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 2018 Honda Odyssey owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the messages "Emission System Problem", "Electrical Parking Problem", "Road Departure Mitigation System Problem", "Brake System Problem", "Brake hold System Problem", and "Power Steering System Problem" were displayed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the battery was in good condition; however, the vehicle failed to start 3 days later. The contact was able to jumpstart the battery with the assistance of AAA. The contact replaced the battery. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and several unknown dealers were contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while a customer on Turo was driving the vehicle, the instrument panel warning lights flashed and the climate control system failed to function. The vehicle was restarted multiple times, but the instrument panel warning lights remained illuminated. The contact stated that while being driven, the vehicle was pulled over by law enforcement because the taillights failed completely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the gauge control module had failed due to corrosion from water damage. Upon further inspection during the replacement, the dealer discovered additional failures within the body control module and the taillight wiring harness. Technicians determined that the electrical failures were caused by water leaking from the rear windshield into the tailgate area. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration with the transmission message displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to a transmission specialist who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V299000 (Power Train, Electrical System) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear drivers side sliding door failed to latch securely. The contact stated that when the driver's side sliding door was closing, the contact heard a whining sound. In addition, the instrument cluster displayed a black screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 141,565.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate, requiring the contact to forcefully depress the accelerator pedal to move the vehicle. The contact stated that multiple warning lights unexpectedly illuminated, including the Road Departure Mitigation system, Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Lane Departure Warning system warning lights, and all related safety features failed to operate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that upon opening the electronic tailgate and entering the trunk of the vehicle, an alert sounded, indicating that the tailgate was closing. After closing the tailgate, the tailgate suddenly jerked open, striking the contact. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who was also unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 172,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a collision mitigation system message would flash on the instrument panel without incident. Recently, the contact stated that while his wife was driving the vehicle, the warning message repeatedly flashed on the screen before the entire instrument panel went blank. The contact called multiple dealers about the failure but had not yet schedule an appointment for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the windshield camera sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off and then immediately restarted independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer however, the dealer was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera screen failed to display an image. The contact stated that the screen occasionally shut off unintendedly, and frequently disconnected from connected Bluetooth devices. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,750.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Wiring
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey vehicles. The wire harness for the third row seat accessory power outlet may get pinched between the unibody and rear trim panel, possibly damaging the wires and causing an electrical short.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row seat accessory power outlet wire harness for damage, replacing it as necessary.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Loose battery terminal connections or a degraded battery may cause the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) to unexpectedly reboot. Upon rebooting, the TCU may shift the transmission to the "Park" position, possibly damaging the parking rod.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will ensure the battery terminal connections are secure and will update the TCU software, free of charge. Additionally, the parking rod effectiveness will be checked.
Electrical complaints in other Odyssey years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2018 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA has 261 complaints about the electrical system of the 2018 Honda Odyssey, 26% of the model year's 1,005 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Honda Odyssey electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-066 (wiring, Feb 6, 2020); NHTSA recall 19V-299 (12v/24v/48v battery, Apr 12, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Honda Odyssey electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 13,000 miles, and 68% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 4 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.