2017 Honda Odyssey Owner Complaints

See attached letter for complaint for potential Defect Petition DP26005

NHTSA ID

11744118

Incident

May 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Odyssey hauling a trailer equipped with a Rhino USA Trailer Hitch Coupler Lock Kit. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH over a bump, the trailer hitch latch lock had failed, causing the trailer to detach and strike the rear of the vehicle, producing sparks. The safety chain remained on the trailer. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coupler latch had opened and the lock was no longer securing the trailer. The trailer lock was found, but the pin was missing. The contact used a jack to lift the trailer and put the trailer back on the hitch using another pin and was able to continue driving for the rest of the trip. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11740914

Incident

May 1, 2026

I was driving on the highway at approximately 65 mph and the passenger side SRS (seatbelt and airbag) deployed. There was no collision, pothole or any other change in momentum to the vehicle immediately prior to deployment. No other airbags deployed.

NHTSA ID

11733930

Incident

Apr 25, 2026

Vehicle jerks and stalls while accelerating and has died and coasted at times. Was told it has a recall but was not issued one since I have owned it since early this year. Called a Honda dealership and was told that it did not qualify for the recall. Seems to do this after I’ve drove it for a while and it is warmed up.

NHTSA ID

11725327

Incident

Mar 10, 2026

-Torque convertor/transmission. We do currently have it and it could be inspected. -A sudden transmission failure could pose a safety risk to us and others. -Yes, see story below. Technician drove and did report feeling the shuddering. -Yes, by honda and now a third party mechanic. -No lights. We received a recall/extension warranty for the torque converter/transmission. My van is currently having shuddering issues. When we took it to Milton Martin Honda in Gainesville, GA, they reported the issue is present, but not at a certain "threshold" for them to be required to fix it. They then proceeded to charge me $175 for diagnostics because the issue did not reach said "threshold." They then proceeded to tell me that a torque convertor will cost me $5200 and that the reason it is so expensive is because they just raised their prices on torque convertors. Definitely appears that they are weaseling out of fixing these recall/warranty extensions and then up-charging when people do have to pay cash for the vehicle to get fixed. Also I have researched and torque convertors with labor are not that expensive and thus things seems a bit nefarious. Currently we are getting a third party mechanic involved to assess the vehicle further.

NHTSA ID

11698082

Incident

Nov 6, 2025

At 60 mph the vehicle began shaking , I pulled over , put it in park while still running, and got out to inspect. I noticed some smoke from under the hood and by the time I got inside to release the hood latch , the smoke stopped. With multiple lights on the dash I shut it off . It would not restart . It was towed to my home. We pulled off the belt and attempted to turn the engine crank with a breaker bar, and it is seized. We also hooked up a scanner in which it showed many faults.The battery tested good , and the starter was trying to engage .

NHTSA ID

11682617

Incident

Aug 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that after exiting the vehicle and pressing the buttons to lock the doors, the front driver’s side door locked and immediately unlocked, failing to remain secured. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11682331

Incident

Aug 11, 2025

Mileage

80,000 mi

I own a 2017 Honda Odyssey that is currently covered under an extended warranty related to the torque converter, specifically addressing Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0741. I experienced symptoms twice—once in January 2025 and again in May 2025—using an OBD-II scanner. I documented these occurrences with independent scan results in May and confirmed communication via text message at the time of the first incident. Following the second occurrence, I had the transmission fluid changed, which cleared the error code. I later received an official notification letter in June 2025 regarding the extended warranty coverage for the torque converter issue. At that point, both incidents had already occurred. I scheduled an appointment with my local Honda dealership (Serra Champaign) to have the issue addressed under the warranty. However, the dealership stated they were unable to retrieve the P0741 code from the vehicle and would not proceed with the required teardown or submit a warranty claim unless the code was actively present in their system. Despite providing the dealership with third-party documentation clearly showing that the P0741 code had occurred, they advised that American Honda policy requires a current fault code before any repair or investigation can begin. I then contacted American Honda Customer Support and opened a case, but was told that the dealership has full discretion on whether or not to proceed with a warranty repair. The dealership, meanwhile, maintained that they cannot move forward without current code data due to Honda’s policy, leaving me in a circular situation with no resolution. This issue was clearly experienced during the warranty period, but due to the delayed arrival of the warranty notification and the policy requiring a current DTC, I am now at risk of missing the opportunity to have the problem properly repaired—even with documented proof. My Odyssey is currently within 9,000 miles of the extended warranty mileage limit.

