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2012 Honda Odyssey

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Honda Odyssey do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 249.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

187 reports with mileage · 57 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports6 fire reports19 injury reports

What owners actually said

244 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2022
Service Brakes

Without warning the breaks will not work. You have to push them all the way down and it sometimes lurches forward after breaking. I’ve had it looked at and they can find nothing wrong. This is a serious problem and needs recalled.

NHTSA ODI #11483187

163,000 miles · Jul 11, 2022
Power Train

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle made ticking sounds. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an appointment for the diagnostic test. The contact related the failure to the timing belt; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. Th…

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The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle made ticking sounds. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an appointment for the diagnostic test. The contact related the failure to the timing belt; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

NHTSA ODI #11473370

87,000 miles · Jun 16, 2022
Engine

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated that oil was leaking onto the spark plugs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The fail…

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The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated that oil was leaking onto the spark plugs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 87,000.

NHTSA ODI #11469637

78,000 miles · Apr 12, 2022
Engine

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light would suddenly illuminate and the vehicle would not properly accelerate and would drive very rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder number one was faulty. The…

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The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light would suddenly illuminate and the vehicle would not properly accelerate and would drive very rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder number one was faulty. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the oil pressure switches were faulty and needed to be replaced. The oil pressure switches were replaced; however, failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 78,000.

NHTSA ODI #11460477

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2022
Structure

Sliding doors on both sides will not close reliably. When closing the sliding doors, the door slides along the track smoothly initially but when it is close to shutting anywhere from 2 feet to a couple inches (usually within inches of closing) the moving door studders its motion, or hesitates and then the door opens again. This …

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Sliding doors on both sides will not close reliably. When closing the sliding doors, the door slides along the track smoothly initially but when it is close to shutting anywhere from 2 feet to a couple inches (usually within inches of closing) the moving door studders its motion, or hesitates and then the door opens again. This has been ongoing for a couple years and although it is intermittent, it has become worse over time. There are only two reliable ways to close the sliding doors. One is to lean heavily on the sliding door at the end of the closing cycle and the other is to drive the vehicle either forward or in reverse while the door is near the end of closing. This poses an obvious safety hazard. We have had a local mechanic look at it but it was not reproducible and seems to be better when the whether is fair so she did not find a solution. We just took it to Marion Honda in Southern Illinois and they cleaned the tracks without charging us and thought it had resolved the problem but it did nothing to help. Problem persists

NHTSA ODI #11455984

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2022
Service Brakes

False abs activation at speed above 45mph.

NHTSA ODI #11455261

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2022
Unknown Or Other

a cable on the automatic sliding door snapped while normally opening door with my fob. The door would no longer work automatically. Both automatic doors have been sensitive to weather changes and won't open sometimes, before the cable snapped.

NHTSA ODI #11446981

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

Misfire in cylinder 1 Caused van to lose power on freeway almost causing an accident. From 2011-2013 there was a settlement that gave an 8 year extended warranty, but why is it only 8 years when not everyone’s driving is the same? My van was brought to the Honda dealer Check engine light came on, then it flashes

NHTSA ODI #11443422

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2021
Service BrakesSteeringWheels

When applying the brake fro my 2012 Honda Odyssey I feel my steering shaking that may cause an issue while driving on Freeway. I have done the wheel balancing on new tires again too... But still i fee the same.

NHTSA ODI #11433677

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2021
Structure

The sliding door on the driver's side would open when the handle was pulled even when the lock was engaged. As this is the primary door used, I didn't not know it wasn't supposed to do this. Several years ago, the started sticking, then making a popping sound when it opened. The dealership inspected and found nothing wrong. It p…

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The sliding door on the driver's side would open when the handle was pulled even when the lock was engaged. As this is the primary door used, I didn't not know it wasn't supposed to do this. Several years ago, the started sticking, then making a popping sound when it opened. The dealership inspected and found nothing wrong. It progressed to opening a little bit and getting stuck which required closing the door using the electronic controls. Then it started getting stuck in the open position which using the electronic controls multiple times to get it to close. As it is getting worse over time, I don't know if that will continue. At each oil change, I had the door checked. For years it was sporadic so they claimed they could not reproduce. A few months ago, we lost the ability to use the manual door handles. At this point, it was fully reproducible, but the dealership claimed they couldn't find a cause. They can't explain why the door is attempting to open when the lock is engaged.

