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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure7
  2. Suspension7
  3. Power train7
  4. Air bags4
  5. Vehicle speed control4
  6. Engine and engine cooling4
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  8. Electrical system2
  9. Engine1
  10. Fuel/propulsion system1
  11. Electronic stability control1
  12. Tires1
  13. Seat belts1
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20025
20036
20043
20055
20060
20072
20081
20091
20102
20113
20123
20131
20141
20150
20161
20170
20180
20190
20200
20211

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2014StructureODI 10577420

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2013Suspension, StructureODI 10519684

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2007Power trainODI 10197096

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2016Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10887377

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2007Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10198372

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2004Engine and engine coolingODI 10099859
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.