NHTSA Complaint #10550783 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

HONDA ODYSSEY 2007 LIFTGATE NON-POWERED LIFT STRUTS FAILED INSTANTANEOUSLY. THIS CAUSED THE HEAVY LIFTGATE TO NO LONGER STAY ON THE OPEN/UP POSITION. HONDA (UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN) REPLACED BOTH STRUTS. WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS, STRUTS AGAIN FAILED AND WERE REPLACED BY HONDA. ON 11/3/2013 THIS STRUTS AGAIN FAILED INSTANTANEOUSLY (USED WITHOUT PROBLEMS AROUND 2PM), FAILED AT 4:30PM. THIS IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS SINCE LAST REPLACEMENT FOR A MAJOR FUNCTIONALLY NECESSARY COMPONENT OF THE MINI-VAN. HONDA WAS CONTACTED AND CLAIMS THERE ARE NO KNOWN DEFECTS WITH THE STRUTS AND THAT THEY ARE "FAR" OUTSIDE THE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY WINDOW OF 12 MONTHS. IT WOULD SAME HONDA USES DEFECTIVE OR INFERIOR PARTS FOR THESE STRUTS. HONDA SUPPORT REP. TOLD ME THAT IF I FELT THE STRUTS WERE NOT HIGH QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE IN HOLDING THE LIFTGATE UP I SHOULD LOOK FOR 3RD PARTY MANUFACTURED STRUTS THAT FILLED MY NEEDS BETTER. VERY SURPRISED BY THIS RESPONSE THAT HONDA WOULD TELL ME TO GET "BETTER" PARTS OUTSIDE IF THEIR OWN LIFTGATE STRUTS ARE NOT UP TO THE JOB THEY ARE DESIGNED TO DO FOR YEARS WITHOUT FAILURE. *TR