2014 Honda Odyssey Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a shudder or jerk from the transmission during low-speed gear changes, along with engine misfires and oil-fouled spark plugs that appear at higher mileage. Paint peeling on the roof, tailgate and upper body of white pearl vans is another frequent theme, and a number of complaints describe steering-wheel shake while braking. Complaints span a wide mileage range, with transmission and brake reports arriving early and engine and paint reports typically later.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder or jerk at low-speed shifts

   • 59 complaints (19%)
   • median 12,500 mi at 2.1 yrs old (53 state mileage)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Complaints describe a shudder, judder or hard jerk as the van accelerates from a stop or moves through the lower gears, most often around the 15-20 mph upshift. Some owners say the van feels as if it slips out of gear and then engages abruptly, and a few describe a loud clunk felt through the floor. According to the complaints, dealers have reprogrammed transmission software, changed or flushed the transmission fluid, and in some cases replaced the transmission; several owners say the symptom returned after a fluid service, and some report being told the condition could not be reproduced. Reported from very low mileage up through roughly 140,000 miles, with many complaints filed under 20,000 miles and others appearing again past 70,000.

   What to check: Drive the van slowly from a stop several times and feel for a shudder or hesitation in the 15-20 mph range, ideally with the engine fully warm. Ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced and whether any software updates were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In the morning when I first turn on the car there is big jerk when changing gears from 15 to 20mph I turn the car off and back on and it goes away this happens only once in the morning. During the day driving the streets a very small shudder jerk is felt not as big as the one in the mornings but this one is constant through the day”

   NHTSA complaint #11254407, filed 2019-09, 87,000 miles

   “I was driving my odessey home from work in average rush hour traffic. 30 minutes after leaving work, I came to a stop at a stop light. When I accelerated upon the light turning green my van shuddered/jerked when shifting gears between 15 & 20 MPH. I thought it might have been a fluke or bump in the road. Then I came to another stop at a second stop light, not five minutes later, and again when accelerating it repeated the shudder/jerk upon shifting between 15-20mph. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11244107, filed 2019-08, 74,700 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Misfire and oil-fouled spark plugs

   • 43 complaints (14%)
   • median 82,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $4,310 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe the engine shuddering or hesitating under acceleration, sometimes with a flashing check engine light and misfire codes for individual cylinders. Complaints say spark plugs have been replaced repeatedly because oil is reaching them, and some report that the underlying cause was identified as worn piston rings or oil leaking past the spark plug tubes. A few complaints describe oil from the rocker arm area reaching the alternator and causing a charging failure and loss of power; others report a check engine light traced to an oil pressure switch. Mostly reported between roughly 75,000 and 215,000 miles, with recurring plug fouling often described after an earlier repair.

   14 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or oil smell, and ask whether spark plugs or ignition coils have been replaced and why. A service bulletin describes piston ring wear and sludge causing oil to foul spark plugs and set misfire codes, so ask whether that diagnosis has been raised for this van.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving 70mph on an interstate. The battery light came on. There was no immediate change in vehicle performance and there were no odors present so I continued driving for several minutes towards the next exit. About .5mi away from the exit, the ABS, fcw, ldw, and brake lights came on, the air conditioner and console turned off, and the automatic transmission disengaged. This prevented the vehicle from being able to accelerate. The entire vehicle essentially lost power. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11339564, filed 2020-07, 143,000 miles

   “(2014 Honda Odyssey ex-l). On fri, 02-21-2020, 3:47pm, I was slowing to stop at intersection. Before coming to complete stop, engine began to shudder, but did not completely stall/stop, and the mil indicator illuminated. Engine continued to shudder while idling at complete stop. I gently applied acceleration to 10-MPH. Engine continued to shudder as I continued and stopped at another traffic light. Again I gently applied acceleration. The engine continued to shudder until I found a safe place to park and switched it off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11311732, filed 2020-02, 133,946 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Paint peeling on roof, tailgate and doors

   • 24 complaints (8%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the paint flaking or peeling away from the roof above the windshield and around the moonroof, the tailgate, and in some cases the upper part of a sliding door. Owners often note the peeling happens in large flakes rather than small chips, and a few mention flakes landing on the rear glass while driving. Several complaints say the repair was declined or only partly covered, with owners reporting the warranty extension was described as limited to the roof and liftgate. Reported across a very wide mileage range, from under 10,000 miles to past 150,000, mostly on vans finished in white pearl.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the roof panel, the area around the moonroof, the top of the tailgate and the upper sliding doors in good light for lifting, blistering or flaked edges. A service bulletin extends warranty coverage on paint in some of these areas for certain vehicles in that color, so ask whether that extension applies and was used.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We have a pearl white Odyssey. The paint has peeled off 2 times, and we are told it is not covered! I have seen and heard of issues with this same paint on other Honda vehicles. Honda knows there is an issue with the paint on these vehicles! They should fix this instead of the customer, since they are aware of the issue since the beginning of manufacture of the vehicles that have this paint on them! …”

   NHTSA complaint #11374996, filed 2020-11, 141,000 miles

   “Our paint is pealing off the roof between the windshield and moonroof. This is most likely going to be covered by Honda. We previously had pealing on our hood and had it repaired at our own cost. Honda refused to pay for it. Clearly they have a paint issue by the recall/warranty on the roof/back door paint, how would only those parts be affected? They need to repaint, and or reimburse all of the people affected.”

   NHTSA complaint #11372289, filed 2020-10, 155,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Steering wheel shake and warped front rotors

   • 58 complaints (19%)
   • median 29,800 mi at 2.8 yrs old (50 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2013–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel shaking or vibrating while braking, usually at higher road speeds, and some say the van feels unstable enough that they pump the pedal rather than brake progressively. Complaints commonly report warped front rotors with substantial pad life remaining, and several say the rotors were turned or replaced only for the shake to return. A few complaints describe a soft pedal or reduced braking effectiveness during a hard stop, and owners report mixed results on whether dealers covered the work under warranty. Mostly reported between about 18,000 and 88,000 miles, with some owners noting the shake returned after an earlier rotor service.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Brake firmly from highway speed during a test drive and watch for wheel shake or pedal pulsation, and ask for service records showing whether rotors or pads have been replaced. A service bulletin describes a soft or spongy brake pedal on this model, so ask whether the pedal has been inspected for that condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car has 53,000 miles on and while driving in speeds above 30 MPH the steering wheel violently shakes and is worsens with increased speeds. This shakes my entire body, steering column and makes it difficult to control the wheel. I had already replaced both front and back pads and had rotors turned around 23k. All work done at Honda dealership”

   NHTSA complaint #10980793, filed 2017-04, 53,000 miles

   “While driving on the highway and going 60mph or higher, the steering wheel shakes a lot when I start to brake and I have to pump my brakes rather than a slow gradual depression of the pedal like one would normally do or else the van becomes unstable. This has been the case for over a year.”

   NHTSA complaint #11129515, filed 2018-09, 60,000 miles

Buying note. A test drive that includes low-speed acceleration and a firm brake application from highway speed will surface the two most common mechanical complaints here, while the paint and engine issues are best checked by eye and by reviewing service records. Ask for documentation of transmission fluid services, any spark plug or ignition work, and whether a paint warranty extension was ever applied.

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.