2018 Honda Odyssey electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

A warning for Power Tailgate Problem keeps coming up. It tried to open multiple times while driving, beeping at us. It wouldn’t open with the buttons at all. We had to manually open and close it. This makes the second time it’s done it. And it always has to do when it rains. Honda knows this is a well known issue with their odyssey’s and it needs recalled. The dealership wants us to pay for a well known issue. We had a friend with the same year odyssey and the same thing happened but their tailgate completely opened a few times while driving.

NHTSA complaint #11758966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2018 Honda Odyssey Elite I am reporting an unresolved issue stemming from a failed recall remedy for NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-431 (Honda TSB 20-049) regarding the MOST bus fiber-optic network. My vehicle has been taken to an authorized Honda dealership twice to receive the official recall repair (replacing the FAKRA network connectors). Despite these two repair attempts, the network defect continues to escalate.The vehicle experiences sudden, violent, and near-constant loud popping and clicking noises through the audio speakers while driving. This occurs both at random and predictably when driving over bumps. Following the increase in these network pops, the vehicle's Blu-ray player completely failed and stopped working. Furthermore, the central infotainment screen frequently freezes, reboots, and displays an "Audio Connection Lost" error message, which also cuts out the FM radio tuner entirely.Crucially, this fiber-optic network failure recently caused a total loss of the digital instrument cluster and speedometer while driving. While this complete cluster blackout has only occurred one time so far, it presents an unpredictable and dangerous safety hazard, as I am left with no knowledge of my current speed or critical vehicle safety alerts while in motion.The manufacturer’s standard recall remedy of swapping plastic connector clips is ineffective for my vehicle. The recurring failures after two repairs indicate a permanently compromised factory wiring harness or a damaged network module that is continuously dropping the signal. The manufacturer needs to authorize a thorough diagnostic and full harness/module replacement to permanently resolve this safety defect before the instrument cluster fails again.

NHTSA complaint #11757122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Early in a driving session, the accelerator pedal, when applied pressure, will not rev the engine and provide power to the wheels for 1-3 seconds. This issue happens once or twice in a driving session and then doesn't do it again until a future driving session. It is random and doesn't happen every session. This issue causes me to have concerns entering traffic, particularly left turns, as I am unsure if the vehicle will accelerate when needed to safely enter traffic. I have had Service Bulletin 19-124 completed on my vehicle and it did not fix the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11757174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

power tailgate stopped responding to all inputs (button, remote, driver switch), dash displayed a "liftgate power failure" message, manual latch still functions. fuses are good, connectors looked clean, and the boot is intact, points to module failure

NHTSA complaint #11756834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Wife was going to the store engine lost power and died prior to that steering got loose like trying to turn itself, towed to dealer inspected dealer cleaned throttle returned vehicle after cost of 807.00 and drove van to church tailgate would not open without vehicle running, got home turned off windshield washers operated brittle with key off, remote key system problem displayed also hill hold, brake failure and steering message on dash prior, dealer picked up van inspected again found defective seal sealer on passenger side leak in water on wiring harness pins and soaking power distribution box said that was causing issues and stalling driving and safety system issues, van is at dealer, also tailgate after you open with ding when open and will close by itself, safety issues will close while you or small child in at back closes from behind you

NHTSA complaint #11755762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Failure of the forward-looking multipurpose camera after a simple battery change. Many safety features are now inoperative including emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, among others. Ultimately, a routine maintenance item (battery replacement) is causing the failure of vehicle safety systems.

