The 2013 Odyssey with the 3.5L V6 is generally solid but suffers from known transmission problems and a critical VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) issue that can destroy the engine if ignored. The 2.4L four-cylinder is rare and not discussed here.
VCM System Causes Premature Engine Wear and Piston Ring Failure
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (1+ quart per 1,000 miles), Misfires on cylinders 1, 2, or 3 (the ones that deactivate), Fouled spark plugs, Blue smoke from exhaust on cold start or acceleration
Fix: Honda's VCM deactivates cylinders 1-3 under light load, causing carbon buildup and wearing piston rings unevenly. Long-term fix requires engine rebuild with new pistons and rings (20-30 labor hours). Prevention: install VCM Muzzler or ECU tune to disable the system early. Once rings fail, you're looking at a full tear-down or used engine swap (12-18 hours labor).
Estimated cost: $4,000-7,000
Torque Converter Shudder and Transmission Judder
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Vibration or shudder when accelerating from 20-40 mph, Feels like driving over rumble strips under light throttle, Delayed or hard shifts between gears, Check engine light with P0740 or P0741 codes
Fix: Honda's 6-speed automatic (ZF transmission) develops torque converter lockup clutch wear. Multiple TSBs exist. First attempt: drain-and-fill with Honda ATF-DW1 three times over 500 miles (3 hours total labor), which sometimes resolves it. If not, torque converter replacement required (8-12 hours). Severe cases need full rebuild due to clutch material contaminating valve body.
Estimated cost: $400-3,500
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks at Crimped Fittings
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission fluid dripping near front bumper or radiator area, Low fluid warning or slipping shifts, Pink/red fluid puddles under vehicle, Burning smell if fluid contacts exhaust
Fix: Factory crimped cooler lines corrode and leak where they connect to the radiator or transmission. Not repairable — full line replacement required. Access requires removing front bumper cover and sometimes radiator support (4-6 hours labor). Critical because low fluid destroys the transmission quickly.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Front Engine Mount (Transmission Side) Failure
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Loud clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive vibration at idle in gear, Engine visibly rocks when revved, Thud felt through floor during acceleration
Fix: The large hydraulic front mount (transmission side) breaks internally due to the weight of the V6/transaxle. Straightforward replacement but requires supporting the engine from above or below (2-3 hours). Often replaced alongside the upper torque rod mount if it hasn't been done yet.
Estimated cost: $400-700
Power Sliding Door Rollers and Cable Wear
Occasional · low severity
Typical onset: 90,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Grinding or clicking noise when door opens/closes, Door moves slowly or gets stuck halfway, Error messages on dash about door malfunction, Door won't latch or fully close
Fix: The center and rear track rollers wear out, and the steel cables stretch or fray. Requires door disassembly to replace roller assemblies and sometimes the full cable/pulley system (3-5 hours per door). Honda revised parts available. Not safety-critical but annoying and expensive.
Estimated cost: $600-1,400
Starter Motor Failure Due to Heat Soak
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 100,000-180,000 mi
Symptoms: No-crank condition when engine is hot (starts fine when cold), Single click from starter relay but no engagement, Intermittent starting issues in summer or after short trips, Works again after cooling for 20-30 minutes
Fix: Starter mounted low and close to exhaust manifold, heat causes internal solenoid failure. Replacement straightforward but tight working space (1.5-2.5 hours). Use OEM or quality aftermarket (Denso) — cheap rebuilds fail quickly in this heat environment.
Estimated cost: $400-800
Owner tips
Disable VCM early with a tuner or muzzler device to prevent engine damage — this is the single most important thing you can do
Change transmission fluid every 30,000 miles with Honda ATF-DW1 only, not 'lifetime' — use drain-and-fill method, not flush
Inspect transmission cooler lines annually for seepage at crimps once you hit 60k miles
Keep detailed oil consumption records — if you're adding more than 1 quart between changes, investigate immediately
Solid family hauler if VCM is addressed early and transmission is maintained religiously; skip it if oil consumption has already started or maintenance history is unknown.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 17V725000
2017-11-17
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. If a seat is placed between either of the two positions when attaching the seat to the vehicle floor, the seat will not latch properly to the seat striker, allowing the seat to tip forward unexpectedly during braking.
Consequence: If the seat tips forward during braking, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket to the second row outboard floor strikers, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2018. Owners may contact American Honda Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is S0G.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · 16V933000
2016-12-27
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2010, to October 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats. This release lever may remain in the unlocked position allowing the seats to move unexpectedly.
Consequence: An unlocked second row outboard seat increases the risk of injury to the seat occupant during a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional bracket and spring to both second row outboard seats, free of charge. Interim letter has been mailed, and a second notification will be sent . Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KD5.
ENGINE · 13V382000
2013-08-27
Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear.
Consequence: A worn piston may suddenly fail, causing the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbers are JB4 (Honda Odyssey) and JB5 (Honda Pilot).
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · 13V143000
2013-04-15
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's campaign recall numbers are S96, S97, and S98.
AIR BAGS · 13V016000
2013-01-18
Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.
Consequence: The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment. This could potentially increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
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