← New search

1996 Honda Odyssey

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Honda Odyssey are lower than the model-year median of 249.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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

26 reports with mileage · 44 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

11 reports
Clear category filter
152,790 miles · Dec 26, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY 1996 HONDA ODYSSEY DIED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STATIONARY AND/OR DRIVING, INCLUDING ONE INCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED. I TOOK IT TO AAA CARE PLUS, GOT SPARK PLUG, SPARK PLUG WIRE SET, DISTRIBUTOR REPLACED. IT STILL STALL FREQUENTLY. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH LEARNED THAT 1996 ODYSSEY HAS PROBLEM. OTHER HAVE ALSO REPOR…

Read full complaint

MY 1996 HONDA ODYSSEY DIED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STATIONARY AND/OR DRIVING, INCLUDING ONE INCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED. I TOOK IT TO AAA CARE PLUS, GOT SPARK PLUG, SPARK PLUG WIRE SET, DISTRIBUTOR REPLACED. IT STILL STALL FREQUENTLY. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH LEARNED THAT 1996 ODYSSEY HAS PROBLEM. OTHER HAVE ALSO REPORTED. WANT TO KNOW WHAT HONDA IS DOING ABOUT IT AS THIS MODEL WAS RECALLED FOR SAME PROBLEM IN CHINA AND EUROPE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10297010

89,951 miles · Jan 31, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

COMPLAINED ABOUT A SMALL OIL LEAK WHEN AT DLR FOR OIL CHANGE AT 90000 MI. WAS TOLD THAT CAM SHAFT SEAL WAS LEAKING. OIL LEAK HAD SATURATED TIME BELT. DLR RECOMMENDED REPLACING TIMING BELT DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE DUE TO OIL SATURATION. ORIGINAL OWNER, TIMING BELT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 60000 MI AS PART OF REGULAR MAINTE…

Read full complaint

COMPLAINED ABOUT A SMALL OIL LEAK WHEN AT DLR FOR OIL CHANGE AT 90000 MI. WAS TOLD THAT CAM SHAFT SEAL WAS LEAKING. OIL LEAK HAD SATURATED TIME BELT. DLR RECOMMENDED REPLACING TIMING BELT DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE DUE TO OIL SATURATION. ORIGINAL OWNER, TIMING BELT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 60000 MI AS PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. REPLACED CAMSHAFT SEAL, BALANCER SHAFT SEAL, GEAR SET, TIMING BELT, AND WATER PUMP AT COST OF $866. NOTED OTHER COMPLAINTS ON SITE OF BALANCER SHAFT SEAL PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10056224

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL FAILED IN JANUARY 2000. OIL HOUSING OIL SEAL (O-RING) FAILED IN JANUARY 2004. BOTH FAILURES CAUSED HEAVY OIL LOSS SO VEHICLE WAS TOWED AT MY EXPENSE. SRS LIGHT IS ON. DEALER CHARGED ME $89 DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR SRS ESTIMATE AND SAID IT WOULD COST JUST UNDER $1000 TO REPAIR. THIS FEE WAS CHARGED EVEN THOUG…

Read full complaint

BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL FAILED IN JANUARY 2000. OIL HOUSING OIL SEAL (O-RING) FAILED IN JANUARY 2004. BOTH FAILURES CAUSED HEAVY OIL LOSS SO VEHICLE WAS TOWED AT MY EXPENSE. SRS LIGHT IS ON. DEALER CHARGED ME $89 DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR SRS ESTIMATE AND SAID IT WOULD COST JUST UNDER $1000 TO REPAIR. THIS FEE WAS CHARGED EVEN THOUGH I WAS PAYING FOR THE O-RING REPAIR AT THAT TIME. * CB

NHTSA ODI #10054340

84,595 miles · May 19, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

FRONT BALANCER SHAFT SEAL FAILED AND ALL OF THE OIL LEAKED OUT OF THE ENGINE...RAPIDLY!!! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10018926

