2003 Honda Pilot Complaint Log

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SWUNG TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK A TREE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE COMPONENT FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES.A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *AK

I HAVE HONDA PILOT 2003. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. IT WAS RAINING AND REAR WIPERS WERE RUNNING. ALL OF A SUDDEN, REAR WIPERS STOPPED RUNNING AND THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE WILLIAMSON HONDA DEALER IN LINCOLN, NE. HE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED FUSE #7. HE IS ALSO TELLING TO REPLACE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR, THAT IS ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $400. IT IS A HONDA MOTOR DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF COST TO ME AS A RECALL. HOW DO I PROCEED WITH IT? *NM

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE BACKING OUT OF A GARAGE. CAR PROCEEDED UNTIL IT STRUCK OTHER CARS DESPITE APPLYING THE BRAKE. CAR FINALLY STOPPED WHEN IT BECAME STUCK IN THE MUD. *JB

STEPPED ON GAS TO ACCELERATE, SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD NOISE - THOUGHT SOMETHING GOT CAUGHT UNDER CAR, BUT WHEN I PULLED OVER, THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION & THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE HONDA DEALER AS THIS MAY BE PART OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES. SO I TOOK IT TO BALL HONDA ON FRIDAY, 11/17 & HAD HENRY AS THE SERVICE ADVISOR. WHEN I SPOKE WITH HENRY OVER THE PHONE, HE SAID THAT WHAT WAS STATED ON THE RECALL AS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO ORDER THE TRANSMISSION BUT HAD TO WAIT FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILEAGE ON MY CAR. HE THEN SAID THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, HE JUST NEEDS IT APPROVED. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED BACK TODAY, 11/20/06, I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT MOSES AND WAS TOLD THAT HONDA WILL NOT COVER IT AS IT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL PROBLEM. THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSTICS WAS THIS: CHECKED 2ND GEAR CAMPAIGN - CHECKED CUSTOMER'S CONCERN ON RACK NOISE COMING FROM INSIDE TRANSMISSION. NEEDS TRANSMISSION. B: CHECK 2ND GEAR CAMPAIGN. CHECKED 2ND GEAR WITH LED LIGHT. 2ND GEAR SHOWS SLIGHT DISCOLORATION. HE (SCOTT) THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, AND THAT, DUE TO MY HIGH MILEAGE, I'VE VOIDED THE WARRANTY. *JB

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2003 HONDA PILOT. ON THE EVENING OF 11/09/06 SHE WAS ATTENDING AN EVENT. WHEN SHE STARTED UP THE TRUCK SHE COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF PARK. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND TURNING IT BACK ON A COUPLE OF TIMES SOMEHOW SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN LATER ON WHEN SHE DROPPED OFF A FRIEND AND LEFT THE CAR IN PARK WHILE SHE LET HER FRIEND OUT. SHE TRIED THE SAME TACTIC AS BEFORE AND AFTER A FEW TIMES SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OUT OF PARK. WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME SHE TOLD ME OF THE PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE GARAGE AND STARTED THE TRUCK UP AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I BEGAN TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THAT WHEN THEY CAME ON I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. THERE WAS NO HAZARD LIGHT OF ANY KIND TO INFORM US OF THIS MALFUNCTION AND THAT IT WAS TIED TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS. MY WIFE DROVE OVER 60 MILES THAT EVENING AND MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD HER BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING. I TOOK IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH, FP # 5615215, DESCRIPTION SW.STOP 36750-S84. *NM

