Airbags are critical safety devices, saving countless lives, yet they can cause injuries if they deploy improperly or at the wrong time. This is the issue behind a recent recall of over 440,000 Honda Odyssey minivans. According to new information published on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, this problem has already resulted in 25 reported injuries.

Honda initiated an investigation in 11/2017 after receiving its first incident report. By 7/2021, the investigation concluded that certain conditions, such as driving over road debris (like bricks or rocks) or experiencing undercarriage impacts, could exceed the activation threshold for the second and third-row airbags, causing them to deploy erroneously. The recall notice also specified that potholes and speed bumps could trigger side airbag deployment.

A Honda Odyssey owner reported that a side airbag deployed when the vehicle drove over a parking lot speed bump in late 2021. Photo: Honda Odyssey Forum

Initially, in 10/2021, Honda found no safety issue. However, concerns resurfaced in 10/2025 when the automaker received a request for a preliminary evaluation from NHTSA. This ultimately led to the recall decision on 2/4, nearly a decade after the initial incident was reported.

The recall affects 440,830 Odyssey minivans from model years 2018-2022. In addition to the 25 injury reports, there have been 130 warranty claims related to this issue. For affected vehicles, dealers will reprogram or entirely replace the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit, free of charge.

Honda has not yet announced additional preventative measures. Until their vehicles are inspected, owners are advised to drive carefully and avoid excessive speeds over rough surfaces or speed bumps. If possible, passengers should sit in the front row, where airbag deployment is unaffected. The middle-rear seat may also offer a safer alternative if a rear side airbag deploys unexpectedly.

This latest recall follows a recent safety test by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which highlighted inadequate protection for rear passengers in minivans. Among all minivans tested, the 2026 Odyssey received the lowest score in the left overlap crash test.

In this specific test, IIHS found a particularly high risk of head and neck injuries for rear passengers, resulting in a "poor" rating. The likelihood of chest injuries was also higher than ideal, leading to a "marginal" rating.