YearToAvoid

2008 Honda Odyssey Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

75/100

#6 most-complained of 21 Odyssey years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Honda Odyssey has 499 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 75 out of 100 — #6 highest of 21 Odyssey model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is brakes (170 complaints, 34% of the total). Complaints report 37 crashes, 8 fires, and 44 injuries.

Complaints
499
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
37 / 8
Injuries / deaths
44 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16.5 city / 24 hwy

Top 2008 Honda Odyssey problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes170 (34%)
  2. Structure & Body132 (26%)
  3. Engine80 (16%)
  4. Other42 (8%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain41 (8%)
  6. Electrical System36 (7%)
  7. Steering27 (5%)
  8. Fuel System19 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (3%)
  10. Airbags12 (2%)
2008 Honda Odyssey complaints: complaints filed per quarter322008 Q12010 Q12012 Q12014 Q12016 Q12018 Q12020 Q12022 Q1
582 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2010 Q1 (32).

2008 Honda Odyssey recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V112000Mar 14, 2014Fuel System886,815 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 23, 2004, through September 4, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump strainer cover may deteriorate allowing fuel to leak out.

    Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Parts to permanently repair the affected vehicles are not currently available. Honda will notify owners with an interim letter during May 2014. A second notice was mailed to owners October 6, 2014 when the remedy became available. Any vehicles that are currently leaking from the fuel pump cover will get a replacement, original cover. All vehicles, including those receiving the interim repair, will get an improved cover when they are available. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. The recall numbers associated with this campaign are JD9 (inspection and/or preliminary part replacement) and JE0 (final parts replacement).

  2. NHTSA 13V500000Nov 1, 2013Electrical System344,187 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 8, 2006, through September 8, 2008. Due to a combination of system components and software, the Vehicle Safety Assist System (VSA) may apply the brakes unexpectedly.

    Risk: The vehicle may suddenly and unexpectedly brake hard, and without illuminating the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash from behind.

    Remedy: Parts to remedy these vehicles will not be available until the spring of 2014. Honda will send owners an interim letter notifying them of the issue and instruct them how to prevent unintended braking. A second notification will be sent when the parts become available. Interim notification was mailed in December 2013. The recall began on April 29, 2014. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or visit their website at www.recalls.honda.com. Honda's recall number is JC5.

  3. NHTSA 12V062000Feb 16, 2012Structure & Body45,747 vehicles

    Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support device/strut

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 odyssey vehicles, the gas-filled struts that help to raise and support the liftgate of vehicles equipped with a power liftgate system may be prone to early life failures due to a manufacturing flaw. The flaw can result in a leak of the pressurized gas, leading to reduced strut performance.

    Risk: Struts with diminished performance can lead to unexpected closure, increasing the risk of personal injury.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both power liftgate gas struts free of charge. The safety recall began on march 12, 2012. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

See all 4 recalls for the 2008 Honda Odyssey →

2008 Honda Odyssey fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,425
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Odyssey years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Caution70703319.5
2007Avoid85830418.5
2008Avoid75499419
2009Good45198319
2010Caution55255119

All Honda Odyssey years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Honda Odyssey a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Honda Odyssey ranks #6 of 21 among Odyssey model years (Complaint Index 75/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 499 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Honda Odyssey?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (170 complaints), structure & body (132 complaints), and engine (80 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 50,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Honda Odyssey have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Honda Odyssey, most recently reported 2014, covering fuel system, electrical system, structure & body, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Honda Odyssey?
EPA rates the 2008 Honda Odyssey at 19 MPG combined (16.5 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,425. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.