I WAS COASTING TO A STOP WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2003 HONDA PILOT SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY DOWN SHIFTED. IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SUDDENLY JABBED THE BRAKES ON MY CAR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THE SAME DAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON THE WAY TO THE SHOP. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION STUCK IN SECOND GEAR, THE LIMP HOME MODE, AND WOULD NOT UPSHIFT. THE ONLY WAY I COULD KEEP THE TRANSMISSION FROM VIOLENTLY DOWN SHIFTING OR STICKING IN SECOND GEAR WAS TO MANUALLY SHIFT THROUGH THE GEARS. THE DEALER REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION WITHIN ONE WEEK AT A LITTLE OVER 48,000 MILES BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER NOW CLAIMS AFTER MY COMPLAINT THEY WILL WARRANT THE REPLACEMENT REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR 36,000 MILES AND THREE YEARS. THIS HELPS, BUT HONDA SHOULD GIVE ME THE SAME EXTENDED 93 MONTH AND 109,000 WARRANTY THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO NUMEROUS OTHER HONDA AND ACURA OWNERS DUE TO A CLASS ACTION SUIT. TODAY THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY SAID THEY WILL NOT EXTEND MY WARRANTY. HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WILL START ANOTHER CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR HONDA PILOTS. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THAT THIS POOR HONDA TRANSMISSION DESIGN THAT IS PRONE TO DEFECT IS ALSO A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT CAN TAKE FULL VEHICLE CONTROL AWAY FROM OPERATORS WITHOUT NOTICE. PERHAPS ALL AFFECTED HONDAS AND ACURAS SHOULD RECEIVE NEW REDESIGNED TRANSMISSIONS. *NM

SOMETIMES I CANNOT TAKE THE SHIFT LEVER OUT OF PARK EVEN THOUGH I AM DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT WHEN I FIDDLE WITH THE WIRES GOING TO THE SWITCH THAT MONITORS THE BRAKE PEDDLE, THE SHIFT LEVER IS RELEASED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *NM

DRIVING MY 2003 HONDA PILOT WITH APPROX 40K MILES. WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN I HEARD A SINGLE THUMP. LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW A TIRE BOUNCING 20-30 FEET IN THE AIR WITH CARS BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY SWERVING WILDLY TO AVOID THE TIRE. IT BOUNCED 3-4 TIMES AND THEN WENT OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A RAVINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT MY SPARE TIRE HAD BROKEN FREE AND DROPPED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I HAD TO SIT FOR 15 MINUTES BECAUSE I WAS SO SHAKEN THINKING THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR HIGHWAY ACCIDENT. THE SPARE HAD NEVER BEEN USED OR LOWERED FROM THE CAR. DEALER REPORTED THAT THE STEEL LIFT CABLE HAD JUST BROKEN. *NM

MY HONDA PILOT 2003 EX 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS "REPAIRED" UNDER A PRIOR RECALL BY DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2004. ON OCTOBER 6, 2006, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 M.P.H. WITHOUT ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD SUDDENLY AND HARD, SUCH THAT MY SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH ME AND LOCK AND PUSHED ME INTO THE DRIVERS WHEEL. WHEN I GOT HOME, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THAT SINCE THEY HAD FIXED IT IN 2004 I WOULD HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN $4,000 AND $5,000 FOR A "NEW" TRANSMISSION. I WAS NEVER TOLD OF THIS DEFECT WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, ALTHOUGH I WAS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH AMERICAN HONDA'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED AND THAT SAID OFFER SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME OF THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I ASKED AMERICAN HONDA TO REPAIR IT WITHOUT COST TO ME, AS THE FIRST REPAIR WAS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AND I WAS TOLD A "MANAGER" WOULD GET BACK TO ME IN 48 HOURS. I HAVE NOW GONE 10 DAYS WITHOUT MY CAR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. HAD TRAFFIC NOT BEEN LIGHT, THE INCIDENT ON 10-6 COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *NM

