Honda Job Aid - Power Sliding Door Troubleshooting.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Honda Odyssey body problems
severe 114 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
114
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
28injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 114 body complaints filed for the 2008 Honda Odyssey, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 114 body complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 18 model years of Honda Odyssey in our records for body problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Do you have an Odyssey in your shop that has a power sliding door that wont open or close by using the following? Power sliding door main switch on the dash Keyless transmitter B-pillar switch (if equipped) Either inside or outside door handle Connect the HDS to the vehicle. Using the information from the power sliding door data list, follow the steps in the flowchart below to troubleshoot the problem.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗HONDA: POWER DOORS CONTINUALLY LOCK, MULTIPLE TIMES, WHILE DRIVING. THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR IS FAULTY. REPLACE THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗HONDA: SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY EVEN THOUGH WINDOW IS CLOSED. THE WINDOW REGULATOR IS NOT CONTACTING THE LEVER ARMY PROPERLY, MAKING THE SLIDING DOOR CONTROL UNIT THINK THE WINDOW IS OPEN.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Rear liftgate struts fail suddenly and without warning across the 2008 Odyssey lineup, causing the heavy door to slam shut with dangerous force or remain stuck open. Owners describe the door becoming abnormally heavy, refusing to stay propped open, and crashing down on their heads and shoulders while loading groceries or retrieving items. Many are children who operate the doors. Failures occur as early as 18,000 miles and up to 100,000 miles. Honda issued NHTSA Recall 12V062000 in February 2012, but it covers only 2008–early 2009 EX-L and Touring models with powered liftgates; owners with EX, LX, and manual-liftgate models report their VINs are excluded despite experiencing identical failures. Dealers quote $178–$276 for repair; aftermarket rebuild services cost around $50–$90, underscoring how widespread the problem is.
Sliding doors—both powered and manual—detach from their tracks entirely or hang by cables alone, scraping the van's side. Powered sliding doors fail to close fully, jerking and reversing to open again. Power door sensors fail to detect occupants and trap hands or fingers. Manual sliding doors stick progressively until their track rollers break and separate. One door literally fell off onto a child's foot, causing permanent injury. Another fell off during normal operation while a child was nearby. Dealers acknowledge these are recurring issues but claim no recalls apply. Owners also report a battery drainage problem tied to sliding door power, a dash reflection that obscures the driver's side mirror, and a liftgate that opens to reduced height, creating a head-strike hazard.
Same Honda Odyssey body reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2009 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Rear liftgate struts failure
Gas-filled struts on the rear liftgate lose pressure and fail to support the door, causing it to slam shut suddenly and unexpectedly or remain difficult to open. Failures occur without warning or gradual degradation. The door becomes abnormally heavy and will not stay open.
When: Between 18,000 and 100,000 miles; some as early as 20,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Door becomes abnormally heavy; Door will not remain open; Door slams shut with force; Door closes abruptly on its own; Difficulty lifting door initially; Must manually prop door open with wood or other objects
Repairs/costs cited: $50–$276 per owner reports for strut replacement; dealer quotes range $178–$276; aftermarket rebuild services available
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 12V062000 (issued Feb 16, 2012) covers only 2008–early 2009 EX-L and Touring models with power liftgate; many owners report their VINs excluded despite same failure; manual liftgate models not included in recall; Honda refuses coverage for non-recalled VINs
Rear sliding door detachment from tracks
Automatic or manual sliding doors become detached from upper and/or lower track rails. Door either falls completely off or hangs only by the cable, scraping the van's side. Failures occur when opening the door or pressing the open button.
When: No specific mileage patterns reported; occurs during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Door falls completely off tracks; Door hangs by cable only; Door scrapes full length of van side; Door opens but detaches from rails; Center roller comes off track; Door becomes difficult to open before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report $400 dealer estimates; door replacement or track/roller repair needed; one owner improvised by removing side roller apparatus
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers claim 'this happens sometimes with minivans'; no recalls issued; manufacturer aware but has not issued recall despite multiple complaints; owner reports indicate Honda aware of design defect for years but has not acted
Power sliding door rear latch actuator failure
The rear locking latch actuator on power-operated sliding doors fails, causing the door to unlatch and release during operation. Under power close, door latches then immediately unlatches. With power disabled, rear latch will not engage at all.
When: Mileage not specified; described as chronic, widespread issue
Symptoms owners cite: Door unlatches after latching during power close; Door slides open completely during acceleration; Door slides open around corners; Door does not latch on braking; Door pops open unexpectedly; Rear latch will not engage when power disabled
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quote $511 plus tax; aftermarket rebuild service available on eBay for approximately $90, indicating widespread knowledge of issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer will not guarantee problem won't recur after repair; no recall issued; owner research found 30+ eBay listings for rear door latch actuator repair services
Power sliding door sensor failure and auto-reverse malfunction
Automatic sliding door sensor fails to detect obstruction and trigger auto-reverse. Door continues closing on occupant and fails to reopen, trapping hand or fingers.
