NHTSA Complaint #10238113 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE VEHICLE WE ARE REPORTING AN ISSUE WITH IS A 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED LAST OCTOBER SO IT IS LESS THEN 1 YEAR OLD AND HAS LESS THEN 5,000 MILES ON IT. ON TUESDAY 8/12/2008 THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR CLOSED ON MY 2 YEAR OLDS HAND. THE DOOR MALFUNCTIONED IN 2 WAYS A) THE DOOR HAS A SENSOR BUILT IN THAT IF IT MEETS RESISTANCE IT BOUNCES BACK OPEN. IN THIS CASE THE DOOR DID NOT BOUNCE BACK OPEN AS IT SHOULD HAVE AND CLOSED ON MY KIDS HAND. B) ONCE THE DOOR HAD ALREADY CLOSED ON HIS HAND WE COULD NOT GET IT TO OPEN BACK UP AND MY KIDS HAND WAS STILL STUCK IN THE DOOR. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE HIT THE OPEN BUTTON OR PULLED ON THE HANDLE. WE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE FOR HELP WHO IN TURN SENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN EITHER EVEN WITH 4 BIG GUYS PULLING ON IT, THE FIRE MAN HAD TO USE A CROW BAR TO FORCE THE DOOR OPEN. WE TOOK MY SON TO THE HOSPITAL FOR XRAYS AND THEY SAID THAT DUE TO HIS AGE IT IS THE ONLY REASON HE HAS NO BROKEN BONES (AT AGE 2 THE BONES ARE STILL SOFT AND ABLE TO FLEX) THEY DO SUSPECT HE MIGHT HAVE SOME FRACTURES SO THEY PUT HIM IN A SOFT CAST AND TOLD US TO SCHEDULE A VISIT WITH A HAND SURGEON TO INSPECT THE HAND TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO FRACTURES AND TO CHECK HIS GROWTH PALATES. THE FIREMAN, HOSPITAL, AND DOCTORS ALL TOLD US THE SAME THING THAT IF IT HAD BEEN MY 6 OR 4 YEAR OLD WHOSE HAND GOT STUCK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH BROKEN BONES. NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US I DID A SEARCH ON LINE AND SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SLIDING DOORS ON HONDA ODYSSEY'S ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2000. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HONDA HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH UP UNTIL NOW. HONDA NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUES THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT AND NOT SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG. *TR