2021 Honda Odyssey Structure

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.

The sliding door closed on my child's hand cutting the top of his finger off down to his finger bone.

The back-right passenger side door was opened by pulling on the outside handle after a hobbled passenger was cautioned that the door was going to slide open and moved a few inches away from the vehicle to allow for that. The door required more clearance than either of us anticipated. The passenger fell backwards either trying to avoid being hit by the door or by actually being hit by it, leading to a broken bone, hospitalization, cancellation of the pending surgery to address a pre-existing orthopedic issue, and many continuing expenses. I have not attempted to reproduce this accident (duh), and this is my first report of it. There were no warnings of which I am aware. The speed of door sliding open likely contributed to the accident, as did the required clearance from the vehicle.