Body Problems of Honda Odyssey - part 2

?I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous manufacturing defect in my 2018 Honda Odyssey ex . A structural failure of the factory roof seam sealer (ditch molding) is allowing rainwater to pour directly into the vehicle's cabin, severely compromising critical electrical modules and creating major safety hazards. ?this water intrusion has caused two distinct and dangerous electrical failures: ?1. Entrapment hazard (power sliding doors): previously, water leaked into the rear fuse box area, causing the power sliding doors to completely fail and become completely unopenable. Transporting a [xxx] and a [xxx] in the rear seats, the sudden inability to open the sliding doors creates a terrifying entrapment hazard. In the event of an accident, fire, or emergency, I would be unable to evacuate my young children from the rear cabin quickly, posing an immediate threat to their lives. ?2. Cargo and security hazard (power tailgate control module): currently, the water leak has short-circuited the power tailgate control module. The system operates erratically: the tailgate automatically pops open as soon as the engine is turned off, and it refuses to open manually. Beyond the security risk, this electrical short could cause the tailgate to unlatch unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion or stopped in traffic, potentially dropping cargo onto the roadway and creating a crash hazard for other drivers, or allowing carbon monoxide exhaust to enter the passenger cabin. ?this is a well-documented and widespread structural defect affecting many 2018-generation Honda Odysseys. Water destroying critical safety modules (doors and tailgates) is a severe design flaw that goes far beyond normal wear and tear. ?I strongly urge NHTSA to open a formal investigation into the roof seam sealer failures on the 2018 Honda Odyssey. A safety recall is necessary to force Honda to repair the structural leaks and replace the compromi information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Tailgate control module damaged by water leaking from faulty rear body seam seals on left top of vehicle doors would lock and unlock on their own while driving and tailgate signaled it was open but never unlatched manual tailgate opening/closing did not work at all constantly beeped when unlocked and alarm went off randomly all electrical activity drained battery and made vehicle undriveable; tow was necessary first sign was "power tailgate problem" light on dash 5 days before vehicle battery was dead Honda charged for and replaced tailgate control module and recommended an outside company to repair leak issues; outside company confirmed issue and noted repairs for same issue on similar models.

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Both rear power sliding doors on my 2019 Honda Odyssey failed at approximately 74,000 miles. The sliding door motors can be heard running, but the doors do not move and cannot be opened normally. The doors are available for inspection upon request. This failure prevents rear passengers from safely exiting the vehicle. In an emergency situation, this could prevent evacuation and creates a serious safety risk, especially when transporting children or passengers seated in the rear. A dashboard warning message related to the sliding doors appeared at the time of failure. The condition occurs consistently on both doors. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Honda dealer, who confirmed a malfunction in the sliding door system and provided a repair estimate. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. This appears to be a significant sliding door system failure affecting both rear doors simultaneously.

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For 2 years we have had intermittent issues with sliding doors not opening. The doors will not respond to the handles in or out, or remote control or door button. At 2 years old the doors jammed so bad my child was trapped in the middle. Finally we tried pulling on the door that was open about 6" and the rear window exploded. Seems to be some sort of electrical override. Really surprised the door can fail slightly open and not allow passengers to escape.

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My driver sliding door will not open or close manually or automatically. This is concerning because if I was to ever get in a wreck and my van was struck on the passenger side, we wouldn’t be able to get out of the car because the other door won’t open. I did see that 107,000 vehicles were recalled due to this same problem I’m having. Obviously looking online, this is affecting more than 107,000… I already had to fix my passenger sliding door due to a faulty sensor. What next?.

