Parts for your 2020 Honda Odyssey-Centre bearing

2020 Honda Odyssey centre bearing — do they have one?

Short answer: a centre bearing isn’t used on the 2020 Honda Odyssey. Technical sources show the Odyssey (RL6) runs a front‑wheel‑drive transaxle with two front driveshafts and no rear propeller shaft, so there’s no need for a centre (carrier) bearing. This is confirmed by Honda’s 2020 Odyssey Owner’s Manual and Service Manual driveline/axle sections (front driveshafts only), the Honda parts catalogue diagrams for the RL6 (no prop shaft or carrier bearing listed), and model specifications that state front‑wheel drive only.

Why it’s not used: a centre bearing supports a long, two‑piece propeller shaft on rear‑ or all‑wheel‑drive vehicles. Because the 2020 Odyssey drives the front wheels via a transaxle, there’s no long prop shaft running down the vehicle, so there’s nothing for a centre bearing to support.

What can be confused for a centre bearing: the Odyssey does have a right‑hand intermediate driveshaft with a support bearing mounted to the engine block/subframe. That’s a different part and isn’t called a centre bearing. If someone’s chasing a vibration or humming and thinking “centre bearing”, the real culprits on this model are more likely:

• Front CV joints or inner tripod joints (look for split boots, grease fling, clicking on lock)
• Intermediate shaft support bearing (rare, but can drone when worn)
• Front wheel bearings
• Tyre/wheel issues (flat‑spotting, balance, alignment)
• Engine or trans mounts allowing excess movement under load

Servicing pointers for owners and workshops: check CV boots each service, listen for droning that changes with road speed, and road‑test under light and heavy throttle. If the intermediate shaft support bearing is noisy, it’s typically replaced with the shaft assembly rather than serviced, as it’s a sealed unit. Keep tyres rotated and balanced, and verify wheel alignment if there’s any shimmy at motorway speeds. These checks will sort most “centre‑bearing‑like” complaints on a 2020 Odyssey.

Technical references used: Honda 2020 Odyssey Owner’s Manual (driveline/axle overview), Honda Odyssey (RL6) Service Manual sections for Front Driveshafts and Driveline, and Honda RL6 parts catalogue diagrams (absence of propeller shaft/carrier bearing), plus 2020 Odyssey model specifications indicating front‑wheel drive.

• Does a 2020 Honda Odyssey have a centre bearing?
  No. It’s front‑wheel drive with no rear prop shaft, so there’s no centre (carrier) bearing fitted.
• What symptoms feel like a bad centre bearing on a 2020 Odyssey?
  Shudders on take‑off, a mid‑car hum, or vibration at 80–110 km/h are usually from CV joints, the intermediate shaft support bearing, tyres/wheels, or wheel bearings.
• Is there any driveline bearing that needs servicing on this model?
  The intermediate shaft support bearing is sealed and generally replaced if noisy. Routine servicing focuses on CV boots, tyre condition/balance, and mounts.