NHTSA ID

11671987

Incident

May 18, 2025

On two separate occasions, while unattended and sitting in my garage, the vehicle seemed to be attempting to start by itself. Instrument panel warning lights were all flashing on and off with ignition clicking. The key fob was nowhere near the vehicle. I started the vehicle but then WAS UNABE TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF by pressing the ignition button. ALSO FEARED THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. Had to pull the fuel pump fuse to do so. A local Honda dealership diagnosed (by reviewing Honda's service library) as a faulty ignition control unit and replaced at a cost of $1,100.00.

NHTSA ID

11665032

Incident

Apr 27, 2025

While driving, the battery indicator light illuminated. Suddenly, the power turned off. The vehicle could be steered and brakes used, only. Then, as quickly as the power turned off, it restored and momentarily powered the accelerator. Then the power stopped again. The lights within the cabin and on the dash flickered and chimed like they were possessed. Then nothing. When the power would flicker on, the engine/transmission would "catch" and jerk the vehicle. Fortunately, I coasted to my residence without an auto accident. I reported this issue to Williamsburg Honda who will address the issue tomorrow when the vehicle is towed there. I was at risk along with my two school-aged children for a deadly auto accident since the power to the vehicle was lost. I have to use another vehicle and am uncertain of my trust for the van with myself and my family after this terrifying incident.

NHTSA ID

11664844

Incident

Jun 2, 2025

Driver side rear sliding door fell off after cables snapped when opening. This puts my kids at risk of falling out of the car. This happened spontaneously without any accidents or force.

NHTSA ID

11664250

Incident

May 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while at a stop light while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Additionally, the vehicle was hesitating. The contact stated that the failure occurred daily. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the recall; however, the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 31,200.

NHTSA ID

11645369

Incident

Feb 27, 2025

Mileage

31,200 mi

2017 Honda Odyssey Piston ring failure leading to stop spark plug working while driving. This makes car shake heavily and can’t drive more than 20mph, sound from engine is loud. Had been happening every 1000 miles or so, changing spark plug temporary fix it. Spark plug starts failing one after another. This started happening before 60K on odometer.

NHTSA ID

11639830

Incident

Oct 10, 2024

Driving one day without warning the van was shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear when there was a hard slam, then the check engine light came on as well as the forward collision sensor failure. The van went into limp mode on the highway which was very dangerous. After having the Honda dealership investigate two times they said the only thing they could do is completely replace the transmission.

NHTSA ID

11612008

Incident

Mar 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact took the vehicle back to the same mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact had not taken the vehicle back to the mechanic or to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not part included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

NHTSA ID

11600413

Incident

Mar 8, 2024

Mileage

59,000 mi

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the alarm activated, and the contact attempted to turn off the alarm; however, the alarm failed to deactivate. The alarm went off for several hours before stopping. The contact stated that several days later while attempting to start the vehicle, the battery had been completely drained. The battery was replaced under warranty. The failure reoccurred; and the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective hood latch. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred and the vehicle was then diagnosed with alternator failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact attempted to exit the vehicle several months later after turning off the vehicle however, the doors failed to open. The contact attempted to start the vehicle again; however, the vehicle failed to start, and the contact was locked inside the vehicle. The contact waited for several minutes to turn the vehicle on, and the vehicle started, and the contact was able to exit the vehicle. The vehicle was at the dealer but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11595165

Incident

Aug 5, 2020

Mileage

90,000 mi

Flashing check engine light came on. Took this to the dealership and they found that one of the cylinders misfired and a sparkplug has fouled oil. Piston rings needed to be replaced. This happened because of oil buildup when 3 of the cylinders stop firing when the engine is in "fuel efficient" mode. As I understand it, the vehicle design is to turn off half the cylinders when I drive efficiently and that causes buildup over time. This is a ticking timebomb that will eventually cause this damage and render the vehicle undrivable.

