If you’ve owned your 5th generation Honda Odyssey for at least a few years now, you’ve most likely had your battery die on you. Not only are the original car batteries on these vehicles notorious for completely losing charge only after 2-3 years of use, but they tend to get drained if you happen to leave your car on (car on, but not running) for a short length time. Car batteries generally range somewhere between 2-5 years, so it seems the OEM battery on the Honda Odyssey seems to die a bit sooner than the norm.
If you look at online forums and Facebook groups specific to the 5th gen Honda Odyssey, you will hear about the same issue over and over again. The general consensus seems to be that there is something wrong with the original battery that comes with the car. As soon as anyone mentions that their battery died, almost everyone jumps in to say that the battery is bad and needs replacing. However, this is not always the case.
If you are still under Honda’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, it covers the car battery for 3 years or 36,000 miles. Reach out to your Honda Dealership if you fall within this warranty period so that they can diagnose and replace the battery free-of-charge. Keep in mind that if you have a Honda Care Extended Warranty, it does not cover maintenance items, which includes the car battery.
In my opinion, I believe that the 2018-2023 Honda Odyssey tends to draw more electrical load than normal. Therefore, if you leave your car on but not running, it can easily drain your battery. Even if you have a dead battery, you should still be able to jump start it and drive it for a while to recharge it back to good health. Just because you have a dead battery (usually meaning you have low voltage, not zero voltage), doesn’t mean that the battery is bad and needs replacing.
However, if the issue of your car battery dying becomes a recurring problem, it may be due to a parasitic drain, or it can be a sign that your battery is on its way out. You might also consider changing the battery as preventative maintenance. Most people replace the OEM battery with an aftermarket one, which typically offers better performance and longevity.
Tools & Materials Needed
Mechanics Tool Set or Socket Set
You’ll only need a 10mm socket for this job. You’ll also need a Phillips head and flat head screwdriver. If you don’t have a mechanics tool set, here’s a nice starter set that I recommend: DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set, 84-Piece.
If you’re in the market for a mechanics tool set, check out this article for things to consider prior to purchasing one.
Nitrile Gloves
MedPride Nitrile Exam Gloves, Powder-Free Box/100 – Small | Medium | Large
Car Battery
You have the option of replacing the original Honda car battery with another OEM one. But, if you compare the performance of the available aftermarket ones for our 5th gen Honda Odyssey with the original one, you’ll find that they tend to exceed the specifications of the OEM battery.
You can also choose to go with a regular lead acid battery instead of an AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery that comes with the car, but it’s recommended to stick with the same type of battery if you’re replacing it. Benefits of an AGM battery include better cycling performance and faster charging capabilities. The only downside is usually higher cost.
I’ve put together a comparison chart of available aftermarket AGM batteries below. Since the original battery is an AGM battery, I’ve restricted this list to include only AGM batteries. Below, you’ll find the CCA (cold-cranking amperage) values as this is an indicator of cold-start performance, as well as the RC (reserve capacity) durations which tells you how long the battery can run (without the vehicle running) before the battery is “depleted”.
Amongst the batteries on this list, the warranty period ranges between 3-4 years, and the price varies somewhere between $170-$350. You can see that CCA performance on the aftermarket batteries is much better than the OEM one. The OEM reserve capacity is unknown and I don’t see it listed on the battery itself, but I would expect it to be lower than the aftermarket ones as well.
Comparison of Aftermarket AGM Car Batteries for the 2018-2023 Honda Odyssey
| AGM Car Battery | CCA (Cold- Cranking Amperage) | RC (Reserve Capacity) | Warranty | Approximate Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OEM Honda (31500-TZ7-AGM100M) | 650 A | Unknown | 3 yrs | $200 |
| Odyssey Performance Series (ODP-AGM48 H6 L3) | 720 A | 130 min. | 4 yrs | $300 |
| Interstate – Sold at Costco (MTX-48/H6) | 760 A | 120 min. | 3 yrs | $180 |
| EverStart Platinum (AGM H6) | 760 A | 120 min. | 4 yrs | $170 |
| NAPA The Legend Premium (BAT 9848) | 760 A | 120 min. | 3 yrs | $250 |
| ACDelco Gold (48AGM) | 760 A | 120 min. | 3 yrs | $200 |
| DieHard Platinum (H6-AGM) | 760 A | 120 min. | 3 yrs | $260 |
| Optima Yellow Top (DH6) | 800 A | 140 min. | 3 yrs | $350 |
How to Replace Car Battery in a 2018-2023 Honda Odyssey
Unfortunately, the car battery is not readily accessible on these vehicles, but you only need to remove a couple of parts to get access to it. It takes about 20-30 minutes for the whole process of replacing the battery.
First, remove the front plastic trim piece that is located above the grille. Just use your hands and pull straight up on this piece to dislodge it from the trim clips. With all the trim clips off, carefully remove it while navigating it around the hood latch.
Next, you’ll need to remove the air intake duct. Unscrew the middle plastic screw and then pull out the clips to set aside with either some push-pin pliers or a flat head screwdriver. Then pull the whole intake piece out and away from the air filter housing opening.
There’s now access to the battery, but you still need to remove the battery hold-down strap, disconnect the terminal leads, and pull off the battery cover before you can pull out the battery.
Pull off the clip that secures the terminal lead wiring by either pulling it off or using a flat head screwdriver to pry it off.
Then use a flat head screwdriver to unclip the connector at the negative terminal of the battery, then pull it off.
Next, disconnect the battery terminals. First, loosen the negative lead with a 10mm socket and then pull it off. With the negative lead separated from negative terminal of the battery, loosen the 10mm bolt on the positive terminal and remove the positive lead off the positive terminal of the battery.
Now, you can remove the battery cover and then the battery itself. The battery should have handles that make it easier to lift the battery out of its place.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison between the new Everstart Platinum AGM Battery I got from Walmart with the OEM Honda one. In terms of size, they look identical but the aftermarket one offers a boost in performance.
Before installing the new battery, you may want to clean the inside of the battery tray. I used my Dyson Vacuum with an attachment to vacuum up the dirt and leaves.
Put the new battery back into the battery tray (negative terminal pointed towards front of car) and then replace the battery cover. Then install the terminal leads: positive terminal first, then negative terminal last. Don’t forget the electrical connector that connects to the negative terminal as well. Reinstall the rest in reverse order of removal.
After everything is reinstalled, test out your vehicle to make sure everything is operating properly. When you start your vehicle for the first time, you might get an Anti Theft System message like this on your infotainment system. Re-enable the Anti Theft System by holding the power button for more than two seconds.
By replacing the battery yourself, you can save yourself some money from having a dealership do the work. You also get the opportunity to replace the OEM battery with an aftermarket one that offers you much greater performance and longevity.
Lastly, I’d like to revisit the issue where the 5th generation Honda Odyssey seems to drain the battery unusually quickly. I would highly recommend keeping a portable jump starter in your vehicle in the case that you accidentally leave the car on and the battery dies on you. I can’t say exactly why Honda Odyssey owners are experiencing dead battery issues even on newer cars, but if you’re within the 3 year new car warranty, get it replaced. And if you’re past the warranty period, certainly consider replacing it with an aftermarket battery.
