2001 HONDA ODYSSEY Structurebody Problems

SLIDING DOOR FAILURE. BOTH SLIDING DOORS FAILED ON JAN 17, 2011. THE DOORS WERE STUCK HALFWAY OPEN. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WAS REPAIRED FOR THE PRICE OF $800. LUCKILY THE VAN WAS NO MOVING THAT THE TIME, BUT WE DID HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO THE MECHANIC WITH THE DOORS OPEN.

THE REAR BUMPER BEAM ON MY 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY RUSTED AND BROKE UP INTO PIECES THAT HAVE FALLEN OUT FROM UNDER THE BUMPER COVER. I ASSUME THAT I NO LONGER HAVE FULL REAR END CRASH PROTECTION. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED FAILURE, I SHOULD SEE ABOUT HAVING THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE IT FOR ME. THEY REFERRED ME TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER REFERRED ME TO THEIR PREFERRED BODY SHOP FOR AN ESTIMATE. NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT, BUT AM HOPING THE LOCAL DEALER WILL ASK THE MANUFACTURER TO COVER THE REPAIR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA ODYSSEY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PIECES OF RUSTED METAL AND OTHER UNKNOWN SHARDS, HANGING FROM THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRAME. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 151,000. UPDATED 02/08/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION IN DEC 2011. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT T HE REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTING, WHICH WAS PRODUCING SHARDS OF METAL, THAT WERE DROPPING THROUGH THE SEAM BETWEEN THE REAR BUMPER AND FUEL TANK. UPDATED 02/13/12

SLIDING DOORS: ONE DOOR STOPPED OPENING ALL TOGETHER, SO PASSENGERS CANNOT GET OUT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE BACK, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR OPENS BUT THE ALARM SOUNDS WHEN DRIVING, SO THE MASTER SWITCH IN ON THE FRONT MUST BE IN THE OFF POSITION IN ORDER TO DRIVE. THIS MAKES THE DOOR INOPERABLE UNLESS THE SWITCH IS ON, AND THIS MUST BE DONE MANUALLY EVERY TIME THE DOOR NEEDS TO BE USED, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR

POWER SLIDING DOORS UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS ARE NOT MANUALLY OPERABLE. AUTOMACTIC DOOR FUNCTION IS ACTIVATED WITH DOOR HANDLES, FROM THE DASH, OR FROM THE KEY FOB. THESE FUNCTIONS ALTERNATELY WORK POORLY OR NOT AT ALL. ON A SNOWY & ICY DAY ONE DOOR QUIT COMPLETELY AND COULD ONLY BE OPENED AND CLOSED MANUALLY. THEN THE OTHER DOOR ALSO. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE LED ME TO USER POSTED ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS INVOLVING VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF PULLING FUSES AND TURNING SWITCHES. AFTER PULLING THE BATTERY CABLE AND LEAVING IT OFF 1 MINUTE, THEN RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE DOOR FUNCTION WAS RESTORED. ASIDE FROM NORMAL OPERATION BEING A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR EMERGENCY, THE SYSTEM IS SUBJECT TO FAILURE THAT CAN BE A COSTLY VISIT TO A REPAIR SHOP OR DEALERSHIP. I HOPE LATER MODELS OF THE ODYSSEY HAVE AN IMPROVED SYSTEM IN PLACE.

PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT OPEN ANY LONGER. THERE ARE 19 SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE DOORS BUT YET NO RECALL. *TR