2004 HONDA PILOT, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS!!! HONDA SAID WE NEED TO REPLACE YOUR TRANSMISSION... WE HAD A FLASHING D LIGHT FOR MANY YEAR ON & OFF AGAIN... THEY SAID THE RECALL WAS DONE.. MY REPAIR RECORD AS FOLLOWS: HONDA WEST AUGS 1/2003 A INTERMEDIATE MAINTENANCE, THROTTLE BODY SERVICE, REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE, AC REPLACE VENTILATION FILTERS, INVOICE TOTAL PAID BY US $353.10. 10/03/2006 HAD FRONT BRAKES DONE AT STAR IMPORT SERVICE, THEY NOTED {NO CODES STORED FOR ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION. POSSIBLY CLEARED @ DEALER ???) 08/13/2007 STAR IMPORTS SERVICE TO CHECK TRANS LIGHT FLASHES ON SOMETIMES, THEY SCAN TRANSMISSION FOR CODE AND STATED ON INVOICE NONE PRESENT..02/18/2009 HONDATRONICS SERVICE, CHECK TRANSMISSION OPERATION, CHANGED TRANSMISSION FLUID TWICE, WE PAID 198.13.. JUNE 16, 2009 CHECK D LIGHT FLASHING.. IT IS NOW 10/2009 AND D LIGHT IS FLASHING AGAIN AND WE ARE TOLD WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN 2004, THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA RECALL # 04V176000 PERTAINING TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO INSTALLED AN OIL JET KIT. THIS SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, ON 10/02/06, THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWED AS IF LOSING POWER THEN JERKED VIOLENTLY WHILE ENTERING SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR THE LABOR. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE MANUFACTURER, WITH NO SUCCESS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELTS OR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM SO THE WARNING LIGHT WAS RESET. AFTER THREE DAYS, THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT.

IN THE SUMMER 2004, I RECEIVED NOTICE FROM AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. INVOLVING AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RECALL. MY CAR WAS SERVICED FOR THIS RECALL ON 10/12/04 BY RENSSELAER HONDA, MY ORIGINAL DEALER. THEY INSPECTED MY 2003 PILOT FOR THE DEFECT AND INSTALLED AN OIL JET KIT AT 42,112 MILES. THIS PAST SUMMER(7/2006), NOW WITH 76,100 MILES, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR SEEMED TO HAVE A VIBRATION OR STUTTER WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND AGAIN AT 50 MPH WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT SPEED. ON 7/6/06, I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND ASKED THAT THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS JUST LIKE THE RECALL HAD STATED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE PGK VALVE AND ASSURED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THE TRANSMISSION. I CALLED RENSSELAER HONDA TO SEE IF THEY COULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND AGAIN ASKED THAT THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. THEY VERIFIED MY CONCERN AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NOISE IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN LOCK UP AND THE LOCK- UP CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE COST OF PARTS, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1046.47 IN LABOR COSTS. AFTER INVESTIGATING THIS TRANSMISSION RECALL, I BECAME AFRAID TO TRANSPORT MY KIDS IN THE CAR. I READ THAT CERTAIN 2003 PILOT 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS HAD ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAWS THAT HAD NOT BEEN FULLY CORRECTED AS PART OF THE RECALL PROCESS AND THAT GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. *JB

NOTICEABLE CABIN VIBRATION WHEN CAR APPROACHES 70MPH, VERY NOTICEABLE. NO MODIFICATIONS OR REPAIRS AS OF YET. *TR

AFTER RECEIVING THE TRANSMISSION RECALL 04V176000 UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 PILOT EX-L FAILED. THE PROBLEM CONSISTED OF THE VEHICLE NOT CHANGE TO AND FROM SECOND GEAR PROPERLY. AMERICAN HONDA IS GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND ABOUT ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAG AND THE TRANSMISSION RECALL WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON HIGHWAY. I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 70 TO 72 MILES PER HOUR. MY VEHICLE SWERVED TOWARDS LEFT A BIT, AND TO COMPENSATE THAT I TRIED TO STEER TOWARDS RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WENT TO THE NEXT LANE AND SPUN ONE TIME AND WENT TOWARDS THE LEFT LANE. IT THEN CHANGED DIRECTION AND WAS FACING NORTH, WENT FOUR LANES OVER AND HIT THE MEDIAN HEAD-ON AND THIS COLLISION BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETE HALT. BOTH AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED AND VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. IT LOOKS LIKE, IT WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH LED TO THE CRASH. *JB

