2018 Honda Odyssey · symptom sheet
Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear
- 38owner reports
- 48,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
38 of the 68 reports of transmission shudder on the 2018 Odyssey describe jerking or hard shifts.
Part of Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (68 reports) · also: hesitation when accelerating
Tick what matches of 38 reports
Jerking or hard shifts on other Odyssey years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the narrower sheet inside transmission shudder for shifts that jerk, lurch or bang. Where the wider sheet also takes in slipping and vibration, these reports are about a shift that arrives too hard: the car lunges forward, or a clunk comes through the floor as it drops into gear.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
Loose battery terminal connections or a degraded battery may cause the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) to unexpectedly reboot. Upon rebooting, the TCU may shift the transmission to the "Park" position, possibly damaging the parking rod.
All 16 recalls on the 2018 Honda Odyssey, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 8,000 and 59,000 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2018 Honda Odyssey that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
The transmission has intermittent harsh or jerky upshifts with steady acceleration, or the MIL comes on with DTC P0716.
What owners wrote
“While driving the car lurches as it shifts gears. This had gone on for quite some time but no codes have been thrown. This last time the car lurched so badly at the beginning of acceleration that I thought it was going to stall. It did not, but lights began flashing on the dash and when codes were (finally) thrown I was told I needed a new transmission altogether.”
Filed Aug 6, 2026
“When driving the transmission is slipping meaning it jerks forward when accelerating on the road.”
Filed Apr 5, 2026
“The transmission has been acting weird - not shifting appropriately and jerking when shifting for about 2500 miles previous to this. The car has had routine maintenance and all recall work completed at dealership. At 86000 the transmission needs to be replaced. In addition, when it would get really wet or go through a car wash the transmission wouldn't function properly and not go into reverse at all.”
Filed Feb 27, 2024 · 2,500 miles
“I scheduled a transmission flush service. After driving i noticed a jerking motion at about 25mph. Took back to honda and they charged me again to do another flush. Issue still persists.Service advisor said may be the transmission. Researching on line seems many have had problems with this transmission model. I knew another flush was not going to fix the issue but dealership was able to make an additional $283.”
Filed Aug 17, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 38 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 136 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 134 reports
- Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves 121 reports
- Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out 115 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 104 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 85 reports
- Sliding door won't open, close or latch 61 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 51 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 45 reports
- Fuel pump failure 41 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 41 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 40 reports
- Tailgate or liftgate will not open or close 39 reports
- Water leaks into the cabin 38 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 33 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 25 reports