Honda Odyssey Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. 644 of the 5,306 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Honda Odyssey (12.1%) name the transmission, near the 12.6% median share across the 139 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2018, 2019 and 2014.
Transmission complaints
644
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
12.1%
of 5,306 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Honda Odyssey transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline). Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 41 | 8.2% | 6 | — | 7 |
| 2009 | 18 | 9.1% | 0 | — | 7 |
| 2010 | 23 | 9.1% | 3 | — | 0 |
| 2011 | 19 | 8.2% | 1 | — | 24 |
| 2012 | 24 | 10% | 0 | 13V143000 | 33 |
| 2013 | 14 | 6.7% | 0 | 13V143000 | 21 |
| 2014WORST | 73 | 23.8% | 2 | — | 21 |
| 2015 | 41 | 20.6% | 0 | — | 15 |
| 2016 | 38 | 14.5% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | 7 | 18.4% | 0 | — | 13 |
| 2018WORST | 158 | 16.9% | 4 | 19V299000 | 0 |
| 2019WORST | 120 | 13.7% | 0 | 19V299000 | 0 |
| 2020 | 14 | 3.3% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 4.9% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 11% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3.4% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | 10 | 14.1% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | 21 | 9.1% | 0 | — | 0 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Honda Odyssey transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 644 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Honda Odyssey years to avoid for the transmission
2018 Honda Odyssey
158 transmission complaints (16.9% of the year's 933). Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement. Covered by transmission recall 19V299000.
2019 Honda Odyssey
120 transmission complaints (13.7% of the year's 877). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recall 19V299000.
2014 Honda Odyssey
73 transmission complaints (23.8% of the year's 307). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Honda Odyssey years to avoid.
Honda Odyssey transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Honda Odyssey model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 19V299000 · 2019-04-12 · 2018–2019 models
Loose battery terminal connections or a degraded battery may cause the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) to unexpectedly reboot. Upon rebooting, the TCU may shift the transmission to the "Park" position, possibly damaging the parking rod.
- 13V143000 · 2013-04-15 · 2012–2013 models
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…
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2018 Honda Odyssey have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 158 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda Odyssey, 16.9% of all 933 complaints for that year. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (49 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 19V299000. 4 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2019 Honda Odyssey have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 120 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2019 Honda Odyssey, 13.7% of all 877 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (33 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 19V299000.
Does the 2014 Honda Odyssey have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 73 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Honda Odyssey, 23.8% of all 307 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (47 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Honda Odyssey years have the most transmission complaints?
2018 (158), 2019 (120) and 2014 (73), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Honda Odyssey transmission problems?
In the 644 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (27.6%), hesitation or delayed engagement (16.9%) and shudder or vibration (12.6%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Honda Odyssey model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration