2012 Honda Odyssey Engine Problems

Your engine is shutting down unexpectedly while you're driving at various speeds with no warning light appearing, forcing you to shift into Park and restart it. This has been happening about twice per day, creating a dangerous situation where you can't safely pull over. The issue may be related to a known Honda engine cooling problem, and getting a diagnostic scan and engine inspection could help identify the underlying cause.

Your engine is burning oil excessively and triggering a misfire code, which means one or more cylinders aren't firing properly. This can cause rough running, poor fuel economy, and potential engine damage if not addressed. The Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system may be involved in this issue. A mechanic will need to diagnose the root cause, which could involve checking valve seals, piston rings, spark plugs, or VCM system components.

Your engine is misfiring (cylinder 4) and triggering a check engine light with code P0304. You've been replacing spark plugs frequently—they typically last only about a year before needing replacement again. You're wondering if there's a known issue or warranty extension that might apply to your vehicle. Fixing this will likely involve diagnosing the root cause of the misfiring, which could involve replacing spark plugs, ignition coils, fuel injectors, or checking for other engine issues.

Your vehicle loses power acceleration at random times when you press the gas pedal, and it doesn't respond when trying to speed up with cruise control engaged. The engine returns to normal after a few seconds, but this creates a safety hazard on busy roads. The problem could involve fuel delivery, engine sensors, or throttle response issues.

Your valve cover (on top of the engine) is positioned too close to the hot catalytic converter, which causes the rubber seals inside to break down from excessive heat. When these rubber components fail, metal parts inside rust and corrode against the aluminum valve cover, eventually causing cracks, holes, and deformation in the cover. This is a widespread issue reported across multiple Honda models with the same engine. Fixing this typically requires replacing the valve cover and possibly adding heat shielding to protect it from the catalytic converter's heat.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated that oil was leaking onto the spark plugs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 87,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light would suddenly illuminate and the vehicle would not properly accelerate and would drive very rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder number one was faulty. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the oil pressure switches were faulty and needed to be replaced. The oil pressure switches were replaced; however, failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 78,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 35-45 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was blue smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe and the vehicle was shuddering. The contact continued driving the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact they could not provide any assistance as she was the second vehicle owner. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 141,000.

The Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) System continues to burn my spark plugs on the rear of the engine where the VCM activates and deactivates. Spark plugs and cylinder fills with oil deposits when cylinders are deactivated. Also burning in excess of one quart of oil per 1,000 miles. Not safe to continue to drive because engine failure could cause other systems like, power brakes, ABS, power steering wheel, etc to fail. Also unsafe unreliable to have my family to take long trips where road side assistance might not be available due to no cell telephone signal in certain areas of Texas isolated roads. Thank understand Honda has had recalls on these engines and VCM systems in the past but their fixes don’t appear to work. I am one of many Honda owners that are left out to spend thousands of dollars in new engines because of original and extended warranties expiring. Honda should extend these engine warranties and take ownership and responsibility for their engineering / manufacturing mistakes. A simple switch to turn off the VCM should fix this problem. Other car brands have this feature that allows vehicle owners to turn it off. This is the fourth time this vehicle gets either a p303, P302 or P301 code for damaged spark plugs and excess oil in the cylinder.

VAN STARTED TO CHUG WHEN DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED AND IT WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. PISTON RINGS ARE BAD AFTER 130,000 MILES.

CYLINDER NUMBER 3 HAS MISFIRED MULTIPLE TIMES IN LAST 14,000 MILES. SPARK PLUG 3 HAD A LOT OF CARBON. WE CHANGED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND THE PC VALVE IN JULY 2018. IT MISFIRED FEW TIMES IN 2019 BUT THEN WORKED OK AFTER RESTARTING TILL FEB 2020. IT MISFIRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE NOW CHANGED ALL SPARK PLUGS AGAIN AND IGNITION COIL OF CYLINDER 3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED IN THE DRIVEWAY, A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MOMENTS LATER, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND PROVIDED PHONE NUMBER 321-313-0541 IN LIEU OF A REPORT NUMBER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

FREQUENT CHECK ENGINE SIGN COMING ON, MECHANIC SAID EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, OIL BURING OFF, ALTHOUGH HONDA HAS REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH OWNERS OF ODYSSEY FROM 2008-2013 REGARDING THIS ISSUE, WHEN I CALLED WITH THE COMPLAINT THEY ARE SAYING MY 2012 ODYSSEY IS NOT ON THE LIST OF CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM. BUT MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER OWNERS WERE HAVING.

SECOND REPORT OF SAME. HONDA LOOKED AT PROBLEM BUT CLAIMED CANT FIX WITHOUT COMPUTER REPORT. ENGINE ACCELERATED DANGEROUSLY WHILE IDLING FIVE TIMES AFTER EACH TURN OFF IN A PHARMACY DRIVE IN LINE. HAPPENED MARCH 9,, 9:30 AM 7TH SERIOUS INCIDENT TRYING TO FILM BUT HAVE NOT YET SUCCEEDED DUE TO PANIC AND PROXIMITY OF CAMERA WHICH WIFE ALWAYS MOVES. CAR WAS STATIONARY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. HERITAGE HONDA WESTMINSTER (580 BALTIMORE BLVD, WESTMINSTER, MD) WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SHORT BLOCK AND PISTONS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HERITAGE HONDA WESTMINSTER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 171,332.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUT 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY ON A HIGHWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. SHE PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, THE LIGHT FLASHED AGAIN. SHE HAD A AAA TOW THE VEHICLE BACK TO OUR MECHANIC, WHO INDICATED THAT SOME OF THE SPARK PLUGS HAD FOULED, AND HE NOTIFIED US OF THE "EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION" ISSUE RELATED TO THESE VEHICLES, A KNOW ISSUE TO HONDA. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE EXCESS OIL CONSUMPTION WILL BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THE OIL GAUGE ON THE VEHICLE INDICATED FALSELY INDICATED THAT THE OIL LEVEL WAS FINE, SO THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THE ENGINES ARE ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND PUTS FAMILIES AT RISK FOR AS LONG AS THEY OWN VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM.