NHTSA complaint #11753725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On 7/28/26, my 2018 Honda Odyssey began displaying the following warning lights and system messages on the dash: •Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system error •Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) error •Auto High Beam system error •Collision Mitigation Braking System / forward collision error These errors were present before I replaced the 12V battery. I had the battery tested at that time and it failed a load test, so I replaced it, expecting the ADAS-related errors to resolve. After the battery replacement, the original errors remained, and additional warning lights appeared, including a transmission system problem indicator and a brake system warning light. I disconnected the negative battery terminal for approximately 10 minutes in an attempt to reset the modules, then reconnected it. After reconnection and a period of idling, further warning lights appeared that had not been present immediately after the battery swap. I have not been in a collision, and there was no impact to the windshield, front bumper, or brake components at any point during this period. The vehicle’s brake pedal feel has remained normal. Because these errors were present before the battery was replaced, the battery does not appear to be the root cause, and the underlying issue affecting the ACC, LKAS, auto high beam, and collision mitigation systems remains unresolved. I have seen reports from other Honda owners describing similar cascading ADAS and system warning lights on comparable Honda models.

NHTSA complaint #11753396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am reporting American Honda’s ongoing failure to safely remedy critical safety defects and recalls on my 2018 Honda Odyssey (purchased new), resulting in severe vehicle degradation and a life-threatening traffic hazard. The vehicle has been to an authorized dealer over 21 times.SAFETY RECALL NEGLIGENCE & POWERTAIN DAMAGE: At 95k miles, the vehicle displayed active check engine codes P0087 (Low Fuel Pressure), P0420, and P0430. The dealer replaced injectors, but severe fuel issues persisted. The dealer utilized stall tactics, claiming they "could not duplicate" ongoing stalling/hesitation symptoms. When the official fuel pump recall was issued, the bulletin mandated priority service for vehicles actively displaying symptoms. My vehicle met these parameters. However, when I attempted to get the recall performed at 111k and 120k miles, the dealer denied service due to part shortages, instructing me to drive the vehicle until it "completely broke down." Because Honda failed to supply recall parts to a symptomatic vehicle, I was forced to drive it a defective car for an additional 46,000 miles. A replacement pump was installed at 166k miles, but the prolonged forced operation directly caused the high pressure pump to fail and raw fuel to melt both catalytic converters. The dealer issued a $6,000 repair estimate for damage engineered entirely by Honda's recall delays.LIFE-THREATENING TCM FAILURE: One day after a related service visit, the Transmission Control Module suffered a catastrophic electrical failure. The engine completely shut off without warning while I was actively facing four lanes of oncoming traffic, creating an immediate, severe collision risk.BROKEN SLIDING DOORS: The power sliding doors failed under 12 months of ownership. Despite 7+ repair attempts, they remain broken, posing a severe structural/occupant safety hazard. Requests for trade-in intervention since 60k miles were systematically ignored.

NHTSA complaint #11751060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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 vehicle was repaired; however, the water leak source was not addressed or sealed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,411.

NHTSA complaint #11749490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The power tailgate control module failed. There was water intrusion and the module was corroded. I replaced the module and the power tailgate worked properly. About a month later we had some heavy rain and the problem came back. The dash displayed “power tailgate problem” and the tailgate would intermittently unlock on its own. I inspected the one month old power tailgate control module and noticed water and corrosion in the enclosure.

NHTSA complaint #11749183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I own a 2018 Honda Odyssey EX-L (VIN [XXX]). The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power and entered limp mode, with multiple safety and driver-assistance systems shutting down at once (adaptive cruise, braking assist, lane/road departure mitigation, EPS, etc.). A Honda dealer (Allen Honda, College Station, TX) retrieved DTC P0369 and documented that the front camshaft is worn and has thrust forward, contacting the camshaft position (CMP/TDC) sensor and damaging the thrust plate. The dealer is recommending an internal engine repair costing several thousand dollars. I am very concerned because Honda has already acknowledged serious engine defects in this same J35 V6 family under Recall 23V751 (connecting rod bearing wear leading to engine damage and stall) for 2018–2019 Odyssey, yet my dealer states my VIN is “not part of the recall” and that this is a “separate issue.” In practice, I am seeing a major internal engine failure that causes sudden derate and disables multiple safety systems, but I am being told there is no recall coverage or assistance simply because my individual VIN falls outside Honda’s current recall production range. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident as a potential recall exclusion problem: owners with the same engine family and serious internal failures are being denied recall coverage on a technical VIN cutoff, even though the safety consequence—loss of power and shutdown of critical safety systems while driving—is similar to the failures already recognized under Recall 23V751 and the ongoing engine defect investigation. I believe this situation may warrant expansion of existing recall coverage or a new recall campaign for currently excluded VINs like mine, and reimbursement for owners who have already paid for these repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11748815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

