NHTSA Complaint #10107891 — 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY

WHILE EXITING OUR 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY MINIVAN, MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOT HER FOOT CAUGHT IN THE MOTORIZED DOOR MECHANISM AS THE DOOR WAS OPENING. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOME TYPE OF SENSOR TO DETECT AN OBSTRUCTION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSING BUT THERE IS NO SENSOR TO DETECT AN OBSTRUCTION WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENING. SHE HAD HER FOOT PINCHED IN THE MECHANISM ALONG THE DOOR SILL. HER FOOT WAS "SQUASHED". WE TOOK HER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE XRAYS DID NOT REVEAL ANY DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE DOCTOR WHO EXAMINED HER SAID THAT PERMANENT DAMAGE MAY NOT BE DETECTED OR NOTICEABLE UNTIL SHE IS FULLY GROWN. WE CONTACTED HONDA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE TO REPORT THE EVENT. WE ASKED THAT SOME SORT OF SENSOR BE INSTALLED IN FUTURE MODELS OR AT THE VERY LEAST A WARNING APPEAR SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR. WE ALSO ASKED THAT SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION BE SENT TO ALL OWNERS OF THEIR VANS WITH MOTORIZED DOORS. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM HONDA SAID THAT HONDA WOULD NOT DO THAT. *NM