2006 Honda Pilot Complaint Log

THE RADIO IS CONSTANTLY LOSING RECEPTION WHEN VEHICLE HITS A BUMP. SOMETIME IT WILL RECONNECT WHEN ANOTHER BUMP OR HOLE IS HIT. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE ANTENNA THAT IS DEFECTIVE. *AK

WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE 2006 HONDA PILOT, THERE WAS A LOUD ROAMING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, WHILE THE CAR WAS CRUISING AT ANY SPEED, IT WOULD JUST START AND STOP AT ANY MOMENT, IT SOUNDED LIKE A RACING CAR REVVING IT ENGINE TO THE LIMIT. WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY SPENT ABOUT 2 DAYS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT, THEY SAID IT WAS SOME SORT OF SPEAKER OR SENSOR THAT WAS RELAYING INFORMATION TO THE CARS COMPUTER AND WHAT WE WERE HEARING WAS FEEDBACK. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT, SO THEY UNPLUGGED IT SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE. *JB

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *NM

WE RECENTLY PURCHASE A CERTIFIED USED HONDA PILOT. WE WERE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC AND THE PILOT STALLED. I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND IT NEVER RAISED THE RPM LEVEL. I THEN TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND CRANKED IT, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO A PARKING LOT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM, AND ASKED THEM WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED. THEY HAD NO IDEA. ONE WEEK LATER WE WERE PULLING OUT INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC FROM A PARKING LOT FROM A DEAD STOP AND IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. THE PILOT REGAINED ITS SPEED AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. WE THEN TOOK THE PILOT TO DOBBS HONDA ON MENDENHALL ROAD IN MEMPHIS (901)795-5900) AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGE, BUZZ SMITH. THERE WAS NEVER A WARNING LIGHT SAYING SOMETHING WAS WRONG. MR. SMITH TALKED TO THE HONDA SERVICE REPS AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE VSA AND PROBABLY WHEEL OR YAW SENSORS. BUZZ WANTED TO TEST DRIVE TO SEE IF WE COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER ABOUT 20 VERY HARD AND FAST TURNS (DONUTS ALMOST), IT DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM ONE TIME. HE SAID THAT THE VSA SHUTS EVERYTHING DOWN IF IT DETECTS A MAJOR SKID OR G-FORCE. THE TWO TIMES THAT IT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY WAS UNDER VERY NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WHILE PULLING INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC ON DRY, CLEAN PAVEMENT. THEY FINALLY DECIDED TO SEND A INSTRUMENT TO HOOK UP TO THE PILOT. WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN, I AM TO PRESS A BUTTON TO RECORD A 30 SECOND SNAP SHOT OF WHAT THE VEHICLE WAS AND IS DOING. I ASKED, WHAT IF WE ARE IN ON-COMING TRAFFIC? THEIR RESPONSE, WELL, WE HAVE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THAT POINT. I HAVE NOW OPENED UP A CASE? FOR REVIEW WITH HONDA. IF YOU COMPARE THE WAY THAT THE SERVICE MANGER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO HOW IT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY, THEN THERE IS NO COMPARISION. *JB

WHEN I BRAKE ON A DECLINE, SO FAR AS I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE '06 HONDA PILOT FOR A WEEK, SOMETHING APPEARS TO MOVE FROM UNDER THE CAR, MOVES FORWARD MAKING A LARGE COLLIDING SOUND. HONDA DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *JB

AFTER DRIVING MY LEASED 2003 PILOT FOR 3 YEARS, I KNEW HOW IT HANDLED ON TURNS AND HOW IT STOPPED IN EMERGENCIES. BARELY 100 MILES INTO MY 2006 LEASE, I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON A RAINY ROAD DUE TO AN ACCIDENT IN FRONT OF ME, AND REAR-ENDED A CAR WHEN MY ABS SYSTEM FAILED TO STOP IN TIME, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY 2003 PILOT WOULD HAVE STOPPED AT LEAST 6 FEET BEFORE THE NEXT VEHICLE. KNOWING MY 2003'S STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN ABS KICKS IN, I WAS FLABBERGASTED THAT THE NEW CAR DIDN'T COME CLOSE TO STOPPING IN TIME. I NOTICED ONE TIME SINCE THAT THE ABS SYSTEM JUST DOESN'T COMPARE TO THE 2003, AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS A RESULT. ANOTHER DANGEROUS THING IT HAS DONE TWICE IS FISHTAIL IF I ACCELERATE GOING INTO A TURN OR CURVE. THE DEALERS SERVICE DEP'T USED ALL KINDS OF COMPUTERS TO TEST THE BRAKES, AND TOOK IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE, AND SAID IT FUNCTIONED FINE, AND MAYBE I'M JUST NOT USED TO A 2WD. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE THIS NEW CAR, IT'S NOT SAFE, AND WOULD RATHER HOLD ON TO MY 2003 PILOT. I KNOW THEY THINK I'M CRAZY, BUT I'D RATHER BE CONSIDERED CRAZY THAN HAVE MY EPITAPH READ, "I TOLD YOU THERE WAS A PROBLEM." *JB

