Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Honda Odyssey airbags problems
severe 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
7crashes
6injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags 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.
Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, American Honda announced three recalls for various 2001-11 Honda models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-040, Safety Recall: Accord, Civic, and Others ? Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator Can Be Over-Pressurized, 14-045, Recall: Front Driver?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity Recall, and 14-046, Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity have been posted to ISIS. However, due to the large number of affected units, American Honda is still in the process of po
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - On October 31, 2013, American Honda notified NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2007-08 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be repaired prior to sale per S/B 13-098, Safety Recall: 2007-08 Odyssey VSA System Unexpectedly Activates. Refer to VIN Inquiry status to determine which vehicles in your inventory are affected.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2005?10 Odyssey Fuel Pump Module Leak Safety Recall Q&A
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer message - On March 13, 2014 American Honda will notify NHTSA of a Stop Sale order and Safety Recall for all 2005-10 Odyssey vehicles. Any used vehicles in dealer stock must be inspected, and if necessary, repaired per S/B 14-015, Safety Recall: Odyssey Fuel Leak or Smell prior to sale.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe multiple classes of airbag failure in 2008 Odysseys. The most common complaint is a malfunctioning passenger occupancy sensor: the airbag off-light illuminates while the seat is occupied, or stays on when empty. Honda service has no fix and suggested placing a heavy object on the seat—unhelpful when a passenger is actually sitting there. One owner's case went unresolved despite Honda customer service promises.
Spontaneous airbag deployments without impact have occurred. One owner reported both side curtain bags deploying while driving straight at low speed with no collision or detectable vehicle damage; Honda tested the vehicle, found no internal errors, and refused compensation. Replacement cost exceeded $8,000.
Deployment failures during actual collisions are also reported. Some airbags failed to deploy on the struck side while deploying on the opposite side. Others deployed late or failed to inflate properly, leaving occupants unprotected despite impact. One owner was in a front-end accident where airbags did not deploy, though the warning light was illuminated; scanning revealed no diagnostic codes.
The passenger airbag cover has buckled twice on at least one vehicle; Honda classified this as an "acceptable production defect" and refused further repair. Another owner sustained burns to both hands from airbag fragments during deployment.
Several owners report an intermittent or constant SRS warning light with no retrievable diagnostic codes, suggesting electrical faults in the control module itself.
Same Honda Odyssey airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger airbag light malfunction (seat occupancy sensor)
Passenger airbag off-indicator illuminates while driving even when the seat is occupied, or remains on when a passenger is present. Honda service has no solution beyond placing a heavy object on the seat.
When: Under 200 miles; ongoing across multiple model year examples
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag indicator light comes on while driving without passenger present; Airbag indicator light says 'airbag off' when passengers are in the seat; Light is on at all times or intermittently while driving and parked
Repairs/costs cited: Honda service inspected twice but could not diagnose root cause; advised placing heavy object on passenger seat as workaround
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or TSB mentioned; Honda customer service case #N012009-01-0701207 opened but no follow-up
Spontaneous side curtain airbag deployment
Both side curtain airbags deployed without any collision, impact, or detectable vehicle damage while driving at low speed on a straight road.
When: Not specified; vehicle was undamaged per sheriff documentation
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, violent blow to side of head; Loud bang from both side curtain airbags; No vehicle contact with objects or other vehicles
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement cost estimated over $8,000 for both side curtain airbags; regional Honda engineering team tested vehicle
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda stated no internal errors detected, no known SRS issues, refused compensation
Front airbag deployment malfunction in collision
Front passenger airbag deployed without warning light in one instance; in another, driver-side airbags failed to deploy during impact to that side while passenger-side deployed instead. In a third case, airbag deployed but failed to inflate properly.
When: One failure at 100,000 miles; one at 24,600 miles; one at 55,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Front airbag deployed with no warning light during tire separation at 45 mph; Driver-side airbags did not deploy during driver-side impact at 15 mph while passenger-side airbags deployed; Delayed deployment of front driver airbag during passenger-side impact at 38,000 miles; Airbags deployed but failed to inflate properly during 5 mph crash at 55,000 miles
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle at 100,000 miles towed to impound; independent repair shop at 24,600 miles could not diagnose; collision center at 38,000 miles towed vehicle; 55,000 mile vehicle destroyed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware at 100,000 miles and 38,000 miles; no assistance offered; 55,000 mile incident not reported to manufacturer
Airbag non-deployment in collision
Airbags failed to deploy during a frontal accident despite the vehicle being struck head-on; warning light remained illuminated continuously but no codes appeared on scan.
When: October; timing unclear in original complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on at all times or intermittently; No airbag deployment during front-end accident; Scan tool shows no diagnostic codes despite warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Scan performed but no codes retrieved
SRS control module warning light malfunction
SRS airbag control unit warning light indicator appears periodically while driving and when parked, suggesting intermittent or chronic electrical fault in the airbag system control module.
When: Ongoing; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Warning light indicator appears periodically while driving; Warning light indicator appears while parked; Intermittent nature suggests electrical or sensor fault
Passenger-side airbag cover buckling
Airbag cover on passenger side of dashboard buckles and deforms. Replaced twice by dealer, who now refuses further repair, classifying it as an 'acceptable production defect.'
When: Multiple occurrences; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag cover on passenger dashboard buckles
Repairs/costs cited: Replaced twice; Honda now refuses to repair, calling it acceptable defect
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer classified as 'acceptable production defect' after second replacement
Airbag burns from deployment fragments
During a collision at 35 mph, deployed airbags caused thermal burns to both hands due to fragments from the airbag material or deployment force.
When: 35 mph collision; mileage unavailable
Symptoms owners cite: Burns to both hands from airbag fragments during deployment
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of problem; police report filed
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2008 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 airbags problem on the 2008 Honda Odyssey?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 24,600 and 100,000 miles, with the median around 55,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,600; a quarter make it past 100,000. 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2008/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.