NHTSA ODI #11432646

Official recalls

5

17V725000 · Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Nov 17, 2017

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. If a seat is placed between either of the two positions when attaching the seat to the vehicle floor, the seat will not latch properly to the seat striker, allowing the seat to tip forward unexpectedly during braking.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat tips forward during braking, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket to the second row outboard floor strikers, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2018. Owners may contact American Honda Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is S0G.

16V933000 · Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Dec 27, 2016

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2010, to October 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats. This release lever may remain in the unlocked position allowing the seats to move unexpectedly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An unlocked second row outboard seat increases the risk of injury to the seat occupant during a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional bracket and spring to both second row outboard seats, free of charge. Interim letter has been mailed, and a second notification will be sent . Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KD5.

13V143000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Apr 15, 2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.

13V016000 · Air Bags

Jan 18, 2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment. This could potentially increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

11V602000 · Suspension:front

Dec 22, 2011

HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012, ODYSSEY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 31, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2011. THE RETENTION NUT FOR THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER SUSPENSION DAMPER BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER TORQUE, POTENTIALLY ALLOWING THE NUT TO LOOSEN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE NUT LOOSENS, THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY WOULD ONLY BE ATTACHED BY ONE BOLT, ALLOWING THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO SHIFT TO AN EXTREME INWARD ANGLE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: HONDA CONTACTED ALL NINE OWNERS BY PHONE ON DECEMBER 19, 2011, AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLES AS NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

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

1

DP26005 · Inadvertent Deployment Of Air Bags

Opened Jul 13, 2026 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module; Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module:software

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated May 30, 2026. The Petition is requesting an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (MY) 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The Petition contends that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or G-force threshold breach. The Petition further alleges that the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) conflict and inaccurate data is being recorded for the air bag system. The Petitioner cites 10 complaints received by ODI alleging the same failure. ODI will evaluate these complaints to determine if they are related to the failure cited in the Petition andconduct a technical review under 49 CFR Part 552. This Defect Petition is being opened to evaluate whether to grant or deny the Petition. The Petition can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under NHTSA Number 11744118.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated May 30, 2026. The Petition is requesting an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (MY) 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The Petition contends that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or G-force threshold breach. The Petition further alleges that the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) conflict and inaccurate data is being recorded for the air bag system. The Petitioner cites 10 complaints received by ODI alleging the same failure. ODI will evaluate these complaints to determine if they are related to the failure cited in the Petition andconduct a technical review under 49 CFR Part 552. This Defect Petition is being opened to evaluate whether to grant or deny the Petition. The Petition can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under NHTSA Number 11744118.

Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module:software

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated May 30, 2026. The Petition is requesting an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (MY) 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The Petition contends that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or G-force threshold breach. The Petition further alleges that the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) conflict and inaccurate data is being recorded for the air bag system. The Petitioner cites 10 complaints received by ODI alleging the same failure. ODI will evaluate these complaints to determine if they are related to the failure cited in the Petition andconduct a technical review under 49 CFR Part 552. This Defect Petition is being opened to evaluate whether to grant or deny the Petition. The Petition can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under NHTSA Number 11744118.

Air Bags

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated May 30, 2026. The Petition is requesting an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (MY) 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The Petition contends that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or G-force threshold breach. The Petition further alleges that the Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) and Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) conflict and inaccurate data is being recorded for the air bag system. The Petitioner cites 10 complaints received by ODI alleging the same failure. ODI will evaluate these complaints to determine if they are related to the failure cited in the Petition andconduct a technical review under 49 CFR Part 552. This Defect Petition is being opened to evaluate whether to grant or deny the Petition. The Petition can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under NHTSA Number 11744118.