WITH LESS THAN 1000 MILES, I BEGAN NOTICING A VIBRATION PROBLEM ON MY '06 HONDA PILOT. VIBRATION FELT IN SEATS AND STEERING WHEEL. ALTHOUGH CAN BE FELT AT LOWER SPEEDS, MORE PRONOUNCED @ 55 - 70 MPH. MAY HAVE BEEN THERE FROM DELIVERY, BUT DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE ANY SMOOTH ROADS HERE IN PA. FOR FIRST FEW WEEKS. DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM AND WORKED FOR TWO DAYS TO ELIMINATE, CHECKING TIRE BALANCE, DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS AND RUN-OUT ON ROTORS. REAR ROTORS WERE RESURFACED AND SEEMED TO LESSEN THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. OTHER DEALERS AND HONDA APPEAR NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AS DISCUSSED ON HONDA FORUM BOARDS. SCHEDULED ANOTHER VISIT TO DEALERSHIP. *NM

FUEL SLOSHES IN FUEL TANK AND PHYSICALLY MOVES THE VEHICLE WHEN SUDDEN STOPS OCCUR. HONDA CORPORATE SAYS THIS IS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE VEHICLE AND WILL, THEREFORE, TAKE NO ACTION TO CORRECT/REPLACE THE TANK OR VEHICLE. I'M GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT THIS DESIGN FLAW MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC IF ROAD SURFACES ARE COVERED WITH PACKED SNOW AND/OR ICE. *JB

1)FUEL GAUGE INOPERABLE 3 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (ALWAYS READS EMPTY). ATTEMPT # 3 TO CORRECT PROBLEM SCHEDULED TOMORROW. 2) POPPING /CRACKLING NOISE FROM RUBBER GASKETS AT DOORS. SERVICE PEOPLE SAY IT IS NORMAL, HOWEVER MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS ON THE NET. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ONLY ILLUMINATE 50 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO VISIBILITY ABOVE 12 INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE VEHICLE MEETS FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND NO REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 3/22/2006 - *NM

PURCHASE A NEW 2006 HONDA PILOT 2WD ON 2/23/06. ON 2/27/06, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARD SEVERAL FEET, AND FRONT TIRES KEPT SPINNING LOOSING TRACTION, AND THE BACK OF THE CAR HAD A FISH TAIL MOTION. I TESTED THE CAR ON A FLAT SURFACE IN THE RAIN, AND THE FRONT TIRE SPINNING STILL OCCURS. I TESTED THE CAR ON THE SAME INCLINE DURING DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, AND THE CAR ROLLS BACK ONCE YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK THE MECHANIC FOR A TEST DRIVE, HE SAYS THE NEW 2006 HONDA PILOTS ARE ALL EXPERIENCE THE SAME ROLL BACK AND TRACTION PROBLEMS. SPOKE WITH HONDA'S REGIONAL CASE MANAGER ON 3/6/06, HIS RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO TRADE THE CAR IN FOR A 4 WD PILOT OR LEARN TO DRIVE WITH BOTH FEET, YOUR LEFT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS SO TO EASE THE CAR AND PREVENT ROLL BACK AND LOSS OF TIRE TRACTION. THEY WOULD REPORT IT TO THE HONDA ENGINEERS, BUT I HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS. I FEEL THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY SITUATION FOR ME. THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS THAT I WOULD BE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE AND ROLL BACK AND LOSS OF TIRE TRACTION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT TO CARS BEHIND ME, OR EVEN PEDESTRIANS THAT MAY BE CROSSING BEHIND OF ME IN A MALL PARKING LOT OR ANY STACKED PARKING LOTS THAT HAVE RAMPS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED NUMEROUS TIMES AND LANDED ON IT'S TOP DUE TO THE IMPACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR. BOTH OCCUPANTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS; HOWEVER THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD THE OCCUPANTS TO THE SEAT AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT UNBUCKLE; HOWEVER THERE WAS TOO MUCH SLACK IN THE BELT THAT DID NOT RETRACT BACK INTO THE SIDE POST. AS A RESULT, BOTH OF THE OCCUPANT'S HEADS HIT THE WINDSHIELD SUSTAINING INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK AND RIBS. THE POLICE FILED A REPORT AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A COMPLETE LOSS.

NOTE: SYSTEM DID NOT LET ME PUT IN THE CORRECT TIRE SIZE 235/70/16. I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2006 HONDA PILOT EX AND WANTED TO EXPRESS MY DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY ARE GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES. I PURCHASED THE PILOT FOR A FEW REASONS, ONE BEING THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING WHICH IS NOT COMMON AMONG SUV VEHICLES AND SECOND BECAUSE OF HONDA'S RELIABILITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP. THIS IS MY 5TH HONDA THAT I HAVE PURCHASED AND I HAVE NEVER OWNED ANYTHING BUT HONDA'S. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE ARE JUNK. I LOVE THE VEHICLE BUT HATE THE TIRES. I DON'T JUST HATE THE TIRES BUT I FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN THE RAIN WITH THESE TIRES. THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE AT ANY MOMENT IT IS GOING TO HYDROPLANE. ALSO, WHENEVER I STOP IN THE RAIN MY ABS BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY BEING ACTIVATED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING WITH THESE TIRES. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AT SOME PILOT AND TIRE DISCUSSION BOARDS AND FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES ON OTHER PILOTS AND ALSO OTHER VEHICLES (SO IT IS NOT THE VEHICLE BUT THE TIRES). *JB

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2006 HONDA PILOT IN DEC 2005. FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES WERE GOODYEAR INTEGRITY. THE VEHICLE DAILY LOOSES TRACTION AND SEVERAL TIMES AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TRACTION IS BAD ON WET AND DRY CONDITIONS. WHEN CONTACTING HONDA CORPORATE, THEY SAY IT IS THE TIRE AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. GOODYEAR SAYS THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH HONDA. CLASSIC RUNAROUND. HOWEVER, WHEN I REVIEW THE GOODYEAR WEB SITE, IT PROVIDES TIRE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIOUS VEHICLE TYPES. WHEN I REVIEW THE HONDA PILOT RECOMMENDATION (WITH AN SUV CLASSIFICATION-WHICH IS APPROPRIATE ACCORDING TO THE HONDA WEB SITE, WHICH LABELS THE PILOT A SUV), THE GOODYEAR WEB SITE DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE GOODYEAR INTEGRITY. HOWEVER, IT YOU LABEL THE SUV A PASSENGER CAR (WHICH IT IS PATENTLY NOT), THEN THE INTEGRITY COMES UP AS THE RECOMMENDED TIRE. I HAVE ALMOST EXHAUSTED ALL MY OPTIONS AND AM LEFT WITH FRUSTRATION AND CONCERN. MY WIFE OR I WILL IMMANENTLY BE IN AN ACCIDENT, AND I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT HONDA WILL BE CULPABLE. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE BY OFFERING TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE (WHICH IS 2X THE PRICE TO THE INTEGGRITY TIRES-WHICH IS WHY I SUSPECT THEY ARE SELLING THE VEHICLE WITH THE SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER INTEGRITY TIRES) FOR THE RECOMMENDED TIRES, HONDA AND GOODYEAR ARE NOT LISTENING. *JB

GAS MILEAGE FOR THE VEHICLE IS NOT AS ADVERTISED. I AM GETTING 20 MPG FOR MIXED USE DRIVING (MOSTLY HIGHWAY). THE EPA ESTIMATES ARE 20/28. *NM

MY 2006 HONDA PILOT SUV HAS HAD A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL SINCE DAY 1. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER WHO GLADLY PERFORMED 2 TIRE BALANCES BUT THE VIBRATION DOESN'T GO AWAY. THE VIBRATION IS FELT AT ANY SPEED HIGHER THAN 63 MPH. ON LONG HIGHWAY DRIVES, MY ARMS UPTO MY ELBOWS VIBRATE FOR VERY LONG THAT I HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK FOR 20 MINUTES AND JUST SHAKE THE HECK OUT OF THEM. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF 3 OTHER PILOT OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS MORE WHO REPORT THIS ON WEBSITES LIKE WWW.HONDAPILOT.ORG/FORUMS. *NM