission spends several seconds shifting from 4th to 3rd to 2nd before finally accelerating. This delay opens up the opportunity to get hit. The dealer concurred that this was a problem but then contacted Honda and they said this is normal characteristic with 2018 and 2019 model Odyssey's with the 9 speed transmission. This may be a normal characteristic with this model year according to Honda but it is not acceptable behavior for any type of vehicle. It is just a matter of time before an accident will happen. It happens often and seems to be getting worse over time including irregular/rough shifts while driving. See attached documentation.

- Carlsbad, CA, USA

problem #23

Jun 082023

Odyssey

  • miles
The problem is with the 9 speed automatic transmission system. Yes, it is available for inspection. There is a delay in acceleration which has caused the vehicle to "stall" in dangerous situations such as pulling out onto a road with traffic, making a left turn with oncoming traffic, or needing to accelerate at a green light. There have been multiple incidents when an oncoming car has had to brake to avoid a collision because I have stalled temporarily in their lane. I have also nearly been rear ended as I stall after moving forward at a green light. The vehicle accelerates too slowly from a stop, then stalls for several seconds before over correcting and too much power causes the tires to spin and the car can get a little squirrelly if I am not extra careful. It happens often but not always and is getting worse and more frequent. There are also problems with rough shifting and delayed shifting that have been an issue since I bought it in 2018. I have taken it to the dealer many times and while the issue has been reproduced, they have never been able to identify a cause. One Honda mechanic said that his 2018 Pilot acts the same way and it is "normal" for that engine. The issue was reproduced during a recent inspection from an independent mechanic who sent me to a specialty transmission shop who said the transmission was fine and suggested that it was due to a tech issue and sent me back to Honda. The mechanics at Honda have not gotten stuck in front of an oncoming car on a road test so they treat the issue as a mild annoyance. No warning lights have gone on. The severity and frequency of this problem is increasing and I no longer believe the car is safe to drive. Honda does not have a fix and I am ready to sell it but I don't think it is safe for others to drive either and I don't know what to do. It is only a matter of time until this causes an accident.

- Maple Valley, WA, USA

problem #22

Feb 122023

Odyssey

  • miles
When the accelerator is depressed and the vehicle is in drive, it does not accelerate. This has happened multiple times, the date provided is a representative date where others witnessed the issue and is not the first or last time it occurred.

- Oxnard, CA, USA

problem #21

Oct 152020

Odyssey

  • miles
I have a 2018 Honda odyssey 9 speed and I am well aware of the many issues people have been complaining of and I am experiencing many of those same issues. My number one issue is my acceleration. I need to step down all the way on the gas pedal to make the car move and once it does my rear tires spin because of the acceleration. I have also had many instances where my car will not accelerate fast enough while turning causing me to sometimes be stopped in on coming traffic. I have had my main screen turn off while driving but did not affect the car however and a handful where I will be stopped at a light and my car shifts to park. I have had the car brought into the dealer 3 times for these issues and all that was done software updates. I did have one instance where my check engine light was on and they replaced the fuel injectors which did not solve the problem.

- North Ridgeville, OH, USA

problem #20

Feb 212023

Odyssey

  • miles
Blindspot monitoring, emissions system problem, transmission system problem all come on at the same time when vehicle is motion. Unable to manually shift if needed. A lot of vans had recall, however ours is not on the recall list, but we highly believe it should be due to safety concerns due to transmission failure.

- Browns Mills , NJ, USA

problem #19

Dec 122022

Odyssey

  • miles
Our van regularly hesitates when to accelerate from a stop. Example, when turning left across traffic, depressing the accelerator will provide some speed to get into the intersection, then it becomes unresponsive. Letting up and pushing the accelerator will cause the van to move again after about.5 to 1 seconds. Often the accelerator has to be pushed all the way to the floor, which causes the van to move aggressively once it does start to respond causing the tires to spin out. This has been happening since the vehicle was under warranty, however, the dealer wasn-??t able to find an issue. While the performance issue is annoying, this becomes a safety issue when stranded out in traffic. There are no service lights on before, during or after the incidents. It seems to happen more in winter, but we have experienced it throughout the seasons. It also occurs whether eco mode is on or off.

- Middleton, WI, USA

problem #18

Sep 302022

Odyssey

  • miles
When the pedal is pressed, there is a delay in acceleration. This has happened several times over the past couple of months. It seems to happen mostly when trying to make a left-hand turn, typically at low speeds or from a stop. I will have time to make a safe left turn, but the unexpected delay in acceleration has created dangerous situations and has almost caused accidents. I'm not sure what's causing it because I can't re-create on-demand. The car has been well maintained and no error codes or warning lights are on.

- Twinsburg, OH, USA

problem #17

Aug 292022

Odyssey

  • miles
My 2018 Honda Odyssey elite regularly hesitates from the stopped position. This often causes a safety hazard when turning right into traffic or making a left turn because I am not able to accelerate for several seconds and the vehicle feels as if it is stalling out. It is a known mechanical defect with Honda and they do not currently have a resolution. When reported, I was told the mechanical system defects to switching through all the gears before accelerating, causing the delay. I have brought the car into the dealership regarding the issue and have been dealing with Honda headquarters with no resolution. There have been several close calls when I have made a left turn/ right turn into traffic and the vehicle hesitates for a few seconds.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #16

Jul 042022

Odyssey

  • miles
While attempting to cross a road the vehicle suddenly will not accelerate. This happened after entering the roadway with cross traffic coming at you. This happens more and more frequently and seems to occur after the vehicle initially rolls out from a stop or after coasting at low speed. If you press the accelerator pedal all the way nothing happens and you panic as traffic comes barreling towards you. Then after a brief moment of fear the vehicle jerks into gear making everyone slam back into their seats. This has been reported by many owners on various forums, some of which were in accidents. This will not end well for a few drivers and their families. Honda technicians when diagnosing this complaint say No Trouble Found or do not have a repair or recall for this.

- Islip Terrace, NY, USA

problem #15

Jan 122022

Odyssey

  • miles
In lower gears, there is hesitation when accelerating which causes driver to unknowing lurch forward. Sometimes peeling out. In stop and go traffic, the van does not accelerate for a few seconds when gas pedal is pressed. There is sometimes a clunking sound which causes van to lurch when accelerating at a lower gear which feels like someone has hit my van from behind. It is a safety issue because I don-??t know if the van will accelerate or not right away when I press the gas pedal.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

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