MY VAN HAS AN ISSUE WITH EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION (A KNOWN ISSUE BY HONDA), THE SPARK PLUGS EXCESSIVELY FIRE WHICH IS WHAT CAUSES THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AS WELL AS AN EXCESSIVE NEED TO CHANGE THE SPARK PLUG. THIS MAY ALSO LEAD TO PRE MATURE WEAR ON THE ENGINE,ALSO MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO GET TOO HOT WITH NO OIL IN IT AND MAY CATCH FIRE. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD IT HAD NO OIL IN IT (MY OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON) THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THIS AND THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO A NON-HONDA MECHANIC . I AM NOW HAVING TO UNDER GO A SERIES OF TESTS IN ORDER TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE EMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS MISSING ON 5 OF 6 CYLINDERS. DRIVING PERFORMANCE IS GREATLY IMPAIRED. THE VEHICLE MISSES WHILE STATIONARY IDLING AND WHILE OPERATING IN MOTION. THE EXHAUST BLOWS SOOT ON THE PASSENGER REAR END AND SIDE OF THE VAN. FUEL ECONOMY HAS DROPPED TO ABOUT 18 ON THE HWY. HONDA DECLINES TO MAKE THE REPAIR UNTIL IT DISPLAYS DTC CODE. DEALERSHIPS ADVISE THAT IT IS COMPENSATING FOR THE MISSES CURRENTLY. THIS VAN IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR 3.5 ENGINES MADE BY HONDA. EVEN WITH IT BEING A KNOWN ISSUE AND THEIR OWN MECHANICS DIAGNOSING THE MISSING THEY HAVE SET REQUIREMENTS THAT PROLONG REPAIRS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE POWER TO THE ENGINE STARTED DIMINISHING SUDDENLY WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. QUICKLY I COULD BARELY ACCELERATE. APPARENTLY THE ECO DRIVING MODE HAD SHIFT OFF A FEW CYCLING ERA OF THE ENGINE MAKING THE CAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AND ALSO PROHIBITIVELY DANGEROUS.... *TR

A/C STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR ALL OF A SUDDEN. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. DEALER STATED ROCK PUNCTURED THE CONDENSER, AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WE BELIEVE, AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND FLAW IN DESIGN THAT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT THIS COMPONENT, HENCE AMERICAN HONDA IS MAKING A TON OF MONEY OFF ITS CUSTOMERS FOR REPAIRS. CONTACTING AMERICAN HONDA FOR RESOLUTION IS USELESS, AS THEY ARE STANDING BEHIND A ROUTINE EXPLANATION OF THAT THEY ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, IN THEIR DESIGN. WE NEED HELP! *TR

PULLING ONTO FREEWAY AND DASH LIGHTS FLASHED THEN MOTOR QUIT COMPLETELY. COASTED TO STOP ON SHOULDER WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKE POWER LEFT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT EVEN TURN ON - COMPLETE VEHICLE FAILURE. HAD IT TOWED ONCE AGAIN TO DEALER SAID A FAULTY OR SHORTED GROUND WIRE. HAVE NOT PICKED UP YET SO WILL DETERMINE IF FIXED. THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR FAILURE WITH THIS VEHICLE. HONDA DEALER NOR CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOWS ANY CONCERN OR INTEREST IN OUR SITUATION. MY WIFE IS VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE OR DEPEND ON THIS CAR. *TR

HESITATION OR STUTTER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. STARTED WITH MINIMAL PROBLEMS AT FIRST AND HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. NOW HEAR CLICKING JERKING AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND EMISSION LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON. DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG THEY CAN FIND. *TR

OUR BRAND NEW 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING ELITE JUDDERS BETWEEN 25-40 MPH BETWEEN SHIFTS. THE JUDDER CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM MILD AND VERY TRANSIENT TO ROUGH BUCKING THAT LASTS FOR OVER 2 SECONDS BEFORE IT SMOOTHS OUT. UNDER MILD OR HEAVY ACCELERATION, I HAVE NOT NOT NOTICED THE JUDDER. IT SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION. IT ALSO SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE VIOLENTLY WHILE GOING UPHILL. IT HAPPENS AT LEAST 90% OF THE TIME DURING THE SHIFT BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS UNDER MODERATE (TYPICAL) ACCELERATION. THIS JUDDER RESULTS IN A LOSS OF EXPECTED ACCELERATION AND DECREASED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE AND FEEL THAT HONDA MUST RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO PERMANENTLY REPAIR THE UNDERLYING ISSUE. THIS ISSUE AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE 2012 MODEL YEAR. *TT