FIRST, I HAD BOTH: A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A DEER AND A REAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR AND NONE OF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE IMPACT ON BOTH OCCASIONS WAS NOT A SEVERE/HARD IMPACT, THEREFORE AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN. THEY MUST BE WAITING FOR A FEW CONSUMERS TO DIE BEFORE RECALLING THESE AIRBAGS AND A LAWSUIT. IT COST ME OVER $3K TO FIX THE DAMAGES ON BOTH ENDS. ANYWAY, MY SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON SINCE THIS PAST APRIL. I TOOK MY PILOT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEED MY "CABLE REEL" REPLACED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE COST TO FIX MY PILOT WOULD BE $400=$300 LABOR + $100 PART AND IT IS THERE WAY OF ROBBING ME BLIND. I TOLD THEM TO NOT PERFORMED THE FIX UNTIL I GOT A SECOND OPINION. THEY DID RESET THE LIGHT FOR ME BUT THE SRS LIGHT CAME BACK MINUTES AFTER THEY RETURN IT TO ME. WELL, THE SECOND OPINION AT LEESBURG HONDA DEALERSHIP CLOSE TO MY HOUSE WANT TO RAPE MY WALLET OF $1000 +. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY AIR BAG IS BAD AND THAT I NEED TO REPLACE IT OR I WILL FAIL MY VA INSPECTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE MECHANICS AND SPECIALIZE IN REPAIRING BROKEN\DAMAGE CAR EQUIPMENTS. THEY ARE NOT ENGINEERS AND CAN NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHY MY AIR BAG WOULD GO BAD. THE LIMITED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER SINCE I AM OVER MY 3 YRS\36K MILES. SO BASICALLY TO GET MY CAR FIX, I HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART THAT WAS SOLD TO ME AS NEW WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. WHO SHOULD I BELIEVE OR WHICH DEALERSHIP KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING? *JB

OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT WAS PART OF THE HONDA RECALL OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO CARL HOGAN HONDA IN COLUMBUS MS WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION FOR HEAT DISCOLORATION AND INSTALLED AN OIL JET KIT. IN EARLY 2006 WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR PILOT. IT WILL INTERMITTENTLY SURGE AND JERK BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AND AT TIMES IT SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS GOING INTO OVERDRIVE. WHEN THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR, THE DRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH A FEW TIMES THEN GO OUT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE COMING ON AGAIN. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAS HOOKED OUR VEHICLE UP TO A COMPUTER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT EACH TIME HAS FAILED TO GET A CODE. THE FIRST TIME THEY HOOKED IT UP THEY DID NOT GET A CODE AND WHEN WE GOT THE CAR BACK THE SRS LIGHT WAS ON. WE THEN HAD TO GET THAT REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM IS NOW A WEEKLY OCCURRENCE AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEY CAN RETRIEVE A CODE. THE JERKING AND SURGING IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND WE FEEL IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. WE WERE DRIVING WITH OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN TODAY AND MADE A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE JERKED, SLOWED DOWN AND SURGED. AN ONCOMING CAR NARROWLY MISSED US. *NM

MY VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 70-80 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE DEALER NO LESS THAN 5 TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM AND JUST RECENTLY WAS TOLD THAT HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE VIBRATION IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. UP TO THIS POINT THE DEALER HAS RE-BALANCED THE TIRES OVER AND OVER AND REDONE THE ALIGNMENT. I EVEN PURCHASED BRAND NEW TIRES AND STILL THERE IS THE VIBRATION. THE DEALER ROAD FORCE BALANCED THE TIRES AND STILL THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE HONDAPILOT.ORG WEBSITE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE NO RESOLUTION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CABLE REEL WAS DAMAGED. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER # 10005879, WHICH STATES THE DAMAGED CABLE REEL CAN CAUSE SRS DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS). THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THE CABLE REEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WITHOUT THE REPAIR THERE WAS A GOOD POSSIBILITY THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

