2018 Honda Odyssey Body & structure Problems

The motor on the passenger side sliding door on our 2018 Honda Odyssey failed. The door could not be opened electrically - or Mechanically from inside or outside the vehicle. We had it repaired at the dealer at a cost of ~$2,000. The sliding door was INOPERABLE when the motor failed. If the car was in an accident the door could not be opened by second or third row passengers or first responders to enable evacuation from the vehicle. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! The problem was confirmed by the dealer. The sliding door can’t be opened when the motor fails. The dealer also stated that Honda had an active engineering assessment in process and that a recall might happen - so hold on to our receipt.

NHTSA ID

11774230

Incident

Oct 14, 2026

In XXX, the power tailgate on my 2018 Honda Odyssey stopped working. I took the vehicle to authorized Honda dealer Fred Beans Honda of [XXX]. The technician documented in writing on repair order #XXX (XXX): "There is water leaking onto the power tailgate control unit. Technician found the water leak going into from the back of roof on the left side. Needs a new power tailgate control unit." Water entered through the rear body seam seals and dripped onto the power tailgate control module (P/N 74970-THR-A12). The removed module showed severe blue-green corrosion -- it does not fail on its own at 31,500 miles. Safety concern: A tailgate whose control module is destroyed by water intrusion cannot be relied on to latch or stay closed; an unlatched or unexpectedly opening tailgate while driving endangers occupants and surrounding traffic. Known defect, not isolated failure: Honda issued a TSB on rear body seam-seal water intrusion on 2018-2019 Odysseys; federal class action Case No.XXX (XXX.) covers 2018-2021 Odysseys with defective polyurethane seam seals destroying the power tailgate control module; numerous owner reports in the NHTSA database describe identical failures. What I did: The dealer quoted $1,302.88. I first asked American Honda by phone for goodwill coverage and was denied. I repaired it myself with a genuine Honda module ($215.57, Order #XXX, XXX); total out-of-pocket $416.92. On XXX I submitted a written goodwill reimbursement request online (case #XXX, continuing prior case #XXX); on XXX Honda denied it as not covered under any campaign, even though the failure is caused by the documented seam-seal defect that is the subject of the pending class action above. What I am asking NHTSA: record this complaint and consider investigation/recall of the 2018-2019 Odyssey seam-seal water intrusion defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772553

Incident

Mar 13, 2025

The contact owned a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that water was seeping into the trunk during inclement weather or while washing the vehicle. The contact stated that several warning lights remained illuminated, and the cruise control, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, and powered tailgate failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the metal on the power tailgate needed to be welded to stop the leak, and the dash camera and computer needed to be replaced due to the water damage. The vehicle was repaired; however, water was still entering the vehicle during inclement weather or while washing the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.

NHTSA ID

11768538

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

Mileage

88,000 mi

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. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/honda-odyssey-minivan-recalled-over-problem-with-sliding-doors/#:~:text=Honda%20is%20recalling%20107%2C000%20of%20its%202018%20and%202019%20Odyssey%20minivans%20because%20its%20power%20sliding%20doors%20may%20not%20latch%20properly%2C%20raising%20the%20possibility%20that%20they%20could%20open%20while%20the%20vehicle%20is%20in%20motion%2C%20according%20to%20the%20National%20Highway%20Traffic%20Safety%20Administration.%20According%20to%20Honda%2C%20some%20components%20in%20the%20power%20sliding%20door%27s%20rear%20latch%20assembly%20are%20prone%20to%20sticking%2C%20which%20can%20stop%20the%20front%20and%20rear%20latches%20from%20securely%20connecting.%20This%20problem%20affects%20the%20left%20and%20right%20power%20sliding%20doors%2C%20Honda%20says.

NHTSA ID

11767275

Incident

Nov 20, 2025

Rear sliding door failure, doors wouldn't latch properly resulting in opening when driving down the road. Took to dealership for repair. Paid $1633.78 they replaced rear latches 3/31/2026. Rear latches failed to open resulting in one Rear door cable breaking and one that will not open at all 9/1/2026. Neither door opens at this point.

