NHTSA Complaint #10652833 — 2007 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING REAR DOOR BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY HAVING ISSUES CLOSING-IT WOULD CLOSE ABOUT 75% OF THE WAY, THEN BEEP AS IT DOES IF THERE IS AN OBJECT BLOCKING IT'S PATH, THEN OPEN BACK UP. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THE DOOR TO HELP GUIDE IT CLOSED. BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE HONDA DEALER, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER SLIDING REAR DOOR BEGAN DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR. IT WOULD CLOSE ONLY ABOUT 90%, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO PULL IT FULLY CLOSED. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH TO TURN THE DOORS FROM POWER OPERATION TO MANUAL OPERATION, THINKING EVERYTHING WOULD BE OK. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR CLOSED MANUALLY. HOWEVER, WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION, I TRIED TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR (SWITCH WAS STILL IN THE MANUAL POSITION), AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO OPEN IT ABOUT 8-10 INCHES. I COULD NOT GET MY 2 YR OLD DAUGHTER OUT OF HER CAR SEAT. I PUSHED WITH ALL OF MY STRENGTH, AND IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I RAN BACK AROUND, FLIPPED THE SWITCH BACK TO AUTO, AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN THAT WAY. HOWEVER, THIS ORDEAL HAS SHOWN ME A SEVERE SAFETY FLAW WITH THE POWER SLIDING DOORS ON THE 2007 ODYSSEY. IF WE HAD BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE--POSSIBLY FROM THE NOW RECALLED FUEL MECHANISM THAT CAN CATCH FIRE--I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM OUT. IN AN EMERGENCY, WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS, THE DOOR ISSUE COULD LITERALLY HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE DOOR THAT EVENING, AND HE, TOO, WAS UNABLE TO GET THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO BUDGE WHEN SET TO MANUAL OPERATION. HE HAD TO LIFT THE BACK OF IT AND PULL IT OPEN. ALSO, HE LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR AND NOTICED METAL SHAVINGS ON THE DOOR WHERE METAL HAD LITERALLY BEEN GRINDING ON METAL. THE ROLLER MECHANISM IS NO LONGER WORKING. I AM TAKING IT IN TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER. *TR