NHTSA Complaint #10668850 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE ELECTRIC SLIDING DOORS FOR A 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY EX. THE RIGHT PASSENGER ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE ODOMETER READ 99722. AT THE TIME IT STOPPED WORKING, THE VAN WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PRESSED TO OPEN THE DOOR, THE DOOR REFUSED TO OPEN AND A LIGHT WENT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL "SLIDE DOOR". WHEN I CONSULTED THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL, IT SAID TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. I WAS REALLY SUSPICIOUS WITH THE SUDDEN FAILING OF THE DOOR BECAUSE UP UNTIL THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT, THE DOOR WAS WORKING FINE. THE WAY I OPENED THE DOOR AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IT WAS IN REMAINED THE SAME FROM WHEN THE ODOMETER READ 99700 UNTIL THE INCIDENT. WHEN I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I FOUND THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ODYSSEY OWNER WITH THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS MODEL YEARS 2005-2010 HAVE THESE ELECTRIC SLIDING DOORS PROBLEMS WITHOUT ANY CLEAR INDICATION OF ISSUES BEFOREHAND. MULTIPLE REPORTS HAVE STATED OWNERS TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ONLY TO HAVE THE DEALER CHARGE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FAIL DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I VISITED A FORUM THAT OFFERED A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION STATED TO RESET THE INTERNAL COMPUTER BY PULLING A FUSE LABELED AS "BACK UP". I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THIS SOLUTION BECAUSE HONDA WOULDN'T DESIGN A VEHICLE THAT STATES AN ERROR WITH A DOOR UNLESS SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE DOOR, FOR EXAMPLE THE MOTOR. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE SLIDING DOOR FAILED, I GAVE IT A TRY AND RESET THE INTERNAL COMPUTER. I STARTED THE ENGINE BACK UP AND NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THE ERROR WAS GONE WHICH MAKES SENSE SINCE THE COMPUTER WAS RESET. WHEN I PUSHED THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE PASSENGER ELECTRIC DOOR, THE DOOR OPENED NORMALLY WITHOUT ANY HESITATION OF MOVEMENT. I AM NOW VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF HONDA MOTOR CORPORATION. IF HELP CAN BE GIVEN, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. *TR