Most common 2012 Honda Odyssey problems
Share of the 245 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Odyssey complaints by model year
Best Odyssey years: 2017, 2015, 2013. Years to avoid: 2025, 2019, 2018, 2020, 2002. Compare all years →
2012 Honda Odyssey recalls (5)
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. If a seat is placed between either of the two positions when attaching the seat to the vehicle floor, the seat will not latch properly to the seat striker, allowing…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket to the second row outboard floor strikers, free of charge. The recall began April 2, 2018.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2010, to October 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional bracket and spring to both second row outboard seats, free of charge. Interim letter has been mailed, and a second notification will be sent .
Power train › Automatic transmission
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2013.
Air bags
Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2013.
Suspension › Front
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012, odyssey vehicles manufactured from October 31, 2011, through November 30, 2011. The retention nut for the front right lower suspension damper bolt May not have been tightened to the proper torque, potentially allowing the nut to loosen.
Remedy: Honda contacted all nine owners by phone on December 19, 2011, and repaired the vehicles as necessary free of charge. Owners May contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Honda Odyssey:
Inadvertent Deployment of Air Bags
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Petition dated May 30, 2026. The Petition requested an investigation into inadvertent air bag deployment in model year (MY) 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The Petition contended that air bags can deploy absent a sufficiently severe event to trigger a deployment, such as an impact, rollover event, or G-force threshold breach.
What 2012 Honda Odyssey owners say
Brakes all 60 →
My 2012 Honda Odyssey brake suddenly failed today. I felt the brake paddle was very soft and had to push all the way to the floor and the vehicle would slowly stop. I had to push very fast repeatedly to feel enough pressure on the paddle to stop the vehicle quickly. There is no indications on the instrument panel indicating the failure at all. My car is maintained regularly.
My break petal went soft - as in goes all the way to the floor - it has been looked at by 2 different mechanics - no warning lights, no sounds, just all of a sudden no breaks - it has all new break pads, master cylinder, rotors, etc... the break petal is as soft as can be. I can not stop suddenly.
Engine & cooling all 45 →
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently in the middle of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that he shifted into park (P) and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring approximately twice per day while driving. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light would suddenly illuminate and the vehicle would not properly accelerate and would drive very rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder number one was faulty. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the oil pressure switches were faulty and needed to be replaced. The oil pressure switches were replaced; however, failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Electrical system all 37 →
On Wednesday night, the battery light initially came on and after a few minutes the van had this burning smell so I pulled over and the alternator was on fire. I put it out with several bottles of water from papa John's. Today, at Boyd Honda in Oxford said in the diagnosis that there was a sweeping spool valve that had leaked which must have caused the alternator to blaze because this is a manufacturer's defect from Honda.
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked or while driving at undisclosed speeds, the clock on the vehicle was flashing, causing a distraction to the driver while driving. The contact stated that the flashing of the clock was controlled by satellite GPS, and the system could not be reset. The dealer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
2012 Honda Odyssey engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Honda Odyssey a good car?
Based on 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Odyssey rates average: 18% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Odyssey at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Honda Odyssey?
The brakes — 60 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about disc › rotor. Next are the engine & cooling (45) and electrical system (37).
How many recalls does the 2012 Honda Odyssey have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2012 Honda Odyssey, the most recent from November 17, 2017 (mid/rear assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Odyssey?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2015 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2019, 2018, 2020 and 2002. See the full Honda Odyssey years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Honda Odyssey problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 55% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.