RoadVitals

2011 Honda Odyssey Steering Problems

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

Data refreshed

Steering 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.
10
Latest May 23, 2019
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.
4%
of 232 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Honda Odyssey submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 steering

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

Steering
Filed May 23, 2019

WHILE AT LOW SPEEDS, THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEELS. THIS OCCURS WHILE STATIONARY AND MOVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID
11209553
Incident
May 23, 2019
Mileage
76,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Oct 29, 2017

LOCATION, STATEN ISLAND, NY. DATE, 10/29/2017. TIME, ABOUT 9:45PM. DROVE OVER A FEW PUDDLES IN POURING RAIN AND A HILLY ROAD. SUDDENLY, THE CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. A MINUTE LATER, IT WAS RESTORED. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT A MINUTE LATER. THEN IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY HOME. EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS IF THE LOSS OF ALTERNATOR POWER CAN IMMEDIATELY CAUSE LOST OF STEERING.

NHTSA ID
11041002
Incident
Oct 29, 2017
Mileage
98,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Oct 10, 2016

WHEN I BRAKE DRIVING 40MPH OR MORE, THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE AND VIBRATE EXTREMELY VIOLENTLY. THIS STARTED WHEN THERE WAS ONLY 30K MILES ON THE CAR SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER IN TN AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THEN AT 42K MILES, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER IN VA AND THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW THE CAR HAS 70K MILES AND THE SHAKING WHEN I BRAKE, WAS GOTTEN WORSE. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL AND NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, ESPECIALLY WITH PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THERE SEEMS TO BE A NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, SO WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL?

NHTSA ID
10915049
Incident
Jan 26, 2013
Mileage
33,500 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Dec 29, 2015

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A FRONT CREAKING NOISE ON MY VEHICLE WHEN I'M TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. I'VE ADD THE VAN IN TWICE FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. MY VAN NEEDS TO NOW GO IN AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME AND IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR THIS, 11-038

NHTSA ID
10816670
Incident
May 1, 2012
Mileage
30,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Jul 20, 2015

MY 2011 HONDA ODYSSEY HAS RECENTLY STARTED TO EXHIBIT EXTREME STEERING AND WHEEL WOBBLE WHEN BRAKING. IT STARTED TO WOBBLE INITIALLY AT SPEED. NOW IT WOBBLES AT ALMOST ANY REASONABLE SPEED. HONDA DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY RECALL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. AT SPEEDS IT IS SEVERE ENOUGH TO WARRANT A LOSS OF CONTROL SPECIALLY DRIVING DOWNHILL ON CURVES. IT IS VERY HARD TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10735190
Incident
Jul 2, 2015
Mileage
38,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 26, 2014

THIS VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH EXCESSIVE WHEEL VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS ATTRIBUTABLE TO PREMATURE FAILURE OR WARPING OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. I HAVE NEARLY 60,000 MILES ON MY VAN AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AND/OR TURN MY BRAKE ROTORS ABOUT EVERY 10,0000 TO 15,000 MILES. WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS, IT SEEMS TO PROGRESS RAPIDLY TO THE POINT OF BECOMING DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO STOP AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN STOPPING. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I SEARCHED FOR "HONDA ODYSSEY PULSATING BRAKES" AND GOT SEVERAL SITES LISTED. I ADDED MY COMPLAINT TO ONE OF THE SITES THAT HAD OVER 100 COMPLAINTS. HONDA SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED OR REPLACED AT REGULAR INTERVALS TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING SO FREQUENTLY. IT IS EITHER A DEFECT OR BAD DESIGN OR BOTH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565943
Incident
Feb 26, 2014
Mileage
58,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Dec 26, 2013