Mileage unknown · May 22, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT. OIL WAS PUMPED OUT OF ENGINE RAPIDLY. WE DISCOVERED BY FINDING POOL OF OIL UNDER LEFT FRONT TIRE. DEALER REPAIR WAS PROMPT. HONDA PAID FOR SEAL AND NEW TIMING BELT. I HAD TO PAY FOR CAM SEAL, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, WATER PUMP, AND COOLANT. HONDA'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT 1-800-999-1009 WAS UN…

Read full complaint

COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT. OIL WAS PUMPED OUT OF ENGINE RAPIDLY. WE DISCOVERED BY FINDING POOL OF OIL UNDER LEFT FRONT TIRE. DEALER REPAIR WAS PROMPT. HONDA PAID FOR SEAL AND NEW TIMING BELT. I HAD TO PAY FOR CAM SEAL, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, WATER PUMP, AND COOLANT. HONDA'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT 1-800-999-1009 WAS UNRESPONSIVE. THEIR ATTITUDE WAS "NOT OUR FAULT" . I ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF ENGINE HAD BLOWN. THEIR RESPONSE WAS "TO PROBABLY DENY CLAIM SINCE THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVEN WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON.*AK

NHTSA ODI #762162

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2001
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

AIR BAG -- CONTROL MODULE FAILURE AT 67000 MILES. SRS LIGHT ON PANEL INDICATED PROBLEM. DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED CODE 6-2. CAR NEEDS CONTROL UNIT #06772-SX0-A70. COST $654.00 + TAX. IF OWNER CANNOT AFFORD REPAIR, CAR WILL BE DRIVEN WITHOUT BENEFIT OF AIR BAGS. POWER WINDOW -- DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT, CLICK SOUND WHEN ROLLING UP WIND…

Read full complaint

AIR BAG -- CONTROL MODULE FAILURE AT 67000 MILES. SRS LIGHT ON PANEL INDICATED PROBLEM. DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED CODE 6-2. CAR NEEDS CONTROL UNIT #06772-SX0-A70. COST $654.00 + TAX. IF OWNER CANNOT AFFORD REPAIR, CAR WILL BE DRIVEN WITHOUT BENEFIT OF AIR BAGS. POWER WINDOW -- DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT, CLICK SOUND WHEN ROLLING UP WINDOW AT 42,000 MILES. WINDOW STOPPED WORKING ENTIRELY AT DEALER'S REPAIR FACILITY. REGULATOR AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED. POWER DOOR LOCKS -- LOCKS WOULD RECYCLE WHEN OWNER ATTEMPTED TO LOCK THE CAR. LEFT FRONT POWER DOOR LATCH AND ACTUATOR REPLACED AT 42,000 MILES. ENGINE -- OWNER DROVE THE CAR 9 MILES TO WORK BEFORE OIL INDICATOR LAMP FINALLY CAME ON WHEN PARKING. SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE FAILED WHEN CAR STARTED, EVIDENCE OF SUDDEN OIL LEAK IN HOME DRIVEWAY, AND OIL SPILLED OUT OF ENGINE ALL THE WAY TO WORK. ENGINE OIL COMPLETELY GONE. CURRENTLY UNDER INSPECTION FOR REPAIR AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #748579

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT SEAL POPPED OUT, CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE, MASSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE CAM SHAFT AND MASTER CYLINDER, VAN DIED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, HONDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS SITUATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS. CJ

NHTSA ODI #559302

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

BALANCE SHAFT SEAL BLEW OUT, CAUSING OIL TO GUSH OUT OF ENGINE. DEALER COVERED REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739208

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND MODULATOR AND ACCELERATOR WERE LEAKING, BALANCE SHAFT SEAL CAUSED OIL TO POOR OUT, AND THEY REPLACED THAT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #871077

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

WIFE WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND SHE PULLED OVER. OIL WAS POURING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT SEAL. HAD POPPED OUT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865810

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.