2018 Honda Odyssey Engine

Short Summary (for “Briefly Describe the Problem”) Sudden catastrophic engine failure — engine threw a rod at ~85,000 miles despite proper maintenance and fluid levels. Detailed Description (for “Provide Details of the Incident”) While driving, the vehicle began making a loud noise similar to a helicopter taking off. I immediately took it to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the engine had “thrown a rod,” requiring a full engine replacement. The vehicle has approximately 90,000 miles, has been regularly serviced per manufacturer recommendations, and all fluids were at proper levels at the time of failure. There were no warning lights or prior signs of mechanical issues. My mechanic and I contacted Honda to determine if NHTSA Recall 23V-751 applied to my vehicle; Honda confirmed it did not. Despite this, the symptoms appear consistent with known defects covered by that recall. Honda has declined to provide assistance or repair. The sudden and complete engine failure under normal driving conditions, despite proper maintenance, suggests a potential manufacturing or design defect that poses a serious safety risk.

My van started making noises and driving weird. Took it in to get checked out. These are the issues found: SAFETY RECALL: 2018-19 ODYSSEY CONNECTING ROD BEARING : 2024-04-19 TSB : ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL : 2023-11-13 TSB : SAFETY RECALL: 2016-19 MULTI-MODEL CONNECTING ROD BEARING STOP SALE : 2024-03-08 The vehicle is available for inspection at request.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH, with the check engine warning light remaining illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with connecting rods failure in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 90,000.

There is a recall on other 18 model year vans for the rod bearing failure. This happened to me on my van and it has had regular oil changes and has around 139000 miles on it. This could have been catastrophic for the ones around me if I was driving on the interstate and the bearing gave out and hurt my family due to the engine seizing. The vehicle has not yet been inspected due to this just happening. I am not the only one with this model year having this issue and my vin not being covered by the existing recall. There were no warnings prior to the issue. Oil was always clean and changed on time. This vehicle has a good history report and records.

Engine shut down driving on [XXX] in Colorado just past [XXX] (XXX). Had to pull over and car towed to shop that found engine would not start, locked and could not rotate by hand. They suspect timing may have jumped causing major internal damage to engine, possibly bent valves. Hole found in side of engine block thought to be from cap or other component breaking off. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have maintained 2018 Honda Odyssey regularly, getting it serviced when or before it was due. A month ago (at 90K) miles, we started to hear a noise in the engine. I took it to Honda and they said that I need an entirely new (rebuilt) engine. I did see there was a safety recall report 23V-751 regarding crank pins that were produced out of specification. This did cover some 2018 Honda engines, but my VIN was not one of them. Is there any possibility that this deffect could have effected other Honda engines of the same year? My engine should not be failing at 7 years and 90k miles. Currently the vehicle is not being driven until we figure out the best course of action.

Automatic Idle Stop function causes car to stall in the middle of roadways. Idle is initiated when car comes to a complete stop at intersections, traffic lights, etc. Instead of rolling back on, engine stalls and brake seizes up, causing us to block traffic in the middle of roadways, intersections, traffic lights, etc. Car does not restart when power button is pushed. Only solution that has worked is to completely turn car off, open driver door and pretend to be ending trip by getting out, closing the door, walking away so car locks, waiting 30 seconds, then reapproaching the car and starting over from the beginning. This obviously causes major issues in the middle of roadways. On one occasion, no solutions worked, the brake pedal completely seized, and the battery had to be jumpstarted, despite the fact that it was a fairly new and undamaged battery. Problem persists even after changing battery.

The rod bearings failed causing immediate decreased acceleration on [XXX]. I was going 70ph on the highway. I was fortunate not to have crashed. The dealer confirmed that the rod bearing failure was under safety recall for my exact 2018 odyssey, however, my VIN was no included in the VINs that were eligible for recall. [XXX] There was not any warning light or message prior to the catastrophic engine failure on [XXX]. Honda has denied my case American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Case #: [XXX] despite that fact that the car has been well maintained (records attached) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle failed to restart after auto shut off engaged at red light. I was unable to move and had to turn vehicle off completely and restart.

Honda has issued a recall for the 2018-2019 Honda Odyssey vehicles and certain Acura, Pilot, and Ridgeline vehicles due to a manufacturing error on the connecting rod bearing in the engine, which can damage the engine. Might also be in service bulletin 24-003. This recall, identified as #23V751000, was announced on November 12, 2023. MY VIN is not currently covered by this recall yet I am experiencing the exact same symptoms. I have 6 children that a transport in the vehicle daily and we are moving from Minnesota to Georgia soon. I cannot afford to pay for the repairs of this manufacturer defect out of pocket. Local Honda dealership estimates over $10,000 for this repair! I am now going to an automotive service center to see if they have a more affordable solution. It isn't looking good. I am still driving this vehicle, but the knocking coming from the engine compartment is getting louder and louder and I fear the engine could seize while driving on the road with my children in the vehicle. I also reported this to Honda Corporate on March 28, 2025.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH on the highway, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the engine. The contact restarted the vehicle. The engine, steering assist, and battery warning lights became illuminated. The low engine oil message was displayed. The contact checked the oil level, and the oil was sufficient. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the long block needed to be removed and replaced. There was metal in the oil. The mechanic recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that previously, while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was a misfire coming from the engine. The engine had overheated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Hoehn Honda Carlsbad (5454 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008,) and an undisclosed repair was performed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The contact discovered that there was oil leaking from underneath the vehicle and that there was a hole in the engine block. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,849.