There are multiple systems that have failed in the vehicle: — Lane Keeping Assist Problem — Collision Mitigation System Problem — Auto High Beam Problem — Adaptive Cruise Control System — Road Departure Mitigation System Problem Here’s the issue, I’ve seen multiple people with this issue saying it’s related to the camera system. I’ve reported it multiple times and to the dealer and have not received a straight answer. This needs to be investigated. How many complaints do you need to receive about safety issues in a make/model to do something about it/

NHTSA complaint #11748917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All warning lights began flashing after a SRS recall fix at Honda of Joliet, Illinois. Dealer wanted to do a in depth vehicle scan for $279. I brought it to an independent care repair shop where they did the scan for $199. They found engine damage per attached report. My vehicle’s VIN was not included in the initial recall for the same problem for the same vehicle, year, and engine type. Contacted Honda Customer service a more or less ‘good luck’ response.

NHTSA complaint #11745866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Warning lights began flashing on dash. Brought van to repair shop and was told and show leakage of oil into cylinders with metal shavings visible. Also heard a ticking sound while idling for a few weeks. Van only has 145,000 miles on it and was regularly serviced.

NHTSA complaint #11745483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Recall 23V-431 (Honda 23-046) was previously performed on my vehicle to address MOST communication network failures affecting the infotainment system and backup camera. Despite the recall being marked complete, I continued experiencing intermittent infotainment failures. Symptoms include “Network Connection Lost” messages, complete loss of the center display, audio failure, Apple CarPlay disconnects, system resets, and loss of the backup camera while reversing. The failures frequently occur while driving over bumps, during turns, and recently while backing into a parking space. Because the issue persisted, I sought a second opinion from another Honda dealer. During their inspection, they advised that required portions of Recall 23-046 had not been completed by the original dealership that performed the recall. The service advisor informed me that system history had not been cleared, a factory cable reset had not been performed, and the audio unit had not been properly initialized. In a follow-up text message, the advisor described the situation as a “workmanship error” by the original dealership. The remaining recall procedures were completed, however the same symptoms returned immediately afterward. The center display, audio, Apple CarPlay, and backup camera continue to intermittently fail. I have incurred diagnostic expenses and out-of-pocket repair costs attempting to resolve this issue. My concern is that the original recall repair may not have been properly completed and that the same safety-related symptoms addressed by Recall 23V-431 continue to occur, including loss of backup camera functionality while reversing. I am submitting this complaint because I am concerned that the recall remedy was not properly performed and that the safety defect addressed by the recall may still be present.

NHTSA complaint #11742501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driver side sliding door is can not open/ failed to open. Life gate door failed to operate.

NHTSA complaint #11742012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

COMPONENT: Power Liftgate Control Module (PTG module). Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: On approximately April 7, 2026, while driving in rain, a "Power Tailgate Problem" warning appeared on the instrument cluster. Following that event, all powered liftgate operation became permanently inoperable — interior button, exterior button, and key fob all failed. CAUSE: An authorized Honda dealer confirmed in writing (service invoice, May 1, 2026): "Power Liftgate Control Unit has corrosion from water leak." The water intrusion originates from defective factory polyurethane seam sealer on the rear drip rail — a known manufacturing defect on 2018-2019 Odysseys documented in Honda TSB MC-10152401. SAFETY RISK: The same water intrusion that destroys the PTG module is documented to cause the liftgate to open unexpectedly while driving, posing a direct hazard to occupants and other motorists. NHTSA is already investigating this issue across 2018-2022 Odysseys. WARNING SYMPTOMS: "Power Tailgate Problem" warning on instrument panel cluster appeared during rain exposure prior to full failure. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE: American Honda Motor Co. declined to cover the repair under goodwill despite the dealer-confirmed defect, an active TSB, and an ongoing class action lawsuit (2018-2021 Odysseys) for this exact issue. Honda has not issued a recall. Estimated repair cost: $691 (module) plus body seam repair.

