Honda Odyssey Years to Avoid — start with the 2001–2003 transmission.
The 1999–2004 Odyssey drew 4,387 NHTSA complaints, and 1,992 name the transmission, more than half on the 2001–2003. The 2018 (1,016) and 2019 (1,005) drew the most of any Odyssey, and 2025 owners report the engine failing to restart after auto idle-stop.
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Quick Answer
- What Honda Odyssey years should you avoid?
- The 2001–2003 first: more than half their complaints name the transmission, 591 of 973 on the 2002 alone, and recall 04V176000 covers broken second gears on the 2002–2004. The 2018 and 2019 drew the most complaints of any Odyssey, and 258 of the 2025's 462 describe the engine stalling at auto idle-stop.
- What is the best year for a used Odyssey?
- From 1999 to 2021, leaving out the thin 2017 and years where one fault is a quarter or more of complaints, 2021 (148), 2009 (198), 2015 (208) drew the fewest. The fourth generation (2011–2017) drew 1,521 complaints in all, fewer than any other since 1999.
- Did Honda recall the Odyssey transmission?
- For the 2002–2004, yes: recall 04V176000 covers heat between the second gears that can chip or break them and lock the transmission. NHTSA's list has no transmission recall for the 1999–2001, which drew 702 transmission complaints. On the 2018–2019, recall 19V299000 covers a transmission computer that can reboot and shift into Park.
Five checks for a used Odyssey, by year
Each Odyssey generation has its own weak spot, so the checks change with the year.
- 1Read the year from the VINCharacter 10 is the model year; 5FN at the start means built in the US, 2HK in Canada.
- 21999–2004: drive it through every gearAsk for the transmission's repair history; recall 04V176000 covers the 2002–2004.
- 32005–2008: brakes and steeringPress the pedal hard and turn lock to lock at a standstill: a soft pedal or a whining pump is what owners report.
- 42018–2020: doors and dashWork both sliding doors (recalls 18V795000, 20V437000) and watch for a row of warning lights.
- 5Check title and mileage recordsA salvage brand or a mileage gap shows up by VIN; a worn transmission does not.
Avoid: the 2001–2003 Odyssey and Its Transmission
The transmission is the component owners name most on every 1999–2004 Odyssey. 1,992 of the 4,387 complaints on those years name it, and on the 2001, 2002 and 2003 it is more than half: 336 of 631, 591 of 973 and 495 of 940.
Recall 04V176000 covers the 2002–2004: heat between the second gears can chip or break them and lock the transmission. The 1999–2001 have no transmission recall on NHTSA's list.
On a van from these years, ask for the transmission's repair history, and on a 2002–2004 confirm the recall was done.
The 2001–2003 by the numbers
- 631 · 973 · 940 complaints on the 2001, 2002 and 2003.
- 1,422 of them name the transmission.
- 04V176000 the 2002–2004 transmission recall.
- 187 complaints on the 2000 about the sliding doors.
