Honda Odyssey key fob problems

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Electrical · CA

My 2023 Honda Odyssey (approximately 38,000 miles) has an intermittent no-crank/no-start condition. Pressing the push-button start produces no crank at all; the engine only starts on exactly the fourth press, consistently. The battery was tested and is good. The condition worsened noticeably after a high-pressure car wash, suggesting moisture intrusion. This matches Honda Technical Service Bulletin 23-023 ("Engine Does Not Crank"), which covers 2018–2023 Odysseys and attributes the defect to water entering the starter motor. The vehicle is about 2,000 miles past the 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. I am concerned the condition will degrade without warning and leave my family — including small children — stranded. The vehicle is scheduled for diagnosis at Tracy Honda in [XXX] on XXX. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 12, 2026 · NJ

I am writing to formally report a serious and potentially life-threatening safety issue involving my Honda Odyssey’s locking system. For several years, I have experienced an ongoing problem in which the doors of my Odyssey have unexpectedly locked while the key fob was still inside the vehicle. This has happened to me at various stores and even at my own home. On those occasions, I was fortunate that my husband was nearby and could bring the spare key fob to unlock the vehicle. I have repeatedly brought this issue to my local Honda dealership and specifically questioned the locking system. Unfortunately, the dealership has either been unable to duplicate the problem or has made changes to the locking mechanisms without resolving the issue. The vehicle now no longer under warranty, yet the problem continues. This week, however, the issue became a terrifying and extremely serious safety emergency. My one-month-old grandson was accidentally locked inside the vehicle with the key fob. We were approximately 30 minutes from home, and the outside temperature was around 90 degrees. We had no way to unlock the vehicle ourselves. We had to contact the local police, a tow company, and EMTs for assistance. My grandson was trapped inside the vehicle for approximately 10 very frightening minutes before they were able to get the doors unlocked. Thankfully, my grandson was safely removed from the vehicle, but I cannot stop thinking about how differently this situation could have ended. A child, particularly an infant, can be in extreme danger inside a hot vehicle within a very short period of time. I am extremely concerned that this locking problem has continued for years despite my repeatedly bringing it to the attention of the Honda dealership. The fact that the vehicle can unexpectedly lock with the key fob inside creates a serious safety hazard. This is no longer simply an inconvenience or a mechanical annoyance—it has now resulted in an actual emergency involving an infant

Filed Jul 29, 2026 · Electrical · VA

Water has leaked into the driver side rear of the vehicle, causing corrosion and failure of the power tailgate control module. Water has also soaked the carpet and foam in the rear driver side. This power tailgate control module failure has caused a battery drain as the trunk opens on its own and does not respond to interior buttons or key fob buttons. The van battery has needed to be jump started twice so far as a result of this issue. Further investigation revealed some cracks in the body of the van over this area.

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Electrical · 30,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2024 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and attempting to place her [XXX] child in the rear passenger’s side seat, the contact touched the door handle, unlocking the door, and placed the bag with the key fob on the floor of the rear passenger’s side. The contact walked around to the driver's side door, and the door was locked. The contact returned to the rear passenger side of the vehicle and became aware that the door was locked. The contact attempted to enter the vehicle but was unsuccessful. The contact called the Fire Department, and the front passenger window was broken to enter the vehicle. A Police report was taken, but the information was not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 14, 2026 · Electrical · IN

The Start/Stop function on the Honda Odyssey failed to re-start the vehicle after it was stopped at a traffic signal. The vehicle gave no advance notice of the issue. The vehicle defaulted the transmission into the "Park" position, however the electronics (radio, windows, etc.) all operated as normal. Simply pushing the ignition "On/Off" would do nothing and would NOT turn off the electronics. I had to press and hold the "On/Off" ( similar to a Ctl+Alt+"Delete") to hard shut off the vehicle entirely. I then had to place the key fob physically on the "On/Off" button to restart the vehicle. This is a significant safety concern being at a dead stop at a stoplight that may be green. We have had our van to the Honda dealer twice now within 3 weeks for the same issue. They cannot get it to duplicate any issues. The original diagnosis was that we had a loose ground connection at the battery. The battery, alternator, and starter were all diagnosed as in perfect working order. The tech tightened the loose ground, but the issue has not been resolved. There were zero warnings that there was an issue with the start/stop function.

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

After the vehicle is off, and after the smart key fob is removed from the vehicle, the dashboard will flicker, the alarm sometimes goes off and the headlights turn on draining the battery and leading to me having to jump the car to get it started. This makes the car undependable as it could happen after driving somewhere and leave myself or my wife stranded. I have taken this in to the Honda dealership but they noted that it did not occur when they were servicing the vehicle and they weren't sure what the issue could be. Many times the check engine light, FCW and LDW lights will come on and then reset after the car has been driven.