NHTSA complaint #11740858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While the vehicle is in motion, it is loudly beeping that there is a problem with the rear tailgate and that it is open when it is closed. This is due to manufacturing defect wherein water is getting into the tailgate control module and ruining the electronics. This is making the tailgate unusable as it will not open and just reads off the error message. This is a well documented issue all over the internet on these vans and Honda should recall the vehicles to fix this.

NHTSA complaint #11740316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle driving at highway speeds and put itself into park while at speed without operator intervention. Vehicle became uncontrollable and an extreme hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11737217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Experiencing problems similar to recall 23V-43. Audio popping/crackling, radio unavailable, screen display issues- screen does not come on resulting in no rear camera, display says “network connection lost” while driving. Vehicle has been inspected by Hondo of Hot Springs Arkansas multiple times for radio/screen display issues.

NHTSA complaint #11736376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Water is leaking through back tailgate every time it rains. Water pools on the back floor and gets into the tailgate control unit. As a result, mold has grown on the floors and water has gotten into the power tailgate control unit causing my tailgate to stop opening and propping up (I have to manually hold the heavy door while lifting items out). This has caused electrical problems with cruise control and several lights blinking on and off my dashboard throughout the duration while driving. I have had the engine and transmission all tested and everything is working properly in that regard. The conclusion is that these electrical malfunctions are due to water damage. I have already had the control unit replaced once a year ago.

NHTSA complaint #11735933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Honda Odyssey. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 66,700, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 178,000.

NHTSA complaint #11734277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When accelerating from a stop position while pushing on the accelerator the vehicle will not move. Takes a couple seconds. Almost struck by oncoming car when attempting to turn left onto Main road. Happens frequently. Next: left sliding passenger door doesn’t close all the way then opens back up. Takes several attempts before it decides to close or with my assistance. Third: rear cargo door shuts without me pushing the button. Alarm sounds and immediately shuts. Been hit in the head once while closing. I’ve seen complaints about this and Honda is apparently aware. Last; the car will inadvertently emergency brake when an oncoming vehicle approaches from the front. Very disturbing when traveling at any speed going into an instant stoppage.

NHTSA complaint #11734358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Multiple times of driving the vehicle as I am trying to press the gas pedal while driving it acts like it is not working and suddenly it stutters and stalls. The car will shut off and put you into to neutral while you try and pull over to the side of the road without being hit. It happens randomly and without rhyme or reason. After it shuts off codes are thrown such as brake failure, emissions failure, hill assist failure, steering failure, and lane assist failure. The car will be really hard to restart and if eventually will and then everything will disappear and go back to normal. Codes leave and car drives fine until it messes up again. First time it happened was months ago from this report, and then it happened monthly, weekly and now almost daily but only when you try and drive. Very unsafe and there’s no reason cars should stall at high speeds going down interstates!

NHTSA complaint #11732238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

In May 2025, the front-facing windshield-mounted monocular multi-purpose camera unit abruptly failed in our 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite. The vehicle had ~53,000 miles on the odometer at the time. This resulted in essentially all of the warning lights showing/cycling on the dashboard display and total failure of the safety features dependent on this camera system (adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, etc). The unit had to be completely replaced and calibrated by my local Honda dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11730530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I have a 2018 odyssey EXL I been getting messages from right sliding door problem and during the drive after 12 or 13 miles was getting sign was saying stop the vehicle and door sign is keep flushing saying right sliding door problem

NHTSA complaint #11730219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #11730047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Power Tailgate Failure/Dead Battery from Body Leak. currently power tailgate is not functioning.

NHTSA complaint #11728672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Tailgate door is not functioning. Tailgate problem message on dash. Cannot open door with remote nor manually.

NHTSA complaint #11727176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.