NHTSA Complaint #10577807 — 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY

RE: TAILGATE/ STRUT FAILURE I WAS OUT SHOPPING AND AT MY LAST STOP THE TAILGATE WAS SUDDENLY VERY HARD TO OPEN. I HAD A LARGE CART OF GROCERIES AND IT WAS RAINING, SO I RAISED IT UP WITH ONE HAND, BUT WHEN I TURNED TO GET MORE GROCERIES, I EXPECTED IT TO STAY AND IT DROPPED DOWN. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN WITH ME, SO I COULD PUT THE REST OF THE GROCERIES IN THE SEAT AREA AND DEAL WITH IT LATER. IT HAS NOT RESOLVED, SO IT WAS NOT A "RAIN" ISSUE. IN THE WEEK THAT HAS PASSED, I HAVE DONE SOME OF RESEARCH. I FOUND THAT HONDA DID INDEED HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/UCM416791/RCAK-12V062-3793.PDF HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED MY HONDA DEALER, *MY* VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT WHICH MODELS ARE BY THE OFFICIAL NOTICES. THEY QUOTED ME $276 TO FIX IT. I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS IS VERY EASY TO FIX - $50 FOR THE STRUTS, A FLATHEAD SCREWDRIVER, AND LADDER TO PROP OPEN THE TAILGATE AND EVEN A 115 LB WOMAN CAN FIX THEM. HOWEVER, WHY AREN'T ALL 2008 HONDA ODYSSEYS IN THIS RECALL? HAD MY CHILDREN BEEN HELPING ME OR HAD I BEEN HALF IN THE VAN WHEN THE STRUTS SUDDENLY FAILED, ANY OF US COULD HAVE BEEN BADLY INJURED OR KILLED BY THE DEAD WEIGHT OF THAT DOOR. FOR NOW I WILL ORDER THE STRUTS AND FIX THEM AS SOON AS I CAN SINCE I REALLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DUKE IT OUT WITH HONDA. *TR