NHTSA ID

11762447

Incident

Mar 30, 2026

Creaking from drivers side footwell. Pinch weld has to be oiled and greased. Vehicle has 108k miles. Front suspension entirely replaced, and the noise boiled down to the floor flexing and metal pinch welds moving and creaking. This is a common issue apparently in the Honda community.we now have to spray the pinch welds every week keep the noise down. Poor build quality.

NHTSA ID

11745423

Incident

Apr 10, 2024

Water is leaking through back tailgate every time it rains. Water pools on the back floor and gets into the tailgate control unit. As a result, mold has grown on the floors and water has gotten into the power tailgate control unit causing my tailgate to stop opening and propping up (I have to manually hold the heavy door while lifting items out). This has caused electrical problems with cruise control and several lights blinking on and off my dashboard throughout the duration while driving. I have had the engine and transmission all tested and everything is working properly in that regard. The conclusion is that these electrical malfunctions are due to water damage. I have already had the control unit replaced once a year ago.

NHTSA ID

11735933

Incident

Jan 15, 2024

I have a 2018 odyssey EXL I been getting messages from right sliding door problem and during the drive after 12 or 13 miles was getting sign was saying stop the vehicle and door sign is keep flushing saying right sliding door problem

NHTSA ID

11730219

Incident

Apr 6, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11727371

Incident

Nov 12, 2025

Tailgate door is not functioning. Tailgate problem message on dash. Cannot open door with remote nor manually.

NHTSA ID

11727176

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

Power lift gate and power sliding doors failure alerts keeping showing up. They flash on and off on the display even while driving which can be very disruptive. The issue occurs randomly every few weeks The dealer quoted close to $2000 to attempt to fix it

NHTSA ID

11721584

Incident

Mar 2, 2026

​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)

NHTSA ID

11720869

Incident

Feb 26, 2026

A problem with the frame of the van in the rear/above the liftgate not being properly welded created leaking/malfunction of the liftgate and water remediation needed under the headliner. A significant safety issue was created-causing unprovoked opening and closing of the liftgate during operation of the vehicle both while parked and moving. Multiple times were individuals harmed during this process, as well as health issues from riding in the van during long period in an environment with mildew and mold development.

NHTSA ID

11701853

Incident

Mar 18, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11684222

Incident

Aug 31, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11679342

Incident

Jul 28, 2025

Crack in body seam above driver and passenger side of the tailgate AND underneath the roof rail cover caused water leakage. This resulted in a short of the power tailgate control module which draws down my battery and causes unexpected trunk closing during normal use. Family members have been hit in the head by the trunk due to the unexpected automatic emergency closing.

NHTSA ID

11668905

Incident

Jul 26, 2024

The passenger side sliding door was generally having issues with latching fully closed. But even after managing to get the sliding door fully closed, the rear passenger sliding door partially opened up by itself whilst going over a speed bump. It seems to be very dangerous for a sliding door to even partially open itself while the vehicle is driving and in motion. I've asked Honda to look at this pursuant to recall No. 20V-437 (which would seem to be the issue described in the recall of the door opening by itself), but Honda is advising that I may need to pay for even the diagnosis out of pocket without any acknowledgement that the repair or diagnosis will be covered. Date below is very approximate - all of this has happened over the last month or two.

NHTSA ID

11667982

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

My tailgate stopped working, I was getting messages on my dash board that there was transmission system problems, reverse warning problems, keyless entry system problems. It always seemed to happen after a rain. I found that the van is leaking water through the driver’s side roof rack gully, near the back, and water is leaking right on the tailgate control system, causing all these other problems. It is also causing the battery to drain when car is parked idle. There should be recall to fix the leakage and replace the controller. It's a design defect, water shouldn't sip inside and burn the electrical components. Costing me hundreds/thousands. This is also safety issue because water damaged controllers causing issues with ADAS components too - getting check engine, break lights, etc. while the car is in motion. If those safety features are not working, that can be very dangerous. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11660611

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

Safety Recall #18-128, Power sliding door rear latches was performed on or around September of 2020 on my vehicle. Last week (04/30/2025), my passenger side sliding door would not open. After removing passemger side inner door panel to inspect, found rear latch cable frayed closest to a microswitch found (as of 05/04/2025, it is currently held together by 2 strands of the cable). I also verified the operation between the front and rear latch of the passenger sliding door with the door panel off, and noticed it intermittently touches the microswitch when closing the door, further confirming the issue. My concern is the rear latch cable being frayed. The latches operate normal and as intended, the problem is I cannot purchase the cables separately, only as a complete unit with the latch.

NHTSA ID

11659097

Incident

Apr 30, 2025

Both of the manual passengers back doors will not fully close and lock.

NHTSA ID

11648553

Incident

Nov 1, 2024

There is water leaking in the body which damages the power tailgate control module located at the rear driver side. the tailgate doesn’t open and endanger people inside in case there is any accident.

NHTSA ID

11644541

Incident

Feb 14, 2025

Leakage through the top driver's side pinch weld near the rear of the vehicle has allowed water to infiltrate the power tailgate control module and render it sporadically operable. This has affected the vehicle main computer, causing unreliable operation of powered vehicle exit doors.

NHTSA ID

11640810

Incident

Dec 3, 2024

Our 2018 Honda Odyssey has continued to experience power sliding door issues that were initially addressed by NHTSA campaign numbers 18V795 and 20V437000. Our vehicle underwent the recommended repairs in both campaigns. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request, and the problem was reproduced by a dealer. In short, after undergoing both warranty repairs, the same problems gradually cropped up again. When attempting to close the door with the power-close button, the sliding door would sometimes stop about three-quarters of the way, and then open fully again. This would happen even when nothing was obstructing the sensor. This happened on both sides of the vehicle (i.e., both sliding doors), and eventually the doors ceased working altogether (albeit at different times) and we brought the vehicle to Honda for a non-warranty repair. The dealer was able to reproduce the problem in both doors, and they made the necessary repair in both cases (see attached invoices). Now, very similar issues have cropped up again, and our concern is that the initial warranty repairs may not have sufficiently addressed the root cause of the issue with these sliding doors. Once again the door sounds like it isn't latching completely. It's hard to describe, but everyone knows the sound in a vehicle when a window or a door is cracked just a little bit. The sound is exactly like that. The dealer told us that moisture intrusion and/or a latching issue may have caused this problem, and we also experienced a severed cable. Word for word, these are almost exactly the issues that campaign numbers 18V795 and 20V437000 were intended to address. If these are indeed the same issues that were the focus of the two recalls, then our vehicle is at risk of the same safety failures, i.e., the sliding doors opening while driving, failing to latch, and/or the snapping of the outer door handle cables due to moisture intrusion.

NHTSA ID

11636425

Incident

Aug 16, 2024

The seam seals on the rear driver's quarter panel of the vehicle are faulty and allowed water to flow into the cabin of the vehicle. The resulting damage was loss of function to the rear power lift gate, front seats, remote start and other key fob functions, as well as a dead battery(assumedly due to arcing on wet circuitry). The damage rendered the lift gate inoperable as I it initially closed but came open during operation. We continued to receive a power lift gae problem on the "Heads Up Display" but the power gate would not open or close, electrically or manually. After a few days the gate opened but would not close, rendering the vehicle unsafe to operate. Furthermore, the battery was dead and would not start. Had this incicdent not occurred in our driveway we could have been susceptible to being stranded in sub-freezing temperatures with kids. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and they confirmed a roof leak was a cause of the water incursion. The power lift gate module and floor harness were damaged causing failures to lift gate operation and other electronics. It will cost $7000 to have it repaired at the local Honda dealer. Pending completion of repairs and paperwork for submission.

NHTSA ID

11635802

Incident

Dec 29, 2024

Tailgate warning beeps. Tailgare Will NOT open or Close. Dashboard lites flash. Vehicle will NOT START ! CANNOT START or move Vehicle!

NHTSA ID

11634668

Incident

Dec 29, 2024