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 2016 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact parked the vehicle, turned the engine off, and removed the ignition key from the ignition but failed to switch the shifter from the drive position. While attempting to exit, the vehicle rolled backward down the driveway and crashed into the mailbox. During the incident, the contact attempted to reenter the vehicle to prevent the rollaway and was pushed to the ground and dragged down the driveway causing multiple injuries which included a back injury, leg contusions, ankle injuries, and a lacerated left leg which required medical treatment. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the incident. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The contact was also concerned that the ignition key was able to be removed from the ignition switch although the shifter was still in the drive position. …
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger's side sliding doors were difficult to open and close. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions, and the dealer replaced the passenger's side sliding door motors and cables twice however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer applied lubricant to the cables; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Honda Odyssey on April 29, 2026. The vehicle was purchased from a dealer. At the time of the purchase, the odometer was recorded at 95,745. The contact later purchased the CARFAX report which indicated that on July 17, 2024, the odometer was recorded at 102,223. The dealer was made aware of the discrepancy.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Honda Odyssey. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 142,069, and at the time of maintenance, it was discovered that the mileage was 197,779.
When driving, the electric systems in the car completely turn off. You lose all dashboard functions, including blinkers, speedometer, radio and information panel. Car starts to slow and gas pedal does not seem to work. Power steering also seems to stop working. Car gradually slows. Hazard lights do continue to work. When you come to a full stop, car starts again and works fine. The problem is extremely dangerous if driving of a freeway or other multi lane, higher speed road. We experienced the problem almost immediately after purchasing the car (used, with 28K miles, from Paragon Honda in NY). We bought the car back to the dealer and they replaced an electrical harness. THe problem did not reoccur again for around 4 months (we only drive around 10K miles per year), when it happened again on a local road. …
While driving in October 2022, my car suddenly had the check engine light begin flashing. My car immediately began to lose power and would barely accelerate. Multiple other dash lights then started flashing. I called the Honda dealership who told me to drive it there. I barely made it to the dealership (having to drive slowly, not being able to accelerate, and not knowing if the car was suddenly going to die). The Honda dealership diagnosed it as a failure of the piston rings leading to a catastrophic engine failure. These piston rings needed to be replaced, which could only be done with an entire engine rebuild. This cost approximately $5000. I got the car back and then the next day was driving on a major interstate traveling 70mph. All of the sudden the car completely shut down. It was so extremely dangerous. I had to pull over to the side of the road and wait for a tow truck. …
While driving my odyssey it began having the air conditioner blink off and on, radio was blinking off and on and multiple lights were lit up on the dash. There were no lights on my dash and no warning prior to this happening. My car then lost all power as if it was in neutral. I was pushing the gas pedal but the car would only rev like it was in neutral. Then the car began revving itself and the RPM's were getting dangerously high all while I was frantically trying to get to the side of the highway through traffic. I was in the left lane in a 70 MPH area. My blinkers were not working. After I finally got to the side of the road and stopped, the car was able to accelerate again. Then the whole thing happened again. …
Control Module system failure escalated to an extent where the vehicle will not turn off after pushing the off button and cause flickering while the vehicle is in motion. Part #38329-TK8-A01 is currently in the shop due to part replacement on critical backorder. The vehicle has and can shut off during transit making it a hazard on the road. The vehicle had to be disconnected from the battery to be able to shut off the vehicle, but the on-road transit shut-off was not reproduced. Honda Dealership has inspected the part, and they're unable to correct or resolve the part without a complete replacement. Issues before the incident: Lights would flicker, a clicking noise would be heard from under the hood, car alarm would go off with nothing attempting or touching the vehicle.
After the vehicle is off, and after the smart key fob is removed from the vehicle, the dashboard will flicker, the alarm sometimes goes off and the headlights turn on draining the battery and leading to me having to jump the car to get it started. This makes the car undependable as it could happen after driving somewhere and leave myself or my wife stranded. I have taken this in to the Honda dealership but they noted that it did not occur when they were servicing the vehicle and they weren't sure what the issue could be. Many times the check engine light, FCW and LDW lights will come on and then reset after the car has been driven.
Consumer complaint: Repeated failed batteries (3), alternators (3), Start button (1) and left stranded multiple times due to no start. Problem: Honda Odyssey keyless entry computer board not fully sealed. This allows dendridic growth of corrosion on the board. This causes a short that endlessly sets the vehicle ignition into "Run" position. Eventually this shorts the alternator and drains battery. Solution: Cleaned and seal affected area. You can find a repair video and explanation here: [redacted]
Electrical complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Honda Odyssey, 15% of the model year's 271 complaints. The component named most often is instrument panel › speedometer/odometer (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Honda Odyssey electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 Honda Odyssey, though it has 6 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 2016 Honda Odyssey electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 23,000 miles, and 52% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire 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.