Honda Pilot Complaints (2003)

720 consumer complaints on file.

#10282741September 3, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR JOLTED FORWARD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY SCARY. IT DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY AFTERWARDS. WHILE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR ON A SLOPE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT DIDN'T SHIFT AND THEN JOLTED FORWARD. IN ONE OCCASION THAT I PUT THE CAR IN THE R GEAR, AND IT DIDN'T GO BACKWARDS. CHECKED WITH A HONDA DEALERSHIP, AND TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282801September 3, 2009
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
TL*. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF HER AUTOMATIC DOOR ACTUATORS FAILED. AS A CONSEQUENCE SHE CANNOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, THE INABILITY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS INCREASES THE RISK FOR SAFETY HAZARD. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND A REPRESENTATIVE DENIED RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN EXISTING RECALL. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED.THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 109,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282338August 30, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SUSPENSION, TIRES
OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT LOCKED UP ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF THE 2ND GEAR. WE WERE TRAVELING IN THE 3RD LANE OVER 60 MPH WHEN BOTH FRONT TIRES LOCKED AND WE SKIDDED TO A HALT IN LESS THAN 200 YARDS ON THE HIGHWAY. PRIOR TO OUR VEHICLE BREAKING DOWN, THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF DANGER, NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS, NO BLINKING LIGHTS OR ANY HESITATION WITH THE CAR. OUR VEHICLE HAD 138,400+ MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY ACCORDING TO HONDA'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES, INCLUDING ALL TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGES. ON MAY 7, 2004 WITH 36,384 MILES, OUR VEHICLE HAD RECEIVED A RETROFIT OF THE A/T OIL JET KIT DUE TO HONDA'S 04-021B SAFETY RECALL ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT. THE CAR BEHIND US STOPPED JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION. OUR CAR COULD NOT BE ROLLED INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE AS BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE LOCKED AND WE WERE STRANDED IN THE 3RD LANE. A POLICE OFFICER WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND LOGGED THE INCIDENT AS A DISABLED VEHICLE. THE OFFICER REQUESTED FOR IMMEDIATE TOWING SINCE WE WERE IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A HONDA DEALER, WHO PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING DIAGNOSIS AND ESTIMATE: "TRANSMISSION INTERNAL FAILURE BOTH FRONT AXLES TWISTED NEEDS 2 TIRES - FLAT SPOTS ALIGNMENT $5,199.14 PLUS TAX" WE OPTED NOT TO REPAIR THE HONDA AND INSTEAD PURCHASED A NEW NON-HONDA VEHICLE AND RECEIVED A TRADE-IN VALUE FOR 'AS-IS' CONDITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279367August 4, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 HONDA PILOT THAT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. I WAS ON CA HIGHWAY 80 WHEN THE "D" LIGHT SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING THEN THE GEARS STARTED TO STICK. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE AND I HAD TO SUDDENLY SLOW THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY TO 40 MPH. I PULLED OFF AS SOON AS IT WAS SAFE AND WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE NOR GET IT INTO OVERDRIVE. HAD TO DRIVE IT AT AN UNSAFE SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE NEAREST REPAIR STATION. HONDA IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS DEFECT NOW THAT THE CAR HAS 110,000 MILES AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278949July 31, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 HONDA PILOT TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER REQUEST A REFUND FOR THE TRANSMISSION WORK THAT WAS A SAFETY RECALL. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO REVERSE GEAR AND THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN SWITCHING THE GEAR FORWARD. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278139July 23, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 HONDA PILOT MOTOR MOUNTS BROKEN. CAR ONLY HAS 77K ON IT. OWNED 5 OTHER HONDAS NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. NO ROUGH DRIVING. COST IS OVER 500.00 TO REPLACE SAFETY ISSUE, COULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IF THE MOUNTS FAIL. ALSO THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IS ALWAYS GETTING STUCK AND SOMETIMES TAKES 20 MINUTES TO GET IT TO TURN THE CAR ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277917July 22, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, SLIPPING NOT GOING INTO SECOND GEAR, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENTLY, BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR IN MAY 2009 DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS INCREASED IN JUNE, "D" LIGHT FLASHING, SLIPPING NEAR ACCIDENT TRYING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC AND TRANSMISSION DID NOT ENGAGE ENGINE JUST REVVED; DEALER REPLACED A PART FOR $800. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY, MORE SLIPPING NOT GOING INTO GEAR MORE NEAR ACCIDENTS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, DEALER NOW NOTICES PROBLEM, DEALER SAYS WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276863July 15, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLAMPS ON 2003 HONDA PILOT SIMPLY STOP WORKING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10276072July 8, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS OUT OF PARK. I SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY UNTIL IT IS IN PARK. THIS DEFECT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL FOR ALL HONDA ACCORDS, 1999-02. THE DEALER HAS QUOTED MORE THAN $500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE APPEALED TO AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS DEFECT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275300June 30, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 THIS RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE, NOW THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED SLIP AND SHIFT HARD, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE "D" FLASHING DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT RESETS WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT OFF. I'M AFRAID THAT THE AS STATE ON THE RECALL CONSEQUENCE: QUOTE: "GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH." I DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT THIS AND THERE SEVERAL HUNDREDS IF NO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275193June 29, 2009
