Honda Pilot Complaints (2003)

720 consumer complaints on file.

#10551656November 10, 2013
SEATS, STRUCTURE:BODY
DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM STOP I FELT MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT SNAP AND GIVE ALLOWING MY BODY TO LEAN BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. VISUAL INSPECTION UNDER SEAT SHOW FATIGUED METAL BRACKET AT FORWARD OUTBOUND POSITION OF SEAT BASE/BRACKET JUST ABOVE RAILS. I WOULD ASSUME INTEGRITY/SAFETY OF SEAT IS COMPROMISED. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION/USE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550679November 3, 2013
SEATS
THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME SHEARED OFF ON THE FRONT BAR, LEFT SIDE. THE SEAT IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS, I FEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE INFLUENTIAL CAUSAL EFFECT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, IT JUST BROKE. THE SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING, A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. THIS SEEMS TO PROBLEMATIC AMONG 2003 - 2006 HONDA PILOTS. HONDA NEEDS TO DO A RECALL? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549647October 26, 2013
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
MY HONDA PILOT STARTS SLIPPING WHEN IT CHANGES FROM 3RD GEAR TO 4 GEAR. NOW IT STARTS SHAKING/JUGGING. WITH SPEED 60MPH OR 65 MPH, IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IT STARTS JUGGING BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW HOW THE CAR BEHIND YOU REACTS AND YOUR CAR WILL DO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547794October 14, 2013
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN GOING AROUND 30 MILES. I HAVE CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID MULTIPLE TIMES. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS YEAR HONDA PILOT HAS A LOT OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES LIKE THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547795October 14, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR I BROUGHT MY 2003 HONDA PILOT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL CONCERNING THE IGNITION SWITCH INTERLOCK. AFTER THAT, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, BUT IF I JIGGLED IT ENOUGH IT WOULD FINALLY GO IN . NOW MY KEY DOES NOT EVEN GO IN AT ALL. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I NEED THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY CHANGED, BUT THAT IT IS NOT COVERED BY ANY RECALL. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2003 HONDA PILOT. TO BE STUCK SOMEWHERE WITH MY KIDS IN A CAR THAT WON'T START BECAUSE THE KEY WON'T GO IN IS A SCARY THOUGHT. IT HAS ALMOST HAPPENED TO ME MORE THAN ONCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10546736October 4, 2013
STRUCTURE
HONDA PILOT '03 STARTED LEAKING WATER INTO THE FRONT CABIN AFTER THE RAINS. THE FLOOR GETS WET AND THE WATER NEEDS TO BE VACUUMED OUT AFTER THE RAIN. NOT SURE WHAT ELSE IS BEING AFFECTED BECAUSE OF THIS WATER LEAK.. I ALREADY SEE RUST SHOWING UP AND MOLD SMELL COMING OUT BECAUSE OF THE WATER LEAK. I CALLED IN NORTHAMERICAN HONDA AND LODGED A COMPLAINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544520September 19, 2013
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, NOT SHIFTING AS IT SHOULD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544278September 18, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE THEN PROCEED THROUGH TRAFFIC AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM THE COMPARTMENT BUT FAILED TO INFLATE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10543779September 16, 2013
POWER TRAIN
LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMES FROM CAR DURING CRUISING AT AROUND 35-40MPH AROUND 2000RPM. CAR SEEMS TO STUTTER AT THESE SPEEDS CAUSING ABRUPT VIBRATIONS. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME OCCURRENCE, MANY REPORT IT IS FROM A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538475September 3, 2013
POWER TRAIN
CAR STARTS SHIMMERING AT 35 - 45 MPH. HAD MECHANIC CHECK CAR AND SAID NO MECHANICAL ISSUE. HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON CAR. STILL SHIMMERING. HAVE SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS AS OTHERS ON THE HONDA WEB SITE THAT MENTIONED THAT THE DIAGNOSIS IS A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. STRONG SHIMMER AT 35 - 45 MPH INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538479September 3, 2013
ENGINE
FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA PILOTS. NEVER HAPPENED ON ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10537678August 28, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED THE KEY COULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10536839August 22, 2013
POWER TRAIN
1. FALL OF 2011, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP SPEED CAR WOULD BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND SHAKE. FOR SAFETY, I WOULDN'T DRIVE FASTER THAN APPROX. 35 MPH. ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE REVVED AND SURGED FORWARD SEVERAL TIMES. FUEL INJECTION CLEANER REMEDIED THIS. 2. 2012, WHEN INITIALLY ACCELERATING, GEARS WOULD ROUGHLY CHANGE WITH A THUMPING SOUND. WHILE DRIVING AND PICKING UP SPEED, CAR WOULD REV LOUDLY. BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO KEEP IT FROM LUNGING FORWARD. (VERY SCARY), BUT MAINTAINED CONTROL. CHECKED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL, ADDED 1/4 QT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. PROBLEM PERSISTED. ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE IT TO THE HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. MECHANIC CHECKED AND TEST DROVE CAR. ADVISED ABOUT LIGHT FLASHING WHEN IN DRIVE-(THIS HAD NOT OCCURRED).THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. ENGINE WARNING LIGHT RESET. RETURNED TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONE WEEK LATER WHEN ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MECHANIC TEST DROVE AND AGAIN COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. WARNING LIGHT RESET. APPROX. 