Service bulletin - A judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch may be felt while driving between 20 and 60 mph. The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter. American Honda investigated this and found that the torque converter is not causing the judder and the transmission is not damaged by it. The judder was caused by deteriorated transmission fluid. The transmission fluid deteriorates quicker than expected when it is exposed to intermittent high heat loads under specific driving conditions. A software update is available to maintain the transmission fluid temperature within the desirable range under all driving conditions and eliminate the potential for this judder.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Honda Odyssey powertrain problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Honda Odyssey have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Odyssey | 14 |
| 2010 Odyssey | 19 |
| 2011 Odyssey | 18 |
| 2012 Odyssey | 22 |
| 2013 Odyssey (this page) | 13 |
| 2014 Odyssey | 70 |
| 2015 Odyssey | 39 |
| 2016 Odyssey | 37 |
| 2017 Odyssey | 7 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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 - A judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch may be felt while driving between 20 and 60 mph. The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter. American Honda investigated this and found that the torque converter is not causing the judder and the transmission is not damaged by it. The judder was caused by deteriorated transmission fluid. The transmission fluid deteriorates quicker than expected when it is exposed to intermittent high heat loads under specific driving conditions. A software update is available to maintain the transmission fluid temperature within the desirable range under all driving conditions and eliminate the potential for this judder.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - A judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch may be felt while driving between 20 and 60 mph. The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter. American Honda investigated the judder and found that the torque converter was not causing the judder and the transmission is not damaged by this judder.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - A judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch may be felt while driving between 20 and 60 mph. The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter. American Honda investigated the judder and found that the torque converter was not causing the judder and the transmission is not damaged by this judder.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - A judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch may be felt while driving between 20 and 60mph. The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter. American Honda investigated the judder and found that the torque converter was not causing the judder; rather, it was caused by deteriorated transmission fluid. The transmission fluid deteriorates quicker than expected when it is exposed to intermittent high heat loads under specific driving conditions. American Honda is working on a software update that will maintain the transmission fluid temperature within the desirable range under all driving conditions and eliminate the potential for this judder. American Honda
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2013 Odysseys consistently report cylinder misfires with codes P0301, P0303, and P0304, typically accompanied by rough idle, loss of power, and check engine lights between 104,000 and 184,000 miles. Spark plugs show oil fouling on inspection, and the problem recurs within weeks of spark plug and ignition coil replacement—some owners experience failures three times within 3,000 to 6,000 miles. Mechanics identify piston ring leakage as the root cause, allowing oil into the combustion chamber.
Honda issued Service Bulletin 13-081 and a Class Action Settlement (Soto v. Honda) that extended warranty coverage for this exact defect. In June 2025, Honda released bulletin 25-061 extending powertrain warranty to 10 years or 150,000 miles through January 31, 2026 for affected 2013–2016 Odysseys. However, multiple owners report dealers refusing coverage, claiming individual VINs are not flagged in Honda's system or requiring a third failure before honoring the warranty. Independent repair costs range from $166 to over $1,700; some owners report dealers initially approving short-block replacement then reversing that decision.
Separately, a handful of owners report acceleration hesitation and power loss at highway speeds (35–65 mph), with RPM dropping sharply and no response for 1–3 seconds. One owner also documented brake failure during reverse and downhill driving. Oil consumption at roughly 1 quart per 1,000 miles is mentioned by multiple owners as an ongoing concern.
Same Honda Odyssey powertrain reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Cylinder misfire with spark plug oil fouling
Check engine light and VSA light illuminate; engine idles roughly and loses power. Diagnostic codes P0301, P0303, or P0304 (cylinder-specific misfires) appear. Spark plugs show oil fouling; owners report repeated failures within 3,000–6,000 miles of initial repair. Root cause traced to piston ring leakage and oil entering combustion chamber.
When: Between 104,000 and 184,000 miles; recurring after initial spark plug and coil replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light (CEL) and VSA light illumination; Rough idle; Loss of acceleration / vehicle limping; Engine shaking and violent shuddering; Flashing CEL in advanced cases; Oil-fouled spark plugs on inspection
Codes mentioned: P0301, P0303, P0304, P0353
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanics and dealers replaced spark plugs, ignition coils, and in at least one case attempted short-block replacement. Cost examples: $166.75 (coil/plug), $255.41 (coil circuit diagnosis), $1,722.86 (EVAP diagnostic), full short-block authorization then denied. Piston ring replacement recommended but owner unable to proceed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin 13-081 (MIL Comes On with DTCs P0301–P0304); Class Action Settlement (Soto v. Honda) extended warranty coverage. New bulletin 25-061 (June 2025) extends powertrain warranty to 10 years/150,000 miles through Jan 31, 2026 for 2013–2016 Odysseys. However, multiple owners report Honda and dealers declining coverage citing VIN not flagged, requiring third failure before warranty application, or claiming code mismatch between independent diagnostics and Honda dealer scanner.
Acceleration hesitation and power loss at highway speeds
Unpredictable power loss when accelerating at 35–65 mph, particularly uphill. ECO light flashes; RPM drops sharply (2000 to 1000) and vehicle does not respond for 1–3 seconds. Removing foot from pedal and reapplying restores normal response. Occurs on at least 20 occasions over two-week period; later recurs 5 times in 2 days, then stops for 6+ weeks.
When: During highway driving; sporadic over weeks
Symptoms owners cite: Failure to accelerate at 35–65 mph; ECO light flashing on/off multiple times; Rapid RPM drop during acceleration attempt; 1–3 second delay before vehicle responds; Hesitation at stop sign/red light with tachometer drop from ~2000 to ~1000 RPM; Surge forward after 1–2 second pause when accelerator pressed from stop
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives.
Brake failure during reverse and forward motion
Vehicle fails to stop while backing out of parking space and again fails to stop when driven down steep driveway. In first incident, owner had to shift to drive to regain control; vehicle hit curb, hopped it, and struck embankment. In second incident, vehicle drove onto roadway despite brake application; owner noted brakes improved as transmission warmed. No repairs attempted.
When: 4/12/23 and 4/19/23; at low speeds during reverse/downhill
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes unresponsive in reverse; Brakes unresponsive when driving downhill; Improved braking as transmission warmed
Repairs/costs cited: None documented.
Excessive engine oil consumption
Multiple owners report warnings from service technicians that oil level is critically low. One owner states oil burns at rate of approximately 1 quart per 1,000 miles, requiring constant monitoring. Oil leakage into combustion chamber noted during spark plug fouling diagnostics.
When: Ongoing throughout ownership; most noted at oil change intervals between 104,000 and 184,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Low oil level warnings at oil changes; Oil leakage into combustion chamber; Rapid oil consumption (1 quart per ~1,000 miles)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSBs 13-081 and 11-033 address VCM-related engine oil issues; specific coverage status unclear for individual owners beyond warranty extension bulletin.
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 powertrain 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 powertrain problem on the 2013 Honda Odyssey?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 13 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 77,705 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.