Car · Honda problems

2012 Honda Odyssey problems

245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. The most reported area is service brakes (24% of them). NHTSA also lists 63 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 22. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 245 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Service brakes60 · 24%
• Engine and engine cooling45 · 18%
• Electrical system37 · 15%
• Body and structure25 · 10%
• Power train (transmission and drive)24 · 10%
• Other or unknown23 · 9%
• Steering21 · 9%
• Seats14 · 6%

13 smaller areas not shown (80 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 63 repair bulletins from Honda for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 03382Received May 9, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Do you have an Odyssey in your shop that has a power sliding door that won't open or close by using the following? - Power sliding door main switch on the dash - Keyless transmitter - B-pillar...

2. 16003Received May 9, 2022

   Trailer hitch

   The trailer hitch weight was not properly calculated into the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) on the vehicle certification label.

3. 16003 JW5Received May 9, 2022

   Trailer hitch

   On some 2011-14 Odyssey vehicles, the trailer hitch weight was not properly calculated into the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) on the vehicle certification label.

4. APD04142022901Received May 6, 2022

   Trailer hitch

   On January 23, 2016, American Honda announced a product update for 2011-14 Odyssey vehicles.

5. 033823Received December 13, 2021

   Body and structure

   Honda Job Aid - Power Sliding Door Troubleshooting.

6. SB-16-003 03049Received May 14, 2021

   Electrical system

   BACKGROUND There is a software problem within the audio-navigation unit that may cause the display screen, including any video images, to go blank and the unit to stop working.

7. AJA48014-03382Received May 12, 2021

   Electrical system

   Power sliding door main switch on the dash.

8. JW5-00020414Received May 12, 2021

   Trailer hitch

   On some 2011-2014 Odyssey vehicles, the trailer hitch weight was not properly calculated into the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) on the vehicle certification label.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 17V725000November 17, 2017

   Seats

   The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions.

2. 16V933000December 27, 2016

   Seats

   The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats.

3. 13V143000April 15, 2013

   Power train

   During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal.

See all 5 recalls for the 2012 Honda Odyssey, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Odyssey will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Service brakes 60 complaints · 24%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Engine and engine cooling 45 complaints · 18%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 37 complaints · 15%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Body and structure 25 complaints · 10%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Honda Odyssey: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Honda Odyssey?

Of the 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Honda Odyssey, 60 (24%) name service brakes, and 45 (18%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Honda Odyssey reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 14 of the 245 complaints as involving a crash and 6 as involving a fire. They also reported 22 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Honda Odyssey have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Recall repairs are free at a Honda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 63 repair bulletins for the 2012 Honda Odyssey.

More

• 2025 Odyssey problems
• 2020 Odyssey problems
• 2019 Odyssey problems
• 2018 Odyssey problems
• 2016 Odyssey problems
• 2015 Odyssey problems
• 2014 Odyssey problems
• 2013 Odyssey problems
• 2011 Odyssey problems
• 2010 Odyssey problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Honda recalls
• Honda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.