Honda Odyssey 2011–2017

4th generation (RL5) · RL5 · 1,974 complaints, 1,307 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

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 30,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 17.5% of complaints (346 reports, 161 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 67,000 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 28,000 and 97,000 miles.

The brakes account for 11.9% of complaints (235 reports, 200 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 24,537 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 40,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 11.0% of complaints (217 reports, 147 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 28,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,757 and 61,300 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 11.0% of complaints (217 reports, 164 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,000 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 2,000 and 70,000 miles.

Body structure accounts for 8.0% of complaints (157 reports, 103 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 49,100 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 22,000 and 72,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.5% of complaints (149 reports, 84 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 39,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 64,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2014 model year drew the most — 406 complaints — while 2017 drew the fewest at 48. The median year sits at 291.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 14 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 seats (4), the fuel system (2), the airbag system (2). 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.

Reported severity

Of the 1,974 complaints filed against this generation, 117 reported a crash; 27 reported a fire; 104 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 5.9% 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.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 8,000 and 68,000 miles, with a median of 30,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the engine and the brakes are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The brakes in particular shows a median failure mileage of 24,537, 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.

Documented problems

Recalls (14)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Honda Odyssey 1995–1998
• Honda Odyssey 1999–2004
• Honda Odyssey 2005–2010
• Honda Odyssey 2018–2025