WE WERE REAR-ENDED, CAUSING US TO CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL (DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER), WHICH THEN SPUN OUR VEHICLE AROUND, CAUSING THE ENTIRE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO COME TO REST AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL. THE CRASH OCCURRED AT ROUGHLY 30 MPH, BUT NEITHER THE FRONT, NOR THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *JB

THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO EFFECT ON DRIVING PERFORMANCE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO OUR MECHANIC BUT HE CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM WHEN HE PLUGS THE DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTO THE COMPUTER. WHILE THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT AFFECTED OUR USE OF THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT ONE DAY THE TRANSMISSION WILL SEIZE UP. FOR INFORMATION, WE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION CHECK WARNING WAS ISSUED A FEW YEARS AGO (YEARS BEFORE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED) AND WE WERE TOLD BY OUR HONDA DEALER THAT OUR TRANSMISSION DID NOT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY THAT REQUIRED REMEDIAL WORK. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WELDS ON THE FIREWALL BROKE THREE TIMES. THIS CAUSED WATER TO LEAK ONTO THE FLOOR; DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE, FRONT AND BACK. THE DEALERSHIP WELDED THE FIREWALL TWICE, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS THIS FINAL TIME. UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

SAME SITUATION AS RELEASED IN ODI CASE NUMBER 10172900. I HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASH. THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC OR CIRCUIT BOARD WAS STRONG. AFTER THE INCIDENT, MY REAR DVD HEADPHONE OUTPUTS, BOTH WIRED AND WIRELESS, NO LONGER FUNCTION. TOOK THE PILOT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM THE FAILURE OF THE HEADPHONE OUTPUTS EVEN THOUGH I REQUESTED THAT THEY PUT IN A DVD TO TEST THE SYSTEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE ONE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WOULD ONLY PULL THE RADIO UNIT AND RECOMMEND THAT I REPLACE THAT UNIT. WHEN I ASKED IF THEY HAD TESTED THE UNIT, THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY COULD NOT TEST THE UNIT. THE UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE SENT SOMEWHERE FOR TEST AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. TO VIEW THE AREA BEHIND TO DVD PLAYER, I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD TAKE A TECHNICIAN 8 PLUS HOURS TO REMOVE THE NECESSARY DASH ELEMENTS IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE CAVITY CONTAINING THE DVD PLAYER. THERE WAS A DEFINITE RESISTANCE TO EXPLORE THE SUGGESTIONS I HAD AS TO WHY THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SMOKE. ALL I KNOW IS THE THERE WAS ENOUGH SMOKE TO REQUIRE ME TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND MY DAUGHTER AND I TO "BAIL" OUT OF THE CAR. *JB

THE CAR MAKES GRINDING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE CAR GENTLY ACCELERATES FROM BELOW 1400 RPM TO 1500 RPM. IT STARTED TO HAPPEN AROUND 30000 MILES AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY NOW (97000 MILES). DEALER HAS REPLACED EGR VALVE 3 TIMES WITH NO AVAIL AND THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES THE GRINDING NOISE LASTS UPTO 5 SECONDS. THE TACHOMETER JUMPS UP AND DOWN AROUND 1500 RPM WHILE MAKING THE GRINDING NOISE. THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID WAS CHANGED BUT NOISE STILL HAPPENS. *TR

