2016 Honda Odyssey Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 85,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2016 Honda Odyssey has experienced repeated engine misfires associated with oil-fouled spark plugs. In May 2024, while driving, the check-engine light began flashing and the vehicle ran rough. An authorized Honda dealer inspected the vehicle and documented an oil-fouled spark plug. The dealer replaced all six spark plugs, but the…Owner complaint, filed 2026

In December 2021 My 2016 Odyssey experienced serious engine breakdown and could not be driven due to deterioration of piston ring functions in cylinders 1-3. That malfunction caused serious engine problems. It was diagnosed and repaired by Riverside Honda, [XXX] on 12/28/2021. The total cost paid by me for that repair, and for no other…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 23,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 197,779 miles

I am reporting a serious electrical shock/electrocution hazard involving the factory-installed 115V AC power inverter outlet in my 2016 Honda Odyssey. While the vehicle was in motion, my [XXX] son was able, without tools, to pull the AC outlet assembly completely out of the interior panel. He was then able to detach the molded electrical…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 28,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The transmission shifts hard in first and second gear, It happens at different time sometimes when it is cold and a lot of times when it is at driving temp. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. This has been happening for over a year. We could be rear ended because it happens after a stop at a red light or stop sign, which…Owner complaint, filed 2023

At highway speeds (50-65mph), the transmission would jutter/shudder when trying to either accelerate or decelerate from constant speed. The issue incrementally got worse and got to the point where the van was undrivable on the highway. I found the service bulletin 14-043 and brought the van into my Honda Dealer with a copy of the service…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was attempting to move the passenger side 2nd row seat forward so that my children could extricate themselves from the third row while we were stopped. The mechanism locked, and subsequently the seat back was unable to lock. This was a safety issue, and so I move my child to another seat. We took the vehicle to a dealership and we're…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The passenger side second row seat will not lock. It has been diagnosed by a Honda dealer that the seat back frame part number 81326-TK-A22 needs replaced. A recall has been made for the drivers side second row seat in bulletin 18-026. The part number is 81726-TK8-A22. It is the seat frame as well. Honda said they would assist me in…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (19).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Under 45 degrees, the back door will not open. The latch is faulty and fails in moderate to severe cold weather. In an emergency where we would need to exit the rear of the vehicle, there’s no way to open the rear door from the inside or outside. It is under 45 degrees for about half the year where I live. It is more than just an…Owner complaint, filed 2025

the trunk has been difficult to open in cold weather ever since car was purchased. car was new when purchased and the issue was infrequent over time, issue has become so pervasive that we are unable to open the trunk at all even when weather is reasonable honda issued a "service bulletin" in 2018 admitting part was faulty however as it…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 49,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

My vehicle is having issues with the fuel engagement system. This is a recall on 2016 Honda Odyssey but when I type in my VIN it says my vehicle is not affected. My vehicle is affected and would like it looked at under this recall.Owner complaint, filed 2026

2016 Honda Odyssey with 76,000 miles. Vehicle experienced recurring cylinder 3 misfire (DTC P0303) caused by Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system allowing oil to bypass piston rings, a known defect covered under Honda TSB A25-061 and TSB 13-081. Vehicle was brought to Tony Honda (Honolulu, Hawaii) multiple times prior to…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

On two previous occasions, while driving two different Honda Odyssey's I owned on major highways in the mountains of Colorado (Interstate or multi-lane highways which appear to meet interstate highway standards), at a time late in the day where, although summer, heat did not appear to be a factor, I suffered multiple occasions where my…Owner complaint, filed 2021

When driving at speeds higher than 50mph the moment the brake is applied the steering wheel and whole vehicle shakes. The vehicle started doing that after just being driven less than 12,000 miles it currently has 17,890 miles.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 11,800 miles

Parts named most: Warnings (11), Warning (7).

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the check engine warning light started to blink and the vehicle started to shudder. The contact pulled off the highway and safely stopped and turned off the vehicle.…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 117,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, engine, and VSA warning lights were illuminated. While at the stoplight, the vehicle started jerking and sputtering. The contact stated that the failure was related to Technical Service Bulletins…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 162,600 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 16,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

I lease a 2016 honda odyssey. Upon arriving home, I pulled into my driveway extremely slow. I was putting the brake on. The car was not in motion. When I moved the car from drive to park the car [VIN] on its own. It hit the side of my house dislodging fourteen bricks. The airbag was deployed. I have black and blues and the residue from…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 16,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 honda odyssey. While pulling into the driveway and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle [VIN] when the gear was shifted from drive into park. The vehicle crashed into the garage. The contact was not injured. The contact called the dealer and was informed that she would need to pay to have the vehicle diagnosed.…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 30,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Airbag light is on, sensor ordered from Honda per dealership owner, Dino. Honda should be aware of this and reporting sensor light defects on airbags for drivers side, as that is a safety issue. Seller plans to have remedy by friend who works at Honda dealership, however with airbag safety it should be repaired at the Honda store for it…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I Have a 2016 Honda Odyssey. I have had my van for nine years My mileage is 137,000. I am always update with my upkeep with my minivan. I went over a pothole my airbags deployed. Front Passenger and Driver Side. I call the police and receive a report. The Honda Manufacturer Is refusing to help as I was told by several organization…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 23,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 honda odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal clicking sound in the steering column while turning the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the steering column shook each time the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 28,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 honda odyssey. After shifting into reverse, the steering wheel suddenly failed to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The [VIN] was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 700.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 700 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

We ask to rotate tires, and at that point we find CRACKS on inside wall of tires/ 2 pcs size 235/65/R17. see pictures provided. If we didn't discover this , it might be catastrophic failure/ explosion of tire. New Tires were installed immediately to avoid accident.Owner complaint, filed 2024

The inner tire rod unthreaded from the outer tire rod in the from passenger tire and locked my right tire disabling the carOwner complaint, filed 2019, at 65,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 honda odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, an abnormally loud booming sound was heard. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, it was discovered that the glass sunroof had exploded. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer williams honda located at 2650 us hwy…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 125,000 miles

The back windshield exploded for no reason. The car was parked and not struck by any objects. Police investigated and first pointed out that it looks like it exploded outward, from the inside rather than being hit. Two holes where glass fell outside the vehicle, but it is clearly bowing outwardOwner complaint, filed 2018, at 23,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

My wife was driving the vehicle after dropping off my kid at a swim meet in Dearborn heights MI, the Side curtain and all the passenger side airbags deployed after what she thinks is hitting a pothole. She heard big sound, she initially thought that the window glasses were broken but later realized that all the passenger side airbags…Owner complaint, filed 2026