3rd generation (RL3/RL4) · RL3 (LX/EX), RL4 (EX-L/Touring) · 4,164 complaints, 3,360 with mileage
Owners filed 4,164 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005–2010 Honda Odyssey, and 3,360 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 30,500 and 105,000 miles. The median is 65,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are body structure (15.2% of complaints, typically around 71,530 miles), the steering (9.4% of complaints, typically around 50,550 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (8.8% of complaints, typically around 18,000 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 633 | 15.2% | 71,530 | 44,780–110,000 |
| Steering | 390 | 9.4% | 50,550 | 34,000–85,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 368 | 8.8% | 18,000 | 5,280–34,000 |
| Power Train | 356 | 8.5% | 70,000 | 40,000–102,500 |
| Engine | 320 | 7.7% | 100,000 | 75,000–129,229 |
| Electrical System | 250 | 6.0% | 90,500 | 48,534–140,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 231 | 5.5% | 53,500 | 20,200–80,000 |
| Service Brakes | 214 | 5.1% | 74,920 | 46,000–105,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 185 | 4.4% | 100,000 | 65,300–147,000 |
| Air Bags | 172 | 4.1% | 97,665 | 56,000–133,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,046 | 846 |
| 2006 | 879 | 697 |
| 2007 | 1,039 | 843 |
| 2008 | 617 | 528 |
| 2009 | 243 | 199 |
| 2010 | 340 | 247 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 65,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 15.2% of complaints (633 reports, 516 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,530 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,780 and 110,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 9.4% of complaints (390 reports, 330 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,550 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 34,000 and 85,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 8.8% of complaints (368 reports, 299 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 18,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,280 and 34,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.5% of complaints (356 reports, 314 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 102,500 miles.
The engine accounts for 7.7% of complaints (320 reports, 277 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 100,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 75,000 and 129,229 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.0% of complaints (250 reports, 192 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,534 and 140,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 1,046 complaints — while 2009 drew the fewest at 243. The median year sits at 748.
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around body structure (2), the fuel system (1), the electrical system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 4,164 complaints filed against this generation, 191 reported a crash; 85 reported a fire; 292 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 30,500 and 105,000 miles, with a median of 65,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, body structure and the steering are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The steering in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,550, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) side effects: running on three cylinders lets oil past the rings on the deactivated bank, causing elevated oil consumption, fouled spark plugs and misfire codes P0301-P0304, and the resulting rough running destroys the active engine mounts. Honda ran a warranty extension for VCM spark plug fouling covering the J35 VCM engines.
Power sliding door and power liftgate actuator failures continue.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 14V112000 | 2014-10-06 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump |
| 13V500000 | 2014-04-29 | Electrical System:Software |
| 12V062000 | 2012-03-12 | Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Support Device/Strut |
| 10V504000 | 2010-12-31 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder |
| 10V098000 | 2010-05-03 | Service Brakes, Air |
| 10V055000 | 2010-03-26 | Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate |