Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 07:04     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's an idle stop? Is that a thing with hybrids where they make that weird stop and start noise next to me at lights?

Sorry I still have a 2015 gas car


The feature OP is talking about is a mileage improving technology that most pure gas cars have now. It's called auto stop start. It turns the engine off at intersections but is supposed to restart periodically or turn the engine on when your foot hits the accelerator. Manufacturers added this to help meet government fuel economy requirements. My first car with it was a 2017. How it's turned off completely varies by manufacturer. Originally you could not disable it but many customers dislike the feel of the feature. So newer cars allow you to disable it each driving session. The manufacturers can't get credit for the fuel economy compliance unless it's turned on by default. That is why only aftermarket options turn this feature completely off.

OP, even if you don't find a Technical Bulletin, report your experience to NHTSA and Honda and keep records and any repair receipts. If it becomes a recall later, you could get reimbursed.

I was told it was to improve emissions as mandated by government and that the fuel economy savings is negligible. Can you disable it each time to avoid issue?


Mandated by our fearless former president. Talk about seeing the trees but not the forest…
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 04:34     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's an idle stop? Is that a thing with hybrids where they make that weird stop and start noise next to me at lights?

Sorry I still have a 2015 gas car


The feature OP is talking about is a mileage improving technology that most pure gas cars have now. It's called auto stop start. It turns the engine off at intersections but is supposed to restart periodically or turn the engine on when your foot hits the accelerator. Manufacturers added this to help meet government fuel economy requirements. My first car with it was a 2017. How it's turned off completely varies by manufacturer. Originally you could not disable it but many customers dislike the feel of the feature. So newer cars allow you to disable it each driving session. The manufacturers can't get credit for the fuel economy compliance unless it's turned on by default. That is why only aftermarket options turn this feature completely off.

OP, even if you don't find a Technical Bulletin, report your experience to NHTSA and Honda and keep records and any repair receipts. If it becomes a recall later, you could get reimbursed.

I was told it was to improve emissions as mandated by government and that the fuel economy savings is negligible. Can you disable it each time to avoid issue?
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 17:45     Subject: Re:Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so disappointing to read. I have a 2019 Honda Odyssey. Well, I've never experienced the auto start issue, I have a different issue that has never been addressed because it's never been replicated at the dealership. Unfortunately, it has not occurred for a while, but when I first bought the car a couple of times when I would accelerate after being at red light, my car would not shift gears and you can hear it revving as I'm speeding away. It felt like I was only in first or second gear and would never shift to third or fourth. The solution seemed to be to pull over, put my car into park and then go back into drive and then the gears would shift properly. This happened a few times and I took her to the dealer and it never got addressed because it wasn't replicated, fast-forward it hadn't happened in years, but about a month ago it happened again. Just once. I'm nervous that it will start happening again.


You probably pressed the gas pedal too hard while you were still learning the car. The transmission is programmed not to upshift or even downshift when you are trying to accelerate hard. The car needs to stay in a lower gear for that. Let off the gas and the transmission will shift normally.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 17:24     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:I found what I was looking for, Honda Service Bulletin 23-008 dated November 10, 2023, PGM-FI Idle Stop Software Update.

My 2018 Elite is noted as an affected vehicle so hopefully I have a leg to stand on.

Glad you found that. I hope they take care of it for you.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 17:19     Subject: Re:Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This thread is so disappointing to read. I have a 2019 Honda Odyssey. Well, I've never experienced the auto start issue, I have a different issue that has never been addressed because it's never been replicated at the dealership. Unfortunately, it has not occurred for a while, but when I first bought the car a couple of times when I would accelerate after being at red light, my car would not shift gears and you can hear it revving as I'm speeding away. It felt like I was only in first or second gear and would never shift to third or fourth. The solution seemed to be to pull over, put my car into park and then go back into drive and then the gears would shift properly. This happened a few times and I took her to the dealer and it never got addressed because it wasn't replicated, fast-forward it hadn't happened in years, but about a month ago it happened again. Just once. I'm nervous that it will start happening again.


Does it happen when your car is low on oil?


Because of the revving noise without energy behind the acceleration.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 17:17     Subject: Re:Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so disappointing to read. I have a 2019 Honda Odyssey. Well, I've never experienced the auto start issue, I have a different issue that has never been addressed because it's never been replicated at the dealership. Unfortunately, it has not occurred for a while, but when I first bought the car a couple of times when I would accelerate after being at red light, my car would not shift gears and you can hear it revving as I'm speeding away. It felt like I was only in first or second gear and would never shift to third or fourth. The solution seemed to be to pull over, put my car into park and then go back into drive and then the gears would shift properly. This happened a few times and I took her to the dealer and it never got addressed because it wasn't replicated, fast-forward it hadn't happened in years, but about a month ago it happened again. Just once. I'm nervous that it will start happening again.


Does it happen when your car is low on oil?
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 16:31     Subject: Re:Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

This thread is so disappointing to read. I have a 2019 Honda Odyssey. Well, I've never experienced the auto start issue, I have a different issue that has never been addressed because it's never been replicated at the dealership. Unfortunately, it has not occurred for a while, but when I first bought the car a couple of times when I would accelerate after being at red light, my car would not shift gears and you can hear it revving as I'm speeding away. It felt like I was only in first or second gear and would never shift to third or fourth. The solution seemed to be to pull over, put my car into park and then go back into drive and then the gears would shift properly. This happened a few times and I took her to the dealer and it never got addressed because it wasn't replicated, fast-forward it hadn't happened in years, but about a month ago it happened again. Just once. I'm nervous that it will start happening again.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 11:18     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:Pssstt - let me clue you in on a few things. Honda's quality has slipped greatly in the past decade. It's no longer an industry secret.

Yup, just won a lemon law due to a total transmission failure on a 2020 Odyssey still under powertrain warranty. Honda fought tooth and nail to avoid doing the right thing.
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 11:16     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:Pssstt - let me clue you in on a few things. Honda's quality has slipped greatly in the past decade. It's no longer an industry secret.


Once they started making cars outside of Japan, all downhills from there. Just not possible to maintain the same quality rigor when making cars in different cultures
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 11:06     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Pssstt - let me clue you in on a few things. Honda's quality has slipped greatly in the past decade. It's no longer an industry secret.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 19:15     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:This happened to me, but with a Subaru Forester! I am also mad. And there is a class action but not (yet) for my model year.

Replacing the battery with a bigger one per their service bulletin thing did work. But I also just press the a with a circle every time. At some point I’ll get around to installing the permanent stop thing. Even though the car works now, I don’t trust the autostop at all.


We had this issue with a Subaru.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 19:09     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

My 2018 Odysssey’s original battery caused me a lot of problems as well even though the dealer claimed it was fine on multiple occasions. I tested it myself and it failed. I replaced it with an AGM battery which is a big upgrade from the standard. Specifically I got an Optima Yellowtop and highly recommended it for any car owner.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 17:09     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

This happened to me, but with a Subaru Forester! I am also mad. And there is a class action but not (yet) for my model year.

Replacing the battery with a bigger one per their service bulletin thing did work. But I also just press the a with a circle every time. At some point I’ll get around to installing the permanent stop thing. Even though the car works now, I don’t trust the autostop at all.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 17:05     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

I found what I was looking for, Honda Service Bulletin 23-008 dated November 10, 2023, PGM-FI Idle Stop Software Update.

My 2018 Elite is noted as an affected vehicle so hopefully I have a leg to stand on.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 15:38     Subject: Honda Odyssey 2018 - Engine died at traffic light

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's an idle stop? Is that a thing with hybrids where they make that weird stop and start noise next to me at lights?

Sorry I still have a 2015 gas car


The feature OP is talking about is a mileage improving technology that most pure gas cars have now. It's called auto stop start. It turns the engine off at intersections but is supposed to restart periodically or turn the engine on when your foot hits the accelerator. Manufacturers added this to help meet government fuel economy requirements. My first car with it was a 2017. How it's turned off completely varies by manufacturer. Originally you could not disable it but many customers dislike the feel of the feature. So newer cars allow you to disable it each driving session. The manufacturers can't get credit for the fuel economy compliance unless it's turned on by default. That is why only aftermarket options turn this feature completely off.

OP, even if you don't find a Technical Bulletin, report your experience to NHTSA and Honda and keep records and any repair receipts. If it becomes a recall later, you could get reimbursed.


This.