Problems · by component
2013 Honda Odyssey service brakes problems
55 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Odyssey cite service brakes, 26% of all 210 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
55
26% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“We have taken our 2013 Honda Odyssey several times to the shop because the brakes don’t feel safe. They seem to work fine but the brakes pedal is spongy. Keeping the brake pedal slightly pressed with the engine running, the pedal continues to sink almost to the floor. So far we have spent over $1000 for a new brake booster, new master cylinder, brake fluid flush and brake bleeding. The shop bled the brakes several times, manual and computer bleeding but the brakes are still spongy.”
“FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARP CAUSING STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AND BRAKE PEDAL THUMPING. ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED 3 TIMES ONLY TO HAPPEN AGAIN AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES. AT HIGHER SPEEDS ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. HONDA WON'T UPGRADE TO BETTER PERFORMING ROTORS. NEED A SAFETY RECALL. LONG TIME ISSUE.”
“I WAS IN A PARKING LOT GOING LESS THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS TURNING RIGHT INTO A PARKING SPACE. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED OVER THE CEMENT CHOCK BLOCK, HITTING A POLE IN FRONT OF THE STORE.”
“WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW. OVERALL IT HAS BEEN EXCELLENT, BUT IT DOES HAVE ONE HORRIBLE SAFETY FLAW. THE BRAKES HEAT UP AND WARP ON EVEN A SMALL HILL AND CAUSE THE STEERING TO SHAKE TERRIBLY WHEN BREAKING. THE DEALER WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, FOR A PREMIUM OF COURSE, AND YOU ARE GOOD TO GO FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THEN IT COMES RIGHT BACK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND I'M REALLY SURPRISED THAT HONDA HASN'T BEEN FORCED TO DO A RECALL SINCE THEY WON'T DO ONE ON THEIR OWN. THEY CALL IT "WEAR AND TEAR". YEAH, RIGHT. IT'S SO COMMON THAT THE DEALER SPECIFICALLY ASKS ABOUT IT EVERY TIME WE COME IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE OR WHATEVER. "ANY ISSUES WITH SHAKING DURING BREAKING?" SORRY, BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A NORMAL QUESTION EVERY TIME A CAR COMES IN FOR SERVICE. WE'VE PAID FOR THE "REPAIRS" A FEW TIMES, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING FOR THE SAME PARTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO NOW I JUST ANSWER YES, BUT THAT IT'S NOT SHAKING ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE TEMPORARY REPAIRS AGAIN. REALLY, IT'S KIND OF SCARY AND HORRIBLE. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. THIS IS A MINIVAN. MINIVANS ARE USUALLY FILLED WITH KIDS.…”
“PULSATION/SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL TO THE POINT OF FEELING LIKE GOING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN BRAKING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 45 - 55 MPH. HAVE HAD TO HAVE ROTORS RESURFACED TWICE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM (1ST IN 2015 AT 24,177 MILES BUT UNDER WARRANTY, 2ND IN 2017 AT $204 AND THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN AT 51,542). NOW BEING TOLD TO RESURFACE THEM ONCE MORE OR REPLACE FRONT BRAKES AND PADS FOR $668 AND IF REPLACED WILL BE WITH THE NEW DESIGN OF THE ROTORS ALLOWS FOR MORE AIR FLOW. IF THERE IS A NEW DESIGN, THEN OBVIOUSLY HONDA KNOWS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE OLD DESIGN AND SHOULD HAVE DONE A RECALL. IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUES ONLINE (CARSCOMPLAINTS.COM, REPAIRPAL.COM) MANY OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. I'VE NEVER HAD TO HAD ROTORS RESURFACED SO MANY TIMES.”
“BEFORE MY CAR REACHED THE 20,000 MILE AGE THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES WHEN DECELERATING AT 50-30 MPH SPEED. ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY CAN CHECK WHAT IS WRONG. THEY SAID THE BRAKES ARE FINE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A WHEEL BALANCE ISSUE BUT THE CAR IS NEW. NOT UNTIL I READ ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CAR. NOW MY CAR IS 57,000 MILES OLD AND WILL NEED THE ROTOR AND PADS REPLACED. OUTSIDE MECHANIC CHARGING ME $450 FOR ROTOR REPLACEMENT, PADS AND LABOR.”
Showing 6 of 55 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.