NHTSA Complaint #11120925 — 2008 HONDA ODYSSEY

THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, WHEN OPENED, BECAME DETACHED FROM THE RAILS BOTH TOP & BOTTOM FALLING COMPLETELY OFF, HANGING ONLY BY THE CABLE. BADLY SCRAPPING THE SIDE OF THE VAN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE DOOR. APPARENTLY HONDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS DESIGN DEFECT FOR MANY YEARS, BUT UNLIKE TOYOTA WHO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, HONDA HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL. ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS MALFUNCTIONING OF THE DOOR THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL INJURIES TO A SMALL CHILD. THE OPEN BUTTON ON THE DASHBOARD PANEL WAS HIT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY(NOT RUNNING). THE DOOR MADE A GRINDING SOUND, OPENED, FELL OFF IT'S TRACKS AND CONTINUED TO OPEN SCRAPING ALL THE WAY DOWN THE SIDE OF THE VAN AND HANGING BY ONLY THE CABLE WHEN IT STOPPED. FROM LOOKING ON THE INTERNET & FROM TALKING TO A HONDA SERVICE REP, THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH HONDA HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE. THE SERVICE PERSONS' ONLY COMMENT WAS THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HONDA PLANS TO DO ABOUT THIS KNOWN DEFECT. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE? WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO DO A RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE A MAJOR INJURY AND LARGE LAWSUIT?