NHTSA Complaint #10220451 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

MY 3 YEAR OLD SON SITS IN A BOOSTER SEAT, DRIVER'S SIDE, IN THE 2ND ROW SEATS OF OUR 05 ODYSSEY EX-L. THIS MODEL HAS ELECTRIC SLIDING DOORS ON BOTH SIDES. MY SON ROUTINELY OPENS AND CLOSES THE DOOR BY PULLING THE HANDLE AFTER ASKING PERMISSION. ON THIS OCCASION, HE WAS SEATED IN HIS SEAT AND BUCKLED IN WHEN HE STARTED THE DOOR CLOSING. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER, AS THE DOOR WAS COMPLETING IT'S LATCHING, HE STARTED SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. HIS LEFT HAND WAS CAUGHT AT THE BACK EDGE OF THE DOOR BETWEEN THE WEATHERSTRIP AND THE DOOR ITSELF. I HAD TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE DASH MOUNTED BUTTON TO RELEASE HIS HAND. UPON EXAMINATION BY HIS MOTHER AND ME, ONE OF HIS FINGERS WAS SCRATCHED A BIT AND THEY HURT, BUT NO INDICATIONS OF MORE SERIOUS INJURY, THANKS TO GOD. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE FRONT OF THE DOOR CATCHING OR PINCHING SOMEONE, BUT NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THE BACK OF THE DOOR AS IT PULLS IN TO LATCH. UPON TESTING MYSELF AFTER THIS, IT ACTUALLY TAKES A FAIR AMOUNT OF FORCE BACK THERE TO MAKE THE DOOR REVERSE. A CHILD'S' FINGERS WILL BE NO MATCH FOR IT. I THINK HONDA (AND PROBABLY OTHERS) NEEDS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF AUTOMATIC DOORS ON MINIVANS. *TR