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2016 Honda Odyssey Engine Problems

71 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data

71
Complaints
Jan 2025Dec 2023
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (71)

criticalENGINE
Filed: Jan 2026

Your engine is misfiring repeatedly even after being serviced at a certified Honda dealership multiple times since late August 2025. The van shuts down unexpectedly while you're driving or experiences severe shuddering and stalling, which is especially concerning when you have passengers on the highway. The dealership may need to perform deeper diagnostic testing or replace ignition components to identify and resolve the underlying cause.

NHTSA #: 11711490
criticalENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Filed: Sep 2025

Your engine is making rattling sounds while driving, even though no warning lights appear on the dashboard. A mechanic found that a rod nut inside the engine has failed, which typically means the entire engine needs to be replaced. This happened at around 110,000 miles, and while there's a related recall campaign, your vehicle's VIN wasn't included in it.

NHTSA #: 11689348
highENGINE
Filed: Mar 2026

Your Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system can cause premature wear on piston rings, which leads to excessive oil burning, fouled spark plugs, and engine misfires. You submitted a recall claim in September 2025, and Honda confirmed receipt and promised reimbursement within 6-9 weeks, but as of March 2026 (24 weeks later), you haven't received payment despite calling three times. The repair will likely involve replacing piston rings and related engine components, or in some cases, engine replacement.

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NHTSA #: 11724102
highENGINE
Filed: Mar 2026

While driving on the highway, your engine started misfiring and you had to pull over safely. After restarting, you were able to drive home, but your mechanic confirmed cylinder misfire trouble codes. Honda has issued a warranty extension notice for this issue, suggesting it's a known problem that may warrant a recall.

NHTSA #: 11721452
highENGINE
Filed: Feb 2026

Your vehicle displayed a cylinder misfire warning light while driving, forcing you to pull over and restart the engine. The mechanic found that an oil leak caused all six spark plugs to fail prematurely, requiring replacement of both the spark plugs and repair of the oil leak. You've been working with Honda on a warranty reimbursement claim for this repair, which was initially denied but you've resubmitted with documentation.

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NHTSA #: 11720425
highENGINE
Filed: Nov 2025

Your engine was experiencing misfires (rough running), and you paid a Honda dealership to repair it by replacing pistons due to ring deterioration. Honda issued a recall covering this repair, but they're denying your reimbursement claim, saying the dealership's paperwork didn't document the specific diagnostic trouble codes and root cause clearly enough — even though the work was done at an authorized Honda shop. To resolve this, you may need to work with the dealership to obtain more detailed documentation of the diagnostic findings and the specific cause of the misfire.

NHTSA #: 11698536
highENGINE
Filed: Oct 2025

Your engine RPM suddenly increased while driving with cruise control on, accompanied by warning lights, loud noise, and smoke from the exhaust. This happened shortly after the dealer replaced your piston rings as part of a recall repair. The vehicle needs a diagnostic test at the Honda dealer to determine what's causing these symptoms.

NHTSA #: 11692519
highENGINE
Filed: Sep 2025

Your engine is misfiring, causing your check engine light to turn on, rough vibrations, and hesitation when accelerating. This problem keeps returning even after mechanics have replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs multiple times, and a Honda dealer replaced the cylinder rings. The underlying issue may require a more thorough engine diagnosis to identify the root cause.

NHTSA #: 11684433
highENGINE
Filed: Apr 2025

Your check engine warning light came on while driving. The dealer found that cylinders #1 and #3 in your engine were damaged and recommended a partial engine rebuild. This happened at 94,000 miles. The repair would involve rebuilding or replacing damaged internal engine components.

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NHTSA #: 11656405
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2025

While driving on the interstate my 2016 Honda Odyssey with 120k miles experienced a blinking check engine light along with strong engine shudder. Luckily I was close to home, and after reviewing numerous complaints of the same VCM issue from others I checked the plugs and coils and found that the 3 rear plugs covered in oil. I replaced the plugs and coils and ran fuel system cleaner for the next few fill-ups. There was no prior warning, and if I would have been further from home or continued driving i assume I would need new rings and that would be a multiple-thousand dollar fix. I still don't know if they're permanently damaged.

NHTSA #: 11655732
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2025

Vehicle had a dead misfire on cylinder number one. Initially occurred in May 2024 - all of my dashboard lights went on and car was very shaky - made me nervous because manual said car could overheat or catch fire, so had towed to shop - Girard's Automotive in Franklin, WI. They diagnosed as spark plug needed replacement. Van was at about 98K miles at the time so recommended changing all spark plugs, which I did. Three months later - in August 2025 the same thing occurred - all warning lights on. This time I brought it to my regular mechanic - Import Minded in Greenfield, WI - insisting it was a faulty spark plug replacement. He removed the spark plug and found it to be oil fouled which typically indicates the vehicle was experiencing high levels of oil consumption caused by a known piston ring issue. He changed the spark plugs at the time at recommended checking with Honda as this was a known issue in which they had put out a service bulletin in Oct 2020 and extended warranties for year 2011 to 2013. I went to the Honda dealership. They were familiar with the problem but stated they needed to diagnose the problem and could not do that until the engine lights came on again. So, I could not reliably drive my car any distances for fear all my engine lights would come and the shakiness would come back. This went on until this last month, March 2024 in which the engine lights came on again and I was able to get it back to the dealership where they did diagnose the issue as the piston ring problem. They would not guarantee me any assistance with the repairs but required I have them done there for any chance at getting goodwill assist to pay for the repair- to the tune of $6000. After the work was complete, they let me know they would not be able to help me out - not because they do not acknowledge this to be a known issue, but because I do not spend enough money at Honda dealerships. Safety concern - overheat/fire and shakiness causing difficulty driving.

