RoadVitals

2008 Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Mar 2, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 499 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Honda Odyssey submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Mar 2, 2011

2008 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH VCM. THE TRANSMISSION CHRONIC JERKING WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 39-41, 49-51, 59-61, 69-71 MPH. COMPLAINED TO HONDA DEALER THREE TIMES, BUT THE MASTER MECHANIC DID NOT FIND ANY ISSUE. THIS HAPPENED SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10386132
Incident
Feb 28, 2011
Mileage
40,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 27, 2011

I OWN A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR LATER I RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN RECALL NOTICE PERTAINING TO THE JUDDER FAILURE FROM HONDA ADVISING ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE UPGRADE. THE DEALER MADE UPGRADES TO THE VEHICLE SOFTWARE. THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE WAS SUPPOSED TO REMEDY THE VIBRATIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. AFTER THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING AT 47 ' 55 MPH. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE SOFTWARE WAS UPGRADED. AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER. BUT THE VEHICLE STILL VIBRATES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY TEST DROVE MY VEHICLE AND A DEALER'S 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY WITH ME AND THEY FELT THE VIBRATION FROM BOTH VEHICLES. THE VIBRATION FROM MY VEHICLE WAS WORSE THAN THE DEALER'S VEHICLE. BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THE HONDA PREVIOUSLY HAD RECALLED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,100. *TR

NHTSA ID
10379312
Incident
May 14, 2010
Mileage
1,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 20, 2011
Crash reported1 injury reported

I HAVE A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. WAS PREPARING TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKES. HAD TO PUT CAR INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. RPMS WERE UP TO 6. THAT WAS 2 1/2 WEEKS AGO. YESTERDAY 1/19/11 THE SAME THING HAPPENED UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKE TO STOP FOR A CAR IN FRONT OF ME, THE CAR ACCELERATED AGAIN TO WHERE I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. I HAD TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO STOP THE CAR FROM EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION. BROUGHT THE CAR TO HONDA THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. CURRENTLY ITS AT THE DEALER WHERE I HAD IT TOWED BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE IS A DANGER TO THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10378086
Incident
Jan 19, 2011
Mileage
39,686 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 29, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING FROM 20-45 MPH, THE JUDDER WOULD FAIL, CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO LOCK INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN RECALL PERTAINING TO THE JUDDER FAILURE. THE DEALER MADE UPGRADES TO THE VEHICLE SOFTWARE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO FIRST ADAPT TO THE SOFTWARE UPDATES BEFORE THE FAILURE WOULD BE CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10346205
Incident
May 7, 2010
Mileage
35,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 26, 2010

MY 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS SIGNIFICANT LURCHING WHEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN ACCELERATION BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROX ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. HONDA REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED. HONDA JUST RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" - HONDA BULLETIN #09-053 (LOCK UP CLUTCH FUNCTION). THIS PROBLEM SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO ON-GOING COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE LEXUS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10332414
Incident
May 7, 2010
Mileage
34,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 21, 2010

THE CAR HAS BEEN VIBRATING WHEN ACCELERATING FOR ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND IT IS 3X WORSE THEN BEFORE. I HAVE 33,000 MILES ON IT AND I WAS TOLD THE NEXT STEP IS FOR ME TO PAY FOR A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND IF THAT DOES NOT FIX IT THEN THEY WILL REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS UNDER WARRANTY, IF THEY ARE JUST DELAYING FIXING THE REAL ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10326767
Incident
Mar 19, 2007
Mileage
22,000 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Nov 20, 2009
Crash reported

BRAKES ARE TOO SOFT. HAD ACCIDENT TWICE ALREADY BECAUSE BRAKES DONT REACT LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO. YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE BRAKE DOWN REALLY HARD. WITH THAT ALSO SAID TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE DAY 1. YOU HEAR A LOUD NOISE WHEN YOU CHANGE GEARS. WENT TO THE HONDA DEALER AND THEY SAID ITS NORMAL. I DONT THINK THIS SHOULD BE MAKING LOUD GRUNTING NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10293039
Incident
Oct 20, 2009
Mileage
19,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 22, 2009

TRANSMISSION ERROR VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN DOWN SHIFTING THE GEARS. DEALER TOLD US IT WAS AN RECALL AND EXCHANGED THE TRANSMISSION BUT STILL HAD THAT PROBLEM.WAS REPAIRED AGAIN AND THIRD TIME IT STARTED HAVING SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10289431
Incident
Oct 10, 2008
EngineTransmission
Filed Aug 12, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT COULD NOT RESTART IT AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THREE WEEKS LATER, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ONCE IT WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND, AFTER A FEW DAYS, THEY CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHEN SHE RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. AFTER ALL THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,450 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10280235
Incident
Jul 3, 2009
Mileage
32,450 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 22, 2008

