2008 Honda Odyssey recalls and problems

The 2008 Honda Odyssey has 4 safety recalls and 500 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Honda dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
500
Crashes / fires
37 / 8
Injuries / deaths
44 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2008 Honda Odyssey vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2008 Honda Odyssey recalls

Recall 14V-112: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Mar 14, 2014 · 886,815 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 23, 2004, through September 4, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump strainer cover may deteriorate allowing fuel to leak out.

Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Parts to permanently repair the affected vehicles are not currently available. Honda will notify owners with an interim letter during May 2014. A second notice was mailed to owners October 6, 2014 when the remedy became available. Any vehicles that are currently leaking from the fuel pump cover will get a replacement, original cover. All vehicles, including those receiving the interim repair, will get an improved cover when they are available. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. The recall numbers associated with this campaign are JD9 (inspection and/or preliminary part replacement) and JE0 (final parts replacement).

Recall 13V-500: Electrical System

Reported Nov 1, 2013 · 344,187 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 8, 2006, through September 8, 2008. Due to a combination of system components and software, the Vehicle Safety Assist System (VSA) may apply the brakes unexpectedly.

Risk: The vehicle may suddenly and unexpectedly brake hard, and without illuminating the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash from behind.

Fix: Parts to remedy these vehicles will not be available until the spring of 2014. Honda will send owners an interim letter notifying them of the issue and instruct them how to prevent unintended braking. A second notification will be sent when the parts become available. Interim notification was mailed in December 2013. The recall began on April 29, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC5.

Recall 12V-062: Structure

Reported Feb 16, 2012 · 45,747 vehicles affected · HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 odyssey vehicles, the gas-filled struts that help to raise and support the liftgate of vehicles equipped with a power liftgate system may be prone to early life failures due to a manufacturing flaw. The flaw can result in a leak of the pressurized gas, leading to reduced strut performance.

Risk: Struts with diminished performance can lead to unexpected closure, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both power liftgate gas struts free of charge. The safety recall began on march 12, 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

Recall 10V-098: Service Brakes, Air

Reported Mar 16, 2010 · 412,000 vehicles affected · HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)

Problem: Honda has notified NHTSA of a defect in certain model year 2007 and 2008 odyssey and element passenger vehicles manufactured between july 28, 2006 and august 21, 2008. Air can enter the vsa modular pump during an initial self-check process that occurs shortly after each time the engine is started. It is possible for enough air to enter the system to result in a brake pedal that feels soft or lower to the floor.

Risk: If the owner does not have any brake service or maintenance performed over a period of months or years, the system can continue to accumulate enough air to affect braking performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Honda will notify owner and honda dealers will repair the vsa modulator by removing any existing air in the brake system then apply sealant and caps to prevent air from entering the brake system free of charge. The safety recall began on may 3, 2010. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.

2008 Honda Odyssey problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Structure136
Service Brakes, Hydraulic88
Service Brakes62
Power Train41
Engine41
Electrical System33
Vehicle Speed Control30
Unknown or Other29
Steering28
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)16
Engine and Engine Cooling14
Fuel/Propulsion System13

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 75
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 14
  • Structure › Body › Door — 11
  • Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate — 11
  • Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate › Support Device/Strut — 7
  • Structure › Body › Tailgate — 6
  • Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments — 6
  • Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate › Hinge and Attachments — 6

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 50,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2008 Honda Odyssey complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Engine · reported Oct 30, 2026
Incident: In Mar 2019, while driving down a highway with my family, the vehicle experienced a sudden engine malfunction while driving, characterized by a flashing Check Engine Light, severe engine shaking, and a dangerous, immediate loss of acceleration/engine power. We had to get the vehicle towed to the dealership. A diagnostic scan revealed fault code P0302, indicating a misfire in Cylinder 2. Upon mechanical inspection, the spark plug in Cylinder 2 was completely fouled and covered in engine oil. At this time, only the fouled spark plugs were replaced, and the PCM software updated. This…
Engine · reported May 22, 2026
I believe that I was sold a car with an unsafe engine. I bought the van from Libertyville Honda in Libertyville on [XXX]. The car had 107K miles on it. A liile over a mounth later the check engine light came on and the van started running bad. When I did some reasearch I found out that a safty report to an iscident dated [XXX] when the car had 107k miles on it. This means that the car was not driven much from the date of the incedent before it was sold to me. The car was sold to me with the same amount of miles as the day of the incent. I believe the issue with the engine was not permently…
Electrical System · at 230,000 miles · reported May 15, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Honda Odyssey on April 13,2024. The sale was a private sell. The contact stated at the time of purhcase the odometer was recorded at 129,000. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact attempted to use the vehicle as a trade in. The contact was informed that the CARFAX report last recored the odometer reading on April 6, 2024, at 230,000.
Engine · reported May 6, 2026
The engine malfunctioned, and the car is available for inspection upon request? My safety was put at risk because the car was backfiring in traffic due to the spark plugs filling up with oil. I reported the problem to the Libertyville Honda because they sold me the vehicle about 35 days before the issue started, but I have not heard back from them. I had the Odyssey inspected at Napleton Honda in Oak Lawn. They informed me that piston rings 1-3 needed to be replaced . They also informed me that due to malfunctioning piston rings at least one of the spark plugs was full of oil. The car also…
Fuel System, Gasoline · reported Feb 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle was leaking gasoline. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's boyfriend saw and took a video of the vehicle pouring gasoline. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the engine was running during the failure. The vehicle will be towed to the dealer but has not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage…

Other Honda Odyssey years

Compare all Honda Odyssey years · All Honda models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Honda Odyssey have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2008 Honda Odyssey: 14V-112 (fuel system, gasoline), 13V-500 (electrical system), 12V-062 (structure), 10V-098 (service brakes, air). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2008 Honda Odyssey?

Owners report structure problems most often (136 reports), followed by service brakes, hydraulic (88). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 50,000 miles.

Are Honda recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Honda dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.