On this 2018 Honda Odyssey, at 93000 miles, an abnormal noise started to occur under acceleration. Dealer diagnostic indicated the noise is coming from the bottom end of the engine, likely from the rod bearings. The dealer indicated that this specific VIN number is not included in the current Honda recall, however is exhibiting same symptoms.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was then steered over to the side of the road and restarted; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact observed a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the control rod had fractured, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

There is a major safety issue that has happened a few times now. As I come to a stop, or come out of a stop, the engine stutters and completely shuts off. All electronics stop too. Immediately there is a message flashing “right sliding door problem.” I have to put my foot on the brake and restart the engine to get going again. This recently happened as the red light turned green, and a car almost slammed into me from behind.

See attached document for complaint.

The engine stalled while driving the 2018 Honda Odyssey van on the freeway. It happened while cruising on the freeway. Engine suddenly locked out/stalled after a loud 'thug' sound. The situation posed a high safety risk to the occupants. Luckily no vehicular accident occurred. The dealer checked it out and confirmed it is an engine problem. Their recommendation is to change the engine and charged the cost to the owner. Dealer said the problem is not covered by recall. Dealer will not specify the engine problem unless the engine is opened for inspection. There were no warning lamps and messages of the problem prior to the failure.

2018 Honda Odyssey engine failure due to a 'spun' connecting rod bearing. This is a known issue with this particular make and model and should be considered in the recall for these vehicles.

The vehicle has recently and suddenly developed a loud engine knocking sound which sounds like an engine bottom-end knock (crankshaft or connecting rod). The sound is dependent upon engine RPM and is most noticeable at low RPM and when the engine is warm. The knocking sound is severe for the first 1-2 seconds on cold engine start, until oil pressure is developed. There are two known incidents believed to be caused by this issue: 1. While driving on a public highway with a 75 MPH speed limit, the engine knock became severe and the check engine light began flashing. The car would not accelerate, and once speed was reduced it would not accelerate at all and "limped" home at much-reduced speed. Prevailing traffic had to take action to avoid colliding from behind. 2. While driving up a very slight incline on a public highway with a 65 MPH speed limit, the engine knock became severe and the check engine light began flashing. The engine was unable to produce power and struggled to climb the hill at around 33 MPH with prevailing traffic coming up quickly and swerving to avoid colliding. The vehicle "limped" home again. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center specializing in Honda and Acura vehicles, and confirmed that the knocking sound does indeed sound like a connecting rod and referred me to Honda service bulletin 23-097. I called American Honda to inquire as to whether my vehicle's VIN qualifies for the associated recall, and they said the vehicle does NOT qualify, and that it was a very narrow range of VINs which do qualify. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance, only the independent service center who did NOT open the engine bottom end for inspection, only listened and did non-invasive troubleshooting before referring me to Honda. Please add this to the Office of Defects Investigation's investigation RQ24013

While driving Oct-Nov 2023 I noticed a rod knocking sound in the engine and made an appointment with Jones Honda, Lancaster PA for inspection in Dec 2023. While driving to my base in Horsham, PA on [XXX] the engine seized and shut down leaving me stranded with my family. We had it towed to Reedman Toll Honda, Downingtown PA and it was determined by the Honda technicians that it was the same issue that affected thousands of other makes/models of the same year. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine. A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury. The technicians verified this is the same issue and we opened a claim with American Honda. American Honda claims that our VIN was not affected and that the technicians do not have the authority to claim it is the same issue and refused to assist. We have service records to indicate the vehicle was maintained, oil and filter changes, other recalls, etc. There is no reason a five year old engine, at the time, should have died without it being a manufacturing issue. This issue put my family at risk and the safety of others. The engine was maintained and verified by Honda certified technicians that it is a manufacturing issue that caused this. We have been talking to American Honda for over a year and half now and they finally closed our claim about a month ago, May 2025, with no resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Check engine light came on while driving and engine making rattling noise. Stopped vehicle and restarted with difficulty starting and loss of engine power. Towed to nearest Honda dealer and diagnosed with cylinder 3 rod bearing damage. Engine replaced under Honda extended warrenty with used engine per warrenty company preference. Called Honda customer service to report the incident. They confirmed my VIN was not included on the recall for vehicles of the same year with similar issues. They confirmed over the phone that they would file a NHTSA report on my behalf, but I have not seen the report on this website.

The engine failed without prior indication. The dealer says the engine is destroyed and needs to be replaced. Once the engine stopped working the vehicle would not go into neutral and was immovable preventing the vehicle from being moved to a safe location. The dash had a message that said the engine must be running to shift to neutral but the engine was blown. The owners manual has no solution to put the vehicle in neutral with an inoperable engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at approximately 68 MPH, the vehicle intermittently stalled, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer again and was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH uphill with the windows down, the contact heard a knocking or tapping sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and the dealer confirmed hearing the tapping sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Lia Honda Williamsville Auto Repair & Service Center (4891 Transit Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221); however, the knocking sound was not heard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact had heard the sound approximately 3 more times. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine made an abnormal knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the timing belt had failed and needed to be replaced. The timing belt was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the connecting rod bearing in the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be taken apart to perform the repair. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under the recall because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 86,470.