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Body, Electrical · NJ

In mid-March 2026, the power tailgate on my [year] Honda Odyssey lost power entirely. It does not respond to the key fob, the tailgate button, or the dashboard button — it will not open or close by any control. I personally inspected the tailgate area and found corrosion and rust present, consistent with prior water intrusion. I have since learned that this is a widely reported issue among 2018–2021 Honda Odyssey owners, and that a class action lawsuit ([XXX] v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California) alleges a defect in rear body seam seals that lets water leak into the power tailgate control module, causing it to fail. The symptoms and physical evidence I found match those described by other owners and in the litigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 17, 2026 · Electrical · VA

I own a 2020 Honda Odyssey with approximately 73,000 miles that has experienced recurring infotainment and electrical system failures. The vehicle has undergone two prior repairs related to the Fakra connector issue, but the problem continues to occur. During the failure, the infotainment screen becomes inoperable, audio functions are affected, and the rearview backup camera becomes unavailable or unusable. The issue appears to be intermittent and is often triggered during or after rain. In addition to the infotainment failures, I have experienced key fob recognition issues requiring the key to be placed near the start button to start the vehicle. There is also static through the speakers, particularly when turning the steering wheel. The vehicle has been taken to a Honda dealership multiple times for this concern, and dealership personnel have witnessed the malfunction. Despite two previous repair attempts, the issue persists. Because the failure affects the operation of the rearview camera system, which is a critical safety feature, I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle and whether the prior repairs adequately addressed the underlying defect. I am submitting this complaint because numerous other Honda owners have reported similar recurring failures involving the infotainment system, Fakra connector repairs, backup camera operation, and related electrical concerns. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether there is a broader defect affecting these vehicles and whether previous repair procedures are providing a permanent remedy. The dealer recently confirmed the fault was present and advised that additional diagnosis and consultation with Honda technical support would be required to determine the cause.

Filed Jun 15, 2026 · Electrical · VA

I am filing a complaint regarding recurring electrical and infotainment failures involving my 2020 Honda Odyssey EX-L. The vehicle experiences loud static and speaker distortion, infotainment system instability, static noises when turning the steering wheel, and intermittent key fob recognition issues requiring the key to sometimes be held near the start button. The issue appears to happen more often during or after rain or moisture exposure. The dealership has already repaired/replaced the FAKRA connector or related infotainment connector multiple times, yet the issue continues returning. The dealership recently witnessed the malfunction themselves and acknowledged the problem is still present. I am currently waiting for further direction from Honda technical support. This appears to be a widespread issue. There are many Reddit discussions and Honda owner Facebook groups where owners describe identical symptoms and repeated failed repairs. Some owners report having the same FAKRA connector replaced as many as six times with the issue still returning afterward. The repeated failure of the same repair raises concerns that the current remedy is ineffective and that there may be a larger electrical, wiring, grounding, or moisture intrusion issue involved. Because this problem continues after multiple repair attempts, I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate recurring electrical and infotainment failures in Honda Odyssey vehicles and the repeated failure of the current repair solution.

Filed May 29, 2026 · Electrical · FL

COMPONENT: Power Liftgate Control Module (PTG module). Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: On approximately April 7, 2026, while driving in rain, a "Power Tailgate Problem" warning appeared on the instrument cluster. Following that event, all powered liftgate operation became permanently inoperable — interior button, exterior button, and key fob all failed. CAUSE: An authorized Honda dealer confirmed in writing (service invoice, May 1, 2026): "Power Liftgate Control Unit has corrosion from water leak." The water intrusion originates from defective factory polyurethane seam sealer on the rear drip rail — a known manufacturing defect on 2018-2019 Odysseys documented in Honda TSB MC-10152401. SAFETY RISK: The same water intrusion that destroys the PTG module is documented to cause the liftgate to open unexpectedly while driving, posing a direct hazard to occupants and other motorists. the federal safety agency is already investigating this issue across 2018-2022 Odysseys. WARNING SYMPTOMS: "Power Tailgate Problem" warning on instrument panel cluster appeared during rain exposure prior to full failure. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE: American Honda Motor Co. declined to cover the repair under goodwill despite the dealer-confirmed defect, an active TSB, and an ongoing class action lawsuit (2018-2021 Odysseys) for this exact issue. Honda has not issued a recall. Estimated repair cost: $691 (module) plus body seam repair.