2005 HONDA PILOT Complaints

THE VSA AND/OR ABS WILL UNEXPECTEDLY APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. IT IS A SHORT AND QUICK APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE VEHICLE SWERVE. IT THEN SEEMS TO RELEASE AND YOU CAN CONTINUE DRIVING. ONCE THIS OCCURS BOTH THE VSA AND ABS LIGHTS ON THE DASH TURN ON SHOWING THEY ARE DISABLED. THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO BE OPERATIONAL. UPON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION THE LIGHTS RESET AND THE VSA/ABS SEEM TO BE OPERATIONAL. DURING COLD TEMPERATURES I WILL SOMETIMES FIND THE VSA/ABS LIGHTS TURN ON AND STAY ON DURING START UP BUT AGAIN ONLY DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. AFTER DRIVING A SHORT TIME (10-15 MINUTES OR MILES) I WILL TURN THE IGNITION OFF, WAIT 1-2 MINUTES, TURN THE IGNITION ON AND THE VSA/ABS LIGHTS GO THROUGH THE NORMAL START UP TEST AND TURN OFF AND EXPECTED. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD AFFECT THE BRAKING SYSTEMS. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR FAMILY'S 2005 HONDA PILOT. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHTLY WHICH RESULTED IN EXCESSIVE BREAKING IN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND THEN APPEARANCE OF THE VSA LIGHT. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE HONDA DEALER WHO FIRST INDICATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THEN INDICATED THERE WAS A VSA WIRE HARNESS RECALL (NHTSA 13V-092) BUT THAT IT DID APPLY THE VSA LIGHT GOING ON AND THEREFORE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL. A VSA LIGHT DIAGNOSTICS WHICH I INDEPENDENTLY PAID FOR INDICATED A YAW RATE FAILURE CODE (25-01). THIS LIGHT VSA LIGHT HAS CONTINUED TO INTERMITTENTLY GO ON AND OFF WITH AN INTERMITTENT CONTEMPORANEOUS RELATIONSHIP TO BRAKING. ON 2/25/15 MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY (NO VSA LIGHT ON), APPLIED THE BRAKES LIGHTLY AND THE CAR BRAKED SEVERLY EVEN ONCE HER FOOT WAS OFF THE BRAKE AND PULLED THE CAR IN THE SAME FRONT RIGHT DIRECTION AS BEFORE FORCING HER TO SWERVE ALONG SIDE A PASSING TRUCK. THE VSA LIGHT WENT ON AFTER THE EVENT OCCURRED. CALLING THE HONDA DEALER TODAY, THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT HONDA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER ONCE THE PART FOR THE 13V-092 RECALL WAS REPLACED. IN REVIEWING SAFER CAR.GOV NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER DP12002 IT DESCRIBES WELL WHAT HAS OCCURRED TWICE AND WHICH HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED BY THE RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED HONDA USA. I BELIEVE HONDA HAS INADEQUATELY EVALUATED THE RELATIONSHIP OF SIMILARLY REPORTED EVENTS REGARDING UNEXPECTED CAR BRAKE ASSIST WITH MILD APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE SINCE THE VSA WIRE HARNESS RECALL REPAIR DID NOT RESOLVE THE UNEXPECTED AND INAPPROPRIATE VSA/ESC/BA SYSTEM LOGIC RESPONSE. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHY HONDA IS NOT ADDRESSING MY MATTER UNDER THIS RECALL (NHTSA 13V-092) AND THE REFERENCED NHTSA DP12002, AND FURTHER INVESTIGATING UNDER A KNOWN SAFETY RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V700000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNCERTAIN WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

FELT NO POWER WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO PULLOVER. AFTER RESTING THE VEHICLE I IT WAS OK. I FELT IT LAST YEAR IN MAY ALSO AND DEALER HILLSIDE HONDA IN NY JUST DID SERVICE AND POWER STEERING FLUID CHANGE AND CHARGED ME. I WILL GO BACK THUS WEEK. *TR

