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2021 Honda Odyssey problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
26%
33 of 126 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2021 Honda Odyssey. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 26% of relevant complaints.

Better than 77% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 17 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 23%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2021 Honda Odyssey have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 33 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Odyssey concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). For comparison, the 2020 scores 21% and the 2022 scores 25%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
33
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
143
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
8
2 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM55 · 38%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER33 · 23%
ENGINE26 · 18%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE19 · 13%
AIR BAGS16 · 11%
LANE DEPARTURE10 · 7%

The years either side

2010
35%
83 of 255
2011
21%
45 of 233
2012
29%
65 of 245
2013
42%
81 of 210
2014
44%
127 of 308
2015
47%
86 of 206
2016
54%
139 of 270
2017
43%
16 of 39
2018
40%
379 of 993
2019
35%
330 of 976
2020
21%
95 of 474
2021
26%
33 of 143
2022
25%
31 of 136
2023
16%
15 of 100

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2021 Honda Odyssey

What one owner reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE09/02/2026
Mileage: 121000 When stopped and the auto idle initiated, we have had numerous incidents where the van has shutoff and required a restart. More recently, when the auto idle initiates, the entire engine turns off and the van has no power(car won't restart, can't get the car into neutral, sliding doors and tailgate won'…

One of 33 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Honda Odyssey?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Honda Odyssey involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump23V858000 · Dec 2023

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD.…

fuel system, gasoline: storage21V010000 · Jan 2021

Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Braun-modified Honda Odyssey vehicles. The fuel tank assembly installed by Braun may be susceptible to the fuel tank overfilling into the charcoal canister. If the charcoal canister fills with a sufficient amount of fuel, fuel may leak out.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Fix: Braun will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles. If evidence of a fuel leak is present, a new fuel tank assembly and a new Honda charcoal canister will be installed, free of charge. The recall began…

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger26V332000 · May 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport,…
air bags: air bag/restraint control module: software26V227000 · Apr 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Odyssey vehicles. A software programming error can cause the side and side curtain air bags to deploy unexpectedly.
equipment adaptive/mobility: wheelchair restraints/securement: latch/anchor: 25V877000 · Dec 2025
Vantage Mobility, LLC (VM) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Honda Odyssey, 2021-2025 Chrysler Pacifica, and Toyota Sienna vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. The…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger24V064000 · Feb 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021…
back over prevention: display function23V431000 · Jun 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication…
visibility: rearview mirrors/devices: exterior23V174000 · Mar 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2021 Honda Odyssey? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2021 Honda Odyssey

Does the 2021 Honda Odyssey have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 33 of 126 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Odyssey concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Honda Odyssey?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Honda Odyssey involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total: 23V858000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump), 21V010000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Honda Odyssey years are better?

Among the Honda Odyssey years we track, the 2023 (16%), the 2011 (21%) and the 2020 (21%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (26%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2021 Honda Odyssey?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2021 Honda Odyssey shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.