Honda Odyssey Airbag Recall: Class Action Suit Says 2018-2022 Models Equipped with Side Airbags That Can Deploy Spontaneously

A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Honda has knowingly concealed a dangerous side airbag defect in hundreds of thousands of 2018-2022 Odyssey minivans, a problem that can cause the airbags to deploy without warning, with no collision or discernible trigger.

According to the 112-page lawsuit, the Honda Odyssey vehicles at issue are equipped with a defective Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) that can cause the side curtain and side thorax airbags to deploy “spontaneously.” The complaint says that consumers have reported experiencing the problem even in conditions with no apparent trigger, such as while slowing down, driving on a flat road, and refueling a stationary vehicle.

The filing alleges that Honda has known of the SRS defect since at least May 2019 from a plethora of consumer complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and “Honda’s own employees and dealers” having submitted at least one early warning report of the problem to the NHTSA.

The lawsuit says Odyssey drivers have reported serious injuries that include burns from the explosive force of airbag deployment, nausea and lightheadedness from breathing chemical fumes released when the airbags are deployed, and hearing loss.

The minivans at issue in the Honda class action lawsuit include all 2018-2022 Honda Odyssey minivans (the “class vehicles”), an estimated 441,002 Odyssey minivans nationwide, the suit says, citing the NHTSA, which opened an investigation into the Honda Odyssey airbag problems in 2025.

“Had Plaintiffs and Class members known the truth about the defect, they would not have purchased the vehicles at the prices they paid, or at all,” the class action lawsuit states.

Honda Odyssey not as safe or reliable for families as advertised, class action suit claims

The lawsuit relays that Honda Odyssey minivans are among the most popular family vehicles on the market, with the automaker’s marketing and advertising emphasizing “Safety Features and Performance for the Family.” Per the suit, the “suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies” in each Honda Odyssey includes three-row side-curtain airbags for “all outboard seating positions” designed to provide head, neck and torso protection during a side collision.

Per the suit, Honda has even partnered with Disney for promotions, sweepstakes and ad campaigns, effectively cementing the Odyssey’s “brand identity as a family vehicle.” Indeed, the case highlights that the Odyssey’s “core consumers” are young families who chose the vehicle primarily because of the touted safety benefits and Honda’s positioning of the Odyssey as the “Ultimate Family Vehicle” and the “most popular” minivan for buyers under 35.

Although the side airbags are touted by Honda as a key safety feature, the lawsuit alleges that the Odyssey side airbags do not provide the advertised safety benefits due to their propensity to deploy suddenly in the absence of any triggering event.

Additionally, the complaint claims that Honda has failed to properly investigate the source of the alleged SRS defect. Per the case, one consumer indicated that the automaker “claimed they couldn’t find any reason” for the problem and declined to cover repairs.

Furthermore, the case says that Honda reportedly told consumers that it is “normal” for an Odyssey side airbag to improperly activate, including in common situations such as driving over a speed bump or traveling at the relatively slow speed of 26 miles per hour.

The suit charges that Honda’s “uniform pattern of deflection” with regard to the SRS side airbag defect indicates a companywide approach of refusing to acknowledge the problem.

The case says that in addition to sustaining physical injuries when the side airbags deploy, drivers are put at further risk when the deployed airbags block a clear view of the side windows and mirrors, restricting visibility and increasing the likelihood of a dangerous accident.

Honda delayed airbag recall, filing says

Per the complaint, Honda announced on April 9, 2026 a recall of more than 400,000 2018-2022 Odyssey vehicles, citing concerns that the SRS system used “incorrect deployment parameters” for the side airbags, which could lead to “inadvertent” deployment when the vehicle encounters potholes, speed bumps, or other road debris.

The recall notice states that Honda first received an incident report about the SRS system problem as early as November 15, 2017. By the time the recall was issued last month, Honda had received at least 130 warranty claims and 25 reports of injury associated with the SRS system defect, the filing states.

“…Honda waited several years, with voluminous knowledge of the Defect, before agreeing to any recall at all," the suit states. "There is no indication as of the filing of this complaint that Honda’s recall is fully effective, and indeed its technical description appears to envision something less than a full replacement and repair of the defective airbag system in the Class Vehicles.”

According to the filing, Honda, during the time period at issue, announced several recalls for Odyssey minivans to address other airbag-related defects, including a defective airbag sensor, while failing to address the apparent “pattern of spontaneous deployments.”

Lawsuit says that once side airbag defect manifests, SRS system is rendered “inoperable”

The class action lawsuit goes on to stress that once the defect manifests and the side airbags are improperly deployed, the minivan’s entire SRS system is rendered “inoperable” until it is repaired, depriving consumers of the benefit of the touted safety features. The filing says that repairing the Odyssey side airbags can reportedly cost between $3,000 and $11,000 out of pocket, as Honda has reportedly refused to cover repairs under the vehicle warranty.

Even if repairs were covered by the warranty, consumers have been left with defective vehicles that are diminished in value, the lawsuit states.

The case says the SRS system defect is “concentrated” in Honda Odyssey vehicles; comparable minivans—such as the Toyota Sienna, Kia Carnival and Chrysler Pacifica— have no “analogous” complaints on the NHTSA database.

Who is covered by the Honda Odyssey side airbag defect lawsuit?

The Honda Odyssey class action lawsuit seeks to represent all individuals or entities that purchased or leased one or more model year 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and/or 2022 Honda Odyssey vehicles in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Texas at any time from May 25, 2017 to the present.

How do I sign up for the Honda Odyssey side airbag lawsuit?

Generally, you don’t need to do anything to join or sign up for a class action lawsuit when it is initially filed. Should the case be resolved with a class action settlement, class members will typically receive written notice of the deal via mail and/or email with instructions on any next steps and details about their legal rights.

Keep in mind that some class action lawsuits take years to settle.

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