Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Honda Odyssey engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Honda Odyssey have filed 56 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 85,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
56
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Odyssey | 31 |
| 2010 Odyssey | 39 |
| 2011 Odyssey | 17 |
| 2012 Odyssey | 24 |
| 2013 Odyssey (this page) | 56 |
| 2014 Odyssey | 39 |
| 2015 Odyssey | 29 |
| 2016 Odyssey | 76 |
| 2017 Odyssey | 6 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 56 engine complaints filed for the 2013 Honda Odyssey, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 56 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Engine accounts for 27% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 10 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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.
Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring wear and sticking from sludge. Oil from the crankcase adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - American Honda announced a powertrain warranty extension in 2013 as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align, which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on. American Honda is extending the powertrain warranty to cover repairs related to engine misfire (that triggers DTCs P0301 through P0304) to 8 years with unlimited mileage fro
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe piston ring and spark plug fouling issues as the dominant failure pattern in 2013 Odyssey engines. Many report the check engine light illuminating with misfires in cylinders 1–4 (diagnostic codes P0301–P0304) occurring at mileages as low as 27,000 and as high as 200,000. Oil leaks past the piston rings onto spark plugs, causing them to foul repeatedly. Some owners say they replaced the same spark plug monthly or even every 20 days. Symptoms include rough running, hesitation during acceleration, vehicle shuddering, stalling without warning (sometimes mid-freeway), loss of power, and thick black smoke from the engine bay.
Honda issued Service Bulletin 13-081 in 2013, extended by Bulletin 25-061, offering an 8-year unlimited-mileage warranty extension to cover misfire repairs related to piston ring defects. The settlement targeted specific VINs. However, many owners report their vehicles are excluded from the warranty despite having identical symptoms. Repair costs range from $2,686 to $12,000 for piston ring replacement, engine rebuild, or short-block replacement. Dealers often refuse coverage citing missing diagnostic codes (if a third-party shop cleared them first), VIN exclusion from the bulletin, or warranty expiration. Some owners paid out-of-pocket after being denied; others remain unrepaired due to cost. A few note that Honda never notified them of the warranty extension despite having their contact information on file.
Same Honda Odyssey engine reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Piston Ring Rotation and Spark Plug Fouling
Piston rings rotate and align, allowing oil to pass into the combustion chamber and foul spark plugs, triggering cylinder misfires.
When: 27,000 to 200,000 miles; typically 45,000–125,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination (often flashing); Engine misfire/rough running; Vehicle shuddering and hesitation during acceleration; Oil fouling spark plugs; Vehicle stalling without warning; Loss of power/reduced acceleration; Traction control light illumination; Black smoke from engine bay; Excessive oil consumption between changes
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0300, P0843
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report costs of $2,686 to $12,000. Repairs include spark plug replacement (temporary fix, as the root cause persists), piston ring replacement, partial or full engine rebuild, and short-block replacement. Some owners had to replace spark plugs monthly or every 20 days before addressing the underlying defect.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Service Bulletin 13-081 (October 2013) and extension Bulletin 25-061 (July 2025) offer powertrain warranty extension to 8 years unlimited mileage for misfire-related repairs (DTCs P0301–P0304). Settlement of Soto et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (N.D. Cal.). However, many owners report their VINs are excluded from the warranty despite matching symptoms. Dealers deny claims if diagnostic codes are not present or were cleared by third-party shops. Some owners report Honda failed to notify them of the warranty extension despite having their contact information.
Piston Hardness Defect and Premature Wear
During manufacturing, improper heat treatment resulted in insufficient piston hardness, leading to premature piston wear, burning, and engine failure.
When: Variable; reported at 45,000–170,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine stall at highway speeds; Engine loss of power; Burnt-out pistons; Check engine light illumination; Abnormal rattling sound from engine
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304
Repairs/costs cited: Owner reported $5,000 for engine repairs and $1,000 for towing after two burnt pistons required replacement. NHTSA Recall 13V-382000 specifies engine short-block replacement at no cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 13V-382000 (issued 08/26/2013; Campaign JB4) mandates replacement of the engine short block free of charge. However, owners report many VINs are excluded from the recall. One owner noted Honda replaced piston rings instead of the short block per recall instructions, leading to repeated failures.
Engine Stalling and Power Loss During Driving
Vehicle loses power or stalls suddenly while driving, sometimes at highway speeds, creating acute safety hazards.
When: Variable, often when accelerating or passing
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine stall at 45–60 mph on highways or in traffic; Loss of acceleration/inability to maintain speed; Vehicle jerking or hesitation before stall; Check engine light flashing before or after stall; Steering wheel may lock if power steering relies on engine operation; Vehicle fails to restart immediately after stall
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0300
Repairs/costs cited: One owner was stranded on the roadside at night with family members (including children) after a stall; another was trying to pass a farm vehicle and barely avoided a collision. Repairs typically involve piston ring or spark plug work, but if the underlying defect is not addressed, failures recur.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owners report Honda and dealers deny repair coverage if diagnostic codes are not present at time of service visit or if codes were cleared by third-party mechanics. One owner states the dealer instructed them to drive the vehicle longer to register a DTC, despite loss of acceleration being a safety hazard.
Warranty Coverage Denial and VIN Exclusion
Owners report that Honda denies extended warranty coverage for piston-ring misfire issues despite matching bulletins and vehicle year/model, citing VIN exclusion or other technicalities.
When: At time of service claim; issues reported 2013–2025
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light with misfire codes; Rough running/misfires; Denial of warranty repair despite matching Service Bulletins 13-081 and 25-061
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304
Repairs/costs cited: Owners forced to pay out-of-pocket: $2,686, $5,000, $12,000+ for engine repairs that Honda deems warranty-eligible but refuses to cover. One owner paid $2,686.36 and later discovered the warranty existed; another spent $6,000 on repairs after Honda failed to notify them of an extended warranty expiration. Multiple owners report dealerships citing VIN exclusion even though the Service Bulletin states '2013–2017 Odysseys' without VIN qualification.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda's Service Bulletins 13-081 and 25-061 ostensibly extend warranty to 8 years unlimited mileage. However, owners consistently report denials claiming their VINs are 'not included in the warranty extension.' Honda customer service representatives give conflicting information (some saying coverage applies, others saying it has expired). Owners report Honda failed to proactively notify registered owners of warranty extensions before they expired. Recall 13V-382000 explicitly excludes vehicles with salvage titles or total-loss history.
Oil Leak and Carburetor Build-up on Piston
Owners report oil leaking from the head gasket or cylinders, and carbon build-up on pistons, contributing to misfire and rough running.
When: Variable; 40,000–170,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Rough running/hesitation; Reduced power; Oil leak from head gasket or cylinders onto spark plugs
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304
Repairs/costs cited: Temporary fix: cleaning engine and replacing spark plugs. However, if piston rings are the root cause, failure recurs. One owner reports the dealer cleaned the engine and replaced spark plugs; failure returned 7 months later, prompting piston ring replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin 13-081 cites piston ring rotation as the cause. Bulletin 25-061 addresses the same issue in 2013–2017 Odysseys. Dealers sometimes misdiagnose as carbon build-up, recommending cylinder replacement instead of piston ring service.
Synthesized from 56 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
Car Coded P0301 Number 1 Cylinder misfire Serviced Immediately. Mechanic said Honda is having major problems with 3.5 Liter engine. Excessive wear to cylinder, Causing low oil, Misfire. Replaced sparkplug and coil. was down 1 quart of oil. It just had an oil change. Found this on line in Recall.Honda.com: INSUFFICIENT PISTON HARDNESS NHTSA RECALL NUMBER:13V-382 MFR CAMPAIGN ID:JB4 CAMPAIGN…
While driving in the mountains of colorado while on vacation our steering wheel was violently shaking and vibrating while braking downhill. This was very scary for our family from illinois to experience. We scheduled immediate repairs at the shop nearest us on 6/22/2015 with 36,206 miles on our Honda odyssey. We had new rotors on front and rear replaced and front brakes $685. Unfortunately,…
My 2013 Honda Odyssey showed a Check Engine Light and came to your Dealership. Initially agent said that it will cover by warranty and later he said that it will not cover by warranty. He is saying that it is expired and it would have been fixed if that showed up in that time frame. I called Honda Recall dept (888 234 2138) yesterday (12/03/2025) and spoke to one lady (later found that her name…
American Honda announced a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, soto et al.v. American Honda motor co., inc., case no. 3:12-cv-1377-si (n.d. Cal.). For specific 2013 Honda odyssey only. This issue do impact other Mini-vans that are not part of original settlement, like mine. I want this issue to re-open so that VIN that were not originally part of…
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH at nighttime, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle started shuddering while driving at 25 MPH. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a nearby independent mechanic and…
Oil leaked onto sparkplug, and caused engine misfire. While driving on the expressway the vehicle started misfiring causing us to have to exit get the vehicle serviced. The service shop confirmed this issue happens with honda vehicles, and we observed a recall has been issued for this exact issue, but my VIN, for some reason, is not eligible. The check engine light flashed when this issue…
This second occurrence, as we started to drive from park position, the car was running rough and the check engine light and traction light came on. The dealer diagnosed it is the piston rings, caused by bad rings that let the spark plugs get fouled. This appears to be the same issue as recall # 13v382000 where they changed the short block. They want to fix the piston rings and leave it at…
July 2022 - 6 spark plugs, 3 rear ignition coils, gasket set new/fixed (lots of various smaller fixes between these times) August 2023 - Check Emissions Light came on - replaced and switched the VV timing oil press switch and that quick fix had the light go away (lots of various smaller fixes between these times, including the alternator - battery already replaced) November 2024 - Check…
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the engine misfired and the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V382000 (Engine) however, the dealer replaced the piston rings instead of replacing the engine short block per the manufacturer's…
Had engine trouble with your 2013 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 engine problem on the 2013 Honda Odyssey?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 56 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 33 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 53,640 and 110,000 miles, with the median around 85,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 53,640; a quarter make it past 110,000. 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2013/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.