3 WEEKS LATER, WARNING LIGHT RETURNED. CONTINUED TO DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY. ON AUG 20, 2013 (DRIVING APPROX 20 MPH) THREE HOUSES FROM MY HOME, MY CAR CHANGED GEARS WITH A LOUD CLUNK (SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING BROKE). I TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND HAVEN'T MOVED OR DRIVEN IT SINCE. MY HONDA PILOT HAS APPROX. 65,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I BELIEVE HONDA MOTORS AND DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE OF THIS RECURRING DEFECT WITH THE HONDA PILOT MODELS AND IS DELIBERATELY IGNORING THE CONSUMERS OF THEIR PRODUCT. I'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL NOTICES FROM HONDA DEALERS STATING MY 2003 PILOT IS IN HIGH DEMAND. I AM ANGRY THAT I'M STUCK WITH THIS WRECK, BUT GLAD THIS JUNK WAS NOT PASSED ON TO SOMEONE ELSE. IN THE MEANTIME I'M WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION AND MAYBE FORCED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. VERY DEPRESSED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10534296August 8, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ON 9/6/2012 HONDA PERFORMED RECALL WORK ON THIS VEHICLE, SEE NHTSA RECALL 12V-136. ON 8/5/2013 I CHECKED THE VEHICLES LIGHTS AND ALL WERE WORKING. ON 8/6/2013 WHILE MOVING VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY I NOTICED THAT BOTH LOW BEAMS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING EVEN THOUGH THE SWITCH WAS TURNED ON. THE PARKING LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS BOTH WORKED, BUT THE LOW BEAMS DID NOT WORK. ON 8/8/2013 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER (ROBERTS IN DOWNINGTOWN, PA). THE DEALER'S SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTED THAT THE RECALL WORK WAS FINE AND THAT THE HEADLAMP SWITCH WAS BROKEN. THE COST OF THE HEADLAMP SWITCH IS $190. I WILL PICK UP THE VEHICLE LATER TODAY, 8/8/2013. I AM REPORTING THIS TO PROVIDE DATA THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL AS IT RELATES TO THE SAFETY RECALL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10533547July 31, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CERTIFIED LETTER (7011 0470 003 0649 3438) FROM ATTORNEY REPRESENTING HIS CLIENT REGARDING PAID REPAIRED WORK HE HAD DONE TO HIS 2003 HONDA PILOT AND LATER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES ABOUT THE PROBLEM; HE IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD ON DECEMBER 21, 2012, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION, AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WOULD COST $624. 41 TO FIX THE PROBLEM, DESPITE THE FACT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT, WHICH APPARENTLY RESULTED FROM AN IMPROPER SETTING OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE SHIFT LEVER TO THE TRANSMISSION AT THE SHIFT LEVER BRACKET, WHICH WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA VEHICLES. AFTER THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM HONDA CONCERNING THE IGNITION INTERLOCK SWITCH ON HIS VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10531825July 25, 2013
POWER TRAIN
2003 HONDA PILOT TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN LOW GEAR AFTER ENGINE WARMED UP. WHENEVER VEHICLE IS GOING FROM A STOP TO MOVEMENT, SUCH AS RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS AND TRAFFIC, VEHICLE DOE NOT CLICK INTO GEAR RIGHT AWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO HONDA DEALER WHO STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4100 + 12 HRS LABOR FOR INSTALLATION. VEHICLE ONLY HAS @78,00 MILES ON IT. LUCKILY MY TRANSMISSION HAS NOT SEIZED AS MANY OTHERS HAVE ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10531614July 24, 2013
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC WHO HAS BEEN SERVICING OUR VEHICLE. HE STATES THAT THE TIMING BELT PULLEY HAD RIPPED OUT THE WATER PUMP AND CAUSED A BOLT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10526203July 22, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AND DOES NOT TURN. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS IT FINALLY TURNS AND THEN I CAN START THE CAR. I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, CALLED UP HONDA AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS SYMPTOM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10526196July 22, 2013
POWER TRAIN
WE PURCHASED OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT EX-L NEW AT DANBURY HONDA ON FEBRUARY 20, 2003. WE HAVE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH THE "D" OR DRIVE LIGHT FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND HAD IT CHECKED AT THE DEALER EACH TIME, WITH A REPORT BACK THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND IT WOULD GO AWAY. THE DEALER HAS DONE ALMOST ALL OF THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TO OUR VEHICLE AND WE ALSO DO PROACTIVE CARE TO OUR VEHICLE. MOST RECENTLY WE SPENT A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY ON REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION THROUGH HONDA DEALERSHIPS IN DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA (DISASTER THERE) AND DANBURY, CT. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, ONLY MONTHS AFTER PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE CAR. HAD WE KNOWN WE WOULD BE SPENDING THIS KIND OF MONEY (ABOUT $5K), WE WOULD HAVE TRADED THE CAR IN. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOW CAUGHT IN A FINANCIAL BURDEN WITH HAVING TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN THE 2003 PILOT, WHICH WE THINK SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL BASED UPON ALL THE ON-LINE RESEARCH WE'VE DONE. CAN ANYONE PLEASE ASSIST? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10525965July 21, 2013
TIRES
YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER H/T-S GO51 P235/70R16 CRACKING AND SEPARATION OF TIRE TREAD AROUND ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF TIRES. ALL 4 TIRES PURCHASED 6/26/09 AND ONLY 27K MILES. THESE WERE NOT DRY ROT CRACKS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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