Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Odyssey, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure123
- Service brakes, hydraulic88
- Service brakes62
- Power train41
- Engine40
- Electrical system33
- Vehicle speed control30
- Unknown or other29
- Steering27
- Electronic stability control (esc)16
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 44 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 52 2008 Odyssey vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 27 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2008 Honda Odyssey failed the safety check 1.94% of the time — 22% less often than the average 2008 passenger car (2.48%). Median odometer at inspection: 152,414 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
20 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 95% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde34
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld34
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk6
- Waarschuwingsinrichting controlesysteem bandenspanning geeft6
- Stuurkogel te veel speling3
- Band onvoldoende profiel3
- Band beschadigd3
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
16 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 3 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
11 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 174,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
942 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 91% arrived as used imports, 8% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.8–12.7 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 271–292 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odyssey EX-L/Touring · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 9.3 | 11.8 |
| Odyssey · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.9 | 10.1 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Honda Odyssey.
| 2014076 14 Mar 2014 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the fuel pump strainer could deteriorate and crack. This could result in a fuel smell and/or fuel leak. Leaking fuel, in the presence of … |
| 2013381 4 Nov 2013 | Brakes On certain vehicles, due to a defect in the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system, the brakes may apply unexpectedly while the vehicle is being driven without t… |
| 2012059 16 Feb 2012 | Other On certain vehicles equipped with a power liftgate system, the gas-filled struts (which help to raise and support the liftgate) may be prone to early life failu… |
| 2010079 16 Mar 2010 | Brakes On certain vehicles, during the self-check process that occurs shortly after each time the engine is started, the self-diagnostic software for the Vehicle Stabi… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 23, 2004, through September 4, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump strainer cover may deteriorate allowing fuel to leak out.
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 8, 2006, through September 8, 2008. Due to a combination of system components and software, the Vehicle Safety Assist System (VSA) may apply the brakes unexpectedly.
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 ODYSSEY VEHICLES, THE GAS-FILLED STRUTS THAT HELP TO RAISE AND SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A POWER LIFTGATE SYSTEM MAY BE PRONE TO EARLY LIFE FAILURES DUE TO A MANUFACTURING FLAW. THE FLAW CAN RESULT IN A LEAK OF THE PRESSURIZED GAS, LEADING TO REDUCED STRUT PERFORMANCE.
HONDA HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 ODYSSEY AND ELEMENT PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 28, 2006 AND AUGUST 21, 2008. AIR CAN ENTER THE VSA MODULAR PUMP DURING AN INITIAL SELF-CHECK PROCESS THAT OCCURS SHORTLY AFTER EACH TIME THE ENGINE IS STARTED. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ENOUGH AIR TO ENTER THE SYSTEM TO RESULT IN A BRAKE PEDAL THAT FEELS SOFT OR LOWER TO THE FLOOR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Honda told its dealers about the 2008 Honda Odyssey: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10237953 | Service News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS receiver Capacity resulting in rollover of the internal chip memory; the rollover occurred on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time. |
| 10211577 | Do you have an Odyssey in your shop that has a power sliding door that won?t open or close by using the following? ? Power sliding door main switch on the dash ? Keyless transmitter ? B-pillar switch (if equipped) ? Either inside or outside door handle Connect the HDS to the vehicle. Using the information from the power sliding door data list, follow the steps in the flowchart below to troubleshoot the problem. |
| 10206992 | ServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time. As a result, once specific triggers are met, the navigation date and time will be incorrect. |
| 10204282 | Honda Job Aid - Power Sliding Door Troubleshooting. |
| 10193014 | Do you have an Odyssey in your shop that has a power sliding door that wont open or close by using the following? Power sliding door main switch on the dash Keyless transmitter B-pillar switch (if equipped) Either inside or outside door handle Connect the HDS to the vehicle. Using the information from the power sliding door data list, follow the steps in the flowchart below to troubleshoot the problem. |
| 10186009 | "Service Bulletin - There are several A/C leak detection tools available. -Refrigerant Gas Leak Detector -Ultrasonic Leak Detector -Leak Dye" |
| 10177599 | These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory due to a loss of CARB certification. These SKUs can no longer be sold as they do not meet CARB standards, but parts on vehicles are not effected. |
| 10177598 | These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory due to a loss of CARB certification. These SKUs can no longer be sold as they do not meet CARB standards, but parts on vehicles are not effected. |
| 10175300 | Dealer Message - The May episode of Tech2Tech is now posted. We've got some valuable information for you, so check it out! This month we're featuring "Replacing That Leaky Front Rocker Arm Oil Control Valve." |
| 10172366 | Service Bulletin - The front rocker arm oil control valve is leaking. |
| 10152432 | "Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align, which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on. American Honda is extending the powertrain warranty to cover repairs relat |
| 10144752 | Service Bulletin sent to all dealers to inspect L-track bolts for correct torque and to incorporate torque check as part of regular maintenance |
| 10142436 | Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on. |
| 10136435 | Service bulletin - The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on. |
| 10129530 | Service bulletin - The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 through P0304 and cause the MIL to come on. |
| 10129515 | Service bulletin - MIL Comes On With DTC P0300 Thru P0304 |
| 10129509 | Service bulletin - Over time, the fuel filter assembly may be exposed to certain external condition that may cause customers to notice a fuel smell. |
| 10129503 | Dealer message - On March 13, 2014 American Honda will notify NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2005-10 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be inspected, and if necessary, repaired per S/B 14-015, Safety Recall: Odyssey Fuel Leak or Smell prior to sale. |
| 10129486 | Dealer message - On March 13, 2014 American Honda will notify NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2005-10 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be inspected, and if necessary, repaired per S/B 14-015, Safety Recall: Odyssey Fuel Leak or Smell prior to sale. |
| 10129484 | 2005?10 Odyssey Fuel Pump Module Leak Safety Recall Q&A |
| 10129483 | Dealer message - On March 13, 2014 American Honda notified NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2005-10 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be inspected, and if necessary, repaired per S/B 14-015, Safety Recall: Odyssey Fuel Leak or Smell prior to sale. |
| 10129463 | Dealer message - On October 31, 2013, American Honda notified NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2007-08 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be repaired prior to sale per S/B 13-098, Safety Recall: 2007-08 Odyssey VSA System Unexpectedly Activates. Refer to VIN Inquiry status to determine which vehicles in your inventory are affected. |
| 10129309 | Service bulletin - Over time, the fuel filter assembly may be exposed to certain external conditions that may cause customers to notice a fuel smell. |
| 10129305 | Dealer message - On March 13, 2014 American Honda notified NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2005-10 Odyssey vehicles. When the campaign was launched, countermeasure fuel filter sets were not available for order. As of today, June 5, 2014, the countermeasure fuel filter sets are in stock and available for dealer ordering. |
| 10129292 | Service bulletin - Over time, the fuel filter assembly may be exposed to certain external conditions that may cause customers to notice a fuel smell. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Inappropriate autonomous braking
Stabilus Rear Liftgate Struts Failing
Unexpected Closing of Power Liftgate
Air in brake system
AIR IN BRAKE SYSTEM
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation