NHTSA Complaint #10317407 — 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE SLIDING DOOR OF MY ODYSSEY (TOURING) MODEL WILL NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. SIMILAR TO ANOTHER COMPLAINT, THE DOOR GETS CLOSE TO BEING CLOSED, BUT WILL NOT CLOSE EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE VAN IS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN WITH THE SLIDING DOOR OPEN. THIS FIRST HAPPEN AT ONLY 29K MILES AND CONTINUED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY UNTIL I TOOK IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP WHO COULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP (THAT WAS ABLE TO FIX IT) SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW OF THE "CENTER ROLLER" FOR THE SLIDING DOOR. THIS IS A PART LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE DOOR ATTACHING IT TO THE VAN'S BODY. THERE ARE TWO PLASTIC ROUND PARTS THAT ACT LIKE BALL BEARING ROLLERS, AND THEY BECOME OUT OF PLACE CAUSING THE DOOR'S ALIGNMENT TO BE OFF. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DOOR NOT TO CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE PERSON SAID IF HONDA SPENT $8 MORE ON MAKING THESE ROUND PARTS METAL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC, THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE REST OF THE CENTER ROLLER PART IS MADE OF METAL. HE SAID THAT ONE ODYSSEY A WEEK COMES TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS PROBLEM OF THE DOOR NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE DUE TO THE CENTER ROLLER. *TR