9.8

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
60,450 miles
Total Complaints:
8 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (6 reports)
  2. fix ground wire in vsa harness connector that was split (1 reports)
  3. honda factory firmware update (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.

problem #8

Jul 092014

Odyssey EX-L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

vsa causes vehicle to brake without brake lights

Vehicle will apply brakes and cause to swerve, posing a serious risk of crash, and brake lights do not light up.

- Will R., Nashville, TN, US

problem #7

Jun 122013

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

June 2013 about 86,000 miles. I entered the highway and began accelerating and somewhere between 45-50 MPH the brakes applied all by themselves slinging me and my kids forward. I let off the gas and checked the dash & my feet position...all was well. I began accelerating again and it happened again. At this point I decided to pull over and while I was slowing down with my foot gently on the brakes it happened a third time. I put my car in park to collect myself and calm my kids. I decided to drive home carefully and it didn't happen again. I plan to take it to my service dept. tomorrow morning, but based on the posts I'm seeing it doesn't sound hopeful that they will know how to fix it or be able to replicate the issue. It makes me feel very unsafe driving my kids around with this issue. What if a car had been traveling closely behind us? Please Honda, investigate this further!

Update from Jun 23, 2013: My wonderful Honda dealership spent a lot of effort to diagnosis this problem. They even had American Honda hooked up to my computer and did days of diagnostics. The VSA activated when it shouldn't have. My problem happened in dry conditions with no loss of traction. Comments from my service tech: Checked for voltage drop in VSA Harness connector 401 back probe blue/black wire found .4V specs are .2v or less. Checked ground 302 and while inspecting found ground was split. Repaired wire and test drove. Then recheck voltage drop system volt drop less than .2v repair has return voltage to normal in VSA Harness.

I hope this solution will be of help to others with this issue. I am very pleased with the way my local Honda Dealership and American Honda handled this issue.

- abcdl, Pooler, GA, US

problem #6

Feb 202013

Odyssey

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

I purchased my 2007 Honda Odyssey used in 12/10 with 29,000 miles on it; it now has 58,000 miles. It has, on at least 7 occasions since its purchase, applied its brakes on its own and stopped in the roadway without any prompting from me (and sometimes it feels like it wants to apply its brakes but doesn't).

So far, luckily, this has not caused an accident.

I've had it to the place where I purchased it and to a Honda dealership. Both places have tried to duplicate the braking problem but have been unsuccessful as this problem happens sporadically - it happens without warning when it feels like it. At first everyone looked at me like I was crazy, but when it happened in 11/12 I did not turn off the motor so that the codes could be read and the steering angle sensor was replaced. It happened again about 3 weeks ago but I was 250 miles from home so I turned off the motor, started the van again and haven't had this problem since.

Honda has just recalled 2007 Pilots and Acuras but declines to recall 2007 Odysseys because there isn't sufficient history (just got off the phone with Honda Customer Service). Does someone have to be killed or seriously injured for Honda to correct this problem? I am frustrated, angry and sometimes afraid to drive my van.

- Barbara R., Wellsboro, PA, US

problem #5

Aug 072012

Odyssey EX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

30-35 mph the brakes of the van automatically activated the brakes (I think) slinging my body forward. This was the second time this has happened both times after making a right hand turn. The first time I turn the van off to look at it and then after starting it it do not happen again but the VSA light was on. the dealership replaced my PCM. This time the same thing happened only I did not turn off the van and drove it home going under 30 MPH and the breaks seemed to active 5 more times in the short two mile trip home. This is enough to scare me as I have babies in the car and drive in Houston traffic everyday with them. The Van is at the dealership now..I will update you if they they can find an issue. If not I will look into the lemon laws. VERY sad about this after owning 4 honda in the past that I loved.

- duner, Houston, TX, US

problem #4

Nov 012010

Odyssey LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,000 miles

Accelerating in the passing lane - going about 40 mph when my car stopped dead in its tracks throwing everything forward. Then it resumed moving. I did not have time to take foot off accelerator. If there was someone behind me they would have plowed into me.

I took the car to a dealer 2 days ago - they are still trying to 1) get it to happen again and/or 2) diagnose and fix. I note 3 other similar complaints on same make, model and year. Has any one ever got this fixed? PR man from Honda said (11/30) "..oh, we have never had this complaint before." I bet he has.

- Pat B., Hornell, NY, US

problem #3

Oct 242010

Odyssey LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles

My husband and two boys had just taken off on the highway. As we were reaching ~ 45-50 mph the brakes of the van automatically activated slinging my body forward. I asked him what he was doing, and he said the brakes did that on their own. We went approximately 1/2 mile further, and it occurred 2 more times. We then pulled into a gas station, put it in park, pressed the gas pedal a few times, and also checked that the emergency brakes were not pushed down. Everything was in place as it should have been. We decided to go ahead and drive the additional 5 miles to get home. We parked it, and will take it directly to the dealership tomorrow. I'm not sure why the vehicle did this, but it was enough to scare me. I don't want a vehicle that I can't trust to transport my family each day.

- J. B., Lexington, NC, US

problem #2

Aug 142010

Odyssey EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

My parents who are in their seventies were driving their 2007 Honda Odyssey Saturday (8/14/10) when the brakes activated on their own at about 40 - 50 mph almost throwing them into the dash. They were shaken up. When they finally decided to try to make it the 3 miles back to their house(luckily they were close), the van's brakes activated another 3 times by themselves. Dad had the van towed to our local Honda dealership. They have not been able to find anything and have no idea what it could be because they have not been able to replicate the problem and the ABS system did not register any error messages. I hope someone has had a similiar issue and can help us get through this. I feel horrible because I was the one that recommended that they trade in their Ford on this Honda.

- Mark L., Mims, FL, US

problem #1

Mar 202010

Odyssey LX 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,500 miles

On 3/20/10 my wife, two boys and I were driving down the highway at around 50 mph and I made a steering correction to avoid an object in the road similar to a quick 10 o'clock back to 12 o'clock. I then felt resistance and heard rubbing towards the rear of the car and when we made our next stop the noise from the rear got much louder with more brake pedal pressure. We pulled over to check the rear tires and found that the rear passenger wheel and lugs were extremely hot and I could smell the over heated pads. My assessment at that time was that my steering correction had activated the VSA which sent pressure to that caliper and it got stuck so the rotor and hub became over heated. From that point the caliper seemed to release because we didn't notice any more noise from the rear. My wife was very nervous about the brakes coming on randomly so I decided on 3/24/10 to take it to the dealership. On the way I tried to duplicate the problem by jerking the wheel from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock and after a couple back and forths all the brakes came on all by themselves and haulted the car from 40 mph down to near 0 fast enough to throw me into the seat belt. The car behind me was not too happy, I don't think the brake lights come on without hitting the pedal. When I got to the dealer I took a technician for a ride to show him the issue. He was in shock as he looked over at my feet to see I was not applying the brake, yet he was getting tossed towards the dash. I am currently working on this with both the dealer and Honda and will keep you all posted.

- Chadwick C., Cheshire, MA, US