NHTSA Complaint #10349613 — 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY

FAILURE OF THE LIFT GATE GAS STRUTS ON A 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY TOURING THAT CAUSES THE GATE TO CLOSE UNEXPECTEDLY. CONSEQUENCES WERE AN ADULT MALE BEING HIT IN THE BACK BY THE LIFT GATE. IN THIS INSTANCE NO SERIOUS INJURY HAD OCCURRED, BUT IF THE PERSON IN THE PATH OF THE LIFT GATE WERE SMALLER THE WEIGHT AND MOMENTUM OF THE GATE COULD EASILY CAUSE HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. I WOULD ASSUME MOST OWNERS OF THIS MINIVAN HAVE CHILDREN AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT A CHILD IN THE PATH OF A FAILING LIFT GATE WOULD SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURY. THE LIFT GATE GAS STRUTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS OFFERED A RECALL FOR THIS ON SIMILAR VEHICLES, BUT HAS NOT YET OFFERED ANY CORRECTION FOR THE VEHICLE WE OWN. *TR