NHTSA #: 11653991
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. In addition, the contact noticed the knocking sound when the vehicle started. The contact stated that the failure was persistent, and the abnormal knocking sound had gotten louder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA #: 11642597
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road and noticed several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. However, the dealer replaced the oil gasket, and the spark plugs. Ken Garff Honda of Orem (195 E University Pkwy) replaced the timing belt. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA #: 11642015
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2025

I own a 2016 Honda Odyssey. This past summer ,while driving the vehicle began to lose power and shake. I had it towed in where I was told that the piston rings needed to be replaced, however, the first step would be to replace the spark plugs. They knew exactly what was going on because numerous individuals have had the same issue with their Honda Odyssey. Now just last week the same problem happened and the piston rings are being replaced for $5000. There was previously a class action lawsuit on earlier model year Honda Odyssey's due to the same issue. Honda then did nothing to fix the issue with the next model of the Odyssey. It is frustrating that their is a known issue that they are doing nothing about. We literally lost power while driving down a busy highway putting us and others at risk. Luckily we were able to get off of the road safely without causing any issues. You have previously looked into the earlier model Honda odyssey's I would appreciate it if you would with the newer models as well. Thank you.

NHTSA #: 11641151
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2025

Dear Honda Customer Service, I am writing to formally report a serious issue with my 2016 Honda Odyssey and to request a full repair at no cost due to what appears to be a manufacturer defect. In March 2024, my vehicle began experiencing a mild shudder/vibration noise, and the Check Engine Light turned on. I took the vehicle to Vacaville Honda, where a diagnostic was performed. The technicians informed me that the engine has a faulty VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) system, causing misfiring due to oil leakage on the spark plugs and piston rings. The only solution given was to replace the engine at a cost of $6,000, which is an unreasonable expense for a known issue related to Hondas VCM system. I have maintained my vehicle regularly at Honda dealerships and followed all manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedules. This engine failure is not due to negligence or wear and tear, but rather a design defect that has affected many Honda owners. Given these circumstances, I respectfully request that Honda cover the full cost of the engine repair or replacement under a goodwill warranty. I also ask that you investigate whether this issue qualifies for a recall or extended warranty assistance. Please respond as soon as possible, as my vehicle is currently unsafe to drive. Thank you.

NHTSA #: 11640397
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2025

Vehicle started showing "check engine" light and some other incidental warning lights. Engine started running roughly. We took this to the dealer and they said that engine needed to have piston rings replaced (along with some other unrelated items.)

NHTSA #: 11638202
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2025

Local mechanic informed me that there there is a defect in the piston causing oil to leak in and ruin the piston and spark plugs. This is fouling up the spark plugs, which are covered in oil. Temporarily he said to replace the spark plug. If that does work, he recommended a valve cover replacement. And if that still doesn't work to replace the engine. This was on cylinder number 1. This also happened last year with cylinder number 3. The engine light comes on and the vehicle starts shaking and causing engine misfiring. The oil was changed approximately 1 week ago when cylinder 1 was having issues. Yes, this vehicle is currently available for inspection. This could be a safety issue due to engine failure while driving on a busy road. This van was purchased used in 2018 with 1 previous owner. This problem has been confirmed by a repair shop.

NHTSA #: 11635312
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2025

The engine failed while driving on the highway. All lights flashed on dashboard and loss of power to the vehicle. There were no prior check engine lights on before it activated and started flashing. Piston 3 failure that had to be replaced (pistons 1-3). Engine had been burning oil but no low oil indication had been illuminated nor was car due for an oil change. Spark plugs and ignition coil had been replaced approx. a year prior due to similar but less severe incident of check engine light coming on and misfiring engine. Six months after the pistons were replaced, the oil pressure switches were diagnosed as faulty and needed replacement due to a false low oil pressure reading.

NHTSA #: 11634345
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2025

Alex from Germaine Honda informed us “There is a defect in the piston causing oil to leak in and ruin the piston and spark plugs. The only option is to replace the engine. There was a light that came on indicating oil was low a few weeks before it symptoms started however there was plenty of oil when checked and it was not time for oil change per record. While driving one day car started shaking and engine misfire. Multiple engine and system warning lights came on. In 2022, we had a similar issue with piston rings out of alignment and spark plugs fouled with oil that resulted in costly repairs. Yes this vehicle is currently available for inspection. This could be a safety issue due to engine failure while driving on a busy road. This van was purchased used in 2018 with 2+ previous owners. This problem has been confirmed by a honda dealer.

NHTSA #: 11633777
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2025

Just before hitting 100k miles and planning for timing belt maintenance, I got hit with the well known VCM V6 engine issue. Fix for 7k from my own pocket? No. I just replaced spark plugs and as the advisor suggested I have to install the VCM Muzzler (from after market, as Honda don't do this) to deactivate ECO mode in order to prevent future damage. I hope NHTSA will force Honda to recognize this is their fault (poor design) and fix this on a big recall, otherwise I'll participate in a lawsuit when that will occur for this lemon car.

