Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Sliding door failure. Both sliding doors failed on jan 17, 2011. The doors were stuck halfway open. I consider this to be a safety issue. Was repaired for the price of $800. Luckily the van was no moving that the time, but we did have to drive it to the mechanic with the doors open.
The vehicle experienced the following: out of alignment, loud bang/ticking, shaking, engine hesitation, inoperative A/C, a contaminated filter with metal shavings, A/C drain tube was rubbing and draining on the steering rack boot, coolant reservoir was empty and the right front seal on the body was damaged due to it being improperly placed, A/C knob was broken, the A/C airflow automatically changed, when the A/C blower motor speed decreased, various dash lights would dim, the hood latch was defective, static shock problem, there was a coolant smell, due to the reservoir fluid level, the sliding door was inoperative, the transmission was defective, the crankshaft pulley and the steering wheel vibrated, the right door seal had come apart, the splash shield clip was missing, the idle speed fluctuated from 750 to 2000 RPM with the vehicle in park/neutral, and immediately after, the MIL …
Early in 2002 I begin having difficulties opening the passenger side sliding door on my Honda Odyssey. I took the van to the local dealership and was told I must not be closing the door correctly. In June 2003, I returned to the dealership- at that time they replaced the rubber seal around the door, admitting other vehicles were having that problem. July 2005 the door again became difficult to open, the local dealership applied a spray "that should solve the problem". By October 2005 some days the door would open, some days it would not. Dec. 4, 2005, I was traveling home, alone, from church about 8:45 pm when all of the interior lights came on. I saw the door open signal for the passenger sliding door was on. It was dark, at a section of the county that I was not comfortable stopping at, so I drove for approx. …
Power sliding doors under normal conditions are not manually operable. Automactic door function is activated with door handles, from the dash, or from the key fob. These functions alternately work poorly or not at all. On a snowy & icy day one door quit completely and could only be opened and closed manually. Then the other door also. Researching the issue LED me to user posted online instructions involving various combinations of pulling fuses and turning switches. After pulling the battery cable and leaving it off 1 minute, then restarting the engine, the door function was restored. Aside from normal operation being a potential safety issue in the event of an accident or emergency, the system is subject to failure that can be a costly visit to a repair shop or dealership. I hope later models of the Odyssey have an improved system in place.
We have a 2001 Honda Odyssey lx. The power sliding door on the passenger side suddenly quit working and will no longer close properly. The only way we have been able to continue driving the car without the incessant alarm is to shut off the power sliding door function and try to keep it shut. There are several potentially big problems with this. Number one - the kids cannot open the door manually, it is too heavy for them. The only option they have to exit the car is on the traffic side of the vehicle. The door will suddenly become ajar when we are driving, even with the locks closed, which is also a huge safety factor. I have tried to get this problem fixed professionally numerous times and I cannot get a satisfactory answer to what the problem is. I cannot sell this car in good conscience with an issue like this.
We own a 2001 Honda Odyssey Mini-van which we purchased new in April 2001. We have been having problems with the gears shifting and took the vehicle to the dealer on a number of occasions only to be told there is no issue. Finally, when the check engine light went on, the dealer conceded that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle has 77,000 miles and was still under the extended transmission warranty. However, the dealer than told us that the engine mounts need to be replaced as well. In reading the strings on the NHTSA odi website, it looks like this is a problem that exists across the 2001 models. I would recommend that Honda and NHTSA began a recall of these vehicles and/or extend the warranty on the engine mounts and the transmission to 100K or 10 years.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that pieces of rusted metal and other unknown shards, hanging from the vehicle between the fuel tank and the frame. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The current and the failure mileages were 151,000. Updated 02/08/12 the consumer stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an inspection in dec 2011. It was determined that t he rear cross member was rusting, which was producing shards of metal, that were dropping through the seam between the rear bumper and fuel tank. Updated 02/13/12
The automatic sliding doors both stopped functioning. I learned that they could be reset by removing fuse #13 for a few seconds and replacing it. This worked until it happened again several months later. This time it didn't help. Now one door works but because the other doesn't I have to turn off the auto-door switch because it buzzes constantly. I have also had the clock light burn out and my Honda mechanic (who specializes in hondas) cannot remove the cover to replace it. I have had several other warning light incidents that May or May not be electrical problems.
The rear bumper beam on my 2001 Honda Odyssey rusted and broke up into pieces that have fallen out from under the bumper cover. I assume that I no longer have full rear end crash protection. My mechanic suggested that since this is a safety related failure, I should see about having the manufacturer replace it for me. They referred me to my local Honda dealer. The service manager at the dealer referred me to their preferred body shop for an estimate. Not sure what will happen next, but am hoping the local dealer will ask the manufacturer to cover the repair.
My 2001 Honda Odyssey minivans power sliding doors stopped working while visiting my sister in aurora, colorado around dec. 26, 2009 because it snowed there overnight. My brother-in-law looked up if this problem was mentioned online. The problem was mentioned and they said you have to disconnect a battery cable then reconnect the battery cable so it will reset the electronics for the power sliding doors. Sure enough that fixed the problem and the sliding power doors started working again. We waited for the sun to come out before doing this.
Body complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Honda Odyssey, 10% of the model year's 619 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (46 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Honda Odyssey body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 Honda Odyssey, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Honda Odyssey body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.