Every Honda Odyssey Model Year Compared
NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns for every Odyssey from 1995 to 2026, read on 13 November 2026.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crash · fire reports | Recalls | Most-cited component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1st | 103 | 2 · 2 | 1 | Air Bags |
| 1996 | 1st | 80 | 5 · 2 | 1 | Air Bags |
| 1997 | 1st | 27 | 2 · 2 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 1998 | 1st | 75 | 2 · 3 | 4 | Electrical System |
| 1999 | 2nd | 552 | 12 · 7 | 9 | Power Train |
| 2000 | 2nd | 706 | 24 · 3 | 6 | Power Train |
| 2001 | 2nd | 631 | 19 · 4 | 1 | Power Train |
| 2002 | 2nd | 973 | 45 · 5 | 10 | Power Train |
| 2003 | 2nd | 940 | 54 · 13 | 15 | Power Train |
| 2004 | 2nd | 585 | 41 · 6 | 13 | Power Train |
| 2005 | 3rd | 829 | 19 · 9 | 9 | Structure |
| 2006 | 3rd | 703 | 27 · 11 | 4 | Steering |
| 2007 | 3rd | 830 | 38 · 15 | 5 | Service Brakes |
| 2008 | 3rd | 500 | 37 · 8 | 5 | Service Brakes |
| 2009 | 3rd | 198 | 6 · 6 | 4 | Structure |
| 2010 | 3rd | 255 | 11 · 8 | 2 | Structure |
| 2011 | 4th | 235 | 11 · 2 | 5 | Electrical System |
| 2012 | 4th | 246 | 14 · 6 | 5 | Service Brakes |
| 2013 | 4th | 211 | 17 · 4 | 6 | Engine |
| 2014 | 4th | 310 | 10 · 0 | 5 | Power Train |
| 2015 | 4th | 208 | 9 · 3 | 6 | Engine |
| 2016 | 4th | 272 | 9 · 2 | 6 | Engine |
| 2017 | 4th | 39 | 3 · 0 | 2 | Engine |
| 2018 | 5th | 1,016 | 14 · 3 | 16 | Electrical System |
| 2019 | 5th | 1,005 | 16 · 7 | 20 | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| 2020 | 5th | 494 | 4 · 1 | 14 | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| 2021 | 5th | 148 | 2 · 1 | 8 | Electrical System |
| 2022 | 5th | 144 | 4 · 2 | 9 | Electrical System |
| 2023 | 5th | 107 | 2 · 3 | 5 | Electrical System |
| 2024 | 5th | 132 | 1 · 0 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2025 | 5th | 462 | 4 · 0 | 2 | Engine |
| 2026 | 5th | 64 | 2 · 0 | 2 | Engine |
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not divided by sales.
Other Odyssey Years With a Known Weak Spot
Smaller clusters in NHTSA's records, and the recalls behind them.
1999–2000: sliding doors
127 and 187 complaints; recalls 99V158000 and 00V119000 cover sliding doors that may not latch.
2005–2007: power steering
66, 85 and 64 complaints name the power steering; owners describe a whining pump and heavy steering at parking speed.
2007–2008: soft brake pedal
80 and 55 complaints describe a soft or sinking pedal; recall 10V098000 covers air entering the stability-control pump.
2007–2008: braking on its own
Recall 13V500000: the stability system can brake hard without lighting the brake lights. 66 complaints on the 2007 describe it or name the system.
2011–2017: second-row seats
Recalls 17V725000 and 16V933000: an outboard second-row seat that isn't locked can tip or move in a stop or a crash.
2024–2026: auto idle-stop
258 of the 2025's 462 complaints: the engine shuts off at a light and won't restart. No recall covers it yet.
What Odyssey Owners Say on Reddit and YouTube
Odyssey owners trade fixes as often as complaints: transmission coolers, VCM disablers, silicone spray for door rollers and heavier brake rotors.
In owners' words (paraphrased)
- r/HondaOdyssey wiki: the subreddit's own guide says VCM on older Odysseys is known for damaged piston rings and fouled spark plugs.
- YouTube, 2006: Honda quoted $5,800 to replace the transmission; the owner's advice is to fit an auxiliary transmission cooler as soon as you buy one.
- YouTube, 2008 EX-L at 160,000 miles: VCM made it burn oil until the owner fitted a device that keeps VCM from switching on.
- YouTube, 2006 sliding doors: both doors bound badly; spraying the rollers with silicone fixed them.
- YouTube, 2016: the front rotors pulsed until Honda fitted a heavy-duty set.
- YouTube, 2009 bought new: at 200,000 miles it began knocking from worn camshaft lobes; new cylinder heads fixed it.
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Fewest vs. Most Odyssey Complaints
Fewest runs from 1999 to 2021 and leaves out years where one fault is a quarter or more of complaints (1999–2004). It also leaves out the 2017: its 39 complaints sit far below the 2016 (272) and 2018 (1,016), and our visitors checked 13 VINs from the 2017 against 56 from the 2016, which points to fewer vans, not a better one. The 1995–1998 first generation drew 27 to 103 complaints a year, and none of the VINs our visitors checked was one.