NHTSA #: 11633564
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2024

Connecting rod failure. This could have been a serious issue as it happened on the highway. I was in the middle lane when it locked up. Luckily I was able to safely get to the shoulder. There was no warning before it happened. ( No engine light, no noises at all). This has been inspected by my local Honda dealer and confirmed.

NHTSA #: 11632545
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2024

Brought brand new in 2016, our Honda odyssey has been well maintained by the dealer. Just hit 148k miles, and the check engine light started flashing - took it straight to the dealer. Said that we need the engine rebuilt for $4k replacing spark plugs and cylinders. Upon further research, this is a known issue with the VCM motors by Honda, and had a class action lawsuit for previous years of the odyssey- but when the lawsuit was done, our years had not reached over 100k miles yet. Honda service is saying there is now a software update to prevent this from happening again, when we replace cylinders, but why is this happening when we have brought it to the dealer for all maintenance and if there was a preventative fix for this, why wasn’t it done before damage was done to the engine? We are being given the run around, was offered $500 to buy our van, or pay the $4k+ to fix. Honda corporate is just going in circles not giving us answers and why this is being allowed to happen. This is my 4th Honda - 2nd to buy brand new- and this is making me question loyalty to the brand.

NHTSA #: 11627657
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2024

My engine's check-engine light began flashing, and it turned out to be misfiring on one of the cylinders. The dealer disassembled the cylinder and found that it was filled with oil, and the piston seals had failed for cylinders 1-3, and they are now saying it will be a $4K rebuild of the seals. Looking online, this appears to be a VERY common problem with these V6 Honda engines that have VCM on them; this is the same VCM system for which Honda had to settle a class-action lawsuit for this exact issue happening to thousands of engines. They only included vehicles through the 2013 model year, but continued to use the VCM system in later engines; there are thousands of reports of this same issue continuing to occur.

NHTSA #: 11625140
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2024

The engine failed and required a complete ring/piston replacement at a cost of $5,670,52 with only 135,946 miles. I purchased the vehicle new and had it serviced at Honda dealerships throughout its life. These vehicles are used by families and many older citizens because of their ease of access and advertised reliability. Such an unexpected expense should be covered by Honda. This ring/piston replacement has been a problem in earlier modules and was covered by Honda.

NHTSA #: 11624668
mediumENGINE
Filed: Oct 2024

the engine has failure has been twice 5500 repair, because the ECO mode that was known in a former class action. HONDA Motor has done nothing to actually cure the problem and continues to sell faulty engines that can cause engine failure mid drive and causes a safety issue, and has proven over and over again that this failure has not been resolved. We were told by a few places so the engine doesn't go out again this would be a third time and ALL WORK HAS BEEN DONE AT HONDA! TO buy from amazon a item called the VCM muzzler to shut down the software so the engine will work for longer, and there is a secondary market for this , and a few of the 3.5 liter v6 HONDA engines- how is this not been a engine recall, on a 46K vechial with 5500 repairs required 2 times in 50K and we know it will go out a third time, and the van is no longer safe and reliable and yet we purchased the car new all work done at honda, and another 5500 for the repair, and the car still does run as it should doesn't accelerate as it should causing safety issues. I really hope you research and get people that own these cars recalled to be a safe car. thank you

NHTSA #: 11619616
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2024

In January 2024 engine began misfiring, towed to shop, all spark plugs replaced due to fouling by oil. June 2024 issue began again, towed to shop, spark plug 1 found to be fouled by oil. Shop states this issue is likely caused by piston ring malfunction known to be an issue in earlier year Honda Odysseys. Honda states issue was fixed in 2014 and newer models, yet many complaints found online for 2016 model.

NHTSA #: 11597944
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jun 2024

We are reporting a safety concern on the Honda Odyssey that Honda Corporation is aware of on the 2016 Honda Odyssey. They have a defect in the Piston Rings on the Engine. This engine design on the 2016 engine is the same where a recall was called on older versions of the Odyssey and other Honda vehicles. They have not included the 2016 as they say that they haven't had many cases of this version having the problem. With a quick search of the web you will find many people who are reporting or talking about piston ring issues, misfire and spark plug problems on the 2016 Odyssey. They are then asking customers to spend between $3 and $5 to fix this problem in the engine. Which is a known engineering defect! I have kept up with my oil changes and had a well maintained vehicle rating on CarFax. We are reporting the problem to you as when this happened it was extremely dangerous to drive the van. We were stopped at a red light just stopped and the engine was idling when all of a sudden the van started shaking. No sign of a problem prior to this happening. Then we looked and no lights were on but as soon as we started to drive the check engine light came on. We drove the van the couple of miles home as it was a Sunday and the engine had no pick up and go. Pulling into traffic or turning was a danger. This is a danger to not only us in the van but others around us who are not aware of a problem. We drove the van to the dealership on Monday morning. They said that it had caused a bad spark plug and they could clean the area and we may get 5000 to 20000 more miles but that recommended that we would some point need to spend the $4600 to fix the piston rings as well. We did the spark plug repair and they returned the van to us. It still seemed sluggish but we quickly realized that it was having major problems. This is a danger to people in the vans as well as others on the road. Honda should be required to cover the cost of piston ring issues on all years.

NHTSA #: 11592130
mediumENGINE
Filed: May 2024

engine in this vehicle keeps having a misfire in Cylinder 2 (when looking at engine in car, it is the back side, 2nd from the left) caused by eco mode per honda techs. The piston ring needs replaced per tech and car is 2 model years outside the warranty for this issue that is still going on. its a common issue and is still occurring even is newer models according to the 2 local dealerships.

