Door Lock & Latch complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0% | 3,000 miles |
| 2024 | 1 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | 76,000 miles |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% | 47,000 miles |
| 2020 | 3 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2019 | 7 | 1% | 87,000 miles |
| 2018 | 16 | 2% | 88,000 miles |
| 2017 | 1 | 3% | 80,000 miles |
| 2016 | 4 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 1% | 116,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2011 | 4 | 2% | 126,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 1% | 9,000 miles |
| 2009 | 4 | 2% | 99,000 miles |
| 2008 | 4 | 1% | 110,000 miles |
| 2007 | 18 | 2% | 30,000 miles |
| 2006 | 27 | 4% | 50,000 miles |
| 2005 | 27 | 3% | 64,000 miles |
| 2004 | 24 | 4% | 78,000 miles |
| 2003 | 26 | 3% | 98,000 miles |
| 2002 | 24 | 3% | 77,000 miles |
| 2001 | 33 | 5% | 80,000 miles |
| 2000 | 105 | 16% | 75,000 miles |
| 1999 | 78 | 15% | 78,000 miles |
| 1998 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 | 4 | 4% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the rear hatch tailgate door opened unintendedly. The vehicle was previously taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with electronic tailgate door control module failure, which was caused by water intrusion from the roof drainage system. The control module was replaced but the failure reoccurred on two other occasions, and the electronic tailgate door control module was replaced by the owner. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 50,000.
After stopping at a gas station for a rest break, both the passenger side and driver side rear power sliding doors refused to close after the passengers re-entered the vehicle. The tracks/path for the doors were checked for obstructions and none were found. After multiple repeated attempts at closing (more than ten on each side), the doors were successfully closed. After several additional hours of driving, the same scenario played out at our next fuel stop. The vehicle would have been unsafe to operate had the problem not resolved itself. The doors could not be closed by using the neither the push buttons nor the interior door handle. The dealer service center could not reproduce the problem. The vehicle has not been inspected by anybody besides the dealer service department. They stated that no codes regarding the operation of the doors were stored in the vehicles memory. …
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the passenger's side doors failed to open while pressing the power door button and while attempting to open the doors manually. The contact stated that the children had to crawl through the rear cargo door to enter the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,183.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to exit the vehicle, the passenger-side sliding door failed to open after several attempts. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V795000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the rear liftgate was inoperable and had to be unlocked through the emergency release in the trunk. Additionally, the contact stated that the rear window seal was significantly fractured. A message that the tailgate was inoperable was displayed accompanied by a chime that was heard inside and outside the vehicle while driving. The contact stated that the message was displayed after a rainstorm. Additionally, while the contact's son was using the seat belt, the contact became aware that the passenger's side third-row seat belt and seat belt retractor housing attached to the roof were wet. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the tailgate printed circuit board for the locking mechanism was corroded, and the motor had failed. The vehicle was scheduled for the repair. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the transmission failed to operate as needed and was shifting hard. Additionally, the vehicle would hesitate to respond and there was an abnormal loud mechanical sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a Transmission Control Module (TCM) software update. However, the failures persisted. The contact also stated that the vehicle would jerk and would shudder when depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the rear driver's side and passenger's side sliding doors would reopen independently after being closed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger's side sliding doors were difficult to open and close. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions, and the dealer replaced the passenger's side sliding door motors and cables twice however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer applied lubricant to the cables; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
This car has a failure/malfunction that is well documented on the internet by other owners and is being willfully ignored by Honda. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. It is a major safety concern. In cool weather, there is no way to open the back hatch of this vehicle. So if the only way to reach passengers trapped in the car was from the back hatch and the weather was cool there would be no way to open the hatch and no way for the passengers to get out or for help to reach them. This failure occurred without warning and we did not detect it until we traveled from Florida to North Carolina where the weather is cooler. The vehicle has not been inspected by Honda, the police, or insurance but we would happily have it inspected. It has not been confirmed by the dealer. …
Related recalls (5)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey vehicles. Water may enter the outer door handle cables for the sliding doors. If this occurs, the outer door handle cables may freeze in cold temperatures, preventing the front and rear sliding door latches from securely latching.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power sliding door outer handle cables, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2018 and 2019 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The latch assemblies for the power sliding doors may stick and not properly latch to the door strikers.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right power sliding door rear latch assemblies, free of charge. The recall began January 3, 2019.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: minivan. The sliding doors May not latch properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the door latch assembly on all odyssey minvans built from December 3, 1999 through December 16, 1999. Also included in this recall are approximately 1,612 odyssey minivans that had the latches…
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: minivan. The sliding doors May not latch properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the door latch assembly.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: minivan. The power door lock remote control actuator unlatches the door in response to input from the remote transmitter. Excessive grease in the actuator could cause a slow return of the activation lever to the proper latching position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power door lock remote control assembly.
NHTSA investigations
Unexpected Closing of Power Liftgate
The investigation found that the liftgate struts were failing prematurely and at an abnormal rate in certain model year (MY) 2008 Honda Odyssey Touring and 2009 Honda Odyssey Touring and EX-L model vehicles equipped with power-operated rear liftgates (note: MY 2008 Odyssey EX-L was not equipped with a power liftgate).Unlike vehicles with non-powered (manual) liftgates, the subject vehicle's liftgate can be opened…
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Odyssey years have door lock & latch problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (105), 1999 (78), 2001 (33), 2005 (27) and 2006 (27) model years. Door Lock & Latch complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Honda Odyssey door lock & latch problems?
Yes — 5 recalls, including 20V-437 (latch, Jul 28, 2020); 18V-795 (latch, Nov 9, 2018); 00V-119 (latch, Apr 25, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Honda Odyssey door lock & latch problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the doors › latch (268 mentions), followed by the hatchback/liftgate › lock (5).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.