2018 Honda Odyssey: engine knocking or ticking

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Engine · IN

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.

Filed Oct 31, 2026 · Engine · MD

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)

Filed Sep 17, 2026 · Engine · CA

crankshaft/rod bearing defect that is causing an audible knocking noise in the engine and located metal shavings in the oil.

Filed Jul 7, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · TX

I own a 2018 Honda Odyssey EX-L (VIN [XXX]). The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power and entered limp mode, with multiple safety and driver-assistance systems shutting down at once (adaptive cruise, braking assist, lane/road departure mitigation, EPS, etc.). A Honda dealer (Allen Honda, College Station, TX) retrieved DTC P0369 and documented that the front camshaft is worn and has thrust forward, contacting the camshaft position (CMP/TDC) sensor and damaging the thrust plate. The dealer is recommending an internal engine repair costing several thousand dollars. I am very concerned because Honda has already acknowledged serious engine defects in this same J35 V6 family under Recall 23V751 (connecting rod bearing wear leading to engine damage and stall) for 2018–2019 Odyssey, yet my dealer states my VIN is “not part of the recall” and that this is a “separate issue.” In practice, I am seeing a major internal engine failure that causes sudden derate and disables multiple safety systems, but I am being told there is no recall coverage or assistance simply because my individual VIN falls outside Honda’s current recall production range. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this incident as a potential recall exclusion problem: owners with the same engine family and serious internal failures are being denied recall coverage on a technical VIN cutoff, even though the safety consequence—loss of power and shutdown of critical safety systems while driving—is similar to the failures already recognized under Recall 23V751 and the ongoing engine defect investigation. I believe this situation may warrant expansion of existing recall coverage or a new recall campaign for currently excluded VINs like mine, and reimbursement for owners who have already paid for these repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 29, 2026 · Engine · 121,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started making knocking sounds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be disassembled for further diagnostic tests. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Action Number: PE25008 (Engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

Filed Jun 21, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · IL

Warning lights began flashing on dash. Brought van to repair shop and was told and show leakage of oil into cylinders with metal shavings visible. Also heard a ticking sound while idling for a few weeks. Van only has 145,000 miles on it and was regularly serviced.

Filed May 20, 2026 · Engine · MD

2018 Honda Odyssey with 3.5L engine, Honda dealership diagnosed engine noise to worn/failed connecting rod bearing. Vehicle has 109,000 miles. Noise started within last 6 months. No other symptoms experienced. Oil services and other maintenance performed per maintenance minder using fully Synthetic MobileOne oil and extended life filter. Pictures and bearing measurements from tear down and diagnosis show significant bearing wear beyond normally expected wear for vehicle with only 109k miles. clearly not normal wear, and is consistent with failure seen on other Honda rod bearing stories for 3.5 L engines.

Filed Apr 21, 2026 · Engine · 172,750 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact became aware that there was smoke coming from the exhaust. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a loose rod bearing. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced or rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 172,750.

Filed Apr 16, 2026 · Engine · TX

Noise coming from engine. No engine light nor warnings otherwise. Van was taken to dealership where it was confirmed that a rod bearing inside the engine assembly is faulty, which could cause sudden stalling of the vehicle, even while traveling at high speeds on the highway. This is a known issue (Honda Service Bulletin 24-003) with this model van manufactured at the same time, for which a national recall notice was issued. However, my vehicle’s vin was not included in the recall.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Engine · NJ

Our 2018 Honda Odyssey (Elite) has been diagnosed by our local Honda dealer with engine failure due to rod knock (rod bearing failure). This vehicle is well maintained with only 72,500 miles when the issue became noticeable. The dealer has verbally quoted $8,800 to replace the engine with another used engine, which I refuse to pay given the relatively low mileage and age of this vehicle (and history of other costly inexcusable issues). I opened a complaint/goodwill case (#16188784) with Honda Corporate, which was denied. This Honda Odyssey was our primary family vehicle (the only vehicle we can all travel together in), and it is now siting in our garage completely inoperable. Honda America's lack of care here is beyond frustrating.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Engine · FL

While driving on the highway, the engine light came on and off. Pulling over, I inspected the engine compartment and heard what I believe was cylinder knocking, but could not obtain an engine code with an OBD code reader. Oil was of sufficient level as it had just been replaced within 1,000. After this I attempted to drive it to the dealership, where on going 45 MPH, I pulled to the right lane for emergency police vehicles and when the vehicle was stopped, the engine stopped and seized up. After not being able to start the vehicle, I could not find the neutral safety switch to put the transmission in neutral to move the vehicle from the flow of traffic (turns out the switch is not readily accessible and is on the side of the transmission underneath the air intake and battery compartment. Police officers pulled behind the vehicle and assisted me in getting a tow truck to take the vehicle to the dealership for inspection. At Coggin Honda in Jacksonville, the vehicle was inspected and the engine would not turn over manually by the crankshaft. The engine was deemed to have catastrophic failure and would need to be replaced at 126,000 miles. This vehicle is a 2018 which is on TSB 24-003, however is not listed on the applicable VINs. This TSB is for connecting bearing rod failure which would lock this vehicle’s engine the way the dealership found it. I believe this to be the issue as several Honda engines have had this failure. The vehicle was maintained per Honda’s maintenance programs and even had an extended warranty of up to 100,000 miles which when the TSB the vehicle was underneath that mileage and would have been covered by Honda if they had released the full list of VINs for that year to be inspected instead of a sub list of VINs of the production. Honda needs to be investigated to see if that TSB needs to be expanded since 2023-2024 timeframe other users have had a similar failure and seized engines.

Filed Mar 5, 2026 · Engine · TX

Over a year ago, my vehicles engine began ticking. On 12/14/2024, while driving the vehicle, it developed a rod knock, went into a limp mode and was towed back to our house. I eventually took the vehicle to Honda in Beaumont, Tx where they did an inspection of the vehicle and verbally told me it was the crankshaft, but would not provide me any documentation stating that. According to the lady at the desk, the service tech had never seen or heard of an issue like this in these vans. I was quoted almost $10,000 to replace the engine with a salvage yard engine with almost as many miles on it. I knew prior to taking it to Honda that there was a recall that did not cover my vehicle regarding this same issue. The vehicle is still parked at my house being started occasionally to keep battery charged.