"Trick to Open Side Sliding Door in 2002 Honda Odyssey"

2002 Honda Odyssey Front View

I have an 2002 Honda Odyssey. The side sliding doors are not automatic. Every once in a while both side sliding doors stick locked closed. Is there a trick to opening these? Eventually they give, I am not sure of what it is that triggers the lock. Does anyone have a trick for this?

Answer: This is fairly common on the Odyssey vans. The most common cause of the doors sticking is that the rubber weatherstrips around the door become gummy from dirt, road oil and pollen and don’t release when you go to open the door. The solution is to use a light coating of silicone spray to clean and lubricate the weatherstrips. Also, be sure to clean the mating surface on the sliding door where the weatherstrips seal against the metal.
Other than that, there are rollers for the door that do wear out and if you have a flat spot on the door roller it will cause the door to bind. those doors are a pain in the neck to adjust.
I think if you clean and lubricate the weatherstrips you’ll solve your problem. make sure you lubricate the latch while you are there. Hope that helps