Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I believe that I was sold a car with an unsafe engine. I bought the van from Libertyville Honda in Libertyville on [redacted]. The car had 107K miles on it. A liile over a mounth later the check engine light came on and the van started running bad. When I did some reasearch I found out that a safty report to an iscident dated [redacted] when the car had 107k miles on it. This means that the car was not driven much from the date of the incedent before it was sold to me. The car was sold to me with the same amount of miles as the day of the incent. I believe the issue with the engine was not permently repaired before the car was sold to me. this is the report [redacted]. "Slowing turning into driveway car would not stop RPM at 2k." " Then shifted to neutral where rpm climed to 4k" My safty was at risk because I was driving a car that could have sped up without warning.
The engine malfunctioned, and the car is available for inspection upon request? My safety was put at risk because the car was backfiring in traffic due to the spark plugs filling up with oil. I reported the problem to the Libertyville Honda because they sold me the vehicle about 35 days before the issue started, but I have not heard back from them. I had the Odyssey inspected at Napleton Honda in Oak Lawn. They informed me that piston rings 1-3 needed to be replaced . They also informed me that due to malfunctioning piston rings at least one of the spark plugs was full of oil. The car also needs a new oxygen sensor and this could also be caused by the engine malfunction. No warning lights came on prior to the failure.
2008 Honda Odyssey with issue with piston rings confirmed by mechanic. There are known issues with the piston rings in certain cylinders may rotate and align, leading to engine oil consumption and spark plug fouling. Honda has agreed to settle a massive class-action lawsuit brought against it for engine trouble potentially affecting nearly 1.6 million vehicles. The lawsuit includes Accord (2008-12), Odyssey (2008-13), Pilot (2009-13) and Crosstour (2010-13) models equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 with Variable Cylinder Management, which might experience engine misfire, excessive oil burning and premature spark plug fouling issues.
Incident #1: 1/18/2024, 102k miles. Engine surged to 2k while braking coming to a light. Close to hitting stopped car. Shifted to neutral rpm speed up to 4k. Incident #2: 1/31/2025: 107k miles. Slowing turning into driveway car would not stop rpm at 2k. Then shifted to neutral where rpm climbed to 4k.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced eight days prior at the local dealer. The contact stated that while driving a burning odor occurred inside the cabin. The contact pulled over to the side of the road as smoke was seen coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact and her family was able to exit the vehicle safely. After, exiting the vehicle she noticed fire and liquid was dripping under the chassis. The front end of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The contact mentioned that several explosions were heard and pieces of the vehicle flew off. The contact called the park ranger and then the fire department extinguished the fire. The fire department filed a report. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and where the insurance company deemed the vehicle as total loss. …
Noticed that my car was not running like it has been and then it got worse over the next day or two then before I could get it in for service the oil light began flashing. I drove the car straight to my Honda dealer and there is no external oil leak therefore it was determined that oil is leaking inside the engine and burning and that is why the smoke is coming from by tailpipe however the light indicator was a little to late because the damage is already done and now the engine has to be replaced along with my catalytic converter and no telling what else. The dealer never told me about this a lawsuit indicating that this was a problem in this make and model so I picked the vehicle up and as I tried to make it home it broke down on me in the middle of the interstate in rush hour traffic, had to tow it home. …
I don't have the exact dates of when this started, but the Odyssey started consuming enough oil around 2011 that I had to add it between changes. Then in the last few years, it's gotten to the point where you can smell the oil burning and sometimes the exhaust is gray, a dead-tell of burning oil. Now it will not pass smog as of dec 2017. When I was looking for information about the smoking, I found out about the lawsuit and settlement - we never got any indication that there was a settlement about the excess oil consumption and our van could be fixed by Honda, even back when it was just using a lot of oil, but not smoking visibly yet. Now we have to get it fixed to pass ca smog, but Honda is making us go through multiple 1000 mile consumption tests to prove there is a problem despite the fact that you can see and smell the burning oil in addition to the excess oil usage. …
Car emits a grinding sound when throttle is in a cruise or slight accel position. Engine gets "stuck" at 1500 RPM's where it emits grinding sound the loudest. Can also feel it in the gas pedal. Normal sequence is this: 1) accel to ~40mph 2) once at steady state and in 4th gear, engine rpms will fall to 1500. 3) RPM will get "caught" at 1500, makes grinding sound 4) rpms might breakthrough 1500, pop up to 1800, and grinding noise will diminish. 5) rpms will then drop below 1500, then rise and get stuck at 1500 again along with infuriating noise and pedal vibration. Cycle is usually 5-10 seconds. Going slightly uphill makes it cycle more frequently. Going downhill doesn't make noise since trans is disengaged. It's also hard to tell if lower gears do the same thing because engine noise and vibration drown out grinding sound/feel. …
The engine light came on while driving the vehicle. Took the vehicle to a mechanic who said the vehicle had an error code of p3400 and to immediately fill it with oil and take it to Honda dealer. Did that and discovered class action lawsuit covered repair. Jeff wyler Honda claims to have fixed the problem. Vehicle's engine light goes on again 6 months later with same error code p3400. Told by jeff wyler Honda on colerain avenue that vehicle is fine despite having lost 2 quarts of oil in less than 1000 miles. Dealer tells us that it is "perfectly normal" for Honda vehicles to use 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles, and that this is true of their entire fleet including 2014 and 2015 vehicles. …
I never had any major problems with my van up until this point. The check engine light would come on and go off from time to time and I took it in for a diagnostic check each time and it was the same code for catalytic converter. My car ran well and then suddenly, while taking my kids to school on a city street, the muffler began smoking when I would either idle or drive. It only did this the night before I brought it into the shop and the day of. It would hesitate also. I felt like it was going to die at any minute, so I took my kids to school and brought it to the shop immediately. The mechanic then told me I did not have a drop of oil. This seemed strange because I had never seen a leak (I park in the same place at my house). He tested my car for a leak and did not detect any. Some people suggested that the oil change place forgot to put oil in my car. …
Engine complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2008 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2008 Honda Odyssey, 11% of the model year's 499 complaints. The component named most often is engine (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Honda Odyssey engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2008 Honda Odyssey, though it has 4 recalls 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 2008 Honda Odyssey engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 2 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.