Honda Odyssey sudden acceleration problems

Filed Oct 15, 2026 · Driver assistance · OH

Vehicle: 2026 Honda Odyssey EX-L, VIN [XXX] (leased). My prior leased Odyssey (2025) was totaled on [XXX], when its Lane Keeping Assist malfunctioned at highway speed: the steering became unresponsive, the vehicle drifted out of lane, and it crashed into a concrete barrier. I filed the federal safety agency complaint 11744403 for that incident. That complaint also documented Adaptive Cruise Control surging and a dealer visit that found nothing wrong. This leased 2026 Odyssey has a recurring Adaptive Cruise Control defect. After stopping at a red light with ACC engaged, a light tap of the accelerator to resume has caused sudden unintended acceleration, followed by a loud beep, ACC disengagement, and loss of propulsion. This occurred [XXX] ([XXX], rush hour traffic) and [XXX] (about 5:01 PM, [XXX]). On [XXX], the forward collision warning repeatedly alerted to a vehicle ahead when no vehicle was present. I brought the vehicle to Honda of Cleveland Heights on September 9, 2026 to report these issues; the dealer was unable to reproduce or identify the problem. Sudden acceleration toward the slow-moving vehicle ahead and unexpected loss of propulsion in moving traffic are severe safety hazards. The defect spans two vehicles, which points to a systemic Honda Sensing issue rather than an isolated fault. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 11, 2026 · Fuel system · SC

The vehicle experiences frequent and unpredictable loss of acceleration when starting from a stop. The issue is intermittent and difficult to reproduce under specific conditions. At times, when the accelerator is pressed, the vehicle fails to respond or moves only slightly. Even when additional pressure is applied to the accelerator, there may be little to no response, followed by a sudden and forceful surge forward, as if the accelerator had been fully depressed. I understand that fuel-pump recalls have been issued for certain vehicles of this make, model, and year; however, my vehicle's VIN is not currently included. Based on the symptoms and the severity of the issue, I believe my vehicle warrants further investigation to determine whether it should be included in the recall. This problem first began in 2020, following my purchase of the vehicle in 2019, and has repeatedly created dangerous driving situations. When attempting to cross oncoming traffic from a stopped position, the vehicle's failure to accelerate presents a serious risk of a broadside collision. On multiple occasions, my wife has been left stranded in the middle of an intersection because the vehicle failed to respond to the accelerator. Given the persistent nature of this issue and the significant safety risk it presents to the driver, passengers, and other motorists, I am requesting a thorough investigation into the cause of this malfunction and a review of whether my vehicle should be covered under the applicable fuel-pump recall or receive other appropriate corrective action.

Filed Sep 21, 2026 · Acceleration, Airbags · 6,338 miles · FL · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2026 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while pulling halfway into a parking spot with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, turning slightly right to miss a handicapped spot, crashed into a palm tree, and drove over rocks before the vehicle stopped. The vehicle went from 0 to 30 MPH within seconds. The ignition was turned off during the failure. The driver’s side seat and top air bags deployed and struck the contact in the face, causing a burning of the face. There was smoke inside the vehicle. The driver was able to exit the vehicle. The contact sustained bruises. The driver's son was seated in the driver's side rear seat. The air pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an oil change the day before the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then later towed to a Geico lot. The insurance company had inspected the vehicle. The vehicle was scheduled to go to a body shop for further inspection. A Police report was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 6,338.

Filed Sep 8, 2026 · Transmission · FL

My 2019 Honda Odyssey has a recurring and dangerous hesitation-to-accelerate defect that began within a few weeks of purchase and has continued for approximately one year, occurring roughly once every 5 times I drive the vehicle. The failure occurs when accelerating from a stop or slow speed, most critically when crossing traffic — for example, turning left across an oncoming lane or pulling out into a road with an approaching vehicle. When I press the accelerator pedal, the vehicle fails to respond for approximately 2-3 seconds. The pedal feels unresponsive during this delay. The transmission then suddenly engages and the vehicle accelerates abruptly and rapidly. This has created several genuinely dangerous situations. On multiple occasions, while attempting to cross traffic or complete a left turn, the vehicle did not move as expected while another vehicle was approaching, leaving me exposed in the roadway during the delay before the sudden acceleration occurred. These were not near-miss "in my head" moments — an approaching vehicle was close enough that the delay put me at direct risk of a collision. I brought this to my Honda dealer for inspection. The dealer was unable to reproduce the issue during their test drive and found no diagnostic trouble codes. The vehicle was returned to me with no repair performed. I have researched this issue and found it to be widely reported among other 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey owners, with symptoms matching mine almost exactly — hesitation from a stop followed by sudden, uncontrolled acceleration, particularly when crossing traffic at intersections. I am also aware this transmission (9-speed, ZF-sourced) is the subject of a class action lawsuit (Browning, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co.) alleging a defective transmission programming/design issue causing this exact symptom pattern. This is an active and ongoing safety hazard: the vehicle is unpredictable during exactly the maneuvers (left turns, crossing traffic, merging) w

