2003 Honda Odyssey Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,095 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Honda Odyssey, alongside 15 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 78/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 100,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2003 Honda Odyssey sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1995–1996, 1998, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2003 sits among all Odyssey years
What owners report
“This odyssey has previous transmission recall in 2005, the same transmission problem is coming back to my car”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
“The contact owned a 2003 Honda Odyssey. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V344000 (Air Bags), 15V320000 (Air Bags), and 15V045000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
“The interior roof of the vehicle caught fire and burned after the car was turned off. The smoke started while driving and the smoke was coming from the drivers side seat belt area where it connects to the frame top.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
“Stalls randomly while accelerating from stop. Appears to be ignition switch issue. Could cause a crash resulting in injury especially when pulling into main street or highways from a stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
“Automatic door on drivers side does not latch fully and will come open when driving.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
“Paint all over the hood, windows and rear trunk flaked off. Could block other drivers view if it lands on their windshield. Car looks unkept”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Odyssey
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 845 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 104,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 80,000 and 134,703 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (15)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic,…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 28, 2002, to August 30, 2002. The affected vehicles were manufactured with the incorrect air bag modules, rendering the vehicles noncompliant with the…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on October 27, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.…
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured February 13, 2002, to August 13, 2004, and 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to September 23, 2003. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag…
Fix: Honda dealers will replace the supplemental restraint system electronic control unit (SRS ECU). The recall began on February 22, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.…
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…
American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer…
Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Odyssey and model year 2003 Acura MDX vehicles. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front air bags, side curtain air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners…
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a noise suppressor unit, free of charge. The recall began on November 1, 2013. A renotification letter went out on July 11, 2014 for the 2003…
Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the…
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated shift interlock lever and, if necessary, replace any necessary part of…
ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR…
Fix: ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE…
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, SOME FUEL TANKS HAVE SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS THAT COULD ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE TANK.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK FOR SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS. IF ANY IMPERFECTIONS ARE FOUND, THE FUEL TANK WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 16, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 14V668.
Led to recall campaign 13V172000.
Led to recall campaign 13V412000.
Led to recall campaign 12V573000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2003 Honda Odyssey reliable?
The 2003 Honda Odyssey drew 1,095 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 78/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 2003 Honda Odyssey problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Honda Odyssey are transmission & drivetrain (543 complaints), airbags (132), and electrical (96).
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Odyssey problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Honda Odyssey problems around 104,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 80,000 and 134,703 miles.
Does the 2003 Honda Odyssey have recalls?
15 recall campaigns apply to the 2003 Honda Odyssey. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.