2008 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 4000 MILES/ 3 MONTHS OLD DUE TO LEAK. DEALERSHIP TRIED REPLACING FRONT CASE SEAL BUT DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM. SERVICE WRITER SAID THAT THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HONDA AND THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THAT THEY ALWAYS TRY REPLACING SEAL FIRST THEN REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10246381
Incident
Oct 17, 2008
Mileage
4,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 5, 2008
Crash reported

TWO WEEKS AGO WE PURCHASED A 2008 ODYSSEY. SATURDAY MORNING, IT DROVE ITSELF INTO A SHED AFTER TRAVELING UP A HILL AND STILL IN PARK! SITUATION: I WAS UNHOOKING A TRAILER, MY SON WAS HELPING. I GOT IN THE VAN TO PULL THE TRAILER FORWARD A BIT AS WE WERE ON A HILL AND THE TRAILER WAS STUCK, SEEN AS IT WAS NOT LATCHED DOWN.. MY FAULT, AS SOON AS I MOVED IT UNHOOKED AND STARTED ROLLING AWAY, I SLAMMED THE VAN INTO PARK, GOT OUT AND RAN AFTER THE TRAILER, GOT THE TRAILER STOPPED, I THEN TURNED AROUND AND THE VAN WAS DRIVING OFF, NOT JUST SLOWLY BUT PICKING UP SPEED AS IT WAS DRIVING UP A HILL AND THEN DROVE INTO THE NEIGHBORS SHED. I RAN AFTER IT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CATCH IT, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN GOING ABOUT 15 MILES PER HOUR. I GOT TO THE VAN AND IT WAS IN PARK. I HAD TO TURN THE KEY OF TO GET IT TO QUIT TRYING TO INCH IT'S WAY FORWARD. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY BASICALLY SAID NO KNOWN ISSUES SO YOU ARE SCREWED.. I CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA ND THEY WERE NOT REALLY WILLING TO ASSIST IN THE MATTER. I DO HAVE A CLAIM TICKET OPEN WITH THEM AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10241044
Incident
Aug 30, 2008
Mileage
975 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 17, 2008

2008 HONDA ODYSSEY LEASED ON MAY 27, 2008 AT PS HONDA (LONG ISLAND). CAR BROKE DOWN ON AUGUST 15 AT I-95 CT TPKE. CAUSE WAS A TRANSMISSION LEAK AND CLUTCH GOT BURNED. UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN WILL IT BE FIXED. HONDA WESTPORT AND PS HONDA REFUSED TO SHOULDER CAR RENTAL. FILED A COMPLAINT AT AMERICAN HONDA ABOUT THE NEW VAN THAT BROKE DOWN AND REFUSAL TO PAY CAR RENTAL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10238566
Incident
Aug 15, 2008
Mileage
3,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 28, 2008

ON 4/28/08, THE VEHICLES THROTTLE STOPPED RESPONDING WHILE IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC AND THEN HAD TO BE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE. WHILE THIS HAPPENED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VSA LIGHTS CAME ON. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN DUE TO THIS IN TRAFFIC. SIMILAR PROBLEMS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST FOR 4 OTHER TIMES. HERE ARE THE DATES AND DESCRIPTION OF EACH EVENT. 1.ON 12/30/2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VSA LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE CAME ON WITH WEIRD ENGINE NOISE AND I CALLED THE DEALER (AUTO WEST HONDA) IMMEDIATELY TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER REQUESTED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON 01/02/2008. 2.ON 01/13/2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSA LIGHT AND SLIDE DOOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE REAR RIGHT SIDE SLIDING DOOR STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER PERFORMED REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND REPLACED THE RELAY UNIT. 3.ON 01/26/2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSA LIGHT AND THE SLIDE DOOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE, VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY. DEALER ATTEMPTED A REPAIR AND SAID ECM WAS REPLACED. 4.ON 04/11/2008, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSA LIGHT AND THE SLIDE DOOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP TILL 4/19/08. DEALER PERFORMED A REPAIR WITH ADVICE FROM HONDA TECH SUPPORT AND SAID THAT THE MULTIPLEX UNIT WAS REPLACED AND PROBLEM SHOULD NOT RE-OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10225920
Incident
Apr 27, 2008
Mileage
1,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 29, 2008

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATION SHIFTING 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. HESITATION IS PRONOUNCED DURING COLD STARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10219748
Incident
Feb 23, 2008
Mileage
20 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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