I was driving and my check engine. Light came on, the car was slow to accelerate. I pulled over and I had it towed to a honda dealership, the closest one. They diagnosed it with needing a transmission replacement and replaced a transmission. Then, after the transmission was replaced, suddenly there was a knock in the engine. The dealership sent me a video with them. Revving, the engine very strongly, and I couldn't really discern any knocking noise, but the engine revving was excessive. Then, I asked for an additional video to try and hear what they were hearing. They sent me another video where there was a clear knock. This did not get disclosed to me at all, because they said it was hard to get it into, because it wasn't really accelerating, they couldn't barely get it into the bay after the cart was towed to the facility. If the cart was making a knocking noise at that moment, it should have been noted initially, but it was not noted until after the transmission was replaced. I never had a knocking sound prior to having my car. Delivered to this dealership.
2018 Honda Odyssey engine problems
205 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 93,533.
- owner complaints
- 205
- of this car's complaints
- 20%
- typical mileage
- 93,533
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Honda Odyssey engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Honda Odyssey engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Stalling 91Knocking 65Engine failure 55Check engine light 52Loss of power 37Won't start 19Overheating 13Misfire 6
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- Risk
- A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Recall number 23V751000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Engine failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline. The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013). It was determined that these engine failures are outside the scope of Honda Recall 23V‑751. Further, evidence gathered in conjunction with RQ24013 does not suggest this failure is caused by the same crankshaft manufacturing defect that is addressed by Honda in Recall 23V‑751. Based on analysis of data from RQ24013, the federal safety agency has closed that investigation. The significant number of reports of engine failure in vehicles outside the scope of RQ24013 presents a potential safety risk that warrants further investigation. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to further evaluate the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE25008
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.the federal safety agency has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
EA25004
Engine failure
On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V‑751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V‑751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016â2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a crankshaft manufacturing defect that caused premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure. While the out-of-scope failures involved in these complaints appear to have a very similar failure mechanism as the recalled engines, a thorough analysis of all available data from Honda has not indicated that the same manufacturing defect exists in the out-of-scope engines as the engines recalled by 23V‑751. Based on this analysis ODI has determined that Honda has properly defined the scope of recall 23V‑751. Consequently, ODI will close this RQ investigation. the federal safety agency will continue to investigate these complaints of engine failure as part of a new Preliminary Evaluation Investigation (PE25008). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.
RQ24013
What 2018 Honda Odyssey owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My 2018 Honda Odyssey suffered a catastrophic engine failure while I was driving to work on the morning of XXX. I had my vehicle towed to Safford Brown's Honda in [XXX]. According to my service rep at the Honda Dealership, the failure was due to the connecting rod bearings. After some research, I found that the V6 Engines for Honda had a recall on them in 2023, Recall No. 23V751000. I called corporate Honda, and spoke to a rep ([XXX]) there, she said that my VIN was excluded from the recall, and that the recall only affect those engines built at a certain factory. Further research found that the federal safety agency opened a broader 1.4-million vehicle probe because engines built outside that original plant and timeline are suffering identical catastrophic rod bearing failures, like what I just experienced. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power with several warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, shifted the vehicle into park(P), and there was smoke coming from the engine. The vehicle failed to restart after the failure. The vehicle was towed to a service center, where an engine failure was confirmed, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine and front axle had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
The vehicle was stalled on highway local about seven times. My car got stranded and almost got into serious accidents. This happened multiple times and Honda couldn’t fix it. I spent $9000 and couldn’t find the problem. Honda changed fuel injectors, pump, regulator, high pressure. But the car is still stranded on highway which is very dangerous
The Fuel Injectors are failing which is causing a safety concern with regards to moving the vehicle. There was a warranty extension on these items that does not go far enough to remedy the issue. The components have been inspected and confirmed by the Burns Honda Dealership in Marlton, NJ. Because the vehicle does not consistently accelerate, it is a safety risk.
crankshaft/rod bearing defect that is causing an audible knocking noise in the engine and located metal shavings in the oil.
1. Component failed: The low-pressure fuel pump failed. The vehicle is currently sitting at my residence and is available for inspection upon request.2. Safety risk: The vehicle stalled completely while driving, causing an immediate loss of propulsion on a public road, creating a severe collision risk.3. Confirmation: The problem has been pulled and confirmed by an independent service center (AutoZone diagnostic scan tool), which pulled a code to replace the fuel pump.4. Inspection: The component has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives, as the manufacturer is currently refusing to authorize an inspection due to a salvage title.5. Warning lamps/Symptoms: Immediately prior to the stall, a complete cascade of warning lights appeared on the dashboard simultaneously, and the vehicle sputtered aggressively upon attempting to crank and restart.Assessment: This is the identical, textbook physical failure condition of the federal safety agency Campaign 23V‑858 regarding defective factory-installed Denso fuel pumps in 2018 Honda Odysseys. American Honda Corporate is using an automated salvage title database filter as a pretext to deny mandatory federal safety recall remedies on a vehicle with zero structural fuel system damage.
the federal safety agency Recall 19V‑299 / Honda Campaign Z4J. Sudden gear refusal, shifting malfunctions, and stalling. The premature structural failure of my 10-speed transmission is a direct consequence of the known factory software defect that violently shifts the car into Park while moving.
COMPONENT THAT FAILED & AVAILABILITY: The vehicle's primary electrical architecture and data communications network (CAN bus) failed during a safety recall service for the SRS ECU and rearview camera. After attempting to complete the recall work, the vehicle is no longer able to start. SAFETY RISK: The manufacturer's federally mandated safety recall remedy compromised the vehicle's critical safety and control infrastructure. This rendered a previously reliable family vehicle entirely inoperable, destroying its ability to communicate, start, or turn on. It poses a systemic safety risk if the corporate recall procedure itself causes severe electronic failures in consumer vehicles. REPRODUCTION & DEALER CONFIRMATION: Yes. The failure was induced directly by Williams Honda ([XXX]) during service on Thursday, XXX. The dealership's Service Manager explicitly confirmed to me that their technicians compromised the electrical architecture while performing the SRS ECU and rearview camera recall work. The vehicle has remained dead at their facility ever since. INSPECTION BY OTHERS: The vehicle has been actively inspected by dealership technicians in coordination with Honda Engineering headquarters. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, as no crash occurred. I have requested an inspection by a Honda Corporate Field Technical Specialist (FTS). WARNING LAMPS & PRIOR SYMPTOMS:NONE. Prior to this appointment, the vehicle was in perfect electrical and mechanical working order. There were absolutely no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of any starting or electrical problems. The vehicle had just safely completed a seven-hour road trip immediately prior to being dropped off for the recall work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine failed, rod shavings entering the motor, causing a full motor repair. This has caused our family to be stranded.
Questions about the 2018 Honda Odyssey engine
Does the 2018 Honda Odyssey have engine problems?
Owners have filed 205 complaints about the engine of the 2018 Honda Odyssey, 20% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2018 Honda Odyssey engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 93,533 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Honda Odyssey engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 23V751000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Honda Odyssey have bad engine?
The Honda Odyssey model years with the most engine complaints are 2025 (263 complaints), 2018 (205 complaints) and 2005 (155 complaints).
Other 2018 Honda Odyssey problems
Electrical 265Driver assistance 251Transmission 166Fuel system 107Body 100Acceleration 54Brakes 41Airbags 26Locks 16Visibility 15Steering 13Seat belts 10Suspension 10Seats 6Lights 5Tires 1Wheels 1
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