NHTSA #: 11590644
mediumENGINE
Filed: May 2024

Piston ring failure at 73k miles. Repair costs $5000. The check engine light started flashing and whole vehicle started shaking while driving it on the highway. This is a known issue with Honda and the VCM system they installed on these vehicles.

NHTSA #: 11587653
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2024

Piston ring failure at 90K miles. Mechanic says repair will cost over $10K. Seems to be a known issue with this year/model based on internet searches.

NHTSA #: 11581486
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2024

Pistons Ring premature wear . Car only have 100000 miles on odometer but during 100000 mile service. Honda dealer find abnormal wear of piston ring due to which they suspect leak in combustion chamber which can cause further issue . I bought the Odyssey to last longer , did not expect to do major repairs on only 100k miles and unfortunately that's not the case. Now, I need to make a decision. Pay the 4k get it fixed or keep it as is.

NHTSA #: 11578611
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Dec 2023

While driving the engine started to run rough and the vehicle started to decelerate. The check engine light and the traction control light came on. I let up on the gas pedal, the van continued to run rough. I made it home and the next day took the van to a mechanic, he told me that he observed oil fouling on the #3 spark plug, consistent with worn piston rings. The van is a 2016 Honda Odyssey with 91,000 miles.

NHTSA #: 11562536
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2023

I have had the same issue now twice with my vehicle. The first repair was done in 2020 and covered by Honda under warranty. They repaired Cylinder Block-Piston Rings misfiring. It was I believe about a $3,500 repair when covered under warranty. I now have the same thing happening again. I took it in to Honda for diagnostic test and and i have the need for immediate attention to repair-end of October, 2023. I also already had labor service April 11, 2023 and had a code PO303 cylinder#3 misfire, swapped plugs 3 & 5. Spark plugs causing issues. Again the beginning of October I had to take my vehicle in AGAIN for spark plugs and misfiring. Had the spark plugs changed twice this year. And already had a MAJOR repair for the piston rings on this same vehicle. This should not be happening AGAIN. When my car needed the plugs changed in October 2023 my check engine light came on and was flashing and driving rough. I had to towed to shop to get looked at.

NHTSA #: 11561361
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was later informed that the piston ring on cylinder #3 was defective. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

NHTSA #: 11560284
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2023

My wife experienced a sudden loss of power and a very rough running engine at interstate speeds. The check engine light as well as the FSW lights indicated problems with the engine. We brought the vehicle into a Honda dealership for diagnosis. The technician observed an oil soaked spark plug in the #3 cylinder which caused the issue. There were no lights associated with the issue until the sudden loss of power. This dramatic loss of power put her at risk as she limped to a safe area. Honda not only recommends replacing the plug but also all the rings on the rear three cylinders to make the vehicle safe. This is the second time this same vehicle has experienced the same failure and it appears to be an issue with the VCM system on this model. First instance was around 60k and now at 120k.

NHTSA #: 11559542
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and was running rough. The check engine warning light and the traction control warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was oil intrusion on the spark plugs, which caused a misfire. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs and added a fuel additive to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA #: 11553359
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2023

Per Honda dealership technician: oil seeping into cylinders 1-3 when VCM system is on. Spark plugs are fouled up and causing misfires on engine. Scoring on cylinder 2 also likely due to VCM issues requires engine block replacement. The above engine issues are the reason for blinking check engine light, traction control disabled light, and forward collision warning disabled light to all be on. These ultimately are occasionally causing stuttering/shuddering of the engine during acceleration. While trying to accelerate on an freeway on-ramp the engine appeared to hit a rev limiter at ~4,000 RPMs and wouldn't up-shift to the next gear while doing ~45 MPH with other vehicles behind us also trying to accelerate. Had to let off the gas and gently accelerate over a longer distance/time keeping RPMs low and was able to accelerate to 75 MPH speed limit after merging onto freeway. Vehicle is otherwise in good condition and has maintenance attended to regularly.

NHTSA #: 11553375
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2023

On September 28, 2023, the check engine light came on while on the freeway. I pulled over at the closest exit and checked the manual and did as instructed and let the engine cool down. Upon it cooling, I started the car back up and the light did not come back on. Being close to where I was going, I proceeded to my destination. The following week I scheduled an appointment with the dealership to have it looked at. This was scheduled for October 18, 2023. On October 15, while stopped at a stop light, the car started to make banging loud noises and when the light turned green and I stepped on the gas, the check engine light came on again and the car sounded so rough I immediately pulled over and called a tow truck and had it towed to the dealership. This was on a busy 45 mph road, causing a hazard to just have my car fail like that. The dealership discovered that three of the six piston rings had failed, causing oil to leak out and corrode the spark plugs prematurely. I had the repairs completed and have contacted Honda Corporate to inform them of the issue and reimburse me, of which they did not. This has been an issue is previous models with recalls, and this continues to be a safety issue that Honda needs to correct.

