NHTSA Complaint #10680419 — 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY

I THOUGHT THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR ON MY 2009 HONDA ODYSSEY WAS CLOSED BUT WHEN DRIVING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DOOR FLEW OPEN. I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BUT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL TIMES, I DECIDED I NEEDED TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I REACHED BACK AND HELD THE DOOR CLOSED WITH MY LEFT ARM/HAND AS I DROVE SLOWLY TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS CLOSED BUT A SALESMAN GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR FOR THE NIGHT AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL THE NEXT DAY, WHICH THEY DID. THEY TOLD ME THE LATCH WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WOULD NEED TO REPLACE IT. WHAT CHOICE DID I HAVE SINCE I COULDN'T DRIVE IT THE WAY IT WAS. SO, I PAID $376.61 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, BUT THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED ON THE SAME DOOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER. AGAIN I REACHED BACK AND HELD THE DOOR CLOSED AS I DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE I WAS QUITE UPSET SINCE I HAD SPENT ALL THAT MONEY TO SUPPOSEDLY HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. AFTER THE MECHANIC PLAYED AROUND WITH THE LATCHES WITH A SCREW DRIVER AND GREASE HE WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR LATCH ON THE DOOR WAS STICKING PREVENTING THE DOOR FROM CLOSING. HE WAS SURPRISED THEY DIDN'T TRY THAT 2 MONTHS PRIOR BEFORE REPLACING THE LATCH. THE SERVICE MANAGER EVEN TOLD ME THEY HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A LATCH ASSEMBLY IN THESE VANS. SO, I ASKED IF I COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE LATCH BUT WAS DENIED. THIS IS WHY I AM WRITING HONDA TO SEE IF YOU WILL REIMBURSE ME THE $376.61 I PAID TO HAVE THE LATCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF THE RECEIPT FROM THE DEALER, IF NEEDED. THIS IS THE 2ND ODYSSEY I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SLIDING DOORS STICKING MAKING IT HARD TO OPEN THEM BUT HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM CLOSING THEM. I HOPE YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER. *TR