2003 Honda Pilot Brakes Problems

CAR SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY DECELERATED AS IF MAXIMUM BRAKES WERE APPLIED FOR ABOUT HALF A SECOND. CAR DID NOT JERK HARD TO LEFT OR RIGHT, SUGGESTING THAT IF BRAKES WERE THE CAUSE, BOTH WHEELS PROBABLY ENGAGED SIMULTANEOUSLY. REMOVED BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND INSPECTED FRONT BRAKES AND LINES. NOTHING UNUSUAL NOTED. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE BETWEEN MAX AND MIN. *TR

A NEW MASTER CYLINDER FROM AMERICAN HONDA INSTALLED BY A HONDA DEALERSHIP FAILED LESS THAN 1/4 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE FAILURE WAS DETECTED BY THE BRAKE PEDAL NOT COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN PRESSED THOUGH THIS WAS NOT VERY NOTICEABLE. PRESSING THE BRAKE CAUSED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY CAUSED ENOUGH LOSS SO THAT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD BEEN REPLACED ALONG WITH THE FRONT-LEFT BRAKE CYLINDER DUE TO THE FRONT-LEFT BRAKE CYLINDER STICKING CLOSED ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE ORIGINAL BRAKE CYLINDER FAILURE CAUSED ENOUGH SMOKE TO CAUSE THE DRIVER TO INITIALLY BELIEVE THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. *TR

NOTICED THAT THE HONDA PILOT WOULD SHAKE WHEN DRIVING AT 60, THEN EVENTUALLY START FEELING THE BRAKES GOING INTO EFFECT AND THE SPEED DROPPING TO BELOW 40. HOWEVER, DRIVING AT 25 YESTERDAY, THE BRAKES LOCKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I HAD TO PUSH DOWN THE BRAKES AND THEN THE CAR MOVED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKES WERE SPRAYED WITH A BRAKE SUBSTANCE;HOWEVER, THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE ON 2003 PILOT AT 53,000 MILES. HONDA REALIABILITY NOT AS GOOD AS PEOPLE THINK. *TR

FOR OVER A YEAR, I HAVE BEEN REPORTING BREAK FAILURE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED THAT WHEN I TRY TO STOP WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP AT 25 MPH OR LESS, THE BREAKS FAIL AND THE ABS DOES NOT KICK IN, I.E. THE CAR FAILS TO STOP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE, THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THIS MORNING I WENT OVER A BUMP AT ABOUT 22 MPH, TRIED TO STOP THE CAR AS I WAS GOING OVER THE BUMP BECAUSE THERE WAS A CAR STOPPED ABOUT 150-200 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. THE BREAKS FAILED OR LOCKED AND THE ABS NEVER KICKED IN. I RAPIDLY SLID INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. *NM

HONDA PILOT FRONT ROTORS GET WARP WITH NORMAL USE, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEED THE CAR STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND CAR IS OUT OF CONTROL, HAVE TO REMOVE FOOT FROM BRAKES TO GET CONTROL OF THE CAR BACK, HONDA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES. AFTER THIS HAPPENED THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. THIS PROBLEM STARTED NEAR THE END OF JUNE OF 2005. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PARKED IN A LOT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE . THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, BUT WAS NOT SURE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM. NO HESITATION NOR ANY WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 1000 MILES WHEN THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *BF *NM

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED. STARTING AT 32,000 MILES, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES HARD SIDE TO SIDE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN FROM NORMAL WEAR, NO OTHER DEFECTS NOTED AS CAUSE (TIRES, LUG NUT TORQUE, OVER HEATING). DEALER WOULD NOT FIX UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM CONTINUES. POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL UNDER HARD BRAKING DUE TO SEVERE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE. CAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR TO OTHER PARTS.*AK

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS WARPED FROM NORMAL USE, LOW MILEAGE (21,000 MILES) CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF VECHICLE STABILITY AND CONTROL WHEN BRAKING

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. *AK ON MAY 19TH 2004, THE BRAKES WERE VIEWED AND A SERVICE TECH ADDED PARTS BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE BRAKES. *SC *JB

LOUD "CLANK" NOISE FROM BRAKE CALIPERS THE FIRST TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED AFTER CHANGING DIRECTION (FORWARD TO REVERSE OR REVERSE TO FORWARD). THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE NEW; THE DEALER SERVICE REP STATES "THEY ALL DO THAT", AND SAID HE WAS SURPRISED HONDA HAD NOT COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF FIX BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VERY DISCONCERTING NOISE.*AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY PRODUCED A NOISE. DEALER STATES THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PULSATION AND SHAKING IN STEERING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. *LA THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE CUT AND RESURFACED. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER BLAMED THE BRAKE PROBLEMS ON HIGH MILEAGE BUT THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE DEALER MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM OR THAT THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *NM

SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER BUYING OUR CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2002, WE NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN WE USED THE BRAKES WHEN GOING FORWARD. WE WERE TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL AND OCCURRED AFTER HAVING JUST BACKED UP. IT WAS A TRANSFER OF THE BRAKES FROM BACK TO FRONT. I HAD THE SERVICE TECH LOOK AT THEM AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUES AND HONDA WOULD NOT ADDRESS IT. I HAVE SINCE TALKED TO SEVERAL HONDA OWNERS WHO HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, MY BRAKES ARE GETTING WORSE AND MAKE THE SOUND EVEN IF I DON'T BACK UP FIRST. *AK

I OWN A HONDA PILOT 2003, EVERY TIME I START MY SUV AND PRESS THE BRAKES FOR THE FIRST TIME I HEAR A LOUD NOCKING SOUND. USUALLY HAPPENS AFTER THE SUV IS NOT IN USE FOR A WHILE. I TOOK THE SUV TO THE DEALER FOR DIFFERENT ISSUE AND I ASKED THE SERVICE PERSON ABOUT THE PROBLEM, HE TOLD ME THAT THE SOUND IS COMMON ON PILOT. I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY TOLD THAT I NEED TO TAKE THE SUV FOR AN INSPECTION AND NOT TO GO BY WHAT THE SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE SUV TO THE DEALER YET. BUT, I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH AND THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THE SAME PROBLEM, I DO NOT WHY THEY HAVE NOT REPORTED IT. THE PROBLEM IS ANNOYING BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE, EVERYTIME THE SUV IS MOVE AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME.*AK

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB