2001 Honda Odyssey
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 629 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 26 Odyssey model years with reports.
Of the 2001 reports, 19 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 57 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleJan 17, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 20V027000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
629 reports, newest first.
Steering, Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Visibility, Structure, Latches/locks/linkages, Vehicle speed control, Equipment, Other or unspecified, Apr 4, 2003
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: OUT OF ALIGNMENT, LOUD BANG/TICKING, SHAKING, ENGINE HESITATION, INOPERATIVE A/C, A CONTAMINATED FILTER WITH METAL SHAVINGS, A/C DRAIN TUBE WAS RUBBING AND DRAINING ON THE STEERING RACK BOOT, COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT FRONT SEAL ON THE BODY WAS DAMAGED DUE TO IT BEING IMPROPERLY PLACED, A/C KNOB WAS BROKEN, THE A/C AIRFLOW AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED, WHEN THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR SPEED DECREASED, VARIOUS DASH LIGHTS WOULD DIM, THE HOOD LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE, STATIC SHOCK PROBLEM, THERE WAS A COOLANT SMELL, DUE TO THE RESERVOIR FLUID LEVEL, THE SLIDING DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED, THE RIGHT DOOR SEAL HAD COME APART, THE SPLASH SHIELD CLIP WAS MISSING, THE IDLE SPEED FLUCTUATED FROM 750 TO 2000 RPM WITH THE VEHICLE IN PARK/NEUTRAL, AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE MIL LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE REPAIRS ARE AS FOLLOWED: WHEELS ALIGNED, A/C CONDENSER AND COMPRESSOR EVAPORATION DRYER, INTAKE MANIFOLD, REINSTALLED REAR EVAPORATOR/HEATER UNIT, INSTALLED A DRAIN TUBE IN THE RETAINER BRACKET, HOOD LATCH WAS REPLACED, PCM REPLACED TO SOLVE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, REMOVED THE BROKEN BOLT FROM THE BLOCK, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY VIBRATION IS STILL UNRESOLVED, AND THE SLASH SHIELD CLIP HAS BEEN REPLACED. *MR SCC *JB
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 3, 2003
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP WITH OUT WARNING. *JB IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TIGHT WHEN DEPRESSED AND THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. MECHANIC NOR DEALER COULD FIND PROBLEM HOWEVER FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AND PROBLEM DID NOT RESURFACE. *TT
Air bags, Mar 31, 2003, crash
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB *TS
Structure, Mar 4, 2003
THE VEHICLES SLIDING DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM
Structure, Feb 26, 2003
THE SLIDING DOOR BECAME STUCK, ALSO AT TIMES THE DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING.*JB
Structure, Feb 25, 2003
THE SAFETY TENSIONER IN THE DOOR WAS NOT PRESENT TO PREVENT THE COMPLETE CLOSING OF THE SLIDING DOOR.*JB
Power train, Feb 5, 2003
REPLACED TRANSMISSION IN A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY 2 WEEKS AGO. LAST NIGHT ASTROBE LIKE LIGHT FLASHED UNDER THE DASHBOARD AS THE TCS AND ORANGE TRANSMISSION FAILURE LIGHTS LIT UP. THE GREEN ILLUMINATED SQUARE WITH THE D STARTED FLASHING. THE VEHICLE NO LANGER ACCELERATES AND IS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH ANOTHER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW, WAS IN OUR POSSESSION 1 YEAR AND 1 MONTH AND HAS LESS THAN 29,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Structure, Feb 3, 2003
THE PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH
Power train, Seat belts, Structure, Feb 3, 2003
CONSUMER STATES POWER SLIDING DOOR IS INOPERATIVE. THE SLIDING DOOR HAD GOTTEN STUCK, AND TRAPPED THE KIDS IN THE VEHICLE. PH THE SEAT BELTS HAD UNBOLTED FROM THE INTERIOR. THE SLIDING DOORS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS AND REMAIN INOPERATIVE. WHEN THE POWER IS OFF, THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED MANUALLY AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. SCC
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jan 24, 2003
CONSUMER STATED THAT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE A HEAVY VIBRATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
Power train, Jan 10, 2003
CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB
Exterior lighting, Jan 10, 2003
CONSUMER STATES, VEHICLE'S REAR SIGNAL LIGHT HAS MINIMUM VISIBILTY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER NOTIDIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB
Structure, Jan 3, 2003
VEHICLES SLIDING DOORS ARE INOPERATIVE IN COLD WEATHER. DOORS UNLOCK BUT DON'T SLIDE OPEN, AND THE DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHTS COMES ON, BUT CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO LOCK THE DOORS BACK. THE DEALERSHIP HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY CANNOT. TS
Structure, Dec 2, 2002
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SIDE DOORS . ALSO STATED THAT THE DOORS GET STUCK NOT ALLOWING HIM TO OPEN THE DOOR NEITHER FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND LATCHES WERE CHANGE AND STILL DID NOT WORK. TS
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Equipment, Nov 25, 2002
CONSUMER STATED THE ROTORS STARTED TO WARP AT 12,000 THE ROTORS WERE NEVER REPLACED ONLY CUT DOWN TO REDUCE WARPAGE, CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE ROTORS ARE CUT IT WOULD ONLY SHORTEN THE LIFE OF THE ROTORS, ALSO THE REAR HATCH SPOILER WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT BEING CRACKED. TS *JB
Power train, Nov 23, 2002
SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TWO MONTHS AGO, HAD UNEXPECTED DOWN SHIFT FROM 4TH TO 2ND ON HIGHWAY (LUCKILY DEVOID OF TRAFFIC). HONDA REPAIRED TRANSMISSION BY REPLACING SOLENOID SWITCH, NOT REPLACING TRANSMISSION. AGAIN, WHILE DRIVING (THIS TIME ACCELERATING) TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, UNEXPECTEDLY ALLOWING NO POWER TO DRIVE WHEELS DURING ACCELERATION. LUCKILY WAS ON A DESERTED ROAD, NO OTHER TRAFFIC. IF I WAS PULLING OUT INTO HIGHWAY (AS WE HAVE TO DO TO LEAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD) RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, AS UNEXPECTED INABILITY TO ACCELERATE/MOVE INTO TRAFFIC FLOW WOULD MOST CAUSE TRUCKS BARELLING DOWN HILL TO HIT US. LUCKY THIS HAPPENED 2 MINUTES AND 1/4 MILE EARLIER THAN THAT. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. DT
Power train, Nov 21, 2002
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY HESTIATE TO ACCELERATE AND DIE OUT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Structure, Oct 31, 2002
THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS ARE NOT SENSITIVE ENOUGH TO OBJECTS IN IT'S PATH AND IS CONCERNED THAT A CHILD MAY BE INJURED BY THE DOORS. *TS TS
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 16, 2002
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE TIMING BELT FELL OFF. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 15, 2002
THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE PREMATURE WEARING OF THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES ARE WARPED. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
Structure, Oct 15, 2002
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN INCLEMENT THE DOOR WILL COME OPEN AND CLOSE INTERMITTENLEY. AND GET STUCK SHE WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR AND THE HANDLE CAME OFF. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
Power train, Service brakes, Electric, Oct 9, 2002
THE VAN NEEDED TO BE JUMPED STARTED TWICE A WEEK. ALSO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER ERRATIC PERFORMANCE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. MR
Power train, Oct 2, 2002
CONSUMER NOTICE WHEN RESTARTING VEHICLE, VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WOULD NEED A JUMP, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. NLM
Power train, Sep 24, 2002
THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT HOLD THE POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR CAN DRIFT BACKWARD, REQUIRING I USE THE BRAKES AND THE GAS AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID HITTING SOMETHING BEHIND ME. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO DOES NOT SLOW THE CAR ON HILLS. IF I AM IN D1, THE CAR WILL FLY DOWN A HILL AS IF IT IS NOT IN ANY GEAR. THE HONDA DEALER INSISTS THIS IS NORMAL. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR YOUR SAFETY STANDARDS BUT IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DRIVE ON MOUNTAIN ROADS WITHOUT WEARING THE BREAKS OUT, AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME.
Power train, Sep 18, 2002
DEALER STATED THAT SHIFT SOLENOIDS SHOULD BE REPLACED BUT THAT PAST CASES THIS HAS NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING TRANSMISSION AT OUR EXPENSE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SIGNIFICANT FOR THE ODYSSEY AND SHOULD MERIT A RECALL. WE ARE PURSUING LEGAL ADVICE.*AK