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2001 Honda Odyssey

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Odyssey years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Honda Odyssey are substantially higher than the model-year median of 249.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

444 reports with mileage · 175 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 332 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports4 fire reports24 injury reports

Power Train complaints

332 reports
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143,169 miles · Feb 13, 2012
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 143,169 MILES ON 2001 HONDA, ODYSSEY EX VAN. TRANSMISSION HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE UNIT PRIOR TO FAILURE. I BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO A POOR MANUFACTURING DESIGN. HONDA WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD…

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TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 143,169 MILES ON 2001 HONDA, ODYSSEY EX VAN. TRANSMISSION HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE UNIT PRIOR TO FAILURE. I BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO A POOR MANUFACTURING DESIGN. HONDA WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS BECAUSE THEY KNEW THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THESE UNITS. A TRANSMISSION PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF SHOULD LAST A MINIMUM OF 200,000 MILES NOT ANY LESS AND MANY A/T GO TO 300,000 MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10447808

96,789 miles · Feb 8, 2012
Power Train

***DO NOT BUY A HONDA**** PURCHASED A HONDA ODYSSEY ON 9.22.09 ,HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION A WEEK LATER,TRUSTED HONDA DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM,PROBLEM STILL EXISTS,STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION,ITS BEEN COSTING ME TIME,MORE TIME,MONEY,AGGREVATION,QUALIT…

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***DO NOT BUY A HONDA**** PURCHASED A HONDA ODYSSEY ON 9.22.09 ,HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION A WEEK LATER,TRUSTED HONDA DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM,PROBLEM STILL EXISTS,STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION,ITS BEEN COSTING ME TIME,MORE TIME,MONEY,AGGREVATION,QUALITY OF LIFE,HONDA JUST DONT CARE.THEY CANT BUILD TRANSMISSIONS BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO SELL CARS IN AMERICA!!! WHEN WILL SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!! I NEVER OWNED A CARE LIKE THIS EVER!! THEY JUST CANT BUILD TRANSMISSIONS !! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10447205

145,000 miles · Feb 3, 2012
Power TrainFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. SMOKE WAS RELEASED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN CASE OF A FIRE. THE CONTACT ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. SMOKE WAS RELEASED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN CASE OF A FIRE. THE CONTACT ALSO CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED FRO THE FAILURE NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

NHTSA ODI #10446569

180,000 miles · Feb 2, 2012
Power Train

I AM ON MY 3RD FAILED TRANSMISSION FROM HONDA WITH MY 2001 ODYSSEY. IT SEEMS THEY GO OUT EVERY 60,000-80,000 MILES. THE FIRST TWO WERE REPLACED WITH A FIGHT ALL THE WAY, BUT NEVERTHELESS REPLACED. NOW THEY ABSOLUTELY WONT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY GO BY THE CARS MILEAGE AND YEARS, NOT THE TRANSMISSIONS. I'M SO FRUSTRATED AND DEFIN…

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I AM ON MY 3RD FAILED TRANSMISSION FROM HONDA WITH MY 2001 ODYSSEY. IT SEEMS THEY GO OUT EVERY 60,000-80,000 MILES. THE FIRST TWO WERE REPLACED WITH A FIGHT ALL THE WAY, BUT NEVERTHELESS REPLACED. NOW THEY ABSOLUTELY WONT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY GO BY THE CARS MILEAGE AND YEARS, NOT THE TRANSMISSIONS. I'M SO FRUSTRATED AND DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT IF IT EVER COMES TO BE. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL FAMILY CAR, AND ASSUMED RELIABLE SINCE IT'S HONDA, BUT I HAVE BEEN HUGELY DISAPPOINTED. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN ACTUALLY DO. IT'S NOT FAIR FOR A LARGE CORPORATION TO MAKE THE CONSUMER WHO BELIEVED IN THEIR PRODUCT SUFFER AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF A CAR WITH 3 CHILDREN, INCLUDING AN INFANT, FOR 9 MO NOW. VERY SAD THIS CAN HAPPEN WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT TO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10446332

99,860 miles · Jan 28, 2012
Power Train

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. IN OCTOBER, 2007, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 99,860 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE, WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4500.00. I GAVE THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO PROCEED WITH THE WORK.T…

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I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. IN OCTOBER, 2007, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 99,860 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE, WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4500.00. I GAVE THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO PROCEED WITH THE WORK.THE NEXT DAY I WAS INFORMED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT AMERICAN HONDA HAD ENTERED INTO A COURT SETTLEMENT WHICH RECOGNIZED THE DEFICIENT TRANSMISSION DESIGN AND THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE SETTLEMENT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY REGISTERED NO KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH A SETTLEMENT. UPON MY INSISTENCE THEY AGREED TO CHECK WITH AMERICAN HONDA. MY CLAIM WAS SUBSTANTIATED AND I RECEIVED A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION AT NO COST. UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION CONTAINED THE SAME DESIGN FAULTS AND FAILED THIS WEEK WITH 57,000 MILES RECORDED. THE DEALER AND AMERICAN HONDA HAS REFUSED TO COMPENSATE ME FOR A SECOND REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IN SPITE OF THEIR AWARENESS OF CONTINUOUS DESIGN FLAWS WHICH CONTINUE TO LEAD TO INEVITABLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I BELIEVE THAT HONDA SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CONTINUOUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES ARE DUE TO A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS REPLACEMENT. TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD REPRESENT A TOTAL LACK OF CONCERN FOR COMPLETE CUSTOMER SAFETY AND PROTECTION, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF THE KNOWN DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD OF A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10445669

73,900 miles · Jan 25, 2012
Power Train

1ST TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF MY 2001 ODYSSEY CAME AT 73,900 MILES. GOT WARRANTED NEW TRANSMISSION. AT 84,000 MILES 3RD GEAR PRESSURE RELATED TO TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE FIXED. NOT WARRANTED. AT 107,443 INTERNAL FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. FULL REPLACEMENT REQUIRED. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS OUT OF WARRANTY…

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1ST TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF MY 2001 ODYSSEY CAME AT 73,900 MILES. GOT WARRANTED NEW TRANSMISSION. AT 84,000 MILES 3RD GEAR PRESSURE RELATED TO TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE FIXED. NOT WARRANTED. AT 107,443 INTERNAL FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. FULL REPLACEMENT REQUIRED. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT AGREED TO CHARGE ME 50% OF THE $4800.00 DOLLAR COST SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY $2410.35. IMAGINE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION FAILURES ESPECIALLY FROM MY RESEARCH, FOR THE YEARS 1999-2002. MANY HONDA ODYSSEY OWNERS, INCLUDING MYSELF HAD TO REPLACE MULTIPLE ODYSSEY TRANSMISSIONS. IMAGINE I HAVE ONLY GONE 107,443 MILES AND I'M ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION. HONDA HAS TO KNOW THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW ETC., IN THOSE TRANSMISSIONS, BUT DIDN'T RECALL THEM AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF THE ODYSSEY TRANSMISSIONS FOR THE YEARS 1999-2002. I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE HAD TO PAY HALF THE COST OF MY THIRD LATEST ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION. HONDA HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDER. AT LEAST TOYOTA RECALLED THE MANY CARS THAT SEEM TO BE DEFECTIVE. HONDA SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING FOR ITS ODYSSEY CUSTOMERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10445233

151,000 miles · Jan 20, 2012
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THIS FAILED TRANSMISSION WAS A REPLACEMENT FOR A TRANSMISSION THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. UNUSUAL TO HAVE 2 TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN 150,000 MILES. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10444673

80,726 miles · Jan 9, 2012
Power Train

2001 HONDA ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION FAILED MARCH 19, 2007 AT 80,726 MILES FOR THE FIRST TIME. REPLACED BY HONDA UNDER CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT WARRANTY. THE REPLACEMENT UNIT FAILED AT 137,084 MILES ON JANUARY 02, 2012. THUS THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT UNIT LASTED ONLY 56,358 MILES WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL UNIT. CAL…

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2001 HONDA ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION FAILED MARCH 19, 2007 AT 80,726 MILES FOR THE FIRST TIME. REPLACED BY HONDA UNDER CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT WARRANTY. THE REPLACEMENT UNIT FAILED AT 137,084 MILES ON JANUARY 02, 2012. THUS THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT UNIT LASTED ONLY 56,358 MILES WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE ORIGINAL UNIT. CALLED HONDA JANUARY 05, 2012 AND ASKED IF THEY COULD PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND I'D PAY FOR THE LABOR AND SHOP SUPPLIES. HONDA REJECTED THE REQUEST AND SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. NOT SURE IT WAS IT WAS EVER THE INTENTION OF THE COURT IN FINALIZING THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT THAT FAILURE OF THE REPLACEMENT UNITS WOULD FOLLOW IN SUCH SHORT ORDER. IT'S UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT UNIT SHOULD LAST LESS THAT THE 109,000 MILES THE COURT AGREED TO. HONDA CUSTOMER CARE REFERENCE NUMBER[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