NHTSA #: 11553187
mediumENGINE
Filed: Aug 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as several warning lights would appear on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic on numerous occasions where the spark plug have been replaced each time. The mechanic informed her that the vehicle's variable cylinders were the cause of the failure which had resulted in the spark plugs wearing out at a rapid pace. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA #: 11539287
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2023

This is a problem with the car’s variable cylinder management. It causes the spark plug to degrade, the engine cylinders fill with oil and damages the piston rings. This has happened to me on my 2016 Honda Odyssey which has less then 50,000 miles. When the engine cylinders misfire while driving, it causes sudden loss of power and an inability to drive. The repairs are very costly. There was a class action lawsuit aimed at this very problem in the 2008-2013 Honda Odyssey - Honda settled the lawsuit March of 2014. Honda extended the warranty and would fix the issue on the existing 2008-2013 Honda Odysseys. Honda has not fixed the problem and they continue to sell vehicles with this known issue and not disclosing it to their customers. It remains a safety issue while driving.

NHTSA #: 11536044
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Jul 2023

The exact issue was reported for 2011-13 Honda OdesseY Models, All TRIMS and HONDA was issued a extended warranty for those vehicles and Honda is denying the same warranty extension for 2016 Honda Odessey models. The details are published in Service Bulletin 13-081 , which says

NHTSA #: 11534542
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2023

This is a problem with the car’s variable cylinder management. It causes the spark plug to degrade, the engine cylinders fill with oil and damages the piston rings. This has happened to me twice now, where the engine cylinders misfire while driving, causing sudden loss of control of the vehicle and an inability to drive. The repairs are very costly. There was a class action lawsuit aimed at this very problem in 2013, but Honda has not fixed the problem and it remains a safety issue while driving.

NHTSA #: 11531269
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2023

I was driving down a city road and engine light came on as well as traction control light. The car began shaking and lost power slowing down while I had 4 kids in the van. I took it to a Honda dealer the next morning and they said that oil is leaking past the piston rings and fouling the #3 spark plug causing misfiring. They suggested a replacement of the engine as they indicated a head job may not fix the issue. The engine light had come on once before accompanied by the loss of power and shaking about 4-5 months prior but the issue was not found at that time by the Honda service shop as when I brought it in the check engine light was gone. But I I had all the spark plugs replaced as I was at approximately 106,000 miles at that time. Now I'm at 109,000 and the issue returned as noted above, but much worse. Basically I'm forced to sell the van as it's unsafe to drive and too costly to repair.

NHTSA #: 11512712
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2023

While driving my family on a major highway, the flashing check engine light was triggered Upon checking the oil level, which was fine, I again slowly drove the van to a mechanic. The mechanic removed all spark plugs and checked the coils. Spark plugs 1-3 all had oil on them causing them to foul and the coil on piston 3 was destroyed. This very same issue was the cause of a class action lawsuit for which honda issued recalls and extended warranties for vehicles ranging from 2008 - 2013, yes the issue continued in honda vehicles such as mine until 2018. I am now forced to pay for a repair that should have been covered under a voluntary recall. Oil in the spark plugs is a known fire hazard and this willful neglect by honda placed the lives of myself and my family at risk. Even more shameful is that multiple honda service departments in my area were contacted as a result of this faulty piston issue and each independently stated that this is a known issue in honda models up through 2017. If honda service centers can attest to this, and they are the face of honda america to consumers, yet have taken no responsible actions to date to offer consideration for their loyal patrons, then the government has a duty to protect consumers through a mandatory recall to address this prevalent safety issue. Do so now before an engine fire caused by gross negligence takes the life or lives of innocent children.

NHTSA #: 11510164
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2023

At highway speed (70mph), our van suddenly lost acceleration while the engine began to shudder while the check engine light came on. I had to maneuver to the shoulder of the highway and turn off the vehicle. Upon trying to restart the vehicle, both the check engine and Forward Collision Warning failure messages appeared. The vehicle required towing by AAA to a repair garage. The garage reported that the malfunction code was "Misfire Cylinder #3". Cylinder #3 and spark plug were removed and cleaned due to deposits from oil entering the engine.

NHTSA #: 11510026
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2023

On December 7, 2022, while driving my family of six, my 2016 Honda Odyssey EX-L with 83,000 miles triggered a flashing check engine light and lost most acceleration while on a busy highway. I was able to limp the vehicle to a repair shop who identified that the van appeared to be burning oil. Oil was changed in its entirety and was advised to check oil frequently. On February 5, 2023, again while driving my family on a major highway, the flashing check engine light was triggered along with the antilock braking system, lane departure warning and front collision warning, along with a display message of front ‘FCW system failed’. Upon checking the oil level, which was fine, I again slowly drove the van to a mechanic. The mechanic removed all spark plugs and checked the coils. Spark plugs 1-3 all had oil on them causing them to foul and the coil on piston 3 was destroyed. This very same issue was the cause of a class action lawsuit for which Honda issued recalls and extended warranties for vehicles ranging from 2008 - 2013, yes the issue continued in Honda vehicles such as mine until 2018. I am now forced to pay ~$4500 for a repair that should have been covered under a voluntary recall. Oil in the spark plugs is a known fire hazard and this willful neglect by Honda placed the lives of myself and my family of six at risk. Even more shameful is that multiple Honda service departments in my area were contacted as a result of this faulty piston issue and each independently stated that this is a known issue in Honda models up through 2017. If Honda service centers can attest to this, and they are the face of Honda America to consumers, yet have taken no responsible actions to date to offer consideration for their loyal patrons, then the government has a duty to protect consumers through a mandatory recall to address this prevalent safety issue. Do so now before an engine fire caused by gross negligence takes the life or lives of innocent children.