ON OUR WAY HOME TO NJ FROM A FAMILY TRIP TO CANADA WE STOPPED FOR A BATHROOM BREAK IN THE "MIDDLE OF NOWHERE" MAINE. THE CAR HESITATED TO GO WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS. I MANAGED TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD, THE "TEMP" LIGHT WENT ON, THEN I PULLED OVER. I CHECKED THE FLUIDS....THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS MILKY RED. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE CELL PHONE SERVICE TO CALL FOR A TOW. I HAD MY FAMILY, WIFE AND TWO YOUNGER KIDS IN THE CAR. WE WAITED FOR OVER 30 MINUTES FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE, HE HAD TO CALL FOR TRANSPORT FOR MY FAMILY. WE MANAGED TO FIND A SERVICE CENTER THAT WAS WILLING STAY OPEN TO FIX OUR CAR. THE CAR NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR AND HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED ($800), A VALVE BROKE SENDING COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION. WE LEARNED THAT OTHER 2005 PILOTS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OF WHICH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE 2004 PILOTS, HONDA WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING! (AS A SIDE NOTE, I HAD SOME SEAT LEATHER REPLACED AND THE COLOR MATCH WAS THAT OF A 2004 PILOT). SINCE THE DAY OF THE REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY ROUGH/BUCKING WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. TO DATE, BESIDES ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, OIL CHANGES AND SMALL PARTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, STARTER, WATER PUMP, AND THE RADIATOR. TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WOULD BE A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. THIS WAS OUR FAMILY TRAVEL CAR AND I NOW WILL ONLY TAKE THE CAR AROUND TOWN FOR FEAR THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO. I WAS NOT IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW CAR BUT DUE TO THIS SITUATION I NEED TO GET RID OF THIS CAR! *TR

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SHOULD BE COVERED AND REPLACED UNDER NHTSA RECALL 14V-700, MFR RECALL JM3 WHICH STATES THAT ANY VEHICLE EVER REGISTERED IN THE DESIGNATED HIGH HUMIDITY STATES, WHICH INCLUDES GEORGIA, IS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. WHILE CURRENTLY A RESIDENT OF NORTH CAROLINA WE WERE PREVIOUSLY RESIDENTS OF GEORGIA WHERE THIS VEHICLE WAS REGISTERED. AS SUCH I CONTACTED A LOCAL HONDA DEALER WHO STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS COVERED BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS NOT AND THEY REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNIT. I AGAIN ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THEY SAID NO BUT TO CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR ADDITIONAL RECALLS. I THEN CONTACTED HONDA'S NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND OPENED A CASE INDICATING THAT MY VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED IN GEORGIA AND REQUESTED THEY REPLACE IT AS A HAZARD AS DEFINED IN THE HONDA AND NHTSA RECALL. A WEEK LATER THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE UNIT UNDER THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO EXPLANATION. I RECENTLY SENT AN EMAIL TO THE LOCAL DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER REGARDING MY CONCERNS AND REQUESTING THEY HONOR THE RECALL BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT THEY WOULD CHANGE ONE SIDE DEEMED A SAFETY HAZARD BUT LEAVE THE PASSENGER IN A POTENTIALLY LETHAL SITUATION WHEN BOTH UNITS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE SAME HIGH HUMIDITY ENVIRONMENT. *TR

WHEN ON HIGH, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT WARMER WILL LITERALLY LEAVE BURN MARKS ON MY RIGHT LEG. IT HAS WORKED NORMAL UNTIL THIS FALL WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND IT BURNED MY LEG. IT CAN NOT BE ON MORE THAN A MINUTE OR WILL LEAVE BURN MARKS ON THE RIGHT LEG. THE LEFT SIDE STILL SEEMS NORMAL. I CHECKED AND THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS, BUT IN LOOKING INTO IT HAD HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS AND THE SEAT HAS STARTED TO SMOKE.

THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO MY NOVEMBER 21, 2014 REPORT REGARDING THE VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM ON MY 2005 HONDA PILOT ENGAGING THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN: ON ONE OF THE OCCASIONS THAT THE STABILITY SYSTEM ENGAGED THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN, THE CAR SWERVED TO THE LEFT INTO THE ADJACENT LANE. *TR

THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE HOUSE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND HE ANALYZED THE PROBLEM THAT THE COMPUTER WAS NOT TALKING WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. NO BLOWN FUSES NO OTHER ISSUES NOTED WITH SENSORS OTHER THAN FAILED AIRBAG CONTROL COMPUTER UNIT. *TR

HEARD A WEIRD NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. WHEN I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT IT WAS, TRANNY FLUID WAS BUBBLING OUT OF THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW. HAD THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR REPLACED BY AUL, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY CO. THEY SENT A USED TRANNY AND WITHIN A WEEK IT WAS SHAKING THE WHOLE CAR ON THE DOWNSHIFT AT 35-40 AND 60MPH. ANOTHER USED TRANNY WAS SENT. ON DAY ONE, BEGAN NOTICING THE WHOLE CAR SHAKES AT 40-45 AND 60-65MPH ON THE UPSHIFT. I AM WAITING FOR MY MECHANIC TO BE AVAILABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REQUEST ANOTHER TRANNY. THIS WILL BE NUMBER THREE IN THREE MONTHS. *JS