2003 Honda Odyssey Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 533 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2003 Honda Odyssey, 58% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (16% of reports).
- 533power train complaints
- 100,000median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $6,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 85 of 533 complaints (16%)
- 2ND 3RD: mentioned in 31 of 533 complaints (6%)
- Power train automatic: mentioned in 29 of 533 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2003 Honda Odyssey at $6,200, and half of them between $5,300 and $7,400.
Based on 95 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 496 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 533 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 5 an injury.
Honda Odyssey power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Odyssey | 38 | 9% | 19,275 |
| 2024 Odyssey | 16 | 14% | — |
| 2023 Odyssey | 3 | 3% | 10,000 |
| 2022 Odyssey | 14 | 10% | 130 |
| 2021 Odyssey | 6 | 4% | 3,500 |
| 2020 Odyssey | 17 | 4% | 32,000 |
| 2019 Odyssey | 127 | 13% | 8,000 |
| 2018 Odyssey | 165 | 16% | 29,000 |
| 2017 Odyssey | 7 | 18% | 10,500 |
| 2016 Odyssey | 38 | 14% | 28,000 |
| 2015 Odyssey | 41 | 20% | 34,000 |
| 2014 Odyssey | 73 | 24% | 14,500 |
| 2013 Odyssey | 14 | 7% | 43,427 |
| 2012 Odyssey | 24 | 10% | 22,025 |
| 2011 Odyssey | 19 | 8% | 16,500 |
| 2010 Odyssey | 23 | 9% | 48,000 |
| 2009 Odyssey | 18 | 9% | 42,000 |
| 2008 Odyssey | 41 | 8% | 37,343 |
| 2007 Odyssey | 78 | 9% | 50,401 |
| 2006 Odyssey | 87 | 12% | 92,427 |
| 2005 Odyssey | 106 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2004 Odyssey | 221 | 38% | 111,111 |
| 2003 Odyssey | 533 | 58% | 100,000 |
| 2002 Odyssey | 608 | 63% | 85,000 |
| 2001 Odyssey | 332 | 54% | 107,000 |
| 2000 Odyssey | 228 | 34% | 107,000 |
| 1999 Odyssey | 170 | 33% | 92,176 |
| 1998 Odyssey | 14 | 19% | 99,000 |
| 1997 Odyssey | 1 | 5% | — |
| 1996 Odyssey | 1 | 1% | 72,000 |
| 1995 Odyssey | 1 | 1% | 88,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: 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 breakage.
Risk: Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
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 than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unintendedly shifted into gear. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was included in four unrepaired recalls. The contact informed the…
I never had issues with my van when I bought it but On Monday got all the fluids drove to Phoenix and the transmission got hot the TCL light and ABs light turned on as well as the SRS light no check engine the floor on the driver side and passenger side was super hot. The transmission on 1st gear…
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission hesitated to shift into third gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter, clutch, and hydraulic control…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Honda Odysseys have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 533 owner complaints about power train for the 2003 Honda Odyssey (58% of the 914 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Honda Odyssey power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2003 Honda Odyssey?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,200 (half paid between $5,300 and $7,400), from 95 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2003 Honda Odyssey?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 85 of 533 complaints, followed by “2nd 3rd” (31).
Other 2003 Honda Odyssey problems
- Air Bags problems (131)
- Electrical System problems (81)
See all 2003 Honda Odyssey problems or power train problems across all Odyssey years.