[touringfool]

It's possible to have approaching cars from the right side completely disappear behind the "A" pillar. Approaching a four way stop, the car off the right can be masked completely behind the pillar! It's important to stop completely and really look vigilantly.

Doug

Motorcycle, or car?

 

[dugh]

Motorcycle, or car?

Remarkably, both. It seems unlikely; however, if the car is traveling at just the right speed as you both approach a intersection, you may never see it.

I'm not writing this to be critical as other minivans may have the same problem. But, if you own an Odyssey and have not noticed the blind spot, be careful.

Doug

 

[Jemaho]

pillar peek-a-boo

I have also had this problem, particularly while exiting parking garages and 'peep and creeping' across the sidewalk I have nearly hit pedestrians coming from the left. I, too, am a first time van/suv/non sedan driver, so I guess it just takes getting used to.

Jenny

 

[Chinchgub]

I'm sure you'll appreciate those beefy pillars if you have a rollover...

 

[dugh]

No doubt! Let's just hope it doesn't contribute to any.

 

[rwbest]

Tang, I agree with you. Due to the airbags in the A pillar, they are large and stick out quite far. Much more so than the '02 Ody we just traded.

We live in a hilly area and one corner I almost hit someone in the street. It's a slight upslope on the approach and the A pillar combined with huge side mirror puts you in a position where you can not see the intersection and any cars or people in it.

Pretend you are taxiing a tail-dragger airplane. You have to weave it a little and move your head side to side to be able to see around the nose. I've gotten used to it now.

 

[loveboxers]

If you're used to full size trucks or SUVs, you've had A pillar issues in the past and compensate. Go from a car to the Ody, and the A pillar will probably seem huge to you.

 

[dugh]

If you're used to full size trucks or SUVs, you've had A pillar issues in the past and compensate. Go from a car to the Ody, and the A pillar will probably seem huge to you.

Previously, we had a 1996 Town & Country. We noticed no "A" pillar problems with that van. Former SUV and full size truck drivers may have similar issues with the pillar. However, if you have the Odyssey and haven't noticed this phenomena, or if you are considering purchasing an Odyssey, it is something to consider.

 

[Atchie]

There are no actual air bags in the A Pillar, however, this is where all the pyrotechnic equipment is stored. This is necessary in order for the curtain airbags to deploy.

I have noticed more and more vehicles with this size pillar. Even on cars.

Looks like it's just something we all will have to adapt to.

 

[tang614]

Actually, I found that from the driver's perspective, almost 1/4 to 1/5 of the "A-pillar" come from the driver side window trim/molding. I think that part is oversight when they designed the van.

 

[CPSDarren]

We traded my wife's Chrysler Cirrus in part because of the A-pillar blind spot for the driver looking to the right side. We do not have the same problem with the Odyssey.

On the other hand, the A-pillar and C-pillar blind spots are notably bigger on our 2006 than they were on our 2005. I guess that's the price for the side curtain airbags and Honda's design of the roll-down sliding door windows.

 

[gumballgirl]

My Husband dosen't think this works, but it is possible to set up your rear view and side mirrors to eliminate blind spots when people are passing you. You end up with the side mirrors moved out quite a bit, you no longer see the side of your van, but you know where that is. If you set it up right, you see a car in your side mirror before it leaves the rear view mirror, and you see him out your side window before it leaves the side mirror. Usually I set this up on the highway when folks pass me.

The conversation mirror might help too, I don't have one (LX) but I have a similar baby view mirror that is helpful.

I haven't had the A pillar problem with cars coming into intersections being invisible, my biggest problem is when merging onto a highway. I normally check mirrors and then look to the left and back out the windows to see if there are cars in the lane I'll be merging into, and the protrusion of the B, C, etc. pillars into the van all line up and make that difficult.

 

[egads]

Very good advice, gumballgirl. The reason this works is because it's intuitive to lean left to see down the side of the van and not so to lean right to see the lane beside you. For step by step instuctions for proper mirror adjustment see this on Cartalk's website:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/mirrors/index.html

 

[dugh]

My Husband dosen't think this works, but it is possible to set up your rear view and side mirrors to eliminate blind spots when people are passing you. You end up with the side mirrors moved out quite a bit, you no longer see the side of your van, but you know where that is. If you set it up right, you see a car in your side mirror before it leaves the rear view mirror, and you see him out your side window before it leaves the side mirror. Usually I set this up on the highway when folks pass me.

The conversation mirror might help too, I don't have one (LX) but I have a similar baby view mirror that is helpful.

I haven't had the problem with cars coming into intersections being invisible, my biggest problem is when merging onto a highway. I normally check mirrors and then turn to the left and back and look out the windows, and the protrusion of the pillars into the van all line up and make that difficult.

Looks like you know how to adjust the mirrors. However, the "A" pillar blind spot refers to the pillars in front of the van.

 

[egads]

If a thread about PAX can end up discussing internet porn, a thread about seeing around an A pillar going off about mirror settings seems tame. Related even.

 

[gumballgirl]

If a thread about PAX can end up discussing internet porn, a thread about seeing around an A pillar going off about mirror settings seems tame. Related even.

Thanks Egads, and thanks also for taking the time to find and post the mirror adjustment link.

 

[rphjem]

I think it may be worse for short people who sit closer to steering wheel. Hate to admit I had accident that way, (02- no injuries- totalled) but if someone else avoids one by extra vigilance (lean forward and back) at intersection it's worth the humiliation.

 

[odyssey hawaii]

so is the problem more so for the petite population? that would explain it!! i'm 5'1 and my house is near a busy intersection and a few times had cars coming out of nowhere when i turn left. i am really good at looking left, right, left, right, then proceed.

 

[futureodyowner]

Hi everyone.

I drove a new '06 Ody home today and really did notice a blind spot. Rather than the A pillar (I may be used to that one in my Tahoe), I am having trouble seeing out of the back of the vehicle. When I look to the left to change lanes, back up, etc. all I see is a 2nd row headrest and the back pillar--D maybe? Maybe it is just because I am so short--around 5'3". I am not used to the backup camera yet, so I am concerned backing out of parking spaces--especially since I can't see the corners of the bumper.

 

[JyRO]

Double - Quadruple Check...

I double-quadruple check. Then I stick my head out of the driver's window and forward toward the windshield and swivel my head all around, just to be sure.

It works great! The only problems I've had is a branch slapped me in the face in a campground, the wind blew my spectacles off once on the interstate when changing lanes, when its raining it hurts and my face gets wet, and I had a bumble-bee get lodged between my two front teeth. :stupid:

But its worth it, because the double-quadruple check is just not quite enough.

- JyRO