2018 Honda Odyssey Airbags Problems

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH over a pothole in the roadway, the passenger’s side air bags deployed unintendedly. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V227000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the failure reoccurred because the vehicle was not taken in for the reprogramming stated in the recall remedy. The manufacturer informed the contact that the air bag replacement was not covered under the recall. The contact had not received the recall notification before the failure. The manufacturer opened a case. The failure mileage was 120,657.

NHTSA ID

11744399

Incident

Jun 8, 2026

Mileage

120,657 mi

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle hit a pothole, and an unknown airbag unexpectedly deployed. The contact stated there was no injury sustained. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V227000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

NHTSA ID

11743685

Incident

May 15, 2026

Mileage

79,000 mi

I was travelling on a two lane surface road with a speed of 45 mph, travelling at or below posted speed and just starting to slow to make a right hand turn when I encountered / wandered over the solid white line into a pothole at the edge of the road where there is no shoulder. Airbags on the passenger side including the sidecurtain and airbag inside the passenger seat deployed instantly. There was no collision and no deployment of the front passenger airbag or any other bags in the vehicle. There was an immediate call from Honda regarding the airbag deployment along with an automated notification to local police. Police in [XXX] responded and made a report and created a case number: #[XXX] I had a passenger in the front seat at the time who received a facial laceration, bruises to the right arm and hip. This is part of a known recall for this model and year of vehicle. Police and local dealership ( Casey Honda of XXX [XXX] ) have both confirmed visually that the airbags have deployed. No warnings, lights preceded the event. I just received the letter in the last few days regarding the recall. Honda has issued a case number for the incident: #[XXX]. I will be following up Honda for an inspection of other accident sensor and systems for safety which can be affected by the deployment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11741430

Incident

May 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 mph, the rear passenger side airbags unexpectedly deployed deployed without any impact. The vehicle warning that a collision occurred illuminated after the airbag deployed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11741373

Incident

May 15, 2026

Mileage

80,000 mi

On April 20, 2026, at approximately 12:00 pm. I was driving my 2018 Honda Odyssey (VIN [XXX] ) southbound on [XXX] , approximately 3 miles north of the junction of [XXX] and [XXX] . I was traveling at approximately 30 mph. The vehicle struck a pothole in the road. Immediately upon impact, the passenger-side curtain airbag deployed with a loud report that I described as sounding like a gunshot next to my right ear. There was no collision with another vehicle or object, and no warning of any kind preceded the deployment. I was startled by the sudden deployment and noise, and the vehicle briefly swerved before I regained control. The deployed passenger-side curtain airbag completely obstructed my visibility through the passenger-side and right-rear windows. The road at that location runs along a narrow embankment with no shoulder, so I was unable to safely pull over. I had to continue driving approximately 3 to 4 miles with severely compromised visibility until I reached a safe location to park near the 9W and 340 junction. I was the sole occupant at the time of the incident. The curtain airbag deployed directly adjacent to my child’s car seat, which was installed in the rear passenger-side seat. My child was not in the vehicle at the time. Given the force and location of the deployment, a child seated in that position could have been seriously injured. Following the deployment, I experienced ringing in my right ear and ear pain that persisted for several hours. I was also significantly shaken by the incident. Component that failed: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which caused inadvertent deployment of the passenger-side curtain airbag. The vehicle and deployed airbag are available for inspection. Safety risk: The inadvertent deployment created multiple safety hazards. First, the deployment itself startled me and caused the vehicle to swerve at 30 mph on INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11732783

Incident

Apr 20, 2026

In the afternoon hours of [XXX]; my wife, 2 children and I were traveling away from Pageland, SC on [XXX] . My wife was driving the vehicle and hit a pothole on right side of our lane. This caused both driver and passenger side curtain airbags to deploy. Upon exiting the vehicle no visible damage was found other than a leaky passenger side front tire. This incident jeopardized the safety of everyone in our vehicle due to the powder or smoke that comes out causing a visual obstruction of the road, and the sudden unexpected deployment that scared my wife at the exit of a curve. Thankfully, she kept control of the vehicle and did not collide or wreck in to anything. I still called for the North Carolina Highway Patrol due to the incident that happened. The Trooper explained to us that he could not do a wreck report because, there was no collision. He did however do something different and provided us with a copy of it. Due to this, the insurance company totaled the vehicle and forced us to find a different vehicle. I am unsure if this vehicle was inspected afterwards by anyone other than the insurance company. Prior to this incident there were no warning lights or messages stating there was a problem. After the incident, several messages popped on the screen referencing several safety systems on the vehicle and the tire pressure system on the passenger side front tire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11730874

