NHTSA Complaint #11010496 — 2012 HONDA ODYSSEY

I JUST HAD TO HAVE THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR MOTOR REPLACED ON MY ODYSSEY. THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE, THEY DOOR WOULD SHUT ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY AND THEN STOP. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE MOTOR WAS BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE ODYSSEY WAS DESIGNED WITH A SWITCH WHERE YOU CAN DISABLE THE MOTORIZED FEATURE AND OPEN/CLOSE THE DOOR MANUALLY. HOWEVER, WHEN MY MOTOR WENT BAD, I WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR. SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE CABLE SYSTEM RUNS THROUGH THE MOTOR SO WHEN IT WENT BAD, THE CABLES WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION ALLOWING MANUAL OPERATION. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAN POSE A SAFETY ISSUE AS MY DOOR WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION UNABLE TO CLOSE. THIS OCCURRED AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.