Is the 2001 Honda Odyssey a bad year?
619 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 332, 20× a quiet Odyssey year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2001 Honda Odyssey were filed between 79k and 142k miles. You're at 108,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2001 Odyssey owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 108,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 332 (54%) | 79k–142k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 64 (10%) | 30k–114k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 42 (7%) | 70k–170k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 30 (5%) | 75k–148k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 23 (4%) | 70k–150k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 19 (3%) | 28k–110k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed control | 17 (3%) | 57k–140k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 16 (3%) | 45k–138k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Suspension | 50 (8%) | 71k–99k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Latches and locks | 33 (5%) | 41k–99k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Equipment | 14 (2%) | 36k–95k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seat belts | 14 (2%) | 31k–88k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 10 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 9 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 108,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 619 complaints: 17 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 24 report an injury · 2 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Feb 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Check engine light came on at 108,000 miles. Honda service says transmission problem and it needs to be replaced, as well as 2 engine mounts.
2001 Honda odyssey with 79k miles and the transmission went. I am the original owner and performed every scheduled maintenance Honda recommended.
Failed transmission in 2001 Honda odyssey. We drove from starkville, ms to our families homes in ocean springs, ms for christmas.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 108,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2001 Honda Odyssey: 1
These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Honda: 7
Repair instructions Honda sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2001 Honda Odyssey. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Troubleshooting of diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P1456 and P1457
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Front coil spring fracture
Neighbouring years
2000 Odyssey: 675 complaints, consider selling · 2002 Odyssey: 959 complaints, consider selling.
Every Honda Odyssey year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Odyssey years side by side
Other Honda models: Honda Accord · Honda Accord Hybrid · Honda CR-V · Honda CR-V Hybrid · Honda Civic · Honda Civic Hybrid · Honda Civic Si · Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid · Honda Crosstour · Honda Element · Honda Fit · Honda GL1800 · Honda HR-V · Honda Insight · Honda Passport · Honda Pilot · Honda Prologue · Honda Ridgeline · Honda VTX1300. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2001 Honda Odyssey a bad year?
619 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 332, 20× a quiet Odyssey year. At 108,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2001 Honda Odyssey were filed between 79k and 142k miles. You're at 108,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Honda Odyssey?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (332), body structure (64), air bags (42), engine (30), electrical system (23). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 79k–142k miles.
How many recalls does the 2001 Honda Odyssey have?
1 recall campaign list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 20V-027). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.