Incident

Dec 31, 2023

Incident Timeline – Spontaneous Airbag Deployment Date: July 22, 2025 Vehicle: 2018 Honda Odyssey EX-L Registered Owner: [XXX] Driver at Time of Incident: [XXX] Location of Incident: [XXX] (just before the daycare) Primary Dealership Contact: Jasmine – Sons Honda Service Department Contacts [XXX] : Work: [XXX] Secondary number Personal phone: [XXX] Email: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Email: ⸻ ~2:27 PM – 2:32 PM – Airbag Deployment •While driving on [XXX] , just prior to reaching the daycare, all airbags deployed spontaneously. •confirmed no pothole, impact, or object collision occurred. • [XXX] pulled the vehicle over safely, and all passengers were confirmed to be unharmed. ⸻ 2:32 PM – Initial Phone Call • [XXX] contacted [XXX] at 2:32 PM, placing the deployment within five minutes prior. ⸻ Shortly After – Police Department Notified •The local police department was contacted to report the incident and ensure documentation and safety at the scene. ⸻ 3:14 PM – Sons Honda Contacted • [XXX] called the Sons Honda service and recall department to report the deployment and request inspection. •Jasmine Cooper at Sons Honda is the primary representative handling the case. 678-345-8396 is our current service number for her - or the main number is 770-228-2888 ⸻ ~3:45 PM – Insurance Company Notified • [XXX] called the insurance company to initiate a claim and report the spontaneous airbag deployment. •The claim process is ongoing pending diagnostic results from the dealership. ⸻ Towing & Vehicle Transport •Tow operator Isaiah initially proposed moving the vehicle to a tow lot. • [XXX] requested the vehicle be taken directly to Sons Honda to avoid a second transfer. •Isaiah mentioned an additional fee, which [XXX] approved. •A discounted tow charge was given, waiting on a call from the office to confirm total and process paym INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11677666

Incident

Jul 22, 2025

While driving my 2018 Honda Odyssey at approximately 35-40 mph on a regular city road, the passenger-side front airbag deployed suddenly and without any impact or external trigger. The road was clear, traffic was light, and no collision occurred before, during, or after the event. The airbag deployment was abrupt and loud, startling me and posing a serious safety risk to both myself and my passenger. Immediately after pulling over, I conducted a visual inspection of the vehicle. There was no damage to the front bumper, fender, windshield, or undercarriage, and no sign of impact or obstruction. The dashboard did not display any warning lights prior to or immediately after the event. I took the vehicle to an authorized service center, where they confirmed that no diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) were stored and no mechanical fault could be identified. Despite my efforts to escalate the issue, Honda has declined to offer any support or written findings, stating they cannot assist if there is no identifiable cause. My insurance provider, State Farm, denied the claim as well, citing the absence of a collision. As of now, I am left with an unsafe vehicle, unexpected repair costs, and no accountability from the manufacturer or insurer. This incident could have resulted in serious injury if my passenger had been present, and I am extremely concerned about the safety implications for other Honda Odyssey owners. I am submitting this report in hopes that NHTSA investigates this potential safety defect. I’m willing to provide full documentation, photographs, and service records upon request.

