Honda Tech Says, “I Would Never Buy This Model Year Honda Odyssey, This Vehicle Is a Blemish On the Brand”

Are all Honda vehicles reliable?

According to a recent report from Consumer Reports, 'How the Brands Stack Up,' Honda is among the most reliable models. They are fourth out of twenty-two automakers. However, not all of its models are reliable, according to an expert Honda tech who possesses extensive knowledge in this field. 

I stumbled upon a report about Honda's reliability issues while researching the subject. Sherwood (@royaltyautoservice), whose motto is 'Test, Don't Guess,' offers invaluable advice for Honda owners and buyers looking to purchase a used Honda.

He says,

"This is why we don't ever recommend buying these Honda models," Sherwood, with his extensive experience, advises. 'You will end up with major issues. This isn't the first stranded traveler we've had with this issue."

In his TikTok video, he talks about a 2014 Honda Odyssey in the shop with significant engine issues. He says this is just one of four popular Honda models you should know about, especially if you are buying a used Honda Accord, Pilot, Ridgeline, or Odyssey. 

All Honda Models Are Not Reliable

Sherwood says, "This is a Honda that I would never recommend. This is a 2014 Honda Odyssey with a 3.5-liter engine that had a tuneup done at 100,000 miles, about 6,000 miles ago, and had the spark plugs replaced." 

Sherwood holds up one of the spark plugs and says, "This is what a good one looks like; it's from one of the good cylinders." It looks new and clean. 

He holds up another one of the spark plugs and says, "This is one from cylinder three." The spark plug is black, and the copper electrode is nearly gone. He says this one is totally oil-fouled."

"With a few more thousand miles, they get totally carboned up and are worthless. The thing is, Honda extended the warranty on this vehicle because of this very issue."

"This is one of the problem vehicles that Honda has. Don't get me wrong, I love Honda. They have always made great cars for decades. But this Odyssey is a blemish on Honda, to me."

Honda Extended the Warranty Due To a Class-Action Lawsuit

He continues, "Because they did extend the warranty on this car, so they went 8 years unlimited miles, which you would think, ok, that will cover it".

"However, here is the problem. The extended warranty Honda offers has certain criteria, and the owner has to jump through hoops to get coverage for this problem."

"The owner had to have the car misfire to set a warning code. So when the dealer pulled the misfire code, they would check each spark plug. When they find the fouled plug, the tech puts in three new spark plugs and then reprograms the engine's computer."

"So, they haven't fixed anything. The engine's problem is that the faulty piston rings are causing an oil consumption problem. Reprogramming the computer does not fix the rings." 

"Then, after they do that, it has to develop a failed engine code for a second time. So, if the vehicle is approaching anywhere close to being eight years old, the customer is out of luck. The extended warranty sounded good: 8 years and unlimited miles. But it wasn't good."     

"I feel like Honda set this up so that people are out of the warranty period before it has to be fixed." 

Which Honda Odyssey Vehicles Have This Problem?

Sherwood says, "I know it was 2008 through 2013. This vehicle is a 2014, and it's having problems. So, 2014s are involved in this too.

What Other Honda Models Should Customers Be Aware Of?

He says, "This includes the Honda Accord, Pilot, Ridgeline, and Odyssey. Anything with a 3.5-liter engine in it." 

I checked on Reddit, and multiple Honda owners are discussing this problem. 

One Accord owner says, I have a 2010 Honda Accord 3.5L V6 with 147,000 miles – I have owned the car for 10 years and have always had regular maintenance and oil changes.

I had trouble with oil fouling the spark plugs a couple of years ago, causing a misfire in Cylinder number 3.

I had a test over 5000 miles that showed no sign of fouling after the spark plugs were replaced; the oil was changed to a higher-quality synthetic prior to this test. This was a couple of years ago. The car has been good since – probably 20,000 miles with no issues.

I recently drove through a lot of rain on a 350-mile round trip, and on the return trip, about 300 miles after the excessive rain, my car began to miss. Flashing the engine light, I slowed down and finished the last 30 miles of the trip. I had felt this feeling before.

I took my car to my local Honda dealer, where I had the previous tests completed, and spark plugs in cylinders 1, 2, and 3 were all extracted and fouled with "quite a bit" of oil.

Honda diagnosed the problem as misaligned piston rings, allowing oil to reach the plugs and foul them in those three cylinders.

They quoted me $2900 to disassemble the engine down to the point where they could replace those three pistons sets of rings.

Honda Extends the Warranty on the Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline

According to a TSB report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Honda extended the warranty on some 2016-2018 3.5-liter V6 Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline models due to a class-action lawsuit. However, the extension did not address the underlying problem. 

Explanation:

• In 2013, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Honda over the VCM/ECO technology, a system designed to improve fuel efficiency by deactivating cylinders when not needed, in 3.5-liter V6 engines. 
• The lawsuit alleged that the VCM operation caused high oil consumption and misfires in 1.6 million vehicles between 2008 and 2013. 
• Honda extended the warranty on these vehicles but did not fix the problem. 
• The extension covered repairs for 10 years from the original purchase date or 150,000 miles, whichever came first. 
• Owners of affected vehicles were sent a notification. 

The lawsuit also included vehicles from 2005 to 2007 with similar issues, including damaged transmission torque converters, fouled spark plugs, and excessive oil consumption. 

Final Thoughts and Questions For Honda Owners

It's well documented that particular Honda model years had engine issues, such as the Honda Accord, Pilot, Odyssey, and Ridgeline vehicles with 3.5-liter engines. If you purchase one of these vehicles used, have a certified tech check it out before you buy it. Or you may want to avoid it altogether.

How About You?

Are you a Honda Accord, Pilot, Odyssey, or Ridgeline owner, and have you experienced these issues with your vehicle? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.

Check out my Honda report titled; I’m Driving a Paid Off 10 Year Old Honda CR-V Because It Costs Nothing to Run and Who Wants a $500 Per Month Car Payment?

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl