NHTSA Complaint #10145223 — 2000 HONDA ODYSSEY

MANUAL SLIDING DOORS STICK TO THE POINT THAT OCCUPANTS CANNOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. IT HAS TAKEN TWO LARGE ADULTS (ONE PULLING FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THE OTHER KICKING FROM THE INSIDE) TO OPEN THE DOORS. PROBLEM BEGAN IN SUMMER, 2003. WE BROKE AND HAD TO REPLACE ONE OF THE DOOR HANDLES IN 11/04 BECAUSE WE WERE PULLING SO HARD TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. COMPLAINED WHENEVER WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE, BUT OUR COMPLAINTS NEVER APPEAR ON OUR INVOICES. THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO HONDA, THERE IS NO RECORD OF A PROBLEM WITH OUR DOORS. HONDA'S RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN TO LUBRICATE THE DOORS, BUT WE NEVER NOTICE ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROBLEM. MY DEALER JUST INFORMED ME THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED RECOMMENDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DOOR SEALS AT A COST TO US OF NEARLY $400. AS A "GOODWILL" GESTURE, THEY HAVE OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PARTS, BUT WE WILL PAY NEARLY $200 TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HONDA SHOULD CORRECT, BUT AS THE PROBLEM AROSE AFTER OUR 30,000 MILE WARRANTY, THEY FEEL THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I KEEP THINKING ABOUT MY CHILDREN BEING TRAPPED, PERHAPS WITH THE CAR ON FIRE, AND WONDER HOW HONDA CAN TREAT THE ISSUE SO CASUALLY. *NM