12/23/13-WHILE DRIVING ON I95 AT 65MPH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING BUT THE RADIO/LIGHTS REMAINED ON, VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKES HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD APPROX 300 FEET LATER. VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP, DEALER STATED COULD NOT BE REPLICATED AND THAT FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE CLEANED, SERVICE PERFORMED AS SUGGESTED. 12/25/13- WHILE COMING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING BUT RADIO/LIGHTS REMAINED ON, RESTARTED AND DROVE HOME. 12/26/13- WHILE APPROACHING STOP SIGN VEHICLE ENGINE FAILED BUT RADIO/LIGHTS REMAINED ON AS IN ACCESSORY MODE, STEERING AND BRAKING BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE, THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED LIT. VAN WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED. DEALER STATED NO ERROR CODE ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS VISIBLY ON, NO OBVIOUS REASON FOR THE VEHICLE TO DO THIS. DEALER SUGGESTED REPLACING ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AT THEIR EXPENSE. REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED YET AS THEY ARE WAITING ON THE PART TO ARRIVE. DURING THESE FAILURES THERE WAS NO WARNING AND LITTLE TIME TO REACT, THE VAN BECAME NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AS IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED WHEN IN THE ANTI-THEFT MODE AFTER PARKING. THE VANS BRAKES ALTHOUGH PUSHED TO THE FLOOR DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY EVEN WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10557362
Incident
Dec 23, 2013
Mileage
51,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Sep 16, 2013

ON 9/3/13, WHILE DRIVING FIVE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL IN OUR LEASED 2011 HONDA ODYSSEY, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ABRUPTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS TURNING THROUGH A MAJOR 4-WAY INTERSECTION. THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES IMMEDIATELY LOCKED, LEAVING ME COMPLETELY PARALYZED AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE ODYSSEY COASTED INTO A YARD, NARROWLY MISSING A LARGE POLE, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PLACE IT INTO PARK AND RESTART IT. I DROVE BACK ONTO THE STREET AND EXERCISED GREAT CAUTION TO PROCEED THE SHORT DISTANCE TO SCHOOL. APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE LATER, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ONCE AGAIN. THIS HAS OCCURRED A TOTAL OF 5 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR (TWICE WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THREE TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION - TWICE ON CITY STREETS AND ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY). I DELIVERED THE VEHICLE TO OUR LEASING DEALER, GANLEY HONDA IN NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO, ON 9/3/13 FOR SERVICE, WHERE IT REMAINS TO THIS DAY. GANLEY HONDA'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY AND/OR RESOLVE THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT UNLESS THEY HAVE "EVIDENCE" OF THE MALFUNCTION, THE VEHICLE IS FINE AND SAFE TO DRIVE. SINCE THEIR COMPUTERS HAVE GENERATED NO ERROR CODES AND ROAD TESTS HAVE NOT REPLICATED THE POTENTIALLY LATENT MALFUNCTION, THEY MAINTAIN THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THEY ARE NOW READY TO RETURN THE VEHICLE TO US FOR THE DURATION OF OUR LEASE (WE HAVE FIVE MONTHS REMAINING). THIS IS THE FIFTH VEHICLE OVER THE PAST 16+ YEARS THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED THROUGH THIS DEALERSHIP. GIVEN THE ENGINE'S PATTERN OF SHUTTING DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, LEADING TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES LOCKING, WE FEEL THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND ARE UNWILLING TO PLACE OURSELVES OR OUR CHILDREN INTO IT UNLESS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION IS IDENTIFIED AND THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10543950
Incident
Sep 3, 2013
Mileage
41,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed May 25, 2012

NOTICED WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THEN HAVING TO BRAKE ABRUPTLY THERE WOULD A PULSATION AND THE STEERING WOULD START SHUTTERING. DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS UNEVEN BRAKE PAD WEAR DUE WARPED ROTORS. COST TO REPLACE PADS AND RESURFACE ROTORS, WITH TAX, WAS $219.34. WAS ADVISED THAT ROTORS COULD BE RESURFACED ONE MORE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10459662
Incident
May 25, 2012
Mileage
26,110 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Jun 2, 2011

A WARNING MESSAGE STATING "BATTERY CHARGE LOW" REPEATEDLY COMES ON IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO SOLUTION OFFERED BY THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. THERE IS ALSO AN UNUSUAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION WHENEVER MAKING A 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN.

NHTSA ID
10404971
Incident
May 31, 2011
Mileage
4,100 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .