Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Honda Passport problems
Owners filed 35 complaints about the 2002 Honda Passport with NHTSA between Sep 2002 and Jun 2021. The most-cited component is structure (7).
Complaints
35
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Structure7
- Suspension7
- Power train7
- Air bags4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Electrical system2
- Engine1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Electronic stability control1
- Tires1
- Seat belts1
- Other / unknown1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
6
3
5
0
2
1
1
2
3
3
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Structure
7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA PASSPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.”
Suspension
7 reports1 related recall
“I PURCHASED A 2002 HONDA PASSPORT USED, I RECENTLY HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE CAR AND WHEN CHECKED PART OF THE FRAME WAS BROKEN. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL, NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT IT. I CALLED A DEALER AND WAITED 5 DAYS AND CALLED THEM AGAIN AND THEY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY WILL NOT RELEASE IT TO ME. THEY SAID THAT IS NOT THE TRACKING LINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM, IT IS THE FRAME. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE FRAME ROTTING NOT JUST THE TRACKING LINKS. HONDA IS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AND THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR”
Power train
7 reports
“THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 HONDA ODDYSEY WAS MAKING CLUNKY SHIFTS TO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. LARRY HOPKINS HONDA SERVICE SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR 1999-2001 HONDA ODDYSEYS TRANSMISSIONS, AND THEY STILL DIDN'T FIX IT ON 2002 MODEL. OTHER INFO: ON 7/16/04, I TOOK CAR IN FOR THE RECALL/FIX (28,537 MILES)-- INSTALL OIL INJECTOR INTO TRANSMISSION. *JB”
Air bags
4 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA PASSPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND THE SPEED INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE FRONT END SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports4 crashes
“WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE (CAR IN REVERSE). DUE TO THE TIGHTNESS OF THE AREA, HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE TO PULL FORWARD SLIGHTLY AND THEN AGAIN IN REVERSE. WHEN THE CAR WAS PUT IN DRIVE THE SECOND TIME, IT LUNGED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING WHEN IT HIT A PARKED CAR. EVERYTHING TURNED OFF ONCE THE CAR WAS PUT IN PARK AND THE IGNITION TURNED OFF. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
4 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO ENGINE SLUDGE. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.