The front camera behind the rear view mirror comes up with code and the cruise control will not work and the lane departure system and the forward collision system and adaptive cruise control. The front camera issue can only be repaired by replacing the camera between 800 and 1500 cost to purchase the camera plus a 5 to $700 adas aiming at the dealership and I don't feel that that's correct being that almost every single Honda Odyssey I've touched in my repair shop from 2018 till current has this code coming up. Sometimes I can put a scan tool on the vehicle and clear out the code and do a dynamic aim and the vehicle will correct itself but it will come back relatively quickly and sometimes it's impossible and the camera needs to be changed before anything can be done and all of those systems are deactivated until the front forward facing camera has been replaced. I am a mechanic I service a lot of these Honda Odysseys I have a list of items that I find almost every single one has a problem with this particular vehicle I'm sending in about is my personal vehicle and it has had numerous issues that had nothing to do with the operators of the vehicle solely to do with quality of the vehicle front camera is one the sliding door cable housing collapsing too the rear shocks snapping apart at under 50,000 miles front strut mounts going bad at 60,000 miles. There's also an issue with the driver's seat belts fraying in my car in particular frayed in under 12,000 miles more troubling is that every customer I send to the dealer to get things repaired under warranty comes back weather repaired or not without a single item being recorded by the dealer invariably what ends up happening is the dealer will reset some parameter and make the message or error go away. They will then return the car without any documentation stating anything. Once the customer brings it back after warranty is up the dealer charges to replace a repair because the customer has no proof of prior complaint.

Rear lift gate randomly opens and closes automatically while driving and when parked. My kids were in the back seat and there were groceries in the trunk that could have fallen out. Dealership said it's not a recall, and that it is due to a bad weather stripping around the rear window allowing water into the lift gate and damage the controls.

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Improper seal on the seam (?) above let water leak into my power tailgate control module. It caused all the dash lights to sporadically rapidly flash, told me I have a transmission problem and my blind spot warning didn’t work right. Pulled out the tailgate module to find water in the module with a failed circuit board. Also wires leading into the module were wet.

Power tailgate stopped working. Warning indicator indicated power tailgate failure. Dealer found water to be leaking onto tailgate unit from driver’s side roof rail. Recommended replacing and programming new ptg unit and resealing water leak. Repair cost was $1,311. 51.

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My vehicle previously received safety recall 20v-437 related to the sliding door handle cable assembly. After the recall repair was completed, the driver's side power sliding door has again begun exhibiting abnormal behavior. The driver's side sliding door does not consistently open fully and has failed to close properly on more than 20 occasions. The problem is reproducible and has become increasingly frequent. On multiple occasions, the power sliding door has also begun closing while children were entering the vehicle, requiring intervention to prevent contact. This condition creates a safety concern because occupants may believe the door has opened or closed properly when it has not. It also creates a risk of injury when the door unexpectedly changes direction or begins closing during entry or exit. The affected component appears to be the driver's side power sliding door system and related latching/closing mechanism. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for this recurrence because Honda advised that a dealer diagnosis is required to determine whether the current condition is related to the prior recall repair. There were no warning lights or dashboard messages associated with the condition. Because this vehicle previously received a safety recall repair addressing sliding door operation and latching concerns, I am reporting the recurrence of similar symptoms for review.

The trunk door stopped working due to a leak from the rear left window seal causing the computer to become waterlogged the mechanic that fixed it said its a common issue with the Honda Odyssey and should be recalled by Honda, I am therefore requesting the NHTSA to investigate this matter further so Honda should reimburse for the cost of the repair this issue can be a safety hazard in the event of a emergency egress from the trunk as it's not possible to open from the exterior and there was no prior warnings lamps or messages.

Power tailgate won't stay open. It is a known issue (Honda service bulletin 22-018) and has tried to close while people are underneath - including my small children. I have knocked my head into it numerous times since the issue started. It almost always slowly closes, and sometimes it beeps a few times then closes automatically and if I'm under it I have to forcefully hold it open. A small child would not be able to.

Sliding doors sometimes do not close all the way and then reopen automatically. You cannot press the sliding doors to close and walk away. You have to stay to make sure they close because often times it will kick back and reopen. You have to manually help push the sliding door to close. Elite trim has no way to make the doors be able to be closed manually, if needed. Took it to Honda, they said they have never heard of doors not closing and reopening so they could not help me, but I have spoken to quite a few Honda Odyssey owners in parking lots and they all stated that the doors do sometimes not close all the way and return to being fully open. Maybe the motor for the doors isn’t strong enough and depends on vehicle tilt or the temperature outside, but for whatever reason the automatic doors are randomly not fully closing.

