Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 Honda Odyssey brakes problems
moderate Owners of the 2020 Honda Odyssey have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Odyssey | 5 |
| 2018 Odyssey | 19 |
| 2019 Odyssey | 17 |
| 2020 Odyssey (this page) | 11 |
| 2022 Odyssey | 7 |
| 2023 Odyssey | 3 |
| 2024 Odyssey | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 11 brakes complaints filed for the 2020 Honda Odyssey, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes 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 - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2018-2021 Accords, 2019-2017 Civics, 2017-2021 CR-Vs, 2018-2021 Odysseys & 2018-2021 Pilots with a customer complaint of an unexpected CMBS operation or a brake application. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2020 Honda Odyssey brake complaints center on three distinct problems. First, multiple owners describe complete brake failure—pedal goes soft or to the floor with no resistance, vehicle shakes and grinds, and won't decelerate despite driver pressure. One owner reported it took roughly a third of a mile to stop going downhill. These failures happen at low mileage (2,618 to 4,000 miles) and recur unpredictably. Dealerships resurfaced rotors twice on one vehicle with no fix; others found no stored codes and refused to investigate further.
Second, several owners report unexpected automatic braking triggered during the automatic start/stop cycle when restarting at traffic lights. The brakes engage without driver input, the Forward Collision Warning system disables, and the brake light flashes for up to a minute—creating confusion about whether the vehicle will respond to the driver's next command.
Third, and most frequent across complaints, the forward-facing camera fails and knocks out multiple safety features at once: adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, auto high-beam, collision warning, and blind spot alerts. Owners report dealers demanding $1,800 for a replacement camera not covered under Honda's extended warranty. This failure mode appears unrelated to physical brake wear but gets lumped into "brake system" warning lights, confusing diagnosis.
Same Honda Odyssey brakes reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Brake Pedal Loss of Stopping Power
Brake pedal depressed with no stopping effect; vehicle continues forward despite driver input. Pedal sometimes goes to floor with no resistance or grinding/slipping sound.
When: Between 2,618 and 4,000 miles; incidents occur intermittently, sometimes at stop signs or parking, sometimes while descending slight grades.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle shakes or vibrates when braking; Audible grinding noise from brakes; Brake pedal feels soft or goes to floor; Vehicle does not decelerate despite pedal pressure; Takes extended distance to stop (one owner reported 1/3 mile)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership resurfaced rotors twice on one vehicle; brakes continued to fail. Other dealers unable to replicate or find root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to find stored error codes or duplicate problem; one dealership refused warranty coverage for computer replacement and offered no remedy.
Intermittent Automatic Braking with Automatic Start/Stop
After automatic start/stop restarts engine at traffic stop, vehicle lurches forward and brakes apply unexpectedly without driver input. Forward Collision Warning System disables; brake light flashes on dash for 30 seconds to one minute.
When: Intermittent, approximately 4 incidents reported; occurs during automatic start/stop cycle at complete stops.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lurches when engine restarts after stop; Brakes apply independently from driver action; Forward Collision Warning System disabled message on dashboard; Brake warning light flashes repeatedly; Vehicle does not respond predictably to driver input
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda dealership (Penske Honda, Indianapolis, Indiana) unable to replicate issue or find stored error codes.
Multi-Purpose Forward Camera Failure
Forward-facing windshield camera malfunction disables multiple vehicle safety systems simultaneously: adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic high-beam, forward collision warning/automatic emergency braking, blind spot alerts, and road departure mitigation.
When: Reported on vehicles with 3+ years ownership; one incident occurred after vehicle was parked for several hours.
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple simultaneous warning lights on dashboard (ACC, LKAS, Auto High Beam, Brake System, Collision Warning); All safety features become inoperative; Warning lights remain illuminated even after vehicle restart
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnosed as multi-purpose camera malfunction requiring replacement. Owners report replacement cost of approximately $1,800.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda not covering camera replacement under extended warranty; customers required to pay for repair out of pocket.
Brake Squeak and Noise
Loud squeaking noise from brakes shortly after vehicle purchase, particularly at low mileage (2,618 miles).
When: Immediately after purchase; 4,000 miles reported for abnormal brake sound.
Symptoms owners cite: Loud squeaking noise from brakes; Abnormal grinding or pulsating sounds during braking
Repairs/costs cited: Rotors resurfaced twice by dealership without resolving underlying stopping-power issue.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Multi-Purpose camera has failed according to Honda dealership. No safety features work in the car. You pay for the car to have these features and then they fail after only 3 years? Have been dealing with this issue for almost 2 years now. Honda wants $1,800 for the new camera. This is a safety issue that Honda should be responsible for fixing. No adaptive cruise control, no lane keeping assist,…
When pulling into a parking space this morning and applying the brakes, the brake pedal did not engage. Pedal went to the floor with no resistance while making a grinding/slipping sound. I was going straight, less than 5 MPH. I released the brake and reapplied quickly (pumped the brakes) before brakes finally engaged. This caused me to come very close, almost hitting the parked car in front of me…
Had brakes trouble with your 2020 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 brakes problem on the 2020 Honda Odyssey?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $450 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 3,145 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 $450 for brakes 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 brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes 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/2020/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.