KnownCarProblems2013 Honda Odyssey Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 210 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Odyssey, most often about the engine (35% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles). It is 19th of 27 Odyssey model years by number of complaints and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2013 Honda Odyssey problems
Engine
73 complaints · 35%Half of these problems showed up before 71,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
Car consumes oil-engine misses and stalls-lights come on signaling traction. Back seat slides back and forth constantly- solution on NHTSA websit is recall number 13v382000 recall date 08/27/2013 component engine summary Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 pilot 2wd and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013…
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the engine misfired and the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 13v382000 (engine) however, the dealer replaced the…
Brakes
55 complaints · 26%Half of these problems showed up before 20,500 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components.
The brake rotors have become warped and needed to be resurfaced. Only three thousand miles after the repair the brake rotors need to be replaced due to the same issue. Driving habits are not the cause - as this is the first vehicle I have owned that has ever had this problem. I have ready multiple accounts of other…
Car began shaking when braking at around 20,000 miles. At around 30,000 miles, dealer agreed to turn rotors this one time only. Problem returned around 40,000 miles.
Body and structure
20 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
White paint is peeling off of the vehicle in 3 spots. This began about a year ago and continues to get worse. Right and left side of the tailgate, and 1 spot on the roof between the windshield and the moonroof. Many other Honda Odyssey and pilot owners are experiencing this same problem.
Paint is fading, bubbling, and pealing in multiple places on the exterior of the car. I've seen the mentions of the back hatch/door, but we're seeing it on the doors as well as the back hatch.
Electrical
15 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 35,500 miles. Parts named most often: seat heater.
I had just completed a trip to greenville, sc and pulled into my drive. I had taken a load of items into my house when I came back out an notice smoke coming from under the hood. I unlatched the hood to check on the smoke when flames started coming out of from under the hood. I start spraying water under the hood as I…
Our 2013 Honda Odyssey with 22,000 miles was parked in our driveway for 2 days and spontaneously combusted. The vehicle is a total loss and the fire damages our pop-up camper and the siding on our home.
Transmission
14 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 43,500 miles.
When driving - our traction control and engine light has come on several times and the engine has been so rough that we had to stop and let it cool down before taking it immediately home. The first time we took it in - we were told that "something" (dirt) may have gotten into the piston chamber and caused a misfire of…
We purchased a 2013 Honda Odyssey exl 1 year ago (7/18/16). We immediately experienced excessive vibration of the steering wheel while driving, and also braking at highway speeds. The dealer replaced the front tires about 4 months out to correct the problem. I didn't work. We asked them to consider the rotors as the…
Air bags
14 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 31,000 miles.
Hello- my wife was involved in a accident on 9-28-16. She hit another car on its side. The other cars airbags deployed however her's did not. She was driving about 25mph but could not stop in time. She was on a city street going straight. We wanted to make sure that the airbags were operating correctly and not…
I placed the van in park and left it running at the top of a driveway walked about 40-60ft and about 3 minutes later it comes rolling down the driveway and hits the corner of house and me. Bounces back 23 feet and stops. Gear shift is still in park and car is running. Air bag inflates and alarm goes off. Turned off…
Steering
14 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 21,000 miles.
From reading forums and blogs on this particular Odyssey year and experiencing first hand, I'm just in disbelief that Honda won't recall this situation! The van only has 21000 miles on it (bought it certified) and I'm hoping that when I call Honda they'll do the right thing for this is a safety issue in plain sight!…
I have a 2013 ex-l with 18k miles, started noticing slight vibration when braking from approx 50 MPH in the steering wheel. I live in florida and thought nothing of it more than an annoyance. This past 4th of july went to nc when driving about 45 MPH while going down a hill and applying brakes the vibration became…
Speed control
12 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 15,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while entering a residential garage, the vehicle surged and rapidly accelerated independently. The contact crashed against the garage door and the passenger?s side rear-view mirror became detached from the vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle was…
My Odyssey is 19,600 miles. I'm experiencing vibrations in brake paddle, accelerator paddle and steering wheel when braking and while accelerating between 35-40 miles. Took this vehicle to service center, they wrap rotors. So, braking vibrations are gone, but accelerator vibration is on. Honda service center cannot…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2013 Honda Odyssey recalls
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed september 6, 2024. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are kgc and kgd. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21v-215 and 20v-314.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 honda accord, civic coupe, civic sedan, civic hatchback, civic type r, cr-v, hr-v, ridgeline, odyssey, acura ilx, mdx, mdx hybrid, rdx, rlx, tlx, 2019-2022 honda insight, passport, 2020 honda cr-v hybrid, 2018-2019 honda clarity phev, fit, and 2015-2020 honda accord hybrid, pilot, acura nsx vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Risk: If the seat tips forward during braking, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket to the second row outboard floor strikers, free of charge. The recall began april 2, 2018. Owners may contact american honda customer support & campaign center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is s0g.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 honda odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. If a seat is placed between either of the two positions when attaching the seat to the vehicle floor, the seat will not latch properly to the seat striker, allowing the seat to tip forward unexpectedly during braking.
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Risk: An unlocked second row outboard seat increases the risk of injury to the seat occupant during a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional bracket and spring to both second row outboard seats, free of charge. Interim letter has been mailed, and a second notification will be sent . Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is kd5.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 odyssey vehicles manufactured august 17, 2010, to october 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats. This release lever may remain in the unlocked position allowing the seats to move unexpectedly.
Engine
Risk: A worn piston may suddenly fail, causing the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on september 16, 2013. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbers are jb4 (honda odyssey) and jb5 (honda pilot).
Full defect summary
Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 pilot 2wd and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear.
Transmission: automatic transmission
Risk: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a honda or acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on may 13, 2013. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are s96, s97, and s98.
Full defect summary
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 cr-v, odyssey, and model year 2013 acura rdx vehicles. 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 federal motor vehicle safety standard 114, "theft protection and rollaway prevention."
Air bags
Risk: The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment. This could potentially increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on march 14, 2013. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Full defect summary
Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 pilot and 2011-2013 odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from march 13, 2008, through december 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Inadvertent deployment of air bags
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) has completed its review of a petition dated may 30, 2026. The petition requested an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (my) 2011-2017 honda odyssey vehicles. The petition contended that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or g-force threshold breach. The petition further alleged that the diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) and supplemental restraint system (SRS) conflict and inaccurate data is being recorded for the air bag system. An air bag is a supplemental vehicle occupant restraint system that deploys a cushion designed to inflate in millisec
Questions about the 2013 Honda Odyssey
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Honda Odyssey?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (73 complaints, typically around 71,000 miles); brakes (55 complaints, typically around 20,500 miles); body and structure (20 complaints, typically around 75,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2013 Honda Odyssey have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from December 18, 2023 (fuel system). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2013 a bad year for the Honda Odyssey?
- It is 19th of 27 Odyssey model years by number of complaints, with 210 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.