Both power sliding doors on my 2006 Honda Odyssey have stopped working and have to be manually forced shut. My repair shop says that both power slide motors have to be replaced at a cost of $1,200 per door. I could use some guidance. – Andrew
Main motor failure is not common, and for both motors to fail at the same time is highly unlikely.
The sliding doors are suspended by three rolling hinge-style mechanisms, two at the front and one at the rear. The rear slider is the usual culprit as it has to carry extra weight.
After extended use, the small roller bearings will slowly disintegrate, causing the door to experience difficulty when closing. The additional drag due to the failing roller bearing causes the vehicle's safety features to kick in, and the door will reverse direction while attempting to close, similar to elevator doors that re-open when something has not yet safely cleared the threshold.
The inability of the door to fully close and latch under its own power usually causes the driver to take matters into its own hands and to strong-arm the door, manually forcing it closed. After a couple of forced door closures, the electronic module that controls the door operation will get disorientated and lose its "home" position. Both doors will then cease to function as the sliding door module overrides and shuts down the system. The doors will need to be re-homed or "initialized" after repair for them start functioning on their own again.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing "Lou's Garage" in the subject area.
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