2013 Honda Odyssey: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
210 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The fourth-generation Odyssey (2011–2017) is one of the best minivans in the dataset, scoring in the 70s and 80s. The fifth generation launched for 2018 with a ten-speed automatic and a new infotainment system, and the record collapsed: nearly a thousand complaints for each of 2018 and 2019, most of them transmission shudder and hesitation, sliding-door failures, and the rear-seat entertainment system. Read the full note on the model page. 2013 specifically: a year the record favours — 210 complaints, score 82/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Honda Odyssey and Pilot: the transmission years to avoid, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 210 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 16.15
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Honda has a known defect with the engine of these vehicles. Specifically the 2013 that I own. I contacted them years ago when their first warranty extension expired because I was never contacted and my vehicle exhibited symptoms right after expiration( bulletin 13-061). Now they have done it again with bulletin 25-061. It expired Jan 2026 and they NEVER notified me, if they didn’t tell me they didn’t tell others. Thi…
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat heater was malfunctioning. The contact stated that upon engaging the seat heater, the seat heater was intermittently inoperable. Additionally, the contact noticed a strong burning odor inside the cabin. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was duplicated. The dealer retrieved DTC: B1C61; and recommended that …
Defect of front harness adjuster mechanism resulting in inability to tighten the straps. contact NUNA RAVA who gave me a cleaning kit that did not work. NUNA refusing to replace seat.
Recalls: 6 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 13V143000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing the brake pedal. |
| 17V725000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. |
| 13V016000 | Air Bags | Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing. |
| 23V858000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX… |
| 13V382000 | Engine | Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear. |
| 16V933000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2010, to October 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the third row of seats. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine69 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes56 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Structure20 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Electrical System15 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Air Bags14 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Power Train14 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Honda Odyssey years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Honda Odyssey?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (69 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Honda Odyssey a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 210 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Honda Odyssey's most common problem?
69 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Honda Odyssey sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Honda Odyssey cost to run per year?
About $5,606 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,032 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Honda Odyssey have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Honda Odyssey, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 15/04/2013. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Honda Odyssey really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 210 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 210 NHTSA complaints on record (16.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (28.0/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems