1997 Honda Odyssey problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Honda Odyssey, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1997 Honda Odyssey vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 9 | 45% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 15% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 10% |
| Visibility | 2 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Steering | 1 | 5% |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Faulty ignition switch causes the engine to spontaneously shut off while the vehicle is in motion. Since the engine cannot be restarted while not in park, this requires coming to a complete stop without the aid of power brakes or steering. This has happened multiple times and various speeds and conditions. It is very…”
Electrical System · filed Apr 2, 2011
“When the vehicle was turned off and the key removed from the ignition there was a loud popping noise that sounded like an explosion from the rear right of the vehicle. The noise went away for a while when the brake pads were replaced. Dealership serviced the vehicle several times for this problem but could not…”
Suspension · filed Jul 14, 2004
“While driving at any speed vehicle was running roughly. Consumer examined the tires and saw that the tread separated on the right rear. Several months later, the same thing happened on the left rear tire. Dealer gave the consumer a discount on the first tire, but refused any discount on the second tire.*ak”
Tires · filed Jun 23, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
39 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Honda Odyssey. The 10 most recent:
Audio unit and navigation system anti-theft codes available on interactive network. *nm
05012004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2004
Audio, anti-theft codes. Honda. Tech line summary. *tt
404 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2004
Heater blower motor gets hot or blows a fuse. Honda. Servicenews. *tt
11012003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2003
Grade logic control information. *tt
060103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2003
Srs indicator on with no srs diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) set. *tt *jb
020103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2003
Searching isis for diagnostic trouble code information. *tt *jb
010103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Check (atf) automatic transmission fluid condition to diagnose (a/t) automatic transmissions. *tt *jb
010103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2003
Straining the automatic transmission fluid (atf) to diagnose automatic transmissions. *tt
1202 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 16, 2002
Keyless entry, ceiling light, ignition key beeper logic. Honda servicenews. *tt
110102 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2002
Damaged cable reel can cause srs diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs). Honda servicenews. *tt
110102 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2002
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Honda Odyssey has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Honda Odyssey?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.