NHTSA ID

11660443

Incident

Mar 28, 2025

During a side impact accident to the driver's side door, the SRS airbag system did not deploy the airbags. Driver ended up hitting their head and shoulder on the door frame. Police report does exist for the accident and there was no recall on this part for this vehicle but for the next model year, there was a recall for the SRS control system for a few vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11657433

Incident

Apr 26, 2025

During a normal drive on city road, the right side airbag and copilot passenger seat airbag both activate with no collision or agitation of the vehicle. Vehicle was sent to dealership for inspection; data transmitted to Honda USA. Honda USA replied that it is normal for airbag to activate even if there is no collision; Honda said even a speed bump could activate the airbag. Honda has refused to investigate further or compensate my repair. During the incident, the car was not going through any speed bump; it was just on a normal flat city road. There was no prior warning signs in the car. It could have caused significant personal injuries had my kids were sitting next to the airbag explosion because the bags activated with.no collision; there is no counterforce to the airbag thus it would thrust straight into a person. Luckily my kids were not in those seats at the time. It took so long to file to NHTSA because Honda had been very unresponsive after hearing my case, it took Honda half a year to inform me they are not doing any corrections or compensation to this incident.

NHTSA ID

11648628

Incident

Sep 8, 2024

While driving certainly Air bag SRS problem information came up on the dashboard and never went away during my four hours of driving. I know this is a safety issue and so many accident happened before for failure of the air bags and people died. I though I should inform to NHTSA about this safety issue. I contacted the dealer and take my car to check this problem.

NHTSA ID

11644287

Incident

Feb 21, 2025

The airbag system malfunctioned, causing the airbags to deploy unexpectedly while driving. The vehicle is currently at the Honda dealer for repairs and the airbags, as well as related components, are available for inspection upon request. The unexpected deployment of the airbags posed a significant safety risk. It startled me, which impaired my control of the vehicle suddenly as I was driving on the highway. Afterwards, I noticed fumes in the vehicle and I began feeling nauseous and light headed. I managed to pull over on the highway and stepped out of the vehicle. This could have led to a loss of control of vehicle, increasing the risk of collision or injury to not only myself but others on the road as well. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center yet. However, my insurance appraiser inspected the vehicle immediately after the incident and confirmed that the airbags deployed without any signs of a collision or impact. The cause of the deployment remains unknown, and the appraiser recommended that Honda investigate the issue further to identify any potential malfunction in the airbag system. The issue has been inspected by my insurance appraiser, who concluded that while the airbags deployed, there were no visible signs of a collision or any impact that would typically trigger airbag deployment. The inspection of the vehicle’s exterior panels, undercarriage, and suspension showed no signs of damage. The cause of the airbag deployment is unknown, and the appraiser recommended that Honda investigate further to determine if a malfunction within the vehicle’s airbag system is responsible. I believe Honda is at fault, as this issue appears to be related to a malfunction that they need to address. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the airbag deployment. However, after the airbags deployed, warning lights appeared on the dashboard, indicating a potential issue.

NHTSA ID

11641846

Incident

Jan 14, 2025

was driving in a rainstorm, a storm drain cap was pushed up and popped rear passenger tire. set off ALL passenger side airbags. I have a police report, numerous photos and videos.

NHTSA ID

11598283

Incident

Jun 4, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s and rear passenger’s side air bags deployed without a crash or an impact. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat and rear passenger’s seat were damaged due to the air bags deploying. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

NHTSA ID

11597187

Incident

Jun 6, 2024

Mileage

103,000 mi

See service Honda Service Bulletin 20-100 Dated 2-11-2021.The fuel Injectors part Number 16010 (6EA) has failed and my dashboard display , displays most of the sensors that means there is an actual problem, or a false reading. As a Honda owner, I cannot determine if it is an actual fault or a false reading. I had Rusty Wallace Honda dealer check the car using OBD device and the equipment indicates a code 219A, which indicates bad fuel injectors. Now after the check additional and different sensors are displayed with problems than were displayed prior to this check. The trouble shooting and after displaying the code 219A indicated a catastrophic failure. Rusty Wallace has verbalized the results and that I should continue driving the vehicle, that this would not damage the engine or the car. I am not a certified mechanic, but my younger days were devoted to back street work repairing and driving vehicles. Anytime that you starve or flood a cyclinder you had serious problems. I need this vehicle as a daily driver.

NHTSA ID

11576397

Incident

Mar 4, 2024

It is very common for the vehicle model to experience water intrusion toward the back lift gate because of rain. This can cause electric problems with the vehicle that can result in property damage or death. Airbags may not deploy due to water damage as well. Theses vehicles should be recalled as soon as possible. Most owner are not aware of this issue because they park vans in a garage. Please investigate this matter and issue a recall

NHTSA ID

11478984

Incident

Aug 12, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the passenger’s side air bags deployed without warning or a crash. The contact was able to pull over safely. The contact’s daughter was injured and taken to the hospital to seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to a Collison Center and then towed to the dealer. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted and notified the contact of a hole under the subframe of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. The failure mileage was 135,000.

NHTSA ID

11472900

Incident

Jun 27, 2022

Mileage

135,000 mi

My husband was driving our 2018 Honda Odyssey Van when he hit a deer and the airbags came out and my hearing was permanently damaged. I had taken a hearing test during the year before the accident and have hearing results after the accident. I have been told by two specialists that nothing can be done to repair the damage to my ears. It has been suggested that the air bags shouldn't have come out. Hitting the deer made a bad situation but the air bags coming out made a bad situation much worse. We had hit deer before and it never made the air bags come out which was absolutely not necessary in this situation. My leg was also cut and bruised by the air bag and I went to the emergency room for treatment.

NHTSA ID

11438973

Incident

Oct 9, 2020

The air bag light came up on 7/13/21 because according to the owner’s manual this is a warning and it can be a tragically event. I was afraid that if an incident happened my family would be in danger. I took the van to the Honda dealer it has 59,000 miles and I was told the I need to replace passenger seat weight sensor assembly (seat rail with sensor) part #81201-THR-A01. I asked told them that this might be a manufacturer’s problem because when I turn on the van the light was already on. I purchased the extended warranty and this vehicle was certified and we have to pay for the repair and labor. Because I was told this is not covered under any warranty which in my opinion since this is a safety feature should be covered.

NHTSA ID

11425749

Incident

Jul 13, 2021

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG, THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG (A TOTAL OF 4 AIRBAGS) OF THE 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY LX UNNECESSARILY AND DANGEROUSLY DEPLOYED IN A REAR-END COLLISION THAT DID NOT DID NOT CAUSE SIDE DISPLACEMENT OR ROLLOVER OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH NO PASSENGERS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD EVEN HAVE BEEN A SAFETY HAZARD IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE A CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS OCCURRENCE CONTRADICTS THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE OWNER'S GUIDE, WHICH STATE THAT THAT THE AFOREMENTIONED AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY IN THE CASE OF SIDE IMPACT OR ROLLOVER SITUATIONS. THIS UNNECESSARY AND DANGEROUS AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT: A) INCREASED THE RISK OF A SECONDARY COLLISION BY STARTLING AND DISTRACTING THE DRIVER AT THE EXACT TIME IT WAS CRUCIAL TO FOCUS AND SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE, B) INCREASED THE ACCIDENT-INDUCED TRAUMATIC STRESS ON THE DRIVER FROM THE IMPACT SHOCK OF THE DEPLOYED AIRBAGS, AND C) INCREASED THE COST OF VEHICLE REPAIR BY NECESSITATING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NEEDLESSLY DEPLOYED AIRBAGS, WHICH IS ABOUT 40% OF THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF REPAIR. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY, TORRANCE, CA, HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE IT. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS.

NHTSA ID

11232980

Incident

Apr 12, 2019

Mileage

27,783 mi

THE RIGHT SIDE AIRBAGS AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON WHILE MY FAMILY WAS DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11208252

Incident

May 10, 2019

Mileage

16,700 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" SECOND: UPON CLOSING THE REAR SLIDING DOORS THEY BECAME STUCK IN AN OPEN POSITION. IT TOOK STOPPING AND PHYSICALLY CLOSING THEM TO ENSURE THEY WOULD CLOSE AND LOCK. UPON RESEARCH HONDA HAS A RECALL FOR THIS BRAND NEW VAN FOR THE SLIDING DOORS AS WELL BUT FAILED TO MENTION IT DURING OUR RECENT SERVICE AND COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LOADING.

NHTSA ID

11156523

Incident

Dec 5, 2018

Mileage

17,000 mi