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
SRS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND STAYS ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275182June 28, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 HONDA PILOT 140K MILES. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING. THE "D" INDICATOR BEGAN TO FLASH THEN THE CAR WOULD ACT LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRYING START FROM A DEAD STOP IN 4TH GEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275065June 26, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE NEXT GEAR SLIPPING. WAS MERGING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND HARDLY AVOIDED ANOTHER CAR COMING FROM BEHIND ME. SEEN OTHER CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING ON 2003-2004 PILOT TRANSMISSIONS FAILS SAME WAY SOON AFTER 100KMILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274386June 20, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 HONDA PILOT. 2ND GEAR GOING OUT. SEEMS TO HAVE CHIPPED TEETH ON GEAR. I CONTACTED HONDA. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY PILOT HAD ALREADY BEEN LOOKED AT BACK IN 2004. MY MECHANIC SAYS THAT THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A DIRECT RESULT OF ORIGINAL RECALL ON THIS MODEL. THIS ALL BEGAN WITH MY "D" FLASHING. NOW MY SECOND GEAR IS GRINDING AND ABOUT TO O OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274311June 19, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT'S (WITH 85,000 MILES) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON APPROXIMATELY 6/1/09. WE RECENTLY JUST PURCHASED THIS PILOT AND ARE THE SECOND OWNERS. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT AND SERVICED AT THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP RIGHT UP UNTIL WE BOUGHT IT. ANYHOW, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR BEGAN TO DOWNSHIFT AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN RATHER VIOLENTLY AS WE PULLED OFF ON THE EXIT RAMP. THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING AND DOWN-SHIFTING QUITE ROUGHLY. WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING WAS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION IN 2004, WARNING THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE "GEAR FAILURE AND LOCK-UP CAUSING A REAR-END COLLISION." BUT THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP INFORMED US THAT THE RECALL IS TOTALLY UNRELATED TO OUR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE COST OF REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274154June 17, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 HONDA PILOT, 95K MILES, TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN STARTED FLASHING, SLIPPING OR POPPING BETWEEN GEARS, ACCELERATION IS GONE, WENT DOWNHILL VERY QUICKLY. I LOGGED ONTO VARIOUS WEBSITES AND SEE THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS REPORTED BY MANY EARLY MODEL HONDA PILOT OWNERS I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AS I EXPECTED A HONDA TO BE TOP NOTCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273973June 16, 2009
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE FLOOR BOARD OF MY 2003 HONDA PILOT IS VERY DAMP TO THE EXTENT THAT IF YOU WERE TO LEAVE A PAPER BACK ON IT, THE BAG WOULD BECOME WET. THIS WAS LAST OBSERVED ON AN 5-HOUR TRIP WE WERE TAKING ON JUNE 5TH. IT RAINED ALL DAY, AND WE WERE RUNNING THE AIR CONDITION FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP. WHEN WE RETURNED HOME, WE HAD TO REMOVE THE MATS (WHICH WERE WET ON THE BOTTOM) TO ALLOW THE FLOORS TO DRY OUT. IT STILL IS DAMP TO THIS DAY (JUNE 16TH). I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, OR IF IT IS OUTSIDE WATER LEAKING IN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT I FIRST NOTICED APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AGO. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM THEN. IT IS HARD TO ATTRIBUTE THE PROBLEM TO ANY EVENT BECAUSE THE FLOOR REMAINS DAMP FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY BE SURE WHAT CONDITION IS CAUSING IT - YOU ARE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THROUGH SO MANY CONDITIONS THAT IT'S HARD TO TELL. FROM TIME TO TIME I HAVE TO TAKE OUT THE MATS WHEN IT BECOMES EXTREMELY DAMP. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MOLD, THOUGH I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BECOMING TOO MUSTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274004June 16, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FEB 2009 NOTICED TRANSMISSION WAS PERIODICALLY SLIPPING AT 86,000 MILES, 1000 OVER EXTENDED WARRANTY. DID NOT MALFUNCTION WHEN MY MECHANIC CHECKED IT. I WAS PASSING A TRUCK GOING UPHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR ON ITS OWN AND SLAMMED TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP. EVERYTHING IN MY CAR WAS THROWN FORWARD. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHERE I WAS TRAVELING AND HE RECORDED THE CODE P0730, PROBLEM IN SHIFT CONTROL SYSTEM. BACK TO MY MECHANIC AGAIN FOR SOLENOID REPLACEMENT. STILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. CALLED HONDA CORP AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A HONDA DEALER. HONDA DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING NEW TRANSMISSION. I PROVIDED ALL RECORDS FOR PROOF OF MAINTENANCE. THERE IS NO PROOF THAT THE "FIX IT" WAS EVER PERFORMED ON THE TRANSMISSIONS RECALL. I AM OUT OVER $2500.00 FOR A PROBLEM THAT HONDA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED RESPONSIBILITY FOR IN THE PAST BUT IS CHOOSING TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY NOW. I AM THANKFUL THAT I DID NOT CRASH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269842May 25, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BLINKING D LIGHT ON 2003 HONDA PILOT TRANSMISSION. DEALERS SAY THEY DON'T KNOW THE CAUSE. EDMUNDS FORUM FULL OF SAME COMPLAINT, SAME EVASIVE ANSWER. TRANSMISSION ABOUT TO FAIL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269731May 22, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT BROKE, AND WE WERE ALERTED BY OUR HONDA DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 79,000 MILES ON IT. THE MOTOR MOUNTS HELP HOLD THE ENGINE IN PLACE. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED ONLINE CHAT BOARDS WITH DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PILOT OWNERS COMPLAINING THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE ON THEIR CARS, AT AS LITTLE AS 60,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS WIDESPREAD AND POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. WE HAD OUR BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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