Which Honda Odyssey Years to Avoid and Why? (Explained)

One of the most well-known minivans of all time is the Honda Odyssey. In a rapidly dwindling market, these minivans continue to amaze the customers. But before you choose which year to purchase, you should be aware of various years’ issues.

The most prevalent difficulties in many Honda Odysseys include Denso fuel pump failure, Honda sensing issues, Takata airbag recalls, power steering squealing, high oil waste, and automatic transmission malfunction.

Today, I’ll tell you about the Honda Odyssey years to avoid and the most common problems that have arisen throughout the years.

Honda Odyssey Years to Avoid (List of Years)

Since 1994, Honda has started Manufacturing the Odysseys. The vast majority of previous and newer models are far preferable.

However, some years of the second, third, and fourth generations are regarded as the worst. It’s advisable to stay away from these generations.

You should consider avoiding the following years from the Honda Odyssey lineup:

  • 2002 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003 Honda Odyssey
  • 2005 -2008 Honda Odyssey
  • 2010 Honda Odyssey
  • 2012 Honda Odyssey
  • 2014 Honda Odyssey

The second generation of the Honda Odysseys is from 1999 to 2004. The years 2003 and 2004 are noticeably worse than the others. The third-generation includes models from 2005 to 2010, the majority of which are deemed failures.

As Honda began to develop better quality minivans over the years, I enrolled just two years from the fourth generation.

The backlash was also observed in the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2011, and 2015. However, they were neither as severe nor as frequent as the previously mentioned ones.

Worst Years of Honda Odyssey:

These years from the third generation of the Honda Odyssey are the worst of the worsts:

  • 2005 Honda Odyssey
  • 2006 Honda Odyssey
  • 2007 Honda Odyssey

The paintwork on all of these models was a disaster. Along with the cosmetic flaws, transmission and steering mishaps were also rather frequent. The models received 341, 299, and 278 complaints on the Car Complaints website.

What Makes These Honda Odyssey Years Worth Avoiding?

The Honda Odyssey is one of the most renowned family vehicles. Nevertheless, some years are more controversial than acclaimed. Let’s have a look at the issues that these years are dealing with.

2002 Honda Odyssey Problems:

This model from the second generation had received 222 complaints only regarding the transmission. The number of NHTSA complaints is 480.

The transmission on the Honda Odyssey from 2002 had a serious issue. With several customers, the transmission began to crumble after roughly 100,000 miles. As a result, the only option was to replace the transmission, which cost about $3,500.

Other transmission problems included sliding and banging when changing, disengaging, Code P0730 warning, D light blinking, dropping gears, unexpected acceleration, trembling, and so much more.

Aside from the transmission complications, the year was mostly free of additional issues. Exterior difficulties, electrical issues, faulty engines, AC heater issues, and window issues are all concerns worth discussing.

2003 Honda Odyssey Problems:

Transmission failure was a major issue again this year, as it had been the year before.

The transmission in people’s cars would unexpectedly break down out of nowhere. Many individuals had it reconstructed, while others had to have it completely replaced. Changing the valves to recirculate the fluid also worked on occasion.

This year, transmission slipping, hesitancy to shift, and shuddering when shifting gears were all fairly pervasive problems. In addition, a major issue was the sliding door refusing to close and the rear door refusing to open in warm or cold temperatures.

There were 55 complaints about the 2003 Honda Odyssey’s stripping paint. This problem was caused by the company’s poor primer. To avoid this, every Odyssey had to be repainted, either partially or completely.

2005 Honda Odyssey Problems:

The Honda Odyssey’s 2005 model year was the vilest, with hundreds of issues. Paint problems, steering faults, engine issues, AC Heater problems, and transmission failure were all present this year.

The paintwork of the 2005 model likewise needed to be repaired after only 100,000 miles because it had blistered and cracked. Another unfortunate issue was the faulty sliding door.

This crisis was created by a damaged door motor, a bad latch, a corroded switch, or a faulty spring-loaded lever. While turning, the car would make a loud noise. This problem is usually solved by upgrading the power steering pump or the fluid reservoir for $450.

Many consumers found heavy steering at low speeds to be an unpleasant obstacle. The engines had a variety of troubles, including engine mount failure, spark plug blowing out, poor mileage, and loud vibrations.

Other issues to be aware of include torque converter failure, transmission failure, an AC condenser prone to damage from road hazards, and pricey, uncommon flat tires. As a result of these numerous concerns, this year is ranked as the worst.

2006 Honda Odyssey Problems:

This is the Honda Odyssey lineup’s second-worst one. On long drives, noise from the power steering pump was pretty pervasive.

To overcome this matter, it is advised that the intake O-ring be replaced with the orange type. If the power steering pump breaks down, you must change it, which costs approximately $500. Steering stiffness was a noteworthy concern that was also eliminated by the same technique.

Transmission difficulties might be the demise of the Honda Odyssey 2006. All of the minivans had a failing transmission and shuddering while shifting at some time in their existence.

Some particular problems include coolant seeping, heater sub unit failure, damaged engine mounts, electronics failure, oil leaking, brakes, and rotors degrading, and a rubbing sound when braking.

The sliding door not working, DVD system locking up, sound system failing, and the battery dying are some other common complaints.

2007 Honda Odyssey Problems:

Honda simply could not resolve the paint peeling issue. Owners still had to pay roughly $1,500 to have their automobiles repainted.

The Honda Odyssey’s liftgate would fail as a result of hydraulic arm breakage. When the arms were compromised, they were unable to hold the door open. The car was known to pull in one direction when driving due to a steering pump problem.

Countless incidences of glass bursting, windows lowering automatically, cracked leather seats, and unexpected battery death were among the distressing occurrences.

Which Honda Odyssey Years are Safe to Buy?

You should always avoid buying the older models of any cars. Keeping that in mind, these are the best Honda Odysseys to buy in the present era:

  • 2017 Honda Odyssey
  • 2020 Honda Odyssey
  • 2022 Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey 2017 features amazing features including six trim options and an electronic stabilization system.

The 2020 Honda Odyssey is a comfortable family vehicle with many innovative features. The 2022 Honda Odyssey provides tons of safety features and is available in five different trim levels.

The following graph shows the number of complaints and recalls:

Model YearComplaints RecordedRecalls
200226610
200325715
20053419
20062994
20072785
20081685
20101162
2011985
20121135
20141324
2015714
201721
2018409
20192513
2020156
202232

Conclusion

I have listed all of the necessary information about the Honda Odyssey years to avoid. If you don’t want a lemon, stay away from the earliest years.

Follow my advice if you want to buy any of the automobiles I’ve ranked as the best. I hope this advice helps you choose the best Honda Odyssey.

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