IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY HESTIATE TO ACCELERATE AND DIE OUT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Odyssey years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
270–25K
3325–50K
5750–75K
10475–100K
139100–150K
84150K+
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 reportsTHE VAN NEEDED TO BE JUMPED STARTED TWICE A WEEK. ALSO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER ERRATIC PERFORMANCE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. MR
CONSUMER NOTICE WHEN RESTARTING VEHICLE, VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WOULD NEED A JUMP, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. NLM
THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT HOLD THE POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR CAN DRIFT BACKWARD, REQUIRING I USE THE BRAKES AND THE GAS AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID HITTING SOMETHING BEHIND ME. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO DOES NOT SLOW THE CAR ON HILLS. IF I AM IN D1, THE CAR WILL FLY DOWN A HILL AS IF IT IS…
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THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT HOLD THE POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR CAN DRIFT BACKWARD, REQUIRING I USE THE BRAKES AND THE GAS AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID HITTING SOMETHING BEHIND ME. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO DOES NOT SLOW THE CAR ON HILLS. IF I AM IN D1, THE CAR WILL FLY DOWN A HILL AS IF IT IS NOT IN ANY GEAR. THE HONDA DEALER INSISTS THIS IS NORMAL. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR YOUR SAFETY STANDARDS BUT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DRIVE ON MOUNTAIN ROADS WITHOUT WEARING THE BREAKS OUT, AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME.
DEALER STATED THAT SHIFT SOLENOIDS SHOULD BE REPLACED BUT THAT PAST CASES THIS HAS NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING TRANSMISSION AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SIGNIFICANT FOR THE ODYSSEY AND SHOULD MERIT A RECALL. WE ARE PURSUING LEGAL ADVICE.*AK
DRIVING ON RAINY ROAD, APPX 50 MPH, TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, NO VEHICLES BEHIND, SO NO ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION THEN REPEATEDLY TRIED TO UPSHIFT, SLIPPED DOWN TO 2ND, REPEATEDLY. PROCEEDED TO SAFE STOPPING AREA IN 2ND GEAR (MANUALLY SELECTED). COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY DANGER…
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DRIVING ON RAINY ROAD, APPX 50 MPH, TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, NO VEHICLES BEHIND, SO NO ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION THEN REPEATEDLY TRIED TO UPSHIFT, SLIPPED DOWN TO 2ND, REPEATEDLY. PROCEEDED TO SAFE STOPPING AREA IN 2ND GEAR (MANUALLY SELECTED). COULD POTENTIALLY BE VERY DANGEROUS IF DRIVER DOES NOT RESPOND CAREFULLY, IF TRAFFIC IS FOLLOWING, IF ROAD IS SLICK, OR IF IN THE MIDST OF NEGOTIATING A CURVE. A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND VEHICLE DISABLING FAILURE. NLM
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME OUR TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT. FIRST IT WENT OUT AT 19,000 MILES, WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND HAS NOW GONE OUT AGAIN AT 32,000 MILES. HOW CAN WE PROCEED WITH HONDA TO ISSUE A RECALL?
WITH VEHICLE STOPPED (AS AT A STOP SIGN OR AT A RED LIGHT), WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED, ENGINE REVS UP BUT VEHICHLE HESISTATES. THEN ,TRANSMISSION ENGAGES SUDDENLY AND VEHICHLE LURCHES FORWARD. THE INTENSITY WAS ANYWHERE FROM A MODERATE BUMP, TO ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE TIRES TO "SQUEAL" AND LOOSE TRACTION. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL…
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WITH VEHICLE STOPPED (AS AT A STOP SIGN OR AT A RED LIGHT), WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED, ENGINE REVS UP BUT VEHICHLE HESISTATES. THEN ,TRANSMISSION ENGAGES SUDDENLY AND VEHICHLE LURCHES FORWARD. THE INTENSITY WAS ANYWHERE FROM A MODERATE BUMP, TO ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE TIRES TO "SQUEAL" AND LOOSE TRACTION. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WE GOT THE VEHICHLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE; WE JUST BEGAN TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY SAID IT WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, AS IF THEY HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM MANY TIMES BEFORE. WHEN QUESTIONED THEY DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH ODYSSEY TRANSMISSIONS, ALTHOUGH THEY DID SAY THAT THEIR ODYSSEY SHUTTLEVAN (SAME YR/MODEL) HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE PRIOR WEEK. WHILE CONDUCTING A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, WE FOUND DOZENS OF INSTANCES OF ODYSSEY TRANSMISSION FAILURES, ALL WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AS THE REMEDY. WHILE IN OUR CASE THIS WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY AT NO CHARGE, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT CAN EASILY LEAD TO A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. *AK
FRONT AXLE BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK
AT APPROXIMATELY 6,000 THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO EMIT A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE IN FOURTH GEAR TRAVELING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR AND ABOVE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERESHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NO NOISE. THE NOISE PERSISTED AND BECAME LOUDER. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE SECOND TIME AND P…
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AT APPROXIMATELY 6,000 THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO EMIT A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE IN FOURTH GEAR TRAVELING AT 50 MILES PER HOUR AND ABOVE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERESHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NO NOISE. THE NOISE PERSISTED AND BECAME LOUDER. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE SECOND TIME AND POINTED OUT THE NOISE DURING A TEST DRIVE WITH SERVICE PERSONNEL, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION.*AK
Official recalls
120V027000 · 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
1PE06007 · 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.