Safety concern: 2012 Honda Odyssey

anzawest

New member
Starting a new thread because no one so far shares my alarm at the gap between seats created by sliding the two outboard seats toward the door. Is there really no safety concern about this? I have no expertise at all but it seems everyone is treating like it's not anything at all.
 
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Calleiah

Active member
I'm sorry, maybe you could be more specific. What in particular bothers you about it? I dont see anything concerning about the feature, and it doesn't appear that testing resulted in any concern either, unless I've missed something.
 

Calleiah

Active member
I understand about the gap, but what specifically concerns you about it? I guess I'm just not understanding why it's an issue. I don't see anything that would effect safety.
 

anzawest

New member
I understand about the gap, but what specifically concerns you about it? I guess I'm just not understanding why it's an issue. I don't see anything that would effect safety.

-Could a slender seat slump between the gap?

-What if someone is sitting there using an adult seatbelt? How comfortable/safe is it to sit with a part of your bottom without a seat?

-Were any of the crash tests done with the seats in wide mode?

etc.
 

Calleiah

Active member
anzawest said:
-Could a slender seat slump between the gap?

-What if someone is sitting there using an adult seatbelt? How comfortable/safe is it to sit with a part of your bottom without a seat?

-Were any of the crash tests done with the seats in wide mode?

etc.

- if a seat is properly installed, no. And even then, seats are fairly rigid plastic, I'm not seeing how a seat could 'slump' into that gap. I can see how a poorly installed seat might 'lean' into the gap, but that's not a design failure, that's a parents failure to install properly.

- typically a middle seat (in any vehicle) isn't going to be comfortable to a fully grown person. Bottom line, that's probably not a good place to stick the average adult. That said, I have sat in that middle seat and it was fine, though I am small statured.

- someone else will have to answer that as I do not know for certain. NHTSAs website may have that info though, and I'm sure some techs here probably know as well.
 

jewlsvern

New member
The gap is really not that big. Only about an inch or just over. The center seat is a full seat. I am a large person and I sat there comfortably. The gap just gives a little more space to either fit car seats or give passengers a little more room. I have a Radian installed there rear facing and the car seat fits totally on the seat. I then sit in the captains chair. I like having the little bit of extra space next to the seat. Way more comfortable than my SUV.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Generally, I would not have any concern about this. Captain's chairs of limited width exist in many vehicles. Of course, as in any vehicle, there can always be specific incompatibility issues of a particular carseat or passenger. Unless something is contrary to guidance in one of the owner's manuals, I don't see an issue in the photo.
 

Nimommyof2

New member
You could say that about captians chairs themselves than couldn't you since they would have a gap on either side of them? I think its a great feature to have and don't see how a seat would slump off it unless not installed correctly. I would think seats that state they need X amount of the seat touching possibly would not fit in the postion.
 

YinzerMama

New member
no safety concerns from me. can't imagine what would get stuck in such a small area that would be of consequence. comfort wise i don't think it is bad. i sat back there in the show room. when you're sitting the bulk of your sitting is on your butt bones (I am sure there is an anatomical name for it) and if your side butt is kind of not supported you don't really feel it - it's not a huge deal. I don't think it would feel much different if it filled the gap. That said we just traded in an '08 Sienna and I really don't get WHY they made the middle seat of the odyssey skinny with the option of wide mode - I don't get what benefit having the middle row narrow serves? I wonder if the next change to the odyssey is going to be a wider middle seat and just get rid of wide mode.

MAYBE in narrow mode it would be easier from the back row to reach around and hit the door open button when you push the seat forward from the back row? But it's iffy.
 

o_mom

New member
-Could a slender seat slump between the gap?

-What if someone is sitting there using an adult seatbelt? How comfortable/safe is it to sit with a part of your bottom without a seat?

-Were any of the crash tests done with the seats in wide mode?

etc.


I wasn't sure your concern when you posted in the other thread.

To answer your questions as best I can:

1. I don't think a seat is any more likely to move off the seat than in any other situation. I have a Radian installed there currently and have had no issue with it sliding off to the side. The seatbelt anchors are spaced on either side of the seat, so in general the seat will stay centered there. I would just make sure that the 80% rule is being followed for any seat there (80% of the base must be on the seat), but beyond that I haven't seen an issue.

2. I am an average size adult - 5'7", 135 lbs and I have no problem sitting there. It is actually pretty darn comfortable for me and my entire bottom fits on the seat. A larger adult may have issue with comfort, but I don't see it as a safety issue.

3. No idea - maybe NHTSA or Honda could answer those questions.
 

o_mom

New member
That said we just traded in an '08 Sienna and I really don't get WHY they made the middle seat of the odyssey skinny with the option of wide mode - I don't get what benefit having the middle row narrow serves? I wonder if the next change to the odyssey is going to be a wider middle seat and just get rid of wide mode.

MAYBE in narrow mode it would be easier from the back row to reach around and hit the door open button when you push the seat forward from the back row? But it's iffy.

I think the idea is that in 'skinny' mode', you have the cupholder/console in the middle for the outboard passengers. As well, I can see where it would allow easier access to the third row.
 

YinzerMama

New member
I think the idea is that in 'skinny' mode', you have the cupholder/console in the middle for the outboard passengers. As well, I can see where it would allow easier access to the third row.

Yeah but if the middle seat was wider, it would fix the easier to reach thing. I think the amount with which is allows ease from back to front is marginal.

It will be interesting to see what happens with coming models of 8 seat vans. It's weird how Toyota had the better 8th seat and Honda's was awful and then they flip flopped. As much as I regret trading in my old Sienna I feel like Toyota had a colassal brain fart on the new one - and Honda had a great idea but didn't think it through all the way.

Zero safety concerns on that center seat, though - it's the way to go for a new 8 seater.
 

o_mom

New member
Yeah but if the middle seat was wider, it would fix the easier to reach thing. I think the amount with which is allows ease from back to front is marginal.

It will be interesting to see what happens with coming models of 8 seat vans. It's weird how Toyota had the better 8th seat and Honda's was awful and then they flip flopped. As much as I regret trading in my old Sienna I feel like Toyota had a colassal brain fart on the new one - and Honda had a great idea but didn't think it through all the way.

Zero safety concerns on that center seat, though - it's the way to go for a new 8 seater.

Yeah - I get the feeling it was "How can we make this work with a minor change rather than a huge redesign?". :)

It was odd - We totally would have gone Toyota this time as we were not happy with how our Ody lasted, but I just could not do that horrible 8th seat on the new Sienna and we could not find an older Sienna with 8 pass and not too high mileage.
 

bnsnyde

New member
Never noticed a gap.
But we have Radians and the seats fit with room to spare.

Now that I think about it, toys get lost down there, lol. At first I thought wide-mode was just a way to be closer to the door, and why be closer if you don't have to? OK, fine. But then with 3 in a row, I realize wide-mode will make it possible to get my Frontiers once they outgrow the Radian. So I like it.

What I don't like is the fancy seats that move this way and that, durability-wise. Our captain's chair BROKE within a few months. They had to totally repair it as it would not slide at all. Brand new van.
 

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