2020 HONDA ODYSSEY Complaints

Tailgate Control Unit failed due to water entering through the seals of roof seal which resulted in damaging the functionality of the tailgate. Failure to open. I noticed one day that the tailgate would not open (the back hatch). My Honda dealership got the vehicle in rather quickly (One week). Dealership stated they have never seen this and requested repairs of over a thousand dollars. After further research on the issue, I noticed that there are multiple class-action lawsuits with multiple law firms. This is not an isolated issue. However, I am glad that the dealership was able to get my vehicle in and fixed in an appropriate amount of time. The worry was that just one day, the back tailgate quit working and there was no manual way to open the vehicle in case of collision, fire, or water incident and used as an escape route. With multiple class action lawsuits on the same incident, I believe this incident needs to be followed up on. Solutions: Revist the type of seal Honda is using. Move the control unit to a different location within the vehicle so the control unit will not become waterlogged and damaged. Lastly, provide a manual unlocking and opening mechanism for escape out of the rear tailgate if vehicle is involved in a collision, fire, or water event.

The contact’s daughter-in-law owns a 2020 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while his daughter-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that an unknown flashed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the sound had become louder over time. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,688.

Regarding my 2020 Honda Odyssey vehicle, there is a manufacturing defect which allows water to infiltrate the rear driver’s side body panel, where it comes into contact with the control unit for the rear power tailgate (a/k/a power liftgate). Once water infiltrates the control unit, it causes the power tailgate to malfunction. Many consumers have reported that the malfunctions include the tailgate opening and closing without notice and while operating the vehicle, the tailgate failing to open, and the tailgate failing to close. With the control module getting wet and becoming oxidize/faulty that also makes the battery work harder which causes the car not to start, etc.. Consumers are then forced to pay out of pocket for expensive repairs only to have the replacement control unit also prone to future failures caused by further water infiltration. Honda of Tenafly is saying this is not a recall and not covered. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving during a snow day at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle lost traction and crashed into a curb on the front driver's side where it came to a stop. The crash was minor. No property damage was on the curb. The air bags deployed with excessive force. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to a local independent dealer where it was diagnosed that an air bag replacement was needed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired cosmetically by the insurance provider. The contact believed that the impact to the curb was minor and equivalent to going over a pothole which should not have warranted an air bag deployment. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

The power tailgate continues giving issues. I made the first repair about 1.5 years after purchasing as a new vehicle purchase. Now a few years, after the first repair, I', seeing the same issue. The power tailgate stops working and makes all the warning lights on my dashboard light up and drains my battery. During the last repair, the tailgate power unit was replaced as water gets into the compartment and causes damage. Initially it affected the driving assistance, the power steering system and lights as they were all acting up, with the dashboard full of warning messages, when the tailgate initially stopped working.

The entire Advanced Driver Assistance System failed. My vehicle has not been inspected. The entire ADAS does not work upon startup.

Front camera failure disabled Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, and Lane Keeping Assistance.

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated, with or without an occupant seated in the front passenger’s seat. Upon investigation, the contact discovered Honda Campaign Notice: 24-050, which the contact linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that his vehicle was not included in the campaign. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Top left rear exterior seam/seal on the top of the roof, under the black strip that runs front to back is leaking inside the left inner side/panel of the trunk, leaking water into all electrical components (break/turning lights) as well as the left rear seatbelt mechanism, soaking seatbelt, rendering it unusable. Could be a potential fatality in case of an accident.

I have had 3 Power Tailgate modules fail due to water leaks in the rear panel or window of the vehicle. I have had 2 leaks repaired and two modules replaced within a 6 month period (June '24 and December '24). 6 weeks later (Feb 14, 2024) have had the 3 module fail due to water intrusion following a heavy rain.