2002 Honda Odyssey Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2002 Honda Odyssey.

20012003
Complaints
1,117
Crashes
60
Fires
6
Injuries
58
Fatalities
Recalls
8

Worst 2002 Honda Odyssey Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1466 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:80,893 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:3
#2126 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:108,653 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:1
#376 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:130,469 mi
Crash-related:15
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Honda Odyssey.

Automatic Transmission
466
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Avg Miles
80,893
Transmission / Drivetrain
126
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
108,653
Airbags
76
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
Avg Miles
130,469
Unintended Acceleration
30
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
83,543
Electrical Faults
28
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
113,314
Structure:Body:Door
27
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
54,278
Engine Problems
26
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
119,382
Engine & Cooling
19
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
80,687
Body Structure
13
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
132,834
Tire Defects
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
97,818
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
42,877
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
31,421
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
50,432
Latches / Locks
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
87,880
Hydraulic Brakes
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
63,148
Suspension Failures
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
119,200
Steering Defects
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
83,572
Headlight/Taillight Failures
8
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
174,226
Seat-Related Issues
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
102,792
Air Bags:Frontal
7
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
8,012
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
78,753
Brakes
7
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
138,424
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
29,753
Structural Problems
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,667
Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
36,733
Wheel Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
120,067
Gasoline Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
113,292
Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
110,000
Seat Belts:Rear/Other
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
28,506

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2002 Honda Odyssey. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2002 Honda Odyssey

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~14,334,986 vehicles.

19V501000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,657,752 affected

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 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V499000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~3,947 affected

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 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V182000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,101,534 affected

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, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

18V268000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,335 affected

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 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

16V344000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,790,894 affected

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 have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2008 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2008 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2008 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling model year 2002-2004 Odyssey and model year 2003-2004 Acura MDX, Honda Element, and Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V370000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~3,498,481 affected

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 vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

15V320000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~6,281,043 affected

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 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

14V700000Airbags
~0 affected

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 originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Other Honda Odyssey Years

2002 Honda Odyssey — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2002 Honda Odyssey reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2002 Honda Odyssey has 1,117 NHTSA complaints, 60 crash-related, and 8 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 466 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2002 Honda Odyssey?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (466 complaints, avg 80,893 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (126 complaints, avg 108,653 mi); Airbags (76 complaints, avg 130,469 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2002 Honda Odyssey?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 90,093 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2002 Honda Odyssey?
NHTSA complaints for the 2002 Honda Odyssey include 60 crash-related reports, 6 fire reports, 58 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2002 Honda Odyssey have any recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 14,334,986 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2002 Honda Odyssey?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (automatic transmission) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda Odyssey reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2002 Honda Odyssey

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