Fewest complaints
- 2021: 148 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2009: 198 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2015: 208 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2013: 211 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2011: 235 complaints, 5 recalls
Most complaints
- 2018: 1,016 complaints, 16 recalls
- 2019: 1,005 complaints, 20 recalls
- 2002: 973 complaints, 10 recalls
- 2003: 940 complaints, 15 recalls
- 2007: 830 complaints, 5 recalls
Recall counts include multi-model campaigns.
The Odysseys Our Visitors Check, and Where They Were Built
Between 12 June 2026 and 11 November 2026, visitors ran 577 different Honda Odyssey VINs through our free preview. By the first three characters, 565 (98%) were built in the US and 12 in Canada, all of those 1999–2004 vans.
215 (37%) were 2018 or newer, and 22 were 1999–2004, the transmission years. The single most-checked year was the 2016, at 56 VINs.
Odyssey Complaints by Generation
The second generation (1999–2004) carries 4,387 complaints over six years; the fourth (2011–2017) 1,521 over seven. The fifth, from 2018, has 3,572 so far, 2,021 of them on the 2018 and 2019.
What to Check on a Used Odyssey
By year, the faults to look for.
1999–2004: transmission
Drive through every gear; ask for repair records and, on a 2002–2004, proof of the recall.
Any year: sliding doors
Open and close both from the fob, the handle and the button; listen for binding.
2005–2007: steering pump
Turn lock to lock at a standstill; listen for a whine.
2005–2008: brake pedal
Press hard with the engine running; confirm recalls 10V504000 and 10V098000 if they apply.
2011–2017: second-row seats
Check each outboard seat is locked to the floor; recall 17V725000.
2024–2026: idle-stop
Let it auto-stop at a few lights and confirm it restarts every time.
Reading Odyssey Complaint Numbers
NHTSA complaints are owner reports, not verified and not divided by sales. The VCM warning that Odyssey forums repeat is faint in NHTSA's records: 117 complaints on the 2005–2016 mention VCM or oil consumption, so check the oil level whatever the count says.
The fault counts come from searching the words owners used, so they are a minimum. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints: the 2026 has 64 so far, 22 of them about idle-stop.
Related Checks and Guides
Recalls, history checks and other three-row Hondas and rivals.
Where These Facts Come From
Complaint and recall figures are NHTSA's own records; owner experiences are linked so you can read them in full.
NHTSA records read 13 November 2026. Written by the CarCheckerVIN editorial team with AI assistance, from NHTSA's complaint and recall records, our own preview logs and the owner posts linked above; figures checked November 2026. CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with Honda.
Honda Odyssey Years to Avoid — Frequently Asked Questions
Transmissions, the 2018–2019 and the newest Odysseys.
What is the worst year for the Honda Odyssey?+
By NHTSA complaint count, the 2018 (1,016), then the 2019 (1,005) and the 2002 (973). By share of one fault, the 2002: 61% of its complaints name the transmission.
Which Odyssey years have transmission problems?+
The 1999–2004 most of all (1,992 complaints), peaking on the 2002. The 2018 and 2019 drew 147 and 136 transmission complaints, and recall 19V299000 covers their transmission computer.
Is the 2018 Odyssey a good used buy?+
It drew 1,016 complaints, the most of any Odyssey: 73 describe several warning lights or alerts at once and 91 the sliding doors. Confirm recalls 18V795000, 20V437000 and 19V299000 were done.
What about the 2025 Odyssey?+
258 of its 462 complaints describe the engine shutting off at auto idle-stop and not restarting. NHTSA lists no recall for it yet.
Is a high-mileage Odyssey worth buying?+
It can be: owners report a 2009 at 200,000 miles and a 2008 at 160,000. On a 1999–2004, the transmission history matters more than the odometer.
Will your report show these problems?+
No history report can tell you a transmission is about to fail. Ours lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos for the VIN. Recalls are free to check on NHTSA's site.
Drive It Through Every Gear, Then Check the Records
On a 1999–2004 Odyssey, the transmission's history tells you more than the mileage. Free preview first; the full report is $14.99 and lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
Complaint and recall figures are NHTSA's public records as read on 13 November 2026; complaints are unverified owner reports. Owner comments are paraphrased from the linked posts. CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with Honda. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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