Filed May 31, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · FL

The vehicle is experiencing a dangerous hesitation during acceleration at low speeds, immediately followed by a sudden, violent forward lunging motion. When attempting to accelerate from a complete stop, or when rolling at low speeds (such as yielding at a roundabout, turning through an intersection, or merging into slow-moving traffic), the vehicle suffers from a distinct **lag or complete failure to accelerate** for several critical seconds. In an attempt to get the vehicle to move out of harm's way, the driver naturally applies more pressure to the gas pedal. The vehicle's transmission then randomly responds after a few seconds with a violent lunge forward, spinning the tires and causing the vehicle to surge unpredictably. This unpredictable behavior creates an immediate and severe safety risk to the occupants of my vehicle and others on the road: 1. Intersection Collisions: The sudden lag leaves the vehicle stranded in oncoming traffic during turns, while the subsequent lunge threatens to overshoot the intended lane. 2. Pedestrian Hazards: The sudden, uncontrollable lunging makes low-speed maneuvers in school zones, crosswalks, and parking lots incredibly hazardous. 3. Drivers behind behind me do not expect a vehicle to suddenly stop accelerating after it has begun to move forward. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership we're we were able to reproduce the issue and Honda would not offer a fix. I thought I was going to get my entire family killed the other day when I pulled out at a stop the van hesitated in the middle of the highway for a few seconds before lunging forward. This is an intermittent issueand the severity varies each time, but is commonly cited online.

Filed Feb 28, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · FL

I am submitting this urgent complaint regarding my 2015 Honda Odyssey, equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine referenced in (TSB) 20-023 which acknowledges that the front rocker arm oil control valve (spool valve) gasket may fail and leak engine oil directly onto the alternator located beneath it. This condition can cause alternator contamination, charging system failure, electrical malfunction, and potential fire risk due to oil exposure to electrical components. Despite knowledge of this issue, Honda did not notify vehicle owners and did not initiate a recall. Before the first breakdown occurred, I experienced a frightening and dangerous incident while in traffic. Without any human interference and without my pressing the accelerator, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and moved forward on its own, nearly striking the vehicle in front of me. I had to react immediately to prevent a collision. This unexpected surge was extremely disturbing and appeared to involve an electrical malfunction. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle broke down. After the first breakdown, I replaced the battery. Within approximately one hour of driving again, the vehicle failed again due to alternator failure. I was stranded at night, in darkness, alone, and exposed to active traffic. This created an immediate and foreseeable risk of collision, serious bodily injury, or death. Another car in that area around that time broke down on the highway I was expected to use and was hit by a semi on 95 and the driver of the stopped car was killed. That could have easily been me. A defect that can cause sudden electrical malfunction, unintended vehicle movement, loss of charging capability, vehicle disablement in traffic, and potential fire hazard constitutes a safety-related defect under federal motor vehicle safety standards. I respectfully request that you Initiate a formal investigation Evaluate whether a recall is warranted. Require reimbursement for repair costs Thank you very much.

Filed Feb 7, 2026 · Acceleration, Brakes · IL · crash

While brake pedal depressed and car coming to a stop at a traffic light, car surged forward as engine revved and hit another car in front of it. Brake pedal was depressed the entire time.

Filed May 31, 2025 · Acceleration, Steering · NY · crash

On Saturday, May 24, 2025. I had my foot on the break as I was turning into the driveway of the building. Suddenly the car engine reved and the car acceletated toward the building wall. As this was happening I began to pump on the break and the car only stopped because it it hit the curb. This cause my passenger and me to lunge forward. My passenger hurt their wrist putting their hands on the dash as they braced for impact and I hit my forehead on the stearing wheel. . The airbags did not deploy. My cars front bumper was pushed in at the bottom and out on the right side. Thank God there was no one walking on the side walk,. The car could have crashed iinto a person or the building. There were no warning indicators .There was no police called since no one was seriously injured and the only damage done was to my car. I then carfully and slowly drove the car home and parked it. I had to wait till Tuesday to take the car to the mechanic. He kept it for 2 days and could not find anything wrong. This was very scary and I am afraid the continue driving this car. This had never happenef before. I would like the car checked for any recalls and inspected by the dealer.

Filed May 20, 2025 · NJ

I am an engineer and my respect of the laws of probability makes me a cautious driver. I've had m+y 2025 Honda Odyssey for six months, but only driven it 500 miles since it cannot be trusted. I stopped at a light waiting to safely make a left hand turn. I began my turn with enough time for two vehicles to follow me. After pressing the accelerator the vehicle slowly responded. The stall left me in the intersection, so I accelerated hard to avoid being killed. The sudden acceleration was difficult to control and almost resulted in me going off the road. I've come to learn this resulted from a Honda design decision. They have a feature called "Auto Idle Stop" that is ON BY DEFAULT. I was never informed of this feature and believe this was a reckless, or should we say reckmore, decision. This was clearly a deadly design decision. The USG must fix this. In addition, the USG should charge the engineers, and their management, for reckless endangerment.

Filed May 1, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CA · crash

Vehicle Make/Model/Year: 2022 Honda Odyssey Date of Incident: 5-1-25 Mileage at Incident: 30,000 Summary of Incident: While my 2022 Honda Odyssey was fully stopped in traffic with my foot firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle unexpectedly lurched forward and struck the car in front of me. Just before or during the lurch, the brake system warning light appeared on the dashboard. I did not have my foot on the accelerator at any time. The road was flat and weather conditions were normal. The Idle Stop system has not been functioning for several months, so the vehicle was operating in normal engine-on mode. Despite this, the car surged forward from a full stop, indicating a possible failure in the brake system, electronic throttle control, or a software/ECU malfunction. This was a dangerous, uncommanded movement of the vehicle while stopped, which resulted in a minor collision. Thankfully, no one was injured, but this poses a serious safety hazard, especially if it were to occur in crosswalks or at intersections. I will report the issue to Honda the dealership and requested a full diagnostic inspection. I am submitting this complaint because this incident could have caused serious injury or worse and may be part of a broader defect affecting brake or throttle systems on this model.