NHTSA Complaint #10488624 — 2006 HONDA ODYSSEY

TRYING TO CLOSE THE REAR PASSENGER-SIDE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR, IT WOULD CLOSE HALF-WAY, START BEEPING AND OPEN UP AGAIN. IT WOULD DO THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, UNTIL IT FINALLY CLOSED SEVERAL TRIES LATER. TURNING THE AUTOMATIC FUNCTION OFF WOULD NOT HELP. WHEN PUTTING IT ON MANUAL FUNCTION, THE DOOR WOULD JAM AND LITERALLY NOT BUDGE. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT JUST STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. THE LAST TIME WE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR, IT ENDED UP REMAINING OPEN FOR THE ENTIRE DAY BECAUSE IT WAS LITERALLY JAMMED IN THE OPEN POSITION. THANKFULLY IT WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY! WE HAVEN'T OPENED IT SINCE. MOVING FORWARD TO LAST MONTH, NOVEMBER 2012. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR STARTED SQUEAKING UPON OPENING AND CLOSING. A WEEK LATER, IT TOO WAS REFUSING TO SHUT. THIS TIME I WAS AT A GROCERY STORE AND ENDED UP STRANDED IN THE PARKING LOT WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD FOR OVER AN HOUR BEFORE I COULD FINALLY GET THE DOOR TO SHUT. IT IS WINTER AND THUS, VERY COLD THESE DAYS. I AM NOW HAVING TO LOAD MY KIDS IN THE VAN FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OR THROUGH THE TRUNK. I DON'T DARE OPEN EITHER AUTOMATIC DOOR. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE SEEN THIS EXACT SCENARIO WITH TOO MANY OTHER HONDA ODYSSEY OWNERS. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, DEPENDING ON WHERE PEOPLE ARE WHEN THE DOORS REFUSE TO CLOSE. NOT TO MENTION THE POTENTIAL INSURANCE LIABILITY IF THE DOORS REFUSE TO CLOSE AND ONE IS LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE THEIR VEHICLE WIDE OPEN FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. *TR