This is now the second time that we are having a rear hatch failure. With about 37,000 miles on this van, the control module shorted out due to water getting into it due to a bad seam (according to other Odyssey owners who are suing Honda for this). We could not get the hatch to open or close, so I paid the dealer to fix it. Honda did give us a check after the fact to cover some of the bill. Now, with less than 51,000 miles, it has happened again. The hatch will not open or close. In the event of an emergency, this is a major safety issue, to be potentially stuck inside the cabin. The hatch started going up and down randomly, and we could not control it. Now, it won't go up or down. This van is is a mess. Not only does it have this issues, but the rear back up camera still does not work, even though it was recalled. . . They would not honor their recall, and the brakes occasionally come on without cause, when going around a corner and there is oncoming traffic. It thinks that we are headed for a collision, and it's another safety problem here in the northeast. Honda needs to own up to their quality problems relative to these three safety issues.

The auto slide door latch will not disengage. The rear passenger door cannot be opened electronically or manually.

White pearl paint of my 2014 Odyssey is peeling on the roof, almost all of the paint has peeled off on the top front part of the roof and this seems to be a common problem with this paint color and year of Odyssey.

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Water getting into trunk.

The vehicle doors have given issues where they open when attempting to close. The doors will start closing and then reopen or don’t close at all. We’ve had this van for about a year and started having this issue early on. Upon searching online, it was discovered that are many instances where door issues have occurred and a site found to further support this but my VIN was not listed even though the same issue occurs. . Read more...

The power tailgate on my 2021 Honda Odyssey suddenly failed. A “power tailgate problem” warning appeared, and the tailgate became completely inoperable. It would not latch manually or automatically, even when applying force. The latch would spring back open, and no mechanical sound came from the door. Because the tailgate would not latch, the interior lights stayed on, and the vehicle continued to display “tailgate open” warnings. I could not secure the tailgate for driving, which created a safety hazard since the door could not be properly closed during travel. A few days later, both sliding doors also stopped functioning, and none of the powered doors (tailgate or sliding doors) would operate from the interior switches, exterior buttons, or key fob. The Honda service center inspected the vehicle and reported that the tailgate control module was corroded and had clear evidence of water damage. They stated that they would not replace the module until the vehicle was evaluated by a body shop because a water leak was likely present and would continue damaging components. The body shop later confirmed that water intrusion was entering through the upper left rear pillar, caused by a leak in the roof seam area. Water traveled into the rear side panel and damaged the tailgate control module and related electrical systems. Their findings were documented and also confirmed by my insurance inspector. Prior to the failure, there were no symptoms. The only warning occurred at the moment the system failed (“power tailgate problem”). The issue occurred without any impact, accident, or misuse. The defects caused multiple powered doors to become inoperable, which is a significant safety risk for both passengers and the driver. Based on publicly available information, this appears to be a recurring problem in 2018–2021 Honda Odyssey vehicles involving water leaks near the rear pillar leading to electrical control module failures.

My wife and I purchased a new 2025 Honda Odyssey van as it currently has about 11,000 miles and we both have noticed a front end vibration/rattle/noise that can be heard and felt in the steering wheel at varying speeds in the front suspension which leads me to believe as an engineer there are issues with sway bar end links, bad strut mounts, or loose control arm bushings that are especially noticeable over any bumps. This issue could pose a serious safety issues in dealing with failed suspension or steering that could cause a potential wreck or loss of control of a vehicle and result in a product liability suit for all parties involved especially given suspension and steering are considered critical auto parts in nature. The problem has been reproduced with my making an appointment at watermark Honda located at 3201 park Ave, paducah, ky 42001 on November 19th, 2025 with the master service tech caleb buchanan and service advisor harley littrell both driving the vehicle and acknowledging the noise and vibration. I also have any recorded video while driving at 5-10 mph in the parking lot of watermark Honda that was shared and viewed by harley littrell. The vehicle was inspected with some strut bolts and other front end component bolts being torqued down the same day with the issue not being resolved. Harley/caleb noted that they were dealing with the same issue on another 2025 Honda Odyssey on the lot to be sold and they were trying to address issues. As of follow-up appointment on 12/11/25, harley noted this van had several front end parts replaced and it still made noise with this van not being able to be sold to the public. I was advised by harley to contact american Honda and to file this report. See uploaded video below.

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The power sliding door on the driver’s side failed and will not open, even manually. The mechanism engages and stops after about an inch. This creates a significant safety risk because passengers cannot exit through the door in an emergency. This appears to be a widespread defect in 2018–2020 Honda Odyssey models. Repair cost is approximately $1,000. Honda needs to address this as a safety issue.

Driver side rear sliding door will not open even when the automatic release button is disengaged. Some could be trapped in an emergency or I am worried that if it opens I will not be able to get it closed.

Power tailgate problem is going off repeatedly while car is on. Power tailgate does not open with remote or button inside car. There seems to be water leaking in tailgate seams. The constant beeping of problem popping up is startling and distracting to driver.

The roof leaks in the lh rear of the van under the roof strip thru a bolt or bad seam rfom a bad build causing the power unit liftgate module pn - 74970-thr-a11 to get wet and sit in water causing a short to the battery, the sliding doors to fail and the rear liftgate to fail which is a safety hazard if someone cannot exit the vehicle in an emergency. It is also a fire potential. This should be a safety recall at Hondas expense. The world wide web is flooded with videos and forums pertaining to this exact issue and Honda has not stepped up to the plate and addressed this issue.

All of my adas systems were disabled due to a water leak. The repair required the dealership to hire a "leak doctor" and then replace a module in the rear tailgate. My vehicle showed an alert on the dash that each of the adas features were disabled, auto high beams were disabled, and I could not turn the vehicle off by pushing the start/stop button once, I had to use a procedure that forced the vehicle to shut down. My interior dash lights flickered, I'm not sure if the headlights worked. As the interior dried out, the flickering occurred less frequently. I was able to drive the vehicle to a Honda dealer for repairs.

I am reporting a safety issue with my 2007 Honda Odyssey. The left power sliding door latch assembly has failed, causing the sliding door to open while driving. The door does not consistently register as securely closed, and the vehicle’s alarm activates continuously, which has made the vehicle inoperable. This condition presents a serious safety hazard to the driver and passengers because the door cannot be relied upon to remain securely latched during normal operation. The issue has been ongoing for approximately six months and has progressively worsened. The failure appears to involve the door latch assembly responsible for securing the door and signaling that it is properly closed. I contacted the manufacturer, american Honda motor CO. , inc. , and requested assistance due to the safety nature of this issue. My request was declined unless I first obtain a diagnostic at my own expense, despite the condition being clearly identifiable and involving a critical safety component. I am requesting that this issue be documented and reviewed as a potential safety defect involving the sliding door latch system. The vehicle is located in new jersey and is currently not in use due to this safety condition.

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The rear power liftgate on our 2019 Honda Odyssey has repeatedly closed automatically while the vehicle is parked on a slope, including our driveway. This has occurred multiple times, and in one instance, the door struck me on the head. The issue seems to be gravity-related and may involve a malfunction in the tailgate spring or motor system. I reported this to the dealership, and they were unable to replicate the issue. However, I have video evidence and found that Honda issued service bulletin 22-018, which may be related. The dealership has not confirmed whether this bulletin applies to our vehicle. This is a serious safety concern, especially for families with children or elderly passengers. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this issue is widespread and whether a recall or further guidance is warranted.

Read driver side power sliding door, got stuck halfway open. I've had this happen on the passenger side as well, but after turning the car off, putting power doors to manual, and rocking it back and forth, I got it fixed no problem and ended up having to replace a bump sensor on the door and it resolved. I thought that's what was going on when it happened to my driver side door as well. However after I turned the car off, and turned the doors to manual it still wouldn't close. I turned them back to automatic, turned the car back on, and the door proceeded to start going back, it rocked violently then broke the rear window and before stopping again. I read this track roller has been a problem for many users of this van and in some cases the entire door has fallen off because of it.

The power liftgate opens, but then closes unexpectedly. It will open fully, dip down a couple inches, open back up fully and then close quickly. It does not stop closing when it meets moderate resistance, only stops when the button is pressed. I was unloading groceries into the back and it came down on me. Luckily, I was able to reach and press the button. Had it been my children I'm afraid it would have crushed them. This has now happened numerous times and through research I have found a Honda service bulletin about this known issue. I feel it should be a recall since it poses a safety hazard. As I said, it could really harm someone not able to move quickly or a child could lose a limb or be crushed. I shouldn't have to pay for a very expensive repair to maintain safety when Honda knows this is an issue caused by a defect in the spring assembly. Service bulletin 22-018. This happens nearly every time I open the liftgate now, less often when it's cold outside than when it is warm. Makes it hard/nearly impossible to use my trunk space.

