The Lemon Index2002 Honda Odyssey.
The 2002 Honda Odyssey is worse than average by owner complaints: 250 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 160, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 10 recalls, and it gets 19 mpg combined. The best Honda Odyssey year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 960 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Honda Odyssey year. 2002 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 58K to 111K miles on the car (746 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 63K–106K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 47K–160K miles
- body structure complaints mostly came at 21K–125K miles
Recalls 10
- airbags 2019
These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high a…
- airbags 2019
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high …
- airbags 2019
The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containi.
Show all 10 recalls
- airbags 2018
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
- airbags 2016
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- airbags 2015
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury…
- airbags 2015
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator t…
- airbags 2014
Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S.
- transmission & drivetrain 2004
ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADIN…
- engine 2002
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SEDANS, COUPES, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ON THE WATER PUMP IS MISALIGNED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIMING BELT TO CONTACT A BOLT ON THE CYLINDER H…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 321 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Information regarding noise from sliding doors
- Subject regarding sliding door creak or rattle noise
- Subject regarding automatic transmission shift problems - slippage, flare, hard upshift
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
- OpenAir bag inflator rupture2015
- ClosedAir bag inflator rupture2014–2015
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
After taking the vehicle in to the dealer for a transmission recall repairs transmission was leaking fluid.
2002 Honda Odyssey owner · NHTSA complaint 10089435
More owner reports
While shifting into reverse vehicle failed to move. Consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission needed to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint 10083572
Internal failure of automatic transmission due to inferior materials of construction.
NHTSA complaint 10063936
Quick answers
Is the 2002 Honda Odyssey reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.6× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 160; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Honda Odyssey year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2002 Honda Odyssey problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (42%), airbags (12%) and body structure (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2002 Honda Odyssey have?
10 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2002 Honda Odyssey get?
19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2002 Honda Odyssey problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 58,400 and 111,000 miles. The middle report was at 84,000 miles, from 746 complaints.
Does the 2002 Honda Odyssey have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 42% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2002 Honda Odyssey cost in fuel a year?
About $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2002 Honda Odyssey have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Honda Odyssey year is better than the 2002?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2013 and 2010.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works