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Honda OdysseyModel year report

2012 Honda Odyssey Problems

Compared with other Honda Odyssey years

Typical for this model

48/100 0.9× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2009, 2010

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
245filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
40,376miles, 186 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 19 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Honda Odyssey (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe shuddering or vibration while braking at highway speeds, typically traced by dealers to warped or unevenly worn front rotors. A second common theme is engine misfires and oil-fouled spark plugs, with several owners told the piston rings need replacement. Power sliding door failures, seat latching problems and torque converter judder also appear, though less frequently.

  1. Brakes

    Brake shudder and vibration from front rotors

    • 51 complaints (21%)
    • median 21,000 mi at 2.8 yrs old (44 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2012–2022

    Owners describe the steering wheel and front of the van shaking or pulsing when braking, most noticeably from highway speeds, while descending hills, or after the brakes have heated up. Complaints say dealers resurfaced or replaced the front rotors and pads, sometimes at low mileage, and that the vibration returned after a period of driving. Several owners say the dealer characterized it as normal wear. Reported from a few thousand miles up to around 68,000 miles, often at highway speeds or downhill.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the van and brake firmly from highway speed, including downhill, to feel for steering wheel shake. Ask for service records showing whether front rotors or pads were replaced or resurfaced, and when.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We purchased van used at 33k miles. At that time it already displayed a slight vibration in the steering wheel when coming to a stop while breaking lightly. I thought it was out of alignment and made an appointment with dealer to fix. Per dealer front rotors were resurfaced because of 'uneven surface' and that was the cause of the problem. After a couple of months problem began again. It started with a very slight vibration only noticeable when breaking from about 60 MPH. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10979946, filed 2017-04, 3 miles

    “At highway speeds while applying the brakes the car has extremely bad vibration and the car has trouble slowing down. I first noticed this was occurring at about 22000 miles. When the brakes got warm and while going highway speeds or driving down hill the car would vibrate so bad it shakes the steering wheel and my arms. I took it to the dealer and they said the breaks were warped, but that it was ok to drive. I drove the car a little more but took it back to the dealer to look at again because it just doesn't feel safe. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10559462, filed 2014-01, 22,000 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine misfire with oil on spark plugs (piston rings)

    • 33 complaints (13%)
    • median 78,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2026

    Complaints describe the check engine light flashing, the engine shaking or running rough, and reduced power, sometimes with soot on the rear of the van or blue smoke from the exhaust. Owners say dealers found oil fouling the spark plugs and recommended replacing piston rings or the engine, and that repairs were sometimes declined or not covered. Some owners mention a warranty extension related to piston rings. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 160,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for maintenance records and whether the spark plugs or any piston ring work were done. Listen for rough idle and watch for a flashing check engine light on a test drive; a pre-purchase scan for misfire codes is worthwhile.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Cylinder number 3 has misfired multiple times in last 14,000 miles. Spark plug 3 had a lot of carbon. We changed all spark plugs and the pc valve in july 2018. It misfired few times in 2019 but then worked ok after restarting till feb 2020. It misfired multiple times and we now changed all spark plugs again and ignition coil of cylinder 3”

    NHTSA complaint #11309672, filed 2020-02, 100 miles

    “The check engine light started to blink and the vsa came on as well. This happened after I pulled into our driveway thank goodness because the engine started to shake the car. We took the van in our local dealership and it had a p0302 code. Engine misfire. This was caused by oil getting into the spark plug. Piston and ring job was recommended. The 2012 Honda had a TSB 11-033 for this issue. We are being denied our claim. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11308670, filed 2020-02, 75,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Power sliding door fails to open or close

    • 32 complaints (13%)
    • median 67,200 mi at 6.3 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2024

    Owners report the power sliding doors stopping partway, reversing, or failing to open at all, with some saying the door could not be moved manually once the motor or cable system failed. Complaints describe dealers replacing door motors, rollers and cables, and in some cases the problem returning after repair. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 136,000 miles.

    What to check: Operate both sliding doors several times, including with the door switch and manually, and check that they latch fully and move smoothly on their tracks.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The driver side rear door has came off the track twice causing the door to hang from the top roller and fall off the track causing severe body damage. It has been replaced three months ago and today june 23, 2020, it fell off again. Almost injuring my 7 year old step-son. The mechanic that I spoke to initially said this was a known problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #11330436, filed 2020-06, 136,000 miles

    “The sliding door on passenger side it is an automatic operating door. Doesn't open or close in proper way for most of the time. It is trying but it get stuck and reversed back. I don't know what to do with it, I can't bring it to the dealer it will be a lot of labor. Than you!!”

    NHTSA complaint #11372837, filed 2020-11, 42,633 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission judder or delayed acceleration

    • 36 complaints (15%)
    • median 20,700 mi at 2.6 yrs old (28 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2011–2026

    Complaints describe a shudder or vibration felt while accelerating at moderate speeds, and a delay of several seconds between pressing the accelerator and the van moving. Owners say dealers reprogrammed software and replaced transmission fluid, and some were told the torque converter was not the cause. Reported from very low mileage up to about 85,000 miles.

    Recall 13V1430002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive at steady 20-60 mph and feel for shudder under light acceleration, and check for hesitation when pulling away from a stop. Ask whether any transmission software update or fluid service was performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2012 Honda Odyssey has a shuttering at various speeds. This seems most prevalent around 40+ miles per hour, however, it can happen at varying speeds. I have set an appointment with Honda dealer (lehigh valley Honda for tuesday, january 31. I was informed by the service consultant that this is a known issue, but that there is no fix for this at this time. I filed a complaint with Honda motor corporation regarding this issue. This van is approximately two weeks old and experiencing this shuttering problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10445166, filed 2012-01, 500 miles

    “When traveling at a low speed and try to accelerate, the vehicle does not respond for 3 to 5 seconds. Very dangerous when trying to make a left turn or getting onto highway.”

    NHTSA complaint #10500936, filed 2013-03, 200 miles

Buying note. Check the brakes for shudder on a highway test drive, scan for engine misfire codes, and confirm both seat recalls and any sliding door repairs were completed. Service records showing rotor work, spark plug replacement or transmission fluid service are useful to review before purchase.

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.

NHTSA recorded 245 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. 186 of the complaints include a mileage, and 55% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 40,376 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 22 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 133 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Honda Odyssey model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 48 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Air bags (10), Seat belts (9), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (8), Exterior lighting (7), Wheels (7), Engine cooling (6), Tires (6), Suspension (5), Equipment (2), Electronic stability control (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “Problem with front brakes. While traveling on vacation driving down a long incline while applying brakes to stay in the speed limit my front end started shaken so bad I had to pull over. While home I search this on the web to show I'm not the only one with this probelm. Rotors get warped. This is dangerous and scary. This car needs a saftety recall. 22,000 thousand miles. A $30,000 van.”

NHTSA complaint #10981518, filed 2017-04, 22,000 miles

Engine: “Frequent check engine sign coming on, mechanic said excessive oil consumption, oil buring off, although Honda has reached a settlement with owners of Odyssey from 2008-2013 regarding this issue, when I called with the complaint they are saying my 2012 Odyssey is not on the list of cars with this problem. But my car is having the same problem as other owners were having.”

NHTSA complaint #11119334, filed 2018-08, 51,000 miles

Electrical system: “I was driving/exiting a parking garage onto a street into traffic. Suddenly, the panel lights and and cabin lights started flashing and the radio and AC cut off, and immediately after, the car cut off and I coasted, through cars moving at speed, to the side of the road. The car was in motion on a city street. At the Honda dealership they took a few days to contact me, then told me I need to pay $800 for a battery cable before they diagnose any issues with the alternator.”

NHTSA complaint #11217620, filed 2019-06, 130,000 miles

Body and structure: “I was going to pack the car (stationary in my driveway) on sat july 7th for a family reunion when I pressed the passenger side sliding door button on my key fob. While walking to my 2012 Honda Odyssey I heard the noise of the door opening but the door remained shut. While next to the car and without touching the handle I hit the passenger side sliding door button again, and again just the noise of the door opening/closing could be heard but the actual door remained shut. …”

NHTSA complaint #11110455, filed 2018-07, 75,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

55% of the 186 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 15,000 and 72,000 miles.

18%0–1020%10–2518%25–5021%50–7510%75–1009%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (186 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 40,376 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’12’14’1632’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Odyssey · VAN FWD★★★★★5 / 5554 · 12.7% risk

Neighbouring years: 2011: same overall rating; 2013: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Honda Odyssey version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Odyssey FWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic192722$3,050
Odyssey FWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic182721$3,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2012 Honda Odyssey → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 133 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 133 bulletins →

Other model years of the Honda Odyssey

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026606,3382522Too new to compareToo new
202544215,3002522Too new to compareToo new
202412314,5003522Too new to compareToo new
202310528,412552242 · TypicalToo new
202214131,400952255 · TypicalRising
202114732,164852235 · FewerRising
202049114,0001452282 · MoreRising
201999723,00020522100 · MoreRising
20181,00924,00016522100 · MoreRising
20173924,00025220 · FewerRising
201627130,344652252 · TypicalRising
201520732,000652246 · TypicalRising
201431028,000552257 · TypicalStable
201321034,000652239 · TypicalRising
201224540,376552248 · TypicalFalling
201123521,400552264 · TypicalStable
201025562,2771—2017 · FewerFalling
200919864,5003—2033 · FewerFalling
200849950,0004—2065 · MoreFalling
200783054,7204—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200670365,3503—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200583074,2108—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2004585106,80013—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2003914102,00015—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200296084,00010—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2001619100,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200067597,6346—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1999518100,0009—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199873139,0343—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199720104,0002—20—Falling
199670113,4680—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199596128,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Honda Odyssey model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Honda Odyssey?

Owners of this model year most often describe shuddering or vibration while braking at highway speeds, typically traced by dealers to warped or unevenly worn front rotors. The issues reported most often: Brake shudder and vibration from front rotors; Engine misfire with oil on spark plugs (piston rings); Power sliding door fails to open or close.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Honda Odyssey have?

NHTSA recorded 245 consumer complaints for the 2012 Honda Odyssey as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Honda Odyssey is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 60 complaints (24% of the total), followed by engine with 39.

Has the 2012 Honda Odyssey been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2012 Honda Odyssey do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2012 Honda Odyssey 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Honda Odyssey get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Honda Odyssey (Odyssey, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 19 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Honda Odyssey reported?

Among the 186 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 40,376 miles and the middle half falls between 15,000 and 72,000 miles; 55% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.