2003 HONDA PILOT STARTED "JUDDERING" AT 35-40 MPH WHEN IT HIT AROUND 45K MILES. NUMEROUS VISITS TO DEALER AND A MECHANIC EVEN RODE WITH ME WHILE I DROVE AND DUPLICATED PROBLEM, BUT WHEN IT WENT BACK INTO THEIR SHOP THEY DENIED A PROBLEM. I GAVE UP WHEN WE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND WE JUST LET OFF THE GAS THEN GIVE IT MORE AND IT CORRECTS. NOW, THOUGH, THE GEAR SHIFTER IS GETTING "STUCK" OR NOT FULLY GOING INTO "P" AND ROLLING, IF THE ER BRAKE IS NOT ON AND THE GEAR IS NOT SHIFTED INTO "R" AND THEN "P" AGAIN. ACURA BULLETIN #06-003 ADDRESSES EXACT ISSUE AS A TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACING. LOCAL DEALER CLAIMS NO AWARENESS OF ISSUE AND WON'T DO ANYTHING SINCE CAR HAS OVER 100K AND IS OUT OF EVEN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BY NHTSA BEFORE SOME 2003 PILOT TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILS AND SOMEONE IS KILLED! PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SO MY TRANSMISSION CAN BE REPLACED!! *TR

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE WAITING ENTER INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, AND THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. THE MOVING VEHICLE HIT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED , BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *AK

HONDA PILOT HIT IN REAR BY GEO, BOTH BACKS OF FRONT SEATS BROKE AND HIT BACK SEATS. CHILD IN CAR SEAT HIT FEET. DRIVERS HEAD HIT DVD PLAYER, LEG HIT UNDER DASH FROM FALLING BACK, HURT LEFT SHOULDER AND HEAD. PASSENGER FELT HIT IN BACK. BOTH HAD HEADACHES AND TAKING TO ER. *JB

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

BEGINNING ABOUT 1-1-1995, I HAVE HAD ELEVEN (11) INCIDENTS OF THE BRAKE-LIGHT SOLENOID FAILING. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN MY 1995 ACCORD (6 TIMES), 2001 ACCORD (3 TIMES), AND 2003 PILOT (2 TIMES). I CURRENTLY OWN THE 1995 ACCORD AND THE 2003 PILOT. IN ALL INSTANCES THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. WHEN SOMEONE IS WITH ME AND I AM STATIONARY, I HAVE THEM CHECK THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO SEE IF THEY WORK WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE, AND THEY DON'T WORK AT THE SAME TIMES I CAN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. TOMORROW MORNING THE PILOT GOES BACK TO THE SHOP TO GET THE SOLENOID REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. MY DEALER HAS REPORTED THIS TO HONDA BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TOO INTERESTED IN TRYING TO FIND A PERMANENT FIX TO THE PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY OTHERS WILL REPORT SIMILAR INSTANCES SO WE CAN GET SOME CORRECTIONS MADE. BESIDES THE ANNOYANCE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK WHILE TRAVELING. *JB

DT: THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH PANEL. THIS CAME ON WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS INCIDENTS OR PROBLEMS. THERE WAS ANOTHER RECALL ON A SEPARATE ISSUE, AND WHILE AT THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR, THE DEALER INSPECTED THE SRS LIGHT. THE DEALER MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THE AIRBAG WAS NOT WORKING. THE DEALER BELIEVED CELL PHONE USE HAD SHORTED THE SENSOR OF THE SRS. HE TRIED TO RESET IT. TWO MILES AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE LIGHT AGAIN ILLUMINATED AND HAS BEEN ON SINCE THIS TIME. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE REPAIR WOULD COST 300 DOLLARS. NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

I WAS DRIVING NEAR MY HOUSE MY WIFE'S HONDA PILOT SUV AND THE REAR SUSPENSION SUDDENLY BROKE DOWN. THE FORK AND WHEELS SUPPORT ARE BROKEN AND UNWELD (UNSOLDER) *JB

THE GAS TANK HAD A LEAK. ENOUGH THAT FUEL WAS DRIPPING TO THE GROUND WHEN THE TANK WAS OVER HALF FULL. THE LEAK POINT WAS AROUND A SEAM AT THE FUEL INTAKE WHERE THE TANK WAS ASSEMBLED. HONDA REPLACED THE TANK BUT BECAUSE THE CAR HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HONDA APPLIED A GOODWILL WARRANTY AND PAID FOR THE PARTS. WE PAID ALMOST 300 DOLLARS FOR LABOR.

