Headlight complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2022 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 6 | 1% | 3,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 0% | 36,000 miles |
| 2015 | 5 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2014 | 4 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2012 | 7 | 3% | 1,000 miles |
| 2011 | 4 | 2% | 1,000 miles |
| 2010 | 8 | 3% | 42,000 miles |
| 2009 | 3 | 2% | 132,000 miles |
| 2008 | 4 | 1% | 82,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 1% | 125,000 miles |
| 2006 | 5 | 1% | 30,000 miles |
| 2005 | 10 | 1% | 107,000 miles |
| 2004 | 8 | 1% | 149,000 miles |
| 2003 | 11 | 1% | 135,000 miles |
| 2002 | 12 | 1% | 190,000 miles |
| 2001 | 4 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2000 | 13 | 2% | 112,000 miles |
| 1999 | 5 | 1% | 147,000 miles |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% | 89,000 miles |
| 1996 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 | 1 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tailgate control module damaged by water leaking from faulty rear body seam seals on left top of vehicle Doors would lock and unlock on their own while driving and tailgate signaled it was open but never unlatched Manual tailgate opening/closing did not work at all Constantly beeped when unlocked and alarm went off randomly All electrical activity drained battery and made vehicle undriveable; tow was necessary First sign was "power tailgate problem" light on dash 5 days before vehicle battery was dead Honda charged for and replaced Tailgate control module and recommended an outside company to repair leak issues; outside company confirmed issue and noted repairs for same issue on similar models
The auto idle start/stop feature failed to recognize a bad battery and shut the car off while I was stopped in the left turn lane. The vehicle failed to start and lost all power, including hazard lights and brake lights. I had no way of indicating to other drivers behind me that the vehicle was disabled other than getting out of the vehicle and waving them around me. This happened while I was taking my son to school and could have resulted in us getting in an accident or causing another accident. Honda was not able to identify root cause and replaced the battery. I do not trust this vehicle as reliable or safe any longer.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Odyssey. 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 contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure recurred on several occasions. The message "Emission System Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available to repair the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The impact on the car is we no longer have cruse control (basic feature) and every time we turn on the car we see many warning lights turn on. Some other feature that does not work is lane assist does not work. According to what shows up to on the dashboard there are problems for "road departure mitigation system Problem", "Auto high-beam problem", "Adaptive cruse control problem", "Lane keeping assist problem", "collision mitigation system problem", "break system", "left sliding door problem" A quick search on the web indicate this a common issue with Honda car (including Acura). [redacted] Another problem we're seeing is driver Side sliding door does not close correctly or open correctly. We have since stop using this door since it's very dangerous for our kids since while opening, it would not open all the way and close on the kids. …
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. …
Infortainment center shuts down and loses connection. Which means there is no communication with the backup camera or navigation. Popping noises from the front speakers start static and pop then the screen states connection lost then goes black. Turns back on in about 5-10 minutes depending. Also the lighting for the buttons around the center are not working as well. Idk if this is related or is an overload that the system cannot keep up.
During rain at night, very little of the low beams reach the road way. The pattern of light from the projector type low beam is such that there is a bright line about 2 - 3 feet above the ground at 25 feet. Above that it sharply fades to almost nothing. Below that line, it gradually fades to darkness at ground level. At the factory setting, there could be more light higher up. The real issue is that very little light gets to the road. During rain, roadway center and side lines are not visible, however, reflective material about 1 foot off the ground is incredibly bright. Oi have taken the van to the dealer and they told me there is no solution. It is incredibly dangerous as there is insufficient light to illuminate roadway lane lines.
The odometer dial is very difficult to see in bright conditions. This year they went to white letters on gray background. At 70 miles an hour, staring at the odometer to check one's speed is similar to reading text on a phone. I had contacted Honda a number of times to ask why we cannot adjust the lighting so the numbers when lit can be viewed more easily. There is a light detector built in that does not allow the dash lights to function during daylight. I have had several dangerous events occur due to drifting of the vehicle while taking my eyes off the road to try and read the dial. Why can't they fix it to allow use of dash lighting during daylight? It could be as simple as allowing the disabling of the day/night detector.
Related recalls (1)
Interior lighting
Vehicle description: Mini vans. The dimmer control for the instrument panel lights can fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the multiplex unit.
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Odyssey years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (13), 2002 (12), 2003 (11), 2005 (10) and 2004 (8) model years. Headlight complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Honda Odyssey headlight problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 00V-183 (interior lighting, Jul 6, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Honda Odyssey headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles; 39% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the brake lights (7 mentions), followed by the headlights (5).
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.