2001 Honda Odyssey Problems

What owners report

Owners of this minivan describe transmission trouble more than anything else, with slipping, delayed or harsh shifting, warning lights and complete loss of drive reported across a wide mileage range, and many say a replacement transmission later failed as well. Front coil spring breakage and power sliding door faults are the next most common themes, and many drivers mention airbag recall notices tied to the driver-side inflator.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, harsh shifts, then fails

   • 327 complaints (53%)
   • median 107,000 mi at 9.8 yrs old (289 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,000 (median of 62 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2020

   Complaints describe the van hesitating or slipping between gears, revving without moving, and then engaging with a lurch or shock, often along with the check engine light and a flashing D4 or TCS light. In many accounts the unit later stopped driving altogether and had to be towed. Owners say dealers typically diagnosed a failed transmission and quoted a rebuilt or remanufactured replacement, and several note that a replacement failed again after a relatively short distance. Reports span a wide range, from under 50,000 miles to well past 180,000, with many in the 60,000 to 110,000 mile range and several describing failures during highway driving.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from a cold start and check for hesitation, revving without movement, or a lurch on downshift; watch whether the check engine or D4/TCS lights come on. Ask for service records showing whether the transmission has been replaced and under what warranty.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were driving from indiana to florida. About 100 miles from our destination the check engine and tcs warning lights came on. The transmission shifted erratically at low speeds and the engine revved highly between gears at low speeds. We took the vehicle to the Honda dealer and were told we needed a new transmission at a cost of more than $5,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10491542, filed 2013-01, 104,000 miles

   “While driving, the transmission suddenly failed. Instead of speeding up, the vehicle slowed. Luckily I was not in the middle of an intersection and no one was behind me. This is very dangerous situation and could have caused an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10433685, filed 2011-10, 105,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Front coil spring breaks

   • 37 complaints (6%)
   • median 84,414 mi at 7.5 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2003–2015

   Owners describe a loud snap, often while backing out of a driveway or parking at low speed, followed by the van pulling hard to one side. Several report a piece of the broken spring found in the wheel well or garage floor, and in some cases the spring damaged a front tire. Complaints say dealers replaced one or both front springs, and owners often note the other side broke later. Mostly reported between roughly 49,000 and 88,000 miles, typically at low speed when leaving a driveway or parking space.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect both front coil springs for cracks or corrosion near the ends and look for a broken coil; ask whether either spring has been replaced and check for uneven front tire wear.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Reference pe06007. 1 1/2 years ago the left front coil spring failed and our vehicle was under warranty at the time so this was covered but approximately 1.5 yrs later and the right front coil spring broke as my husband was driving home from work this evening. The dealership technician stated that the right front coil spring appeared ok on march 28th of 2006 and therefore the warranty company would not pay to have this corrected. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10212265, filed 2007-12, 72,842 miles

   “As best we can determine (based on noise) the coil springs failed while parking at low speeds. Not knowing what had happened the car was used at highway speed for a short trip following this. It pulled hard to alternating sides (right and left). Car was immediately taken to repair where we were advised we are lucky not to have had the spring puncture the tire at highway speed. Car has been repaired at cost of $850. The reason for my complaint is two fold. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10262236, filed 2009-03, 77,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Driver airbag inflator recall, parts unavailable

   • 86 complaints (14%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,400 (median of 13 quotes)
   • filed 2002–2023

   Complaints reference an airbag recall notice and say that parts were not yet available, with owners told to keep driving the van and wait. Several describe multiple calls to the dealer and manufacturer without a repair date being given. These are reports about the recall process rather than a symptom drivers could feel. Reported by owners of high-mileage vehicles, mostly between about 138,000 and 250,000 miles, after receiving recall mailings.

   Recall 20V0270002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Run the VIN through the manufacturer's recall lookup to see whether the driver-side inflator recall applies and whether the repair has already been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I received mail stating my airbag could kill me if it's not replaced. It's been 90 days since I got that correspondence. It said 60 days I would hear back again because Honda doesn't have the parts. This is my daily driver and I feel as if Honda doesn't care since it's been 30 days beyond what I was told and still haven't gotten it fixed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11331517, filed 2020-06, 200,000 miles

   “We received a recall notice in march 2020 for the airbag of our Honda Odyssey. Turns out the recall dates back to january 17. Honda let us drive the vehicle and put our lives at risk for nearly two months. As of today, Honda did not reply to our letter about airbag replacement nor did they contact us to get the vehicle repaired. The vehicle could not be operated since march and expenses for it are climbing.”

   NHTSA complaint #11327117, filed 2020-06, 170,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Power sliding doors stop working or fail to latch

   • 84 complaints (14%)
   • median 82,368 mi at 7.0 yrs old (35 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2016

   Complaints describe sliding doors that stop opening or closing, beep repeatedly, or close almost all the way without latching, leaving the door-open light and warning chime on. Some owners report the door intermittently reversing or opening again with nothing in the way, and others mention attempts to repair the same door more than once. A few say the door could not be held shut manually. Reported from under 30,000 miles up to around 180,000, often as an intermittent fault that appears over time.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle both sliding doors several times, power and manual, and check that they latch fully and that no door-open light or beeping remains. Ask whether the door motors, latch assemblies or rollers have been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Automatic sliding doors apply dangerous pressure to people before retracting. I have been hurt twice by being crushed and bruised by doors closing on my body when door was accidently activated while loading children and passengers. The sensor to retract does not operate as indicated by manufacturer. This defect poses serious danger to children. Also, both sliding doors have been malfunctioning since oct 2002. Will almost close, then retract with nothing obstructing them. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10040960, filed 2003-09, 25,728 miles

   “The power sliding door on the driver side does not open and close. The sliding door light is illuminated. The passenger side sliding door works fine. (the passenger side power sliding door closes but not quite all the way, it will not engage , or catch . Therefore, the van thinks the door is still open (open door light is on, buzzes continually when put into gear, and interior lights stay on).”

   NHTSA complaint #10307008, filed 2010-02, 56,221 miles

Buying note. The transmission is the main thing to inspect on this model year: drive it cold, watch for slipping or warning lights, and ask for proof of any replacement and its warranty. Also check the front springs and both sliding doors, and confirm the driver-side airbag recall has been completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.