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE SHIFT INTERLOCK WILL NOT LET THE CAR OUT OF PARK, UNLESS YOU HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL 20-30 TIMES. HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED DUE TO HONDA NOT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *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

DT: WHEN OPENING THE TAILGATE THE HINGE FAILED, AND THE HATCHBACK FELL DOWN ON CONSUMER. IT APPEARED THAT PISTON WAS TOO SMALL FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR, AND THE ATTACHMENT SHOULD BE PLACED IN A POSITION WHERE IT COULD SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF DOOR. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. CURRENTLY, THE HINGES COMPLETELY FAILED.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT LOCK AND THE WINDOWS SPORADICALLY FAILED TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT INTO GEAR. IN ADDITION, THE LIGHTS WITHIN THE BUTTONS ON THE DASHBOARD STOPPED WORKING AND THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/15/12 * BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN RECALL #04176000 CONCERNING THE POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE COOLING HOSE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. THE VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR DRIVE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT LIABLE AS IT WAS UNCLEAR IF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE PREVIOUS RECALL. THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO APPLY THE PART FOR FREE BUT WILL CHARGE FOR LABOR. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000. *AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE REPAIR INVOICE AS WELL AS THE RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD AN OIL JET KIT WAS ALREADY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 05/13/07*TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON REVERSE SHIFT WASN'T WORK PROPERLY. IT HAPPENED TWICE IN THE MORNING WHEN I FIRST START. THE CAR WOLUDN'T MOVE AND LOCKED UP. I NEED TO SHIFT TO DRIVE GEAR THAN REVERSE. SOME OTHER TIME I HAVE TO TURN OFF ENGIN THAN TURN ON TO MOVE THE GEAR. THIS WAS HAPPEN AFTER RECALL FOR MY HONDA POLIT 2003.

2003 HONDA PILOT EXPERIENCED MINOR PROBLEMS. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE VEHICLE'S SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. ON DAY AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. *NM

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

RECALL CAMPAIGN: 04V176000 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR INSPECTION. TRANMISSION SLIPPING. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS SERVICED TWICE REGARDING THE TRANSMISION, ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR CHARGES.

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-50 MPH, MY 2003 HONDA PILOT BEGINS TO SHUDDER AND REV RPMS. I HAVE TO LET OFF THE THROTTLE AND THEN ACCELERATE AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE SPEED IS CONSTANT OR DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION.

THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT A BUMP ALMOST CAUSING LOST OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE SHOWED IMMEDIATE DETERIORATION WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. *JB

CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSITION OF THE HEAD RESTRAINT ON THE FRONT SEAT. *NM THE BACK OF THE CONSUMER'S HEAD WOULD HIT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE TOP BAR OF THE HEAD RESTRAINT ABOUT AN INCH BELOW THE TOP OF THE CONSUMERS HEAD. *SC

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR AN AIR BAG ADJUSTMENT. *NM

HONDA PILOT 2003, VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT IS BEHIND, A BACK-UP SENSOR SHOULD BE STANDARD IN ALL CARS. *BF SAFETY HAZARD CONCERN. *SC

WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2003 PILOT W/ 27000 MILES ON IT DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AND SMOKE SUDDENLY STARTED POURING OUT FROM THE RADIO. HONDA SAYS THE RADIO IS BAD (CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THEM TO GET A NEW ONE). I'M TEMPTED TO CHECK YES ON "WAS THERE A FIRE", BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THIS QUALIFIES. I CERTAINLY THOUGHT IT WAS A FIRE AT THE TIME!*AK