2015 Honda Odyssey Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Approximately 7 months ago, my 2015 Honda Odyssey experienced an engine misfire with code P0302 (cylinder 2). All spark plugs were replaced at that time and the issue appeared resolved. However, the misfire has now returned with the check engine light on, again indicating cylinder misfire. The vehicle only has 71,000 miles on it, which makes this recurring issue particularly concerning. Based on my research, this appears to be a known defect related to Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system causing excessive oil consumption and spark plug fouling — an issue documented across 2013–2017 Odyssey vehicles and addressed under Honda Service Bulletin 25-061. I am requesting this complaint be on record and urge NHTSA to investigate this as a safety-related defect.”

The car sporadically does not shift from 1st 2 second and then abruptly shuts cause a loud jerk of engine and car. It is startling and scary when it happens. I’m afraid the car will break down while in the road. Every time we take the car to dealership they “cannot replicate” issue therefore there is nothing to fix on an issue that is all over the internet with Honda vans and suvs.

Vehicle shifts abruptly from 1st to 2nd gear at feels like car will fall apart when that happens. It has happened multiple time throughout the time we owned the vehicle. Dealerships just does a transmission fluid replacement $230 watch time but no permanent solution. Were afraid transmission will fail in traffic.

See attached document for complaint.

I am reporting an engine defect covered under Honda’s recent warranty extension for 2013–2017 Odyssey / 2013–2015 Pilot vehicles when the MIL comes on with DTCs P0301–P0304. On November 1, 2022, I was stranded on the road when the check-engine light came on. At Honda Muller of Gurnee, the dealer diagnosed misfires consistent with P0301–P0304, explaining the underlying cause as piston ring function deterioration with sludge causing oil to foul the spark plugs. I was told my original warranty had expired only about six weeks earlier (on August 29, 2022). Coverage was denied and I was quoted over $6,000. Because I couldn’t afford the repair, the dealer recommended replacing the spark plugs as a temporary measure only, stating this would not fix the underlying defect. I proceeded with that temporary measure. On November 11, 2022, American Honda formally acknowledged my concern in writing, confirming that Case #13455791 had been opened and escalated to a case manager in direct response to my diagnosis from November 1, 2022. Despite this acknowledgment, my repair request was denied. In 2025 I received Honda’s warranty extension letter acknowledging coverage for this exact defect (including coverage through January 31, 2026). I returned to the dealer seeking repair based on my documented diagnosis, but repair was refused again because the codes were not present that day (the condition is intermittent). This defect affects drivability and safety (loss of power/hesitation and reduced ability to merge or cross traffic). I am asking NHTSA to record this complaint and consider action so that owners with documented prior diagnoses — especially those recognized by Honda corporate — are not refused repairs simply because an intermittent defect isn’t active at the exact moment of inspection. I am reporting an engine defect covered under Honda’s recent warranty extension for 2013–2017 Odyssey / 2013–2015 Pilot vehicles when the MIL comes on with DTCs P0301–P0304.

Transmission shudder driving up hills at low speed 15 to 25 mph.

This is copy of email I sent to Honda I am the original owner of a 2015 Honda Odyssey. I recently had the engine light come on and the diagnosis was "oil is coming through the piston rings into firing chamber and causing oil burning symptoms. Recommend replacing piston rings1-3". I had the work done at the Honda of Coeur d Alene, ID dealership for a total of $4040.66. This is a major repair for a van with low miles on it and Honda service technicians agreed. Researching online I discovered this is a problem with other Honda models and there have been recalls to fix the issue. I believe Honda should step up and cover the cost of this repair. This is my second Odyssey and the quality- lots of repairs to this van- has been very poor. I will be shopping for a car in the near future and at this point Honda will not be on my list. There are many online forums reporting this issue and past models have been recalled.

car has always hesitated, then jarred or jumped while trying to accelerate. after a second or so it will 'kick in' and go. but the larger issue is at just 70K miles i am paying for a new/used transmission that may have been due to a faulty torque converter. with little warning (and no check engine light warning) the car began to shake violently when i put it in drive. had to call flatbed tow truck and am suck with a large (over $3000 for used parts) repair... right after the holidays no less. this is unacceptable for such a reputable car company.

Very dangerous drivetrain issue. Transmission shifting issues led the transmission to total failure even after a recommended transmission flush and fill by a reputable Honda dealer. Issue was confirmed by an independent local repair shop. The vehicle itself has low mileage, (@69,600 mi.) No warning lamps prior to the transmission malfunction and failure.

Violent shifting, jarring during normal operation

TRANSMISSION POWER HAS STARTED TO FAIL TO ENGAGE FULLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR LOW SPEED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE THIRD PARTY SHOP SHOWED ME A HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 17-043 STATING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DETERIORATES FASTER THAN NORMAL. SOMEHOW A SOFTWARE FIX IS GOING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

The van shifts very odd when going forward. It doesn’t shift smooth from 2-3 gear and it’s not just our van my parents have the exact same year and model and it does it in theirs as well! I have read many complaints online about this but I don’t know if it’s the motor or the transmission but something is wrong with it. Being that we have literally 2 of the same year and model vans I can’t see where this is a one off deal. I think there has to be something to it.

