Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
All recalls have been completed on this 2003 Honda Odyssey Van but every now and then the warning light for the supplemental restraint system comes on and will stay on for a long time. the next trip it will be fine. Just wondering if this is something to be concerned about. It is a car we keep at our beach house and only use on a limited basis but I need to know it is safe. I recently had vehicle scanned and had all old codes cleared. If the air bag situation is the cause of this I don't want to be driving it. East Coast Honda in Myrtle Beach, SC. [phone], 8756A US Highway 17 Bypass South, Myrtle Beach SC. 29588) has replaced the recalled airbags on 2 different recalls. Thank you for your assistance. [redacted]. [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Odyssey. While the vehicle was parked with the key removed from the ignition and the emergency brake engaged, the vehicle rolled away in reverse and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not towed, diagnosed, or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 12V573000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 253,000.
The interior roof of the vehicle caught fire and burned after the car was turned off. The smoke started while driving and the smoke was coming from the drivers side seat belt area where it connects to the frame top.
Engine, suspension or unknown ?: three of the 4 motor mounts are broken and not supporting the engine. The one remaining motor mount is under extreme stress and can fail anytime. I have had two dealer service managers confirm this problem and both have said that they are not covered under any warranty or recall. Both have warned me that it is not safe to drive because if the last mount fails it could cause an accident. The condition of the roads and freeways make it very hard to avoid pot holes and I hold my breath every time I hit one to see if the motor is OK. Electrical: 1. After I had the air bags that were recalled replaced there is an electrical ?? Problem that turns the radio on and off (I can usually change it by beating on the steering wheel but that doesn't always work.) 2. Occasionally when I remove the key it continues to beep until I beat on the steering wheel. 3. …
I was driving on the street approximately 25mph, suddenly the steering wheel locked up on me. The vehicle had approximately 270,000 mi on it. I checked American Honda recalls and found a recall order. Copies of he documents enclosed. I reported the problem and explained the circumstances of the problem. I was told that recalls are VIN specific and vehicle does not show anything on their records. I made and researched and found the documents which I've enclosed copies with this complaint. I was told to talk with Honda dealership so they could advice me about the problem. …
Every time I go to close the doors by pulling the handle whether inside or outside, they don't close. I was parked in a flat paved driveway with unleashed dogs in the yard. I didn't realize they were unleashed by they started running toward the car and the doors would not close!!! My 3 year old daughter was in the back seat. This is a huge problem as her safety and my 8 year old sons safety is being compromised. This is a problem for many Odyssey owners and it should be recalled and fixed by the manufacturer. At this point when the doors finally close they are not closing smoothly on the rail. The paint and side bar have literally come off and are now being held up by duct tape. I'm so disgusted!! I don't have the money to pay for a repair especially when this is a manufacturing defect. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was not in park when it began to roll backward as the contact was exiting. A passenger was still in the vehicle when the failure occurred. The contact was able to jump back into the vehicle and stop the vehicle from rolling. The contact stated he had experienced the failure at least six times. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnosis of the failure. In addition, the key would intermittently become stuck in the ignition. The contact was able to call a locksmith and remove the key from the ignition. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000 and the current mileage was 110,000. Updated 12/01/10. The consumer stated the passenger had barely exited the vehicle when it rolled backwards. The vehicle hit a fence and caused minor scratches. Updated 12/14/10
I can take my key out of the ignition while in drive. Because of the setup of the shifter, and the short space between gears, it's not apparent that the car's not in park, and fairly common for me to remove the key while in drive. I've not had this problem with other cars. Several times I've taken the key out and the car started rolling a little before I stepped on the brake and put the key back in and shifted to park. About 4 or 5 weeks ago I parked at a strip mall in front of a store, and when I came back out my car was backed up against the car on the other side of the aisle, having rolled back about 15 feet. Fortunately there was no damage. Another time my wife went shopping and came out and the car had been in drive the whole time (about an hour) but fortunately the parking lot was flat.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that after driving the vehicle into a driveway and turning the ignition off it continued to roll backwards hitting another vehicle. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired due to a pending investigation. The failure mileage was approximately 144,400. Updated 5/24/11 the consumer stated after his wife exited the vehicle, she turned and saw the vehicle rolling down the driveway toward a ditch. In an effort to stop the vehicle, his wife was able to open the driver's side door, only to be knocked to the ground. The door then hit another vehicle. Once the vehicle came to a stop, she discovered that even though she was able to remove the key from the ignition, the gear selector was in the drive position. Updated 06/20/11
I recently had airbag recall work on my car. All of a sudden, 2 days ago my doors unlocked while I was driving. I relocked them and a few minutes later they unlocked again. This keeps happening. I am thinking that this is related to the recall work that was done about a month ago. This is a very dangerous situation. I don't know if any other owners have reported these occurrences. I spoke to Honda and they told me I have to take my car to the Honda dealer that did the recall work to check out the problem, but I would have to pay the dealer to check it out. I don't think this is fair. Please note that I did not have an accident. Your system forced me to put in an accident date to be able to send you the complaint.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the interlock function of a vehicle with an automatic transmission to be…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated shift interlock lever and, if necessary, replace any necessary part of the ignition switch,…
NHTSA investigations
Ignition Interlock Failure - Rollaway
On December 10, 2012, Honda Motor Company submitted a defect information report to NHTSA regarding ignition interlocks in approximately 576,117 model year MY) 2003 through 2004 Honda Pilot and Odyssey vehicles that are the subject of this investigation and 231,044 MY 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX vehicles (Recall No.
Electrical complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Honda Odyssey, 9% of the model year's 914 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Honda Odyssey electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 12V-573 (switch, Dec 11, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Odyssey electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 122,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 2 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system 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.