When: No mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Sensor fails to auto-reverse when object/child in path; Door closes on hand or fingers; Door remains shut with hand trapped inside; Door must be manually opened
Repairs/costs cited: No repair cost cited; dealer inspection found no obvious defect
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated no obvious defect found; no recall or assistance mentioned
Power sliding door closure malfunction
Automatic sliding doors fail to close fully or reverse direction during closing cycle. Door shudders, jerks, and reverses to fully open instead of latching.
When: No specific mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Door will not close completely; Door shudders or jerks during close; Door reverses and opens fully; Affects both passenger and driver side doors; Middle set of rollers identified as source by dealer
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer familiar with symptoms; middle roller assembly issue identified but repair cost not stated
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or warranty assistance mentioned
Manual sliding door track roller failure
Rollers on sliding door tracks break or become detached, causing door to stick, bind, and eventually fall off tracks entirely. Door becomes progressively harder to operate.
When: No specific mileage pattern reported
Symptoms owners cite: Door becomes hard to open without resistance; Door opens only halfway; Door becomes hard to close; Door requires pushing to close; Door falls off tracks; Door hangs on bottom track alone; Rollers completely broken and detached
Repairs/costs cited: Track and roller replacement required; repair cost not specified
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls issued
Liftgate hinge failure
Hinges on rear liftgate fail, causing unexpected closure and loss of structural support. Door falls closed without warning.
When: 45,000 miles reported in one case
Symptoms owners cite: Hinges fail abruptly; Door closes unexpectedly; Door falls on occupant; Door fails to remain open
Repairs/costs cited: No repair cost cited
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Vehicle not included in NHTSA Campaign 12V062000; no other assistance mentioned
Liftgate reduced opening height
Liftgate no longer opens to full height, reducing clearance. The reduction is not obvious until occupant strikes head on door.
When: No specific mileage reported
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate stops opening at reduced height; Clearance reduced without obvious warning; Occupant hits head on partially-opened door
Repairs/costs cited: No repair details provided
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented
Fuse 13 battery discharge (sliding door power)
With sliding door power fuse installed, battery discharges overnight. Fuse removal prevents discharge but disables power door functionality.
When: Occurs with extended parked periods
Symptoms owners cite: Battery fully discharged overnight with fuse 13 installed; Associated with power sliding door system
Codes mentioned: Fuse 13 (7.5 amp sliding door power)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; fuse left removed by owner to prevent discharge
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer will not guarantee battery discharge will not recur after latch repair and fuse reinstallation
Dashboard reflection obscuring driver side mirror visibility
Light-colored trim on dash panel to left of steering wheel produces reflection that obscures view in driver side rearview mirror, blocking sight of passing vehicles.
When: Occurs when sun at certain angles, recurring issue on first drive
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard trim reflects light; Reflection covers rearview mirror; Passing vehicles obscured; Cannot safely use driver side mirror
Repairs/costs cited: Owner painted dash trim black to solve problem
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented
Synthesized from 114 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Automatic rear sliding doors fell off while parked. Door jammed, and a screw had fallen out from under panel. Dorr fel off less than a minute later. *tr
2008 Honda odyssey exl hatchback lift gate struts gave out and fell on my head while loading groceries. The hatchback will open and close but the struts do not work. It fell with no warning of an issue. It can be very dangerous if one if not paying attention. Especially if children are near. *tr
Started 2019 peel off the paint body between moonroof and windshield. Area is bigger, bigger...
Structure/body:hatchback/liftgate:support device---I went to open the back door on the van to get a stroller out. It was difficult to open and very heavy. When I let go the door shut on me. I had received a recall notice in the mail prior to the incident, informing me that the struts were bad and could give out unexpectedly. (ref #12v062000) when I called the dealership I was told my vehicle was…
Issue is the same as with recall notice 12v062000. The gas filled struts are not holding the lift gate open. Issue became more noticeable when weather was cold. Recall should not be limited to power lift models as the same struts are used for other models. I read many complaints regarding this issue when I researched online. My model is the lx. *tr
Had body trouble with your 2008 Honda Odyssey?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the body problem on the 2008 Honda Odyssey?
It's a meaningful issue. 114 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Across the 97 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 46,000 and 89,000 miles, with the median around 70,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 46,000; a quarter make it past 89,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to body?
No active recalls currently cover body issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Honda/Odyssey.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.