ON THE FREEWAY, DRIVING 65MPH BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE RPM IS A LITTLE HIGH, WE APPROACHED TRAFFIC POSSIBLE GEAR WENT TO A LOWER GEAR, WHEN THE SPEED TRIES TO SPEED UP AGAIN I FELT A JOLT, WE FELT IT THE ENTIRE VAN MULTIPLE TIME WHEN ACCELERATED SPEED OR FROM LOWER GEAR TO HIGHER GEAR AUTO. THEN WE REACHED THE STREETS OF STOP AND GO, FROM LOWER GEAR SWITCHING TO HIGH GEAR WE EEL THE BIG JOLT, LIKE WE HIT A VERY BIG DIP WHEN EVER IT SWITCH GEAR. I COMPLETELY STOP THE ENGINE AND START THE CAR AGAIN, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR NOW, BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANY ISSUE.

THIS CAR HAD AN ISSUE WHEN WE PURCHASED IT WITH THE TRANSMISSION FEELING 'JUMPY' OR LIKE IT DIDN'T SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY. IT BOUNCED MY FAMILY ACROSS AN INTERSECTION IN A TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL JOLT. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALERSHIP AND THEY DID A 'SOFTWARE' UPDATE. THE PROBLEM, LIKE OTHERS HAVE STATED IS THAT THE ISSUE IS NOT CONSISTENT BUT IT IS SCARY AND UNSAFE. I WISH HONDA WOULD DO A RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE. WE WERE ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALWAYS IN A LOW GEAR. IT HAPPENS MILDLY EVERY TIME I TURN INTO MY OWN STREET. IT DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY AND FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WE HAVE HAD HIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS PROBLEM.

PURCHASED AT 45,646 MILES. NOTICEABLE JUTTERING AT 15-40 MPH, MOST NOTABLY FROM 25-30 MPH AND DRIVING UP HILLS FAINT WHINING NOISE. DEALER CHECKING SOFTWARE UPDATE ON TRANSMISSION. NOTICED ON FREEWAYS AND CITY STREETS.

WHILE DRIVING, THE IDLE STARTED TO BECOME ROUGH AND ENGINE VIBRATION INCREASED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ADDITIONAL WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED IN THE DASH. ERROR CODE P0302 WAS THE PRIMARY ERROR CODE FOR MISFIRE CYLINDER 2 WHEN THE ERRORS WERE SCANNED AT HOME AND CONFIRMED BY SHOP AFFILIATED WITH CAR DEALERSHIP. THE SPARK PLUG IN CYLINDER 2 WAS INSPECTED AND IDENTIFIED TO BE FOULED AND COVERED IN OIL. ADDITIONALLY THE CERAMIC WAS MISSING FROM THE SPARK PLUG. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 50,785 MILES, AND THIS ISSUE IS SIMILAR TO THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT/SERVICE BULLETIN 13-081 ISSUED TO HONDA VEHICLES (INCLUDING HONDA ODYSSEYS 2011-2013) . HOWEVER, THIS TIME HONDA IS TELLING ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT A POWERTRAIN WARRANTY ISSUE AND THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM FOLLOWS THE EXACT DECISION MATRIX FOUND IN THIS SERVICE BULLETIN FROM THE LOGGED ERROR CODE TO THE FOULED SPARK PLUG IN A YOUNG MOTOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE SAME HONDA DEALERSHIP SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AT 16K MILES.

WHEN ACCELERATING NORMALLY, A SHAKING, SLUGGISH SENSATION BEGINS IN 2ND GEAR GOING THROUGH 3RD. IF I SETTLE OUT WITHIN ONE OF THE GEARS, IT GOES AWAY. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN I'M ACCELERATING. THE SPEEDS WHEN IT OCCURS RANGE FROM 20-40 MPH. IF I WERE TO TRULY STEP ON IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO GET WORSE, IT ACTUALLY ALMOST DISAPPEARS. IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE POST IT UP. DONT WANT IT GETTING WORSE AND CAUSING INJURIES BUT IF IT DOES, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL.

IN 2018 MY 2015 HONDA VAN HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING GEARS. I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN THERE WAS A JOLT AND THE CAR SHOOK FROM THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING GEARS. I TOOK THE CAR IN AN WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE UPDATE OCCURRED AND THE VAN RAN FINE. TODAY THE VAN DID THE SAME THING. I SEE SEVERAL A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET.

OCCASIONALLY WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS THE CAR STRUGGLES AND LURCHES FORWARD AND LOSES POWER. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK IN NEUTRAL AND YOU LOSE POWER. PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER WHILE IT HAPPENS. I THINK IT IS DANGEROUS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ONE DAY. I'VE GOOGLED IT AND HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH MY AGE HONDA ODYSSEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND MANY SAY THAT HONDA CANNOT FIX IT. I THINK IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD.

ECO CAUSES SIGNIFIANT VIBRATION AT VARIOUS RPM'S/SPEEDS AND DELAYED SHIFTING AS THE COMPUTER DECIDES TO GO INTO ECO OR REMAIN. MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 65 MPH. CURRENT ODYSSEY HAS HAD TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE UPDATED, FRONT AXELS REPLACED AND TIRES ROAD FORCE BALANCED. NONE OF THE ABOVE FIXES HAS EFFECTED THE VIBRATION FELT DURING ECO GOING IN/OUT AND ESPECIALLY VIBRATION FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND CABIN. HONDA SHOP HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR HONDA ECO'S AND THERE IS NO CURRENT FIX FOR THE VIBRATIONS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT NO CURRENT FIX IS IN PLACE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY HONDA AS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE.