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 2009 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Van was driven at approximately 7:50pm a short distance. After parking vehicle, 10 minutes later the alarm went off. Upon disarming the alarm, the entire engine was engulfed in flames. Van is maintained regularly, no check engine light indicating any issues with vehicle. Entire engine caught fire. Fire dept extinguished fire. No comprehensive insurance so no inspection to cause of actual fire. Neighbors Ring camera shows alarm going off and as soon as it was disarmed, engine completely engulfed in flames. This video was sent to fire dept for their report. Vehicle still sitting where it caught fire, in front of my residence. I have yet to get it towed or inspected.
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while underneath the vehicle, he became aware that there was severe rust on the muffler. The contact stated that there were flakes on the ground. The contact touched the muffler and put a hole in the plate. The manufacturer and dealer were notified of the failure however, the vehicle was not inspected by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Twice during the last year, the bolt securing the drive belt tensioner has broken while driving the vehicle. This results in loss of steering, electrical, and cooling of the engine. The first time the incident occurred on a stretch of rural highway where the lone occupant had to wait for help to arrive. The first date was on May 12, 2022. The second incident took place in an urban area on January 25, 2023. But, with only 8 months in between the incidents, it is apparent there is a problem in this. The original repair in May was accomplished by a Honda dealer.
A miss fire in the engine which is causing slow speed when going up a hill or using the Air Conditioner. If it was to fail while driving it would be not good, could cause an accident. Also need to bring attention that Honda lack of concern for the safety of the driver and other people on the road.
My Honda Odyssey caught fire on May 13, 2018. There was no accident involved. The car just burned itself. The car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road when I was driving at 30 miles per hour at local road. And started to shake. Smoke came out under the engine cover, I opened the engine cover, flame came out as high as 6-8 feet. It was so dangerous. I called the police. Before the fire truck came, some pass by driver throw me some bottle waters. I was able to put down the fire. The car was damaged by the fire. We bought the car new in 2009 from Honda dealer. We always did car maintenance per Honda's requirements at the Honda dealership. No any negligence by owner. We hired a professional car inspector. He found out the fire was caused by the electronic wires connected the alternator. They were the original Honda wires. The car inspection report is attached for your review. …
While my car was parked at a store, my engine caught fire leading to a total loss of the vehicle. I drove my car for a short distance to do two errands (maybe 15 min. Drive). I parked my car and went in to shop for maybe 15 - 20 minutes. When I came out of the store, black smoke was billowing out from the engine followed shortly after by flames. By the time the fire department was able to put out the fire, the car's engine compartment was destroyed. If this had happened at home while my car was in the garage, my house could have caught fire as well. Thankfully there were not many cars parked close to mine so no other vehicle was affected. My car had the fuel pump replaced with the 2014/5 recall notice. The car had been serviced at the dealer in January and successfully passed a state safety and vehicle emissions test two days before the fire. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the entire vehicle began rattling and then smoking. The contact immediately pulled over and the vehicle burst into flames. The fire department arrived and extinguished the vehicle; no injuries were sustained. No reports were filed; the vehicle was totaled on the scene and towed to a tow yard. The dealer ( open road Honda 50 us-1, edison, nj 08817 [phone]) was contacted and informed of the fire; they are awaiting a report from the insurance company. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. There are no recalls associated with the vehicle and the failure mileage was 102,000.
Vehicle had charging system light go on (battery light). Battery was not charging and there was a noise near the alternator. Next day, light goes off, battery is charging now, no noise. Two days and 40 miles later, no other lights and no other noise. Vehicle enters highway, makes it about 3 miles when the cruise control shuts off. All lights on the dash come on and shut off. Driver pulls over, starts to see smoke coming out from under the hood. Keeps hood shut and waits for emergency services to arrive on scene. Engine goes up in flames, all seats are burned up, windows blown out, front tires melt. Total loss.
I purchased a 2009 Honda Odyssey from west auto sales located at 6145 e. Lancaster rd. Fort worth, tx 76112 on 03/27/2021. I have had nothing but problems with it. The first two days of driving it the check engine light came on due to the catalytic convertor needing to be replaced. The dealership managed to get the check engine light off without replacing it. A few days after getting the car back the serpentine belt broke off. I notified the dealer and brought it back to them. They informed me that there was a bolt broken inside the tensioner and it would take four days in order to get the tools and supplies needed in order to fix it. The next day I received a phone call from the dealer and told that they got the bolt out with no problem and put a new tensioner in and replaced the belt. …
Ivtec 3.5l engine. Touring model. Rear engine mount failure. Aluminum engine mount attachment sheared. No car damage history or abuse. Family car, daily driving around town and highway. Not sure when it failed, but total mileage is 120,000 miles. Owned this car since new. Dealer said the protective boot had torn, and the mount needed replacing. Honda part, $650, completely unreasonable. I bought a part, and replaced it myself, that is when I discovered the part had failed. The dealer refused to remedy the situation, and said engine mounts break all the time. Engine mounts? A primary part of the engine structure? Should never fail like this. The part is significantly under designed and should be recalled and reinforced, most likely replace the aluminum with a steel part. Again, not sure when the part failed, could have been that way from the factory for all I know. …
Engine complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2009 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2009 Honda Odyssey, 20% of the model year's 198 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Honda Odyssey engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2009 Honda Odyssey, though it has 3 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 2009 Honda Odyssey engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 5 fires and 1 injury 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.