Do you have an Odyssey in your shop that has a power sliding door that won?t open or close by using the following? ? Power sliding door main switch on the dash ? Keyless transmitter ? B-pillar switch (if equipped) ? Either inside or outside door handle Connect the HDS to the vehicle. Using the information from the power sliding door data list, follow the steps in the flowchart below to troubleshoot the problem.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2005 Honda Odyssey cruise control problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
1crash
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2005 Honda Odysseys describe a cluster of drive-control failures. The most serious: unintended acceleration events ranging from parking-lot creep at 5 mph to highway surges past 90 mph, where braking becomes ineffective or only slows the car marginally. Several owners report the accelerator sticking and refusing to release, with cruise control mysteriously engaging on its own. One owner had the pedal trapped under a floor mat that was installed improperly at the dealership; others report the issue occurs independent of floor placement.
Equally concerning, owners cite VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator and sensor failures occurring early—as low as 19,000 miles—that cause spontaneous braking intervention and cost $500–$1,000 to replace. One owner had the component fail two weeks after a catalytic converter replacement.
Deceleration and traction control engagement without user input round out the pattern. One owner reported unexpected downshifting and power loss in first gear below 57,000 miles. In one case, a parked vehicle in gear reversed itself into private property.
Dealers frequently cannot reproduce failures or retrieve diagnostic codes, leaving owners stranded with intermittent faults and large repair bills outside warranty coverage.
Same Honda Odyssey cruise control reports on nearby years: 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration / Stuck Accelerator
Engine accelerates without driver input or accelerator pedal sticks and will not respond to brake application. Owners report the car surges forward at high speed and braking becomes ineffective or only marginally slows the vehicle.
When: Various speeds from 5 mph (parking) to 90+ mph; one incident at idle in park; one incident while reversing.
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pulled away from foot or stuck under pressure; Engine revs to 5000+ RPM unintentionally; Braking fails to stop acceleration or only marginally slows vehicle; Vehicle accelerates while owner is actively braking; Cruise control observed to be on after the fact, though owner did not activate it
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #1: Floor mat entrapment identified at dealer; no repair cost stated. Narratives #2, #6, #7, #10: Dealers unable to retrieve fault codes or reproduce failure.
VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) Modulator Failure
VSA sensor control cluster or modulator fails, causing unintended braking or loss of function. Failure also disables ABS braking. Occurs at low mileage and often out of warranty.
When: Low mileage: 19,000 miles in one case; another case at 35,999 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle applies brakes without driver input; Engine idles down unexpectedly; VSA light illuminates on dash; Loss of ABS function; Intermittent reoccurrence of braking and engine surge pattern
Codes mentioned: VSA sensor control cluster code (specific code not named)
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #3: VSA sensor control cluster replacement cost $500 part + $276.25 labor, one-week-to-one-and-a-half-week wait for part. Narrative #8: VSA modulator component price nearly $1000.
Unintended Deceleration / Traction Control Engagement
Vehicle decelerates unexpectedly or traction control engages without warning, preventing normal acceleration. Occurs during normal driving.
When: Narrative #9: 120,000 miles. Narrative #11: 146,824 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle decelerates without driver input; Traction control engages and prevents acceleration; VTN (or traction control) warning light illuminates
Codes mentioned: VTN warning light code
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #9: VTN spring replacement performed at dealer.
Transmission Power Loss and Gear Slipping
Loss of power in first gear acceleration and transmission slips gears. Vehicle cannot accelerate normally and is unsafe in traffic.
When: Under 57,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Acceleration in first gear hampered; Loss of power from engine; Transmission slips gears
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Honda Odyssey?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Honda Odyssey?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 34,540 and 146,824 miles, with the median around 75,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 34,540; a quarter make it past 146,824. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Honda/Odyssey.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.