NHTSA Complaint #10523455 — 2003 HONDA ODYSSEY

A BRACKET (HONDA P/N 507688 R10) THAT CONNECTS A DRIVER POWER SEAT ADJUSTING MOTOR TO THE SEAT FRAME FAILED AT ONE (TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE) OF TWO RIVET HOLES. THE BRACKET IS PART OF THE SEAT ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY 81630-S0X-A21. THE BRACKET IS A STAMPED STEEL PIECE ATTACHED TO A PRIMARY SEAT SUPPORT BRACE WITH TWO COMPRESSED RIVETS APPROXIMATELY 1/4" IN DIAMETER. NUMEROUS CRACKS WERE EXHIBITED RADIATING FROM THE REMAINING RIVET HOLE AND REMAINDER OF THE FAILED RIVET HOLE. THE INITIAL HALF OF THE FRACTURE EXHIBITS TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A FATIGUE FRACTURE WITH THE LAST PART OF FRACTURE SHOWING DUCTILE FRACTURE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH LOAD. I SPENT 10 YEARS AS A PRACTICING METALLURGIST PERFORMING HUNDREDS OF FAILURE ANALYZES. BRACKET FAILURE RENDERS THE DRIVER SEAT AS A SERIOUS DANGER TO THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH AS THE SEAT IS ESSENTIALLY NOW ONLY ATTACHED FROM THE REAR TWO POINTS. THE FRONT ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL UPON BRACKET FAILURE THUS TURNING THE DRIVER INTO A BOBBLE HEAD PERSON. ADDITIONAL CRACKS RADIATING FROM THE BRACKET RIVET HOLES INDICATE A POTENTIAL DESIGN LOAD ISSUE, A POSSIBLE MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE BRACKET, OR AN OVER-ZEALOUS RIVET COMPRESSION ISSUE. IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT SIMILAR CRACKS EXIST IN BRACKETS UTILIZING THE SAME DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING BATCH. SUCH CRACKS ARE VERY LIKELY TO PROPAGATE INTO A FAILURE UNDER THE HIGH LOADS CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE DANGER TO THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE IN SUCH A CRASH. *TR