Honda Odyssey 2018–2025

5th generation (RL6) · RL6 · 5,326 complaints, 781 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 17,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

Forward collision avoidance accounts for 20.4% of complaints (1,086 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 46,400 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 17,780 and 72,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 17.2% of complaints (915 reports, 170 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 10,660 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 2,800 and 35,000 miles.

The engine accounts for 11.4% of complaints (608 reports, 72 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 33,500 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 9,000 and 90,400 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 9.3% of complaints (495 reports, 77 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 6,000 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 800 and 12,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.7% of complaints (359 reports, 93 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 40,000 miles.

The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 4.5% of complaints (238 reports, 14 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 16,829 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,000 and 45,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2018 model year drew the most — 1,641 complaints — while 2024 drew the fewest at 145. The median year sits at 351.

That makes 2018 an outlier: roughly 4.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 27 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 the reversing camera and sensors (5), the airbag system (4), the fuel system (3). 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 5,326 complaints filed against this generation, 76 reported a crash; 27 reported a fire; 160 reported an injury; 9 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 1.4% 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, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 43% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, forward collision avoidance and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 10,660, 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 (27)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Honda Odyssey 1995–1998
• Honda Odyssey 1999–2004
• Honda Odyssey 2005–2010
• Honda Odyssey 2011–2017