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2012 Honda Odyssey problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 29% of relevant complaints.
Better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 23 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 27%).
Does the 2012 Honda Odyssey have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 65 of 222 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Odyssey concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 21% and the 2013 scores 42%. 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.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Honda Odyssey years
Of the 14 Honda Odyssey years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 6th-best on engine and transmission share (29%). The worst is the 2016 (54%), the best the 2023 (16%). By volume, the 2012 drew 245 complaints (65 drivetrain), against 233 for the 2011 and 210 for the 2013.
Honda Odyssey years to avoid and best years →
2010 Odyssey problems · 2011 Odyssey problems · 2012 · 2013 Odyssey problems · 2014 Odyssey problems · 2015 Odyssey problems · 2016 Odyssey problems · 2017 Odyssey problems · 2018 Odyssey problems · 2019 Odyssey problems · 2020 Odyssey problems · 2021 Odyssey problems · 2022 Odyssey problems · 2023 Odyssey problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Honda Odyssey
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2012 Honda Odyssey said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 65 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Honda Odyssey transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Honda Odyssey involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 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.
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. 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. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft…
Risk: If the gear selector is moved from the park position without pressing the brake pedal it can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated brake shift interlock blocking mechanism free of charge. The recall began on May 13,…
4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 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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Does the 2012 Honda Odyssey have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 65 of 222 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Odyssey concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Honda Odyssey?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Honda Odyssey is service brakes: 60 of 245 complaints (24%) name it, followed by engine (39) and electrical system (37). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 29% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 Honda Odyssey reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 29% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Honda Odyssey years we score, it ranks 6th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Honda Odyssey?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Honda Odyssey involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total: 13V143000 (power train: automatic transmission). 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 2012 (29%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/honda-odyssey
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Check a VINExperimental 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.