NHTSA ID

11587823

Incident

Apr 19, 2024

Engine failure, requiring all new ignition coils and spark plugs (62,000 miles). Car ran well for 3 weeks, and resumed having acceleration issues, engine/transmission judder and check engine light returned. Brought back to mechanic and replaced a failed ignition coil. Was directed by the mechanic to bring to a dealer if the issue continues as it's likely due to a cylinder issue which is causing ignition coils to fail. Brought to dealer with engine and transmission issues. Diagnosed as bad transmission fluid requiring flush and fill 3 times: $850. Told that there are no engine issues as a result of diagnostic. Drove car home (4 miles), and engine issue became worse with flashing check engine light returning light, jerky drive and no acceleration. Brought back to mechanic and diagnosed with piston ring failure requiring extensive engine work, including but not limited to piston ring replacement, cylinder/piston rehab. I have contacted Honda corporate requesting action as it's just outside of powertrain warranty. Claim has been pending for 2+ weeks. Vehicle is parked at dealer pending resultion. Unsafe to drive for mechanical reasons, and car is subject to stall. Only able to drive slow speeds, for short duration.

NHTSA ID

11536945

Incident

Jun 30, 2023

Engine coils repaired several times, most recently van lost power while going uphill with my entire family in the vehicle. My husband applied brakes and emergency brake and we all exited the van. We were on vacation and took to local dealership where could were replaced again! 3 weeks later. Most recently we are having issues with keyless entry module and van loses power and won’t start. Absolutely ridiculous. Van is only 5 years old. Will never buy another Honda

NHTSA ID

11520939

Incident

May 8, 2023

The car was parked and turned off on a hill, approximately 2-4deg grade. The automated sliding door was opened and the close door function was activated. With the door about halfway closed, a snapping sound could be heard and the door slammed shut. The door slammed with such force that the entire car shook violently. It was clear afterwards that the snapping sound was a cable that was part of the automated door open/close function. Fortunately, no one was in the doorway or near the door at the time. Had someone been in the doorway when the cable snapped serious injury seems likely. The car has since been repaired and is not available for inspection. No inspection of the broken hardware was performed. I am unaware of a reproduction of the issue. There was no warning prior to the snapped cable that anything was wrong with the open/close door function.

NHTSA ID

11514919

Incident

Mar 23, 2023

Upon coming to a complete stop in the left turn lane and waiting for the red light to change, the sliding rear passenger side door automatically opened without prompt or warning. The door had just been opened and closed while the car was stopped, however the door opened even though the car was in Drive.

NHTSA ID

11453961

Incident

Feb 1, 2022

Twice within 3 months our 2017 Honda Odyssey (65,000) miles has had a misfire in the engine and had a flashing engine light. Had to change spark plugs and coils twice and they had to adjust the pistons. Mechanic says he sees this a lot with this year and make. He also said it’s something you would say after 100000 miles maybe. Not with such a new car.

NHTSA ID

11442463

Incident

Nov 20, 2021

Shifting is rough at about 20 miles per hour when you accelerate

NHTSA ID

11432956

Incident

Sep 10, 2021

SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE SECOND RESULTED IN A COLLISION. AFTER COLLISION DEALER INSPECTED AND SAID NO PROBLEM WITH THROTTLE SYSTEM, BUT REFUSED TO RELEASE TEST RESULTS CLAIMING "PROPRIETARY." NEXT TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT EXPERT WHO TESTED VEHICLE AND REPORTED THAT VEHICLE'S EVENT DATA RECORDER HAD BEEN WIPED CLEAN.

NHTSA ID

11398095

Incident

Oct 28, 2019

Mileage

15,013 mi

WHILE THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ON A SIDE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH A CHILD IN THE REAR SEAT, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE SUNROOF WAS FOUND SHATTERED WITH GLASS ON TOP OF THE SUN SHADE AND A HOLE IN THE GLASS. PHOTOS ARE ATTACHED SHOWING THE SUNROOF BULGING UPWARDS (INDICATING THAT IT MAY HAVE BURST OUTWARDS?). UPON INQUIRY, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IDENTIFIED THAT HONDA DOES NOT HAVE AN ACTIVE RECALL, NOR DO THEY SUPPORT GLASS BREAKAGE. SECONDARY EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS ALSO INQUIRED AS TO COVERING THIS REPAIR WITHOUT SUCCESS.

NHTSA ID

11397496

Incident

Feb 23, 2021

Mileage

50,000 mi