Honda Odyssey Sliding Door May Open While Driving Minivan, Recall Warns

Following several thousand of reports of problems with the rear sliding passenger doors on Honda Odyssey minivans opening unexpectedly, the automaker has issued a recall that impacts more than 100,000 vehicles. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a Honda Odyssey minivan recall on November 20, indicating that there have been at least 3,814 warranty claims and 182 field reports where the rear passenger door failed to latch or slid open without warning.

While no injuries have been reported in connection with the recall, rear passengers may face serious risks if the minivan side door opens while the vehicle is in motion, especially for young children.

Honda received its first warranty claim in May 2017, when a customer reported the Odyssey power sliding door would not fully close. The automaker subsequently launched an investigation into the incident, finding that the rear latch components were sticking and preventing latching to the door strikes. Honda began analyzing the impacted parts with its supplier, Gecom Corporation, and initiated a quality improvement effort that included greasing the rear latch assembly and altering latch assemblies on newer models.

Roughly a year later, Honda renewed its initial investigation and identified 3,814 warranty claims had been submitted by customers indicating an issue with the power sliding passenger doors not properly latching, or worse, sliding open when children were in the backseat.

The doors pose an increased risk to children in booster seats or those not wearing seatbelts when sitting next to the unlatching doors. Parents are encouraged to make sure any occupant in the backseats near the doors are fastened and belted in properly to prevent an ejection hazard.

The recall includes approximately 107,774 model year 2018 through 2019 Honda Odyssey minivans that were manufactured from January 19, 2017 through April 16, 2018 by American Honda Motor Company.

Honda warns customers that if the door latch fails to latch, drivers may not be alerted through dashboard illuminations or chimes. Until the vehicles are repaired, customers should use extra caution to ensure the door is closed prior to vehicle movement.

Consumer Reports (CR) issued a statement indicating it had been notified by Honda that Odyssey owners may disable the power sliding doors and resort to manual sliding doors to ensure they are latched until parts become available in late December. Honda told CR to disable the power sliding function, a dealer or technician can pull certain fuses and disconnect the main power door button on the dashboard.

Honda announced it will be notifying owners and dealers of the recall by mailed correspondence with instructions for customers to schedule a free repair appointment at their local dealer. Dealers will be instructed to replace the left and right power sliding door rear latch assemblies free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin on December 20, 2018. Customers with additional questions or concerns regarding the recall are encouraged to contact Honda’s customer service team at 1-888-234-2138 and reference the recall campaign 33 and O36.