The sliding doors will not open at intermittent times. Warnings will flash off and on about door error but not consistently. If there is an incident or an emergency, the door will not open. If there were an accident and the driver cannot turn off the power door switch then anyone in the back cannot get the door to open, they would be trapped. We have had one motor replaced already. We opted to do that because we had a newborn on that side and we needed to be able to get to her quickly if she needed us and we were unable to rely on that door. The other door is doing it as well.

The moonroof on my 2025 Honda Odyssey spontaneously exploded while I was driving it on [xxx] between new orleans and slidell, la. The date of the incident was [xxx]. I was traveling at about 65 mph, the outside temperature was 93 deg f and the sky was clear. The highway was smooth and there was no construction in the area which would have produced loose pebbles or rocks. The explosion was like an artillery piece had fired overhead. I was lucky to have maintained control of the vehicle and the moonroof sliding cover was closed preventing broken glass from showering down on my wife and me. The next day I brought the car to the dealership (royal Honda, metairie, la)to report the defect and to have the car repaired. I was told by the dealer that the manufacturer does not inspect failures such as this one and that Honda declined to repair the damage under warranty even though the minivan had less that 4,000 miles on it and 3 months old. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Description of the problem I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety concern and poor quality repair on my 2025 Honda Odyssey, which I purchased new less than one year ago. 1. Engine auto idle stop / starter failure issue the vehicle suddenly shut down when the “auto idle stop” feature was activated. This incident occurred multiple times, and I was unable to restart the engine until several attempts later. This creates a dangerous situation, especially in traffic or intersections. When I contacted the dealer, they confirmed that the issue is caused by a starter motor failure, and the replacement part will not be available until early November — meaning I must drive for over a month with this feature turned off. Many other owners have reported similar problems online, which strongly suggests a potential defect that should qualify for a safety recall. 2. Water leak and poor quality repair my vehicle also experienced a water leak from the roof area. The dealer attempted to fix it by simply applying sealing material on the roof molding (see attached photos). The repair looks extremely unprofessional, and I requested them to properly replace or reinstall the roof molding, but they refused. This type of repair is unacceptable for a new vehicle of this class and price. 3. Honda’s unsatisfactory response I contacted Honda customer service (1-800-999-1009) and spoke directly with a representative. However, I was told that: they cannot extend the warranty. They cannot offer any compensation or goodwill service. They cannot provide me with a record or copy of our phone conversation (even though they recorded it). They will only repair the starter once parts arrive. I explained that I have already spent time, fuel, and lost work hours visiting the dealer multiple times, yet they refused any support. Safety concern and requested action the engine shut-off issue clearly affects vehicle safety and could cause accidents in traffic. I request that NHTSA inv.

Water intrusion, verified by observation/application of water. The leak resulted in water dripping on the tailgate/liftgate control module and the general rear cargo area, causing corrosion inside the control module rendering the control module inoperable, which made the power liftgate inoperable as well. Additionally, the rear cargo area had standing water that had accumulated over an unknown period of time that was visible when you lifted the carpeting. The liftgate latch mechanism also "locked" while the liftgate was open, making securing it closed in the normal way impossible. I would have needed to secure it with bungee cords or tape or some other haphazard way if I wanted to drive it safely on the streets or any contents in the back of the van could have fell out in traffic, or the liftgate may have inadvertently lifted at any time or place uncommanded, causing any type of hazard. Replacing the control module ($331. 53) remedied the liftgate failure. However, the leak remains, and will allow the same thing to continue to happen. Applying water to the area where the seam on the drivers side body panel and the roof panel meet resulted in water being seen dripping in the interior of the vehicle and onto the liftgate control module. This area should have been made waterproof before the vehicle left the factory, and should be recalled to make it right.

Severe rust and corrosion since 2015. Spreading across the whole roof line and visibly peeling paint. Not typical peeling paint, it appears to have originated beneath the trim or roof components, suggesting a possible failure of seem sealant, design drainage or factory primer. This points to a latent defect due go early onset and location and not normal wear.

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Driver side sliding door fell off, cable broke first then the door fell off while manually opening. This resulted in extensive damage to the body and almost cause physical harm.