2003 Honda Odyssey problems
The 2003 Honda Odyssey has 1,095 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (31%) concerns transmission. After that come drivetrain & axles (19%) and air bags (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,095 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Transmission 31% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 63 and 14
- Injuries and deaths
- 53 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 103,000 miles 859 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 64 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 27 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 41 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 93 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 163 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 168 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 112 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 77 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 58 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 20 |
| 200k+ miles | 36 |
What the data shows
Among the 859 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 103,000 miles. For transmission specifically, the median reported mileage is about 90,000 miles (313 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 63 complaints mention a crash; 14 complaints mention a fire; 53 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 13th most-complained-about out of 31 model years of the Honda Odyssey with enough data (267 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 15 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was driving south down a residential street which the speed limit is 30MPH. A woman going north bound turned left in front of me. My airbag deployed and my hand was seriously burnt from it. I am currently under medical care.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda odyssey. While driving less than 50 MPH, the traction control system warning light and the emission control light illuminated. In addition, the rpms began to increase. The contact noticed black smoke under the hood of the vehicle. She was unable to stop the vehicle immediately because there was nowhere to pull the vehicle over. Once stopped, all of the occupants exited the vehicle. The driver was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owned a 2003 honda odyssey. Upon entering onto the highway the front driver and passenger side air bags deployed with force. The driver was unconscious when the failure occurred and was transported to a hospital. The driver sustained head injuries. One of the child passenger's teeth was knocked out from the impact, and a second child received stitches due to cuts and abrasions to the eyes. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a yard and destroyed.
2--3 honda odyssey transmission problem: I purchased a 2003 odyssey brand new in september of 2002. The van was great for a while until the electric doors started to stick and we had something strange happen several times with the transmission. We took it to the dealer for a check-up right before the warranty expired at about 34k miles (warranty expires at 36k). The dealer loosened the doors and explained that the heat in florida required us to place a little of lithium grease in the gaskets on the doors.
I brought my odyssey to the honda dealer for an oil and filter change on 4/3/2014. While there, the service advisor, [xxx], informed me that my motor mounts were failing. When I questioned that this sounded like a manufacturing defect that should be subject to a recall, his response was that they replace so many motor mounts that they always keep a good supply in stock. This would seem to strengthen my position, not his.