NHTSA ODI #10443153

116,000 miles · Jan 4, 2012
Power Train

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AT 116,000 MILES. DAVID HOBBS DEALER (MILWAUKEE) COULD NOT DUPLICATE. COMPLETE FAILURE AT 178,000 MILES. REBUILT AT MY COST OF $1900. FAILED AGAIN. AT 231,000, REBUILT AGAIN. AT 237,500 MILES SLIPPING AGAIN ON 1/3/12. HONDA SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM AND PROVIDED A FREE REPLACEMENT TRANS …

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TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AT 116,000 MILES. DAVID HOBBS DEALER (MILWAUKEE) COULD NOT DUPLICATE. COMPLETE FAILURE AT 178,000 MILES. REBUILT AT MY COST OF $1900. FAILED AGAIN. AT 231,000, REBUILT AGAIN. AT 237,500 MILES SLIPPING AGAIN ON 1/3/12. HONDA SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM AND PROVIDED A FREE REPLACEMENT TRANS AT ORIGINAL START OF PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10442454

117,087 miles · Jan 4, 2012
Power Train

2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED 2 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS LATER. SAME PROBLEM, A BAD TRANSMISSION AT 172,868. 55,781 MILES ON 2ND TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF 3YR/36K WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10442334

Official recalls

1

20V027000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 17, 2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE06007 · Front Coil Spring Fracture

Opened Jan 24, 2006 · Closed May 24, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

THE POPULATION OF 116,000 VEHICLES IS AN ESTIMATE BASED ON AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY (AHM) DATA IDENTIFYING ORIGINAL STATE OF SALE OR DELIVERY.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (SV) UTILIZE LIGHT WEIGHT COIL SPRINGS MANUFACTURED FROM HIGH STRENGTH STEEL (HSS).IF THE COATING MATERIAL OF A HSS SPRING IS BREACHED, CORROSIVE ELEMENTS (SALT) MAY ATTACK THE SPRING.SPRING CORROSION RESULTS IN A STRESS RISER AND MAY CAUSE A FRACTURE.DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION WHERE THE SPRING BREAKS, THE JAGGED EDGE MAY PIERCE THE TIRE; A RAPID DEFLATION OF THE TIRE MAY OCCUR AND CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OR CRASH.SV SPRING FAILURE MECHANICS AND TIRE CONTACT LIKELIHOOD ARE DISCUSSED IN AN AHM PRESENTATION TO ODI DATED APRIL 20TH, 2006 (AVAILABLE ON ODI?S WEB SITE; WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV).AHM?S PRESENTATION IDENTIFIED TWO MECHANISMS WHICH CAUSE THE SPRING COATING TO BECOME BREACHED; 1) CONTACT WITH THE LOWER SPRING SEAT, AND 2) ENTRAPMENT OF ABRASIVE MATERIALS BETWEEN THE SILENCER TUBE AND SPRING.THE PRESENTATION COMPARED SV SPRING FRACTURE RATES TO THE HONDA MDX MODEL, A SISTER VEHICLE RECALLED FOR FRONT SPRING FRACTURE UNDER NHTSA RECALL 05V385, AND TO OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED AND OR RECALLED FOR FRONT SPRING FRACTURE.THE SPRING FRACTURE RATE FOR THE SV, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF THE RATE OF THE MDX MODEL EVEN THOUGH THE SV'S HAVE ONE YEAR LONGER IN SERVICE, IS COMPARABLE TO RATES OBSERVED IN PRIOR SPRING FRACTURE INVESTIGATIONS THAT WERE CLOSED WITH NO RECALL AND LOW IN COMPARISON TO INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL.OF THE 7 REPORTS ODI IDENTIFIED ALLEGING TIRE DAMAGE DUE TO SPRING FRACTURE, 6 INVOLVED SPRING-TIRE CONTACT WHICH RESULTED IN SLOW OR NO LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE; ODI WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE ONE REPORT ALLEGING A PUNCTURE OCCURRED.ODI NOTES THAT THE SV FRONT SPRING DIFFERS FROM THE MDX SPRING IN THAT IT HAS A SINGLE SILENCER TUBE (UPPER ONLY, AS OPPOSED TO UPPER AND LOWER ON THE MDX) WHICH IS, ACCORDING TO AHM, LOCATED IN AN AREA LESS LIKELY TO RESULT IN A TIRE PUNCTURE SHOULD A FRACTURE OCCUR.A DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS NOT WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.