[Dmako]

Just program the height using this feature

Of no use with manual tail gate.

 

[jeffwb70]

I'm definitely late to the party but I had to chime in. I bought a used '19 Odyssey LX recently and was amazed to see how extremely low this tailgate is. I'm now concerned whenever I have passengers wanting to load their own luggage. I'm always like, "...watch your head..." And I had to learn the hard way after hitting my head on the liftgate three times or so. I always know automatically now to just be careful and duck when under there. I used to own a '15 Odyssey and that was not even something that I really had to think about with that one. But it's a lack of common sense. Another thing, why is the step over in the LX for the wide seat arrangement not available as a piece that can be added to the EX and up trims when the middle seat is removed. That step over is absolutely invaluable for my passengers getting into the 3rd row. And that thing is absolutely hard core in terms of its durability. But, I recently had an EX owner tell me of what a pain in the butt it is because when their middle seats are removed there are crevices and pieces of metal to step on instead. She's like how can I get that same stepover the LX has. And now since the LX has been discontinued I guess no one can get that in a 23 model. Silly! And on one other note I'm just assuming then that ZF who makes the 9 speed transmission is aware and whole heartedly approves of the sometimes small clunk noises one hears when shifting at lower speeds. I clearly am not the only 9 speed owner that hears that from time to time and wonders if even ZF would say something is programmed wrong here. But the tailgate issue is not a small one, it's just that I only recently have a '19 Odyssey LX (that I like a lot) and am finding that oh yes there are others that have serious questions about such things. And I'm still smh big time on this small blue screen that Honda stuck in the LX. Same sound system as the touring including woofer (really an incredible sound system for a base model) but to pair it with a tiny blue screen that is WAY worse than anything in the 4th gen is absurd. What, really, would it have cost them to put the same darn screen that is in all the other models in the LX. Very little, I might add.

 

[Dmako]

I agree with the tail gate opening. If say 6 feet or more taller it's a pain in the.... Head.

They should offer the same hinge as the motorized version.

 

[stanimal]

The likely issue is the non-powered lift gate has shorter gas struts than the motorized struts on the Touring and Elite models. I have the Touring model, no opening height issues, but bumped my head several times on the tailgate on my buddy's EX, but since he's only 5'-6", he doesn't have a problem with his lower opened height of his tailgate.

 

[rick_3091]

Mine is a 2003 model but the lift gate has the exact same problem - several inches too low. I'm 6'3" tall. I have hit my head so many times on it that I have forgotten how to count! It's one thing when you are approaching the vehicle and you can see the low lift height in front of you. I find it's much worse when I take things out of the back then stand back up to walk away - the low gate is behind me then and I often bash the back or top of my head. It's infuriating. I have often wondered if the designers simply did not consider that tall people might use this vehicle, but then again there is plenty of head room about the driver's seat, encouraging the conclusion that the low lift gate opening height is by design,,,which is worse than ir being a flaw, come to think about it.

 

[Dmako]

Mine is a 2003 model but the lift gate has the exact same problem - several inches too low. I'm 6'3" tall. I have hit my head so many times on it that I have forgotten how to count! It's one thing when you are approaching the vehicle and you can see the low lift height in front of you. I find it's much worse when I take things out of the back then stand back up to walk away - the low gate is behind me then and I often bash the back or top of my head. It's infuriating. I have often wondered if the designers simply did not consider that tall people might use this vehicle, but then again there is plenty of head room about the driver's seat, encouraging the conclusion that the low lift gate opening height is by design,,,which is worse than ir being a flaw, come to think about it.

Yup designed so a 5'4" person can reach it to close.
Should be adjustable or add a strap.

 

[gardenrivernymph]

Yeah, I’ve been looking at used parts online. I’d prefer a junkyard or upull-it but I haven’t found anything where I’m at in California. I should be back on the east coast in a month or two. If I can’t find the parts online at a reasonable price, I might just wait until I move. I’d prefer a upull, that way I could be familiar with the tear down and take all parts I need from a donor van.

@DK_Honduh, Did you ever give this a shot? Signed, 6' Amazon Mom w/ a periodically bruised coconut

 

[kathibean01]

I just filed a complaint with NHTSA here: File a Vehicle Safety Complaint | Safercar.gov | NHTSA I encourage you to do the same, maybe if enough are received, NHTSA will force a fix. As the power liftgates open at 6'3'' or so, a fix is possible, apparently.

I just filed a complaint.