2004 HONDA PILOT Complaints

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON CHRISTMAS EVE (DECEMBER 24, 2012) TO A DESTINATION ABOUT 65 MILES AWAY. I HAD THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ON THE HIGH POSITION, AS IT IS QUITE COLD IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. ALONG THE WAY, I NOTICED THAT MY RIGHT BUTTOCKS WAS GETTING EXTREMELY HOT, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BURNING, BEFORE I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER. IT WAS DARK WHEN WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER WHEN WE RETURNED HOME, THAT I SAW A SCORCHED HOLE ABOUT 1.5 INCHES LONG AND 0.5 INCHES WIDE IN THE LEATHER DRIVER'S SEAT. REACHING MY FINGER DOWN INTO THE HOLE REVEALED A LOT OF CRUMBLING BLACK ASHES. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL FIRE, IT'S QUITE APPARENT THAT THERE IS A FIRE SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 HONDA PILOT DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT. IF WE HAD LEFT THE CAR RUNNING AND UNATTENDED WITH NO ONE SITTING ON THE SEAT (ALLOWING OXYGEN INTO THE SEAT), I SUSPECT THE SEAT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY ERUPTED IN FLAMES. IT WAS VERY, VERY HOT. *TR

VEHICLE SHUDDERS AT 45 MPH, MAKING A "WHOOSH' SOUND AND SLOWING ABRUPTLY, IF BRIEFLY. *TR

WE FIRST NOTICED IN OCT. 2012 THAT THE CARPET AND MAT FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF OUR CAR WERE WET WITH WATER. IT IS NOW DEC. 2012 AND THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED. THE WET CARPET IS CAUSING A MILDEW SMELL IN OUR CAR WHICH WE CANNOT GET RID OF, AS THE CARPETS ARE GETTING WETTER EACH TIME IT RAINS. THE CAR ALSO FOGS UP CONSTANTLY DUE TO THE INSIDE MOISTURE, MAKING VISIBILITY EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ONCE THE TEMPERATURE DROPS THE WET FLOORS ARE SURE TO FREEZE, THUS CAUSING ANOTHER HAZARD: SLIPPERY FEET NEAR THE BREAK AND ACCELERATOR. IT IS REASONABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT THERE WILL BE RUST AND EVENTUAL DETERIORATION IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR ON BOTH SIDES WHERE THERE IS WATER DRIPPING IN FROM POSSIBLY THE WHEEL WELL OR RIGHT ABOVE THE WHEEL WELL. IN LOOKING ON LINE, WE SEE SEVERAL HONDA PILOTS AND RIDGELINES WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, IMPROPER STRUCTURAL SEALS BREAKING DOWN AND CAUSING WATER TO DRIP ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS OF THE CAR. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM (WE CALLED OUR DEALERSHIP) BUT WILL ONLY FIX IT IF THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SEEING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND A KNOWN COMMON STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT HONDA SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT GOT SO HOT IT MELTED THE FOAM BACKING CAUSING A HORRIBLE SMELL. THE HEATED SEAT WAS TURNED OFF OR IT IS POSSIBLE IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SEAT HEATED STILL WORKS BUT GETS MUCH TOO HOT. *TR

THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT ABRUPTLY FLIPPED UPWARD AND STARTLED THE DRIVER WITH MOMENTARY DISORIENTED AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE DEALER DENIED EVER WITNESSING THIS PROBLEM ON A HONDA PILOT, QUOTED $1500 TO REPLACE THE SEAT, AND COMMENTED I WAS A BIG GUY PUTTING A LOT OF STRESS ON THE SEAT. I AM 6'3" TALL AND 200 POUNDS. IT IS CLEAR THE HONDA DEALERSHIP AT DECATUR, ALABAMA DOES NOT FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WENT ON TO BOAST HONDA IS THE ONLY COMPANY THAT REPLACES DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS. MY WIFE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME DEALER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT RANDOMLY LOCKING WHEN PULLING THE SAFETY BELT OUT FOR ENGAGEMENT AND LOCKING AND TIGHTENING RANDOMLY WHILE WEARING THE SEAT BELT WITH THE VEHICLE IN MOTION. THE DEALER MADE NO COMMENT TO THIS STATEMENT. A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED OTHER HONDA PILOT OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE BRACKET HOLDING THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE DRIVER SEAT WAS BROKEN NEAR THE RIVETS THAT HOLD THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH OUR FRONT DRIVER SEAT WHERE THE FRONT LEFT BRACKET HOLDING THE SEAT TO THE ADJUSTMENT RAIL IS COMPLETELY TORN THE FULL LENGTH OF THE SEAT BOTTOM MOUNTING BRACKET. WE FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE DEALER CLEARLY DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT IDEA. MY WIFE AND I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A SEAT BREAKING IN SUCH A MANNER IN ANY VEHICLE WE HAVE OWNED. *TR

THE DRIVER LEFT SEAT SUPPORT METAL BROKE OFF LEAVING THE SEAT UNATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THE SEAT MOVES FORWARD AND BACK. THIS IS A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURER DEFECT. HONDA WILL NOT REPLACE THE SEAT AT NO COST AND WILL NOT ASSIGN A RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND HONDA SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPLACEMENT BEFORE AN ACCIDENT CAUSES UNNECESSARY INJURY TO THE DRIVER. *TR

THE DRIVERS SEAT OVER HEATS TO THE POINT OF BEING UNCOMFORTABLE ON MY RIGHT LEG. IT IS NOW INOPERABLE. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. THERE SEEMS TO ME A NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINS ON EDMUNDS THREADERS DISCUSSION BOARD. THE BOTTOM POINT IS THEY WILL NOT ACT ON THIS ISSUE UNLESS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO BY YOUR ORGANIZATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ADDING GASOLINE TO THE FUEL TANK IT WOULD SPILL OUT PREVENTING THE CONTACT FROM ADDING FUEL TO ITS CAPACITY. WHILE INSIDE THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE GASOLINE VALVE CAUSED THE FAILURE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED IMMEDIATELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS LATER CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. UPDATED 2/25/13 *CN THE RV VALVE WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A YEAR. HONDA COULD NOT GIVE HER A DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TOW HAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY FILL THE GAS TANK. UPDATED 03/07/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED IN A PARKING SPACE, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT SHE HAD NOT SHIFTED THE GEAR IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 12/28/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY. UPDATED 01/09/13

DRIVERS SIDE BACK POWERED WINDOW DOES NOT WORK. IT WENT DOWN AUTOMATICALLY AND DOES NOT GO UP WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATICALLY. ALMOST CAUSED A CAR CRASH. *TR