1998 Honda Odyssey problems & reliability
73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Honda Odyssey, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. 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.
4 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1998 Honda Odyssey vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. 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 → | 34 | 47% |
| Power Train → | 14 | 19% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 8% |
| Structure | 4 | 5% |
| Engine | 3 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 4% |
| Visibility | 3 | 4% |
| Tires | 2 | 3% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 139,034 miles (middle 50% between 96,251 and 172,500 miles), based on 28 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 1998 Honda Odyssey. The contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The contact was able to turn the key to start the vehicle; however, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed…”
Electrical System · filed Apr 15, 2025
“The contact's friend owns a 1998 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled down to the floorboard. The contact stated that her son inspected the vehicle and noticed that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The contact's son…”
Structure · filed Jun 24, 2024
“The 1998 Honda Odyssey recall for ignition switch I don't believe included all VIN numbers affected. My van is having the exact issue for what is stated in the recall, yet my VIN does not show as a recall. When the switch is turned to the run position, the dash lights may or may not illuminate. Once the van is…”
Electrical System · filed Jun 22, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
45 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 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
Grunt noise after sitting for several hours. *nm
204 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 16, 2004
Automatic transmission diagnostic trouble code p0740, p0741 repair tips. Another look. Honda servicenews. *tt
11012003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2003
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
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 1998 Honda Odyssey has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 1998 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 139,034 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.