AI Damage2016 Honda Odyssey: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Honda Odyssey filed 271 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 103 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 271
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 103
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 34% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 10% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Forward collision avoidance 5% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 93 complaints (34% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Electrical system: 40 complaints (15% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Powertrain: 38 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Seats: 26 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Structure: 25 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 15.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 271 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 93 | 0 | 10 |
| Electrical system | 40 | 4 | 17 |
| Powertrain | 38 | 1 | 2 |
| Seats | 26 | 0 | 13 |
| Structure | 25 | 1 | 15 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 12 | 2 | 9 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 10 | 2 | 3 |
| Lane departure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 16 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 4 | 0 | 3 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While attempting to exit, the vehicle rolled backward down the driveway and crashed into the mailbox. During the incident, the contact attempted to reenter the vehicle to prevent the rollaway and was pushed to the ground and dragged down the driveway causing multiple injuries which included a back injury, leg…
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back, but did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop for repairs to the front end. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs.
The vehicle caught on fire. The air bags deployed. There were no injuries. A police report was filed and the fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was deemed a total loss. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing.
Then after several weeks (first week of february 2017) the backup camera screen began to degrade. The screen has what looks like burned spots that radiate into discoloration of mixed colors of blue, red, green, orange, purple and covers half of the screen.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 honda odyssey. While pulling into the driveway and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated when the gear was shifted from drive into park. The vehicle crashed into the garage. The contact was not injured.
Turning into my driveway I could not stop I pressed the brakes down to the floor but nothing stopped only by hitting our air conditioner avoiding our home. There was still brake fluid but thinking it was the cylinder, no indication or light came on that anything was wrong.
I decided to park in a stall that faced west which meant I needed to make a moderately wide, hard, right u-turn. There are short security poles at the head of these stalls to protect diners inside.
when I stop at a light, the engine starts shaking and stalls. the starter seems cranking normally, but it takes about 3 attempts and about 40 seconds to restart. One day, the engine stopped while I was driving. There is no Check Engine Light. I took it to Honda dealer.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 230 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Odyssey has 312 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 271, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from…
Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1…
- Owner Notification Letter - the piston ring function can deteriorate due to ring low wear toughness and…
Owner Notification Letter - the piston ring function can deteriorate due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301…
- Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring wear and sticking from sludge
Oil from the crankcase adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire…
- Dealer Message - Piston ring effectiveness may be reduced due to excessive wear and oil sludge build-up,…
Dealer Message - Piston ring effectiveness may be reduced due to excessive wear and oil sludge build-up, which can cause oil to adhere to the spark plug, potentially leading to carbon fouling and misfire triggering…
- Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from…
Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire.
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2014-2017 Odysseys and 2014-2015 Pilots with a customer complaint of the vehicle Check Engine Light (CEL) on with one or more of the DTC(s) listed below (in Qualifiers) stored. To better…
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2014-2017 Odysseys and 2014-2015 Pilots with a customer complaint of the vehicle Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with one or more of the DTC(s) listed below (in Qualifiers) stored…
- Recall Information update
Service Bulletin NSS300 #2
- Fog Light Lenses look melted or discoloredf?- All models with fog lights affected vehicles
- Honda Job Aid - Power Sliding Door Troubleshooting
- Honda Job Aid - Tech Line Calling Guidelines Affected vehicles General Info
- Popping or clicking when turning the steering wheel
NHTSA lists 103 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Honda Odyssey?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 271. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (23%), vibration (10%), jerking, harsh shifts (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA lists 103 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Honda Odyssey from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.