NHTSA #: 11505933
mediumENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Feb 2023

While driving the vehicle the engine began to bog down and the check engine light came on.

NHTSA #: 11505039
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2023

Check engine light flashing towed to the dealership and was inform engine code p0301 misfire cylinder 1 had to replace piston rings on that entire side of the head. Now getting engine cod p3400 vps bank 1 within 1200 miles of the first issue. Engine hesitation between 40 and 55 mph and rpm is around 1500 RPM.

NHTSA #: 11503067
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2022

The engine misfired which caused the vehicle to lose power in traffic endangering the people in my vehicle and in the other vehicles on the road around me. The check engine light began flashing and I had the vehicle towed to the dealership to be inspected. Upon inspection I was informed by the dealership that this was a known problem in Honda Odysseys and that the VCM system causes the piston rings to go bad prematurely which causes unburnt oil to foul the spark plug and cause the car to misfire and lose power. Apparently a class action lawsuit about this issue led to Honda extending the warranty and covering the repairs on Oddyseys made between 2005-2013, but the issue was never corrected and the 2016 model is not covered. The cost of the repair was $3830.

NHTSA #: 11495703
mediumENGINE
Filed: Sep 2022

Engine light blinking, rough idle, and code reading gives "cylinder 3 misfire". I pull the spark plug out and found it's foul, covered with oil and black stuff. Searched the forums and found it's probably a common problem caused by Honda VCM.

NHTSA #: 11487069
mediumENGINE
Filed: Sep 2022

Constant cylinder misfire

NHTSA #: 11483426
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2022

One of the cylinder valves get stuck open. Happened several times within a year. Car looses power and the engine runs rough due to cylinder misfire. Honda says they would need to replace all cylinders. Problem apparently happened in older models and seen other complaints for same issue in like make and model year.

NHTSA #: 11475621
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jun 2022

Within the last two years, spark plug number two has been faulty 3 different times. This causes driving issues while on the road, the car will not accelerate.

NHTSA #: 11469504
mediumENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Jun 2022

In March 1, 2022, my check engine light started to blink and the vehicle was running rough with a definite loss of power. I took it to a local mechanic. The code was a misfire on cylinder 2. He replaced the spark plugs and coil. On May 4, 2022, the same symptoms occurred and I left it with the same local mechanic. He said no codes were stored and the vehicle was running as it should. On May 5, 2022 the same symptoms occurred again and the FCW and LDW lights were also illuminated. The vehicle showed "failed FCW system". They changed the cylinder 2 spark plug because there was oil in it. On May 31, 2022 the check engine light was blinking again with rough idle and loss of power. After doing some researching I can see that Honda had a previous class action lawsuit settlement for earlier year Honda Odysseys for a "piston-ring issue". Today I called the local dealer where I purchased my vehicle from - Brilliance Honda and the service advisor indicated that this is a common problem with the Honda Odysseys but the 2016 are not covered any extended warranty or safety recall. This is a safety issue. To lose power in the engine when driving. This is a known issue and previous model years had similar issues and there was a class action lawsuit - yet nothing is being done about the problem that was never corrected by Honda putting people at risk for a faulty mechanical design. You can smell gas inside the vehicle when this occurs because the engine is not working properly to burn the gas.

NHTSA #: 11467128
mediumENGINE
Filed: May 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle would shake from side to side and vibrate and the odor of burning oil was present. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where the spark plugs were replaced. The failure later reoccurred and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the piston rings were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,579.

NHTSA #: 11466772
mediumENGINE
Filed: May 2022

At 59,000 miles my wife was driving down the road and immediately the van’s engine lost the majority of its power and began shaking tremendously. My wife and kids were able to get off the road but had it been on a freeway it would have been extremely dangerous. The Honda technician conveyed to me that 3 cylinder rings busted. How do 3 cylinder rings bust simultaneously on a well maintained HONDA engine at 59k miles?? They informed me of the Variable Cylinder Management system that shuts down 3 cylinders during certain times. If I can’t trust my family to drive safely down the road in a well maintained HONDA engine with 59k miles, I’m not sure that this system is safe. In addition the repair was out of warranty and cost $3,000! I believe there should be a recall on this system!

NHTSA #: 11464192
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2022

honda has recall/extended warranty on 6cyl vehicles dating back as far as 2008, for cylinder misfires caused by bad piston rings. Recently had to have this done on my 2016 vehicle, but it wasn't covered under any recall or warranty. this is clearly an ongoing problem, and Honda should be paying for these repairs.

NHTSA #: 11457627
mediumENGINE
Filed: Mar 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to shake and vibrate and the check engine warning light flashed on and off before the vehicle decelerated and would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine pistons had become out of alignment causing oil to leak onto the spark plugs. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 76,650.

NHTSA #: 11456553
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2022

The piston rings are failing and causing a misfire. The dealer, honda care, and corporation have all said they are aware of this issue, but not willing to help the customer. Currently, my dealer has 6 cars with the same issue. All service men are stating, yes, we know exactly what the issue is when seeing the warning code. The misfire caused my car to not fully accelerate on a major highway. The dealer has documented the issue. A bunch of warnings appeared when this happened. Honda corp said they will give me half the cost and again have stated they know about this issue.

NHTSA #: 11453798
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2022

My husband was driving the car up a hill and coming to a stop light while slowing the car with the break the engine accelerated (you could hear it). He had to throw the car into neutral to get it to stop in time so as not to hit the car that was stopped in front of him at the stop light. This was not a "hard stop". He saw the red light and was breaking. There were two other witnesses in the car. My husband drives with his right foot and never breaks with his left foot. Though the car was stopping the engine was racing and the car was accelerating despite having his foot on the break petal. Unexpected acceleration is what the dealership called it. No he didn't have both feet on both petals. The car was accelerating despite his foot on the break petal. The witness confirm the car was trying to stop but the engine was racing. We took the car into the dealership and they brought in the "Honda Engineer" who checked out the car and found nothing wrong. They found the floor mats were pinned into place and were not a factor. The dealership seems to want to blame this on "driver error" and deny that there is anything wrong with the vehicle. The service manage with his left foot indicated as if he was breaking with his left foot when explaining that they believe it wasn't mechanical. In other words, they are saying it was driver error (with their body language). I believe they are deny deny deny and not taking our concerns into account. I did a search of similar issues with Honda Odysse's and found that there are other reports of this type of "unexpected acceleration". Thank You.

NHTSA #: 11449934
mediumENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Jan 2022

VCM causes excessive wear on piston rings leading to excessive oil burning, spark plug fouling, and misfiring cylinders. Condition displays flashing engine light and emission, FCW, and LDW warnings codes, disabling the FCW and LDW. Walker Honda (71303) technician, Cody Procell, stated he has dealt with this problem numerous times and was able to quote a near exact price of $4069. Repair total after $100 military discount was $3993. Previous generation Odyssey has been recalled for same issue.

NHTSA #: 11446540
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light would remain illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that pistons #1 - #3 were faulty and the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,000.

NHTSA #: 11440629
mediumENGINE
Filed: Oct 2021

We purchased this 2016 Odyssey November 7, 2016. On July 16, 2020 I had to take the car into the Honda dealer. The vehicle jerked violently when I drive from a stop position to first, second and third gears. The dealer informed that it was due to defective brakes. I paid them $1,500 for the repair but it continued to happen. They informed that they could not duplicate the problems therefore can't fix it. On April 17, 2021 I have been getting multiple warning lights (fcw, ldw, check engine) which occur with sluggish engine performance. The engine will misfire and not accelerate as it typically does or shudders/jitters trying to accelerate. Diagnostic tool shows P0301 for misfire in cylinder 1 and P0848 for trans fluid pressure switch faulty. The dealer informed that we have defective piston rings which cause spark plugs misfire and foul. This will cost 5K and they will not guaranteed that it will fix it! My engine problems seems to be similar to the class action suit as per case no. 3:12-cv-1377-si. Unfortunately, it would appear that the defective piston rings issue was not resolved. I'm concerned that any replacement will result in the same issue again with continued driving. Honda dealerships are aware of the issue and Honda offers us very minimal assistance on the repair. However, they should be fully liable for selling cars with defective design, especially after the prior case. When this issue occurred, it put my family in an unsafe condition because vehicle suddenly lost power and the engine began to stutter. At this point my vehicle is undrivable and this has contributed to financial burden in an already difficult year due to the pandemic. Honda should own this issue for the 2016 model year through full compensation on repairs.

NHTSA #: 11437861
mediumENGINE
Filed: Sep 2021

My spark plugs keep wearing out due to a piston ring issue. The Honda dealers have informed my that after 100,000 I will need my piston rings replaced. This is an issue with Honda Odysseys. My vehicle idles hard and will not properly accelerate. It is a hazard on the roadway because I cannot accelerate as fast as I should and the vehicle loses engine power.

NHTSA #: 11434287
mediumENGINE
Filed: Sep 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle jerked violently. The check engine warning light was flashing. The contact exited the highway. The contact called the local dealer and the vehicle was taken to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the cylinder failed and the vehicle loss engine compression. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

NHTSA #: 11433625
mediumENGINE
Filed: Aug 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,178.

NHTSA #: 11430729
mediumENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Apr 2021

WE HAVE BEEN GETTING MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS (FCW, LDW, CHECK ENGINE) WHICH OCCUR WITH SLUGGISH ENGINE PERFORMANCE. THE ENGINE WILL MISFIRE AND NOT ACCELERATE AS IT TYPICALLY DOES OR SHUDDERS/JITTERS TRYING TO ACCELERATE. DIAGNOSTIC TOOL SHOWS P0303 FOR MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 3. I CHANGED OUT THE SPARK PLUG WHICH WAS VERY FOULED (SAVED IT) AND THIS FIXED IT FOR A FEW WEEKS AND THEN IT RETURNED. CHANGED OUT ALL SPARK PLUGS BUT ISSUES AND CODE ARE BACK AGAIN AFTER A FEW WEEKS.

NHTSA #: 11405911
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2020

DEFECTIVE PISTON RINGS ARE CAUSING SPARK PLUGS MISFIRE AND FOUL. THE SCENARIO SEEMS TO BE SIMILAR TO THE CLASS ACTION SUIT AS PER CASE NO. 3:12-CV-1377-SI. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE DEFECTIVE PISTON RINGS ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. I'M CONCERNED THAT ANY REPLACEMENT WILL RESULT IN THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN WITH CONTINUED DRIVING. HONDA DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HONDA US OFFERS VERY MINIMAL ASSISTANCE ON THE REPAIR. HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD BE FULLY LIABLE FOR SELLING CARS WITH DEFECTIVE DESIGN, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PRIOR CASE. WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURRED, IT PUT MY FAMILY IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STUTTER. AT THIS POINT MY VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE AND THIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO FINANCIAL BURDEN IN AN ALREADY DIFFICULT YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. HONDA SHOULD OWN THIS ISSUE FOR THE 2016 MODEL YEAR THROUGH FULL COMPENSATION ON REPAIRS.

NHTSA #: 11375271
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2020

SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ON A HIGHWAY. FORTUNATELY I HAD A SHOULDER TO ESCAPE ONTO AS I COULD NOT MAKE IT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED AND COULD NOT MERGE. FOUND OUT AFTERWARDS THAT THE CAUSE WAS SPARK PLUG FOULING AS A BUILD UP OCCURS DURING ECO MODE AS OIL BYPASSES THE PISTON RINGS ON CYLINDERS EQUIPPED WITH THE HONDA VCM (VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT) SYSTEM. THE BUILD UP CONTINUES UNTIL THE ENGINE BEGINS TO MISFIRE AND TRIGGERS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, STUMBLES AND DRIVES IN 'LIMP ALONG' MODE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES (FIRST OCCURRENCE 03/25/2019, LATEST OCCURRENCE 04/16/2020) AND MY LOCAL HONDA SERVICE CENTER HAS FOUND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0302 INDICATING A MISFIRE CONDITION IN CYLINDER #2. HONDA SERVICE PEOPLE CALL IT THE 'PISTON RING PROBLEM' AS IT IS A WELL KNOW MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HONDA DESCRIBES IN TSB 13-081 AND RESULTED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT (CASE NO. 3:12-CV-1377-SI) AGAINST HONDA. THE LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED IN 2014 AND ALL 2008 THRU 2013 HONDA ODYSSEY MODELS WERE COVERED AND GIVEN AN EXTENDED 8 YEAR UNLIMITED MILEAGE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY IN THE SETTLEMENT. APPARENTLY THE DEFECT WAS NOT CORRECTED IN LATER MODELS AS MY 2016 HONDA ODYSSEY IS NOW EXHIBITING THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS. MY HONDA WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD 69K MILES AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND YET HONDA HAS DECLINED TO COVER THE $3000 COST OF REPLACING THE PISTON RINGS (AS RECOMMENDED BY THE HONDA SERVICE CENTER) STATING THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND MY VIN IS NOT COVERED BY THE SETTLEMENT.

NHTSA #: 11321682
mediumENGINE
Filed: Sep 2018

I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A STOP AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION LEADING TO A FOUR LANE ROAD AND THE CAR WANTED TO LUNGE FORWARD. I HAD TO ALMOST STAND ON THE BREAK TO STOP THE CAR AND THE ENGINE ROARED. I TURNED IT OFF. I THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN AND IT DID THE SAME THING. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS OK. I HAD THIS HAPPEN LAST YEAR AND TOOK IT IN TO HONDA. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. THIS COULD CAUSE A CAR TO GO INTO TRAFFIC IF THE DRIVER WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION.

NHTSA #: 11130759
mediumENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jul 2018

WORKMANSHIP BY HONDA SERVICE AND REPAIR CAUSED CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE TO MY ODYSSEY 2016 CAR, WITH LESS THAN 32K MILES FOR NOW. VEHICLE WAS TIMELY SERVICED /REPAIRED BY FIESTA HONDA 6 TIMES IN LESS THAN 1.7 YEARS. REGISTERED A CASE WITH AMERICAN HONDA TO OFFER COMPLETE REPAIR, EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND OUT OF THE POCKET EXPENSES. AMERICAN HONDA AND FIESTA HONDA REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND OUT OF THE POCKET EXPENSES AND THEY HAVE COVERED UP THE CASE AND THEIR MISTAKES, THROUGH JUST BLAME GAME. PER DAVID HONDA FRISCO, WHO CHECKED THE VEHICLE INITIALLY -"'CYLINDER BLOCK ASSEMBLY: P3400/P3497 VALVE PAUSE STUCK OFF. CHECKED FOR LOW OIL AND OIL LEVEL WAS OVER FULL. ALSO FOUND BURNT OIL/SLUDGE STUCK ALL OVER DIP STICK. REMOVED VALVE COVERS AND REAR SPOOL VALVE ASSEMBLY AND FOUND OIL PASSAGE IN SPOOL. ASSEMBLY CLOGGED DUE TO NEGLIGENCE. OIL IS VERY DIRTY DUE TO OIL NOT BEING CHANGED CONSISTENTLY .' , WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ON MAY LAST WEEK, I BROUGHT IT TO DAVID HONDA FRISCO, FROM FRISCO, FIESTA HONDA HONDA TOWED THE VEHICLE TO SAN ANTONIO AND MANIPULATED THE CASE BY AMERICAN HONDA AND FIESTA HONDA. AMERICAN HONDA CASE MANAGER WAS VERY RUDE AND ARROGANT HANDLING THE CASE. AMERICAN HONDA AND FIESTA HONDA IS NOT EXPLAINING WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, THEY JUST SAY READY TO PICK UP. PROBABLY A MIRACLE HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE, HOW CAN WE TRUST THIS VEHICLE, FIESTA HONDA AND AMERICAN HONDA.

NHTSA #: 11111320

Other 2016 Honda Odyssey Issues