YearToAvoid

2020 Honda Odyssey Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2020 Honda Odyssey has a complaint index of 80, ranking 5th-worst out of 21 model years, with 470 NHTSA complaints and 14 recall campaigns. NHTSA lists collision avoidance/camera and electrical system issues as the top problem areas, earning it an Avoid verdict relative to other Odyssey years.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
80/100
#5 of 21 Odyssey years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
470
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
14
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
4
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
20
Top issue
Collision Avoidance & Cameras
Best nearby year
2017
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 28 hwy
Injuries / deaths
20 / 0

Top 2020 Honda Odyssey problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Collision Avoidance & Cameras197 (42%)
  2. Electrical System164 (35%)
  3. Lane Departure124 (26%)
  4. Engine82 (17%)
  5. Other69 (15%)
  6. Structure & Body36 (8%)
  7. Fuel System30 (6%)
  8. Airbags20 (4%)
  9. Brakes20 (4%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain16 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Infotainment systems crackle over the speakers, show a network connection lost error, then go black and reboot while driving, sometimes within weeks of purchase.
  • Vehicles have failed to start reliably, requiring roadside jump-starts shortly after low mileage ownership.
  • Brake pedals have gone soft with a grinding or slipping sound during low-speed parking maneuvers, with no resistance until pumped.
  • Airbags have deployed unexpectedly at very low speeds or minor impacts, including one case with no forward momentum.
  • Sunroofs have spontaneously shattered while driving on the highway with no visible debris impact.
  • Engines have stalled without warning and failed to restart, in one case leading to a rear-end collision.
2020 Honda Odyssey complaints: complaints filed per quarter612019 Q42020 Q42021 Q42022 Q42023 Q42024 Q42025 Q4
470 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2026 Q3 (61).

2020 Honda Odyssey recalls

14 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V423000Jul 1, 2026Collision Avoidance & Cameras325,588 vehicles

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey vehicles. Water may enter into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image to fail to display when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is HOX. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 20V438. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 9, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

  3. NHTSA 26V227000Apr 9, 2026Airbags440,830 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module:software

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Odyssey vehicles. A software programming error can cause the side and side curtain air bags to deploy unexpectedly.

    Risk: Air bags that deploy unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ECU) software or replace the ECU, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UNW. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 16, 2026. The information in your report suggests that Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) may have been aware of this issue more than five business days before filing a report with NHTSA. Please be reminded that under Federal law, this agency is to be notified of all safety defect and/or noncompliance decisions within five business days. 49 CFR 573.6 Significant civil penalties can be assessed for this violation.

See all 14 recalls for the 2020 Honda Odyssey →

2020 Honda Odyssey fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
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.

2020 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
2018Avoid909901622
2019Avoid959662022
2020Avoid804701422
2021Caution15141822
2022Caution60135922

All Honda Odyssey years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Honda Odyssey reliable?
Relative to other Odyssey model years, the 2020 ranks 5th-worst out of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 80 and 470 NHTSA complaints, giving it an Avoid verdict compared to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2020 Honda Odyssey?
Collision Avoidance & Cameras complaints are the largest category, making up 42% of complaints (197 total) with a median failure mileage of 25,800 miles.
Does the 2020 Honda Odyssey have recalls?
NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2020 Odyssey, covering areas including airbags, collision avoidance cameras, fuel system, seat belts, and side-view mirrors.
How does the 2020 Odyssey compare to other years?
The 2020 model's complaint index of 80 is worse than most other Odyssey years, though the 2019 (95), 2018 (90), and 2025 (100) years score worse, and 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 are rated Best.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Honda Odyssey?
EPA rates the 2020 Odyssey at 22 mpg combined (19 city/28 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.

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.