2003 HONDA PILOT Complaints

DRIVING HONDA PILOT 2003 WITH 84,000 MIL ONTO EXPRESSWAY ON RAMP--IT STARTED BUCKING---LIKE IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD AND THEN STOP---FINALLY WENT FORWARD. DROVE IT FOR 1 MORE WEEK AND THIS HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES. TOOK TO A VERY GOOD MECHANIC. THEY TESTED THE CAR AND NOTHING CAME UP AS WRONG. THEN YELLOW LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING--AND THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER WHEN GOING SLOWLY THROUGH A SUBDIVISION--AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN REGAIN POWER. SOMETIMES I HAD TO PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN IN DRIVE TO GET IT TO GO. TOOK THE CAR TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT WAS A CLOGGED GAS LINE. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. COST WAS $400 FOR "CLOGGED GAS LINE" AND ANOTHER 400 FOR SOMETHING ELSE LEAKING. NO LIGHTS ON WHEN LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP. ONE DAY LATER THE YELLOW LIGHT WAS BACK ON AND IT SOMETIMES LOSES POWER WHEN GOING SLOWLY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO DEATHS OR ACCIDENTS YET---BUT IF ANYONE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING ME ONTO THE ON RAMP, THEY WOULD HAVE HIT ME. THE CAR LOOKED LIKE A BUCKING BRONCO. I WANT YOUR HONDA DEALERSHIP IN WAUKESHA WI ----WILDE HONDA TO PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION---THIS IS NOT NORMAL--AT YOUR COST. I DRIVE PEOPLE AROUND FOR A LIVING---I AM A REALTOR AND IT WAS VERY EMBARRASSING WHEN WE SWUNG INTO THE SUBDIVISION AND I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE I HAD NO POWER. IMAGINE THAT ON A HIGHWAY WITH A SEMI BEHIND ME. THIS IS A LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. HAD CAR TOWED TO HONDA DEALERSHIP. HONDA FOUND BURNT CONNECTOR IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. REPLACED ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SWITCH PART NUMBER 35012-S5A-307, 7743875-35999 SET, COMBINATION SWITCH. *TR

THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES: 1. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH THE KEY NOT FITTING PROPERLY AS IT ONCE DID, PERHAPS AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. WHEN I TURN THE KEY OR PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WON'T TURN TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AND IT DOESN'T MATTER. THE PILOT STILL WON'T START. WHEN READING THE MANUAL, IT'S A PUSH SIGN UNDER THE IGNITION BUT THIS ISN'T ADDRESSED IN THE MANUAL. IT DOESN'T TELL YOU THE PURPOSE OF THE PUSH SIGN. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO GET THE KEY TO TURN AND I'VE LET OTHERS TRY ALSO. AND IT DOESN'T WORK FOR ANYONE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT BUT THE WHEELS ARE NOT AND IT WON'T TURN TO THE RIGHT IT ALL; IT'S LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WON'T GO IN NEUTRAL, SO I CAN ROLL IT OR NOTHING. 2. THERE IS KNOCKING NOISE THAT IS LOUDER WHEN YOU ACCELERATE ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE PERHAPS IT'S COMING FROM THE DRIVE-TRAIN OR AXLE ON THAT SIDE, ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE AND MAY FALL OFF. 3. THE RADIO TURNS OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS RANDOMLY AND IT MAY NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR A WHILE AND SUDDENLY DOES ONCE AGAIN. 4. THE LOCK AND HANDLE TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT BROKE OFF AND CANNOT BE OPENED. 5. THE WIRE TO CONTROL THE HANDLES FOR THE REAR SEATS TO RECLINE AND FOLD DOWN BROKE FROM WITHIN THE SEATS. I LOOKED INSIDE IT'S THE PIECE OF PLASTIC TO HOLD THE WIRE IN PLACE THAT BROKE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER REPLACEMENT PART MADE OF STEEL NOT PLASTIC. 6. THE FLOOR MAT STICKS IN BUNCHES CAUSING THE CARPET TO SOIL CAN BE HAZARDOUS I.E. TOYOTA, ONLY REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE FLOOR MAT FOR THE TRUCK ENTIRELY, VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE... 7. WHEN IT REACHES 30MPH IT SHAKES AND YOU CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING OVER SOMETHING RIDGED IT'S SCARY. 8. THE BUTTON FOR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT FUNCTION 9. THE CHROME ON THE DOOR HANDLES PEELED OFF TEARING THE SKIN CAUSING INJURIES TO THE HAND, MY FINGER STILL FEELS TINGLY AND NUMB. PLEASE HELP!!! *TR

I OWE A 2003 HONDA PILOT. IN 2007 I COMPLAINED TO THE HONDA SERVICE CENTER OF A GRINDING NOISE SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. ON 2/6/2010 MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER COULD NEVER FIND A PROBLEM. NOW SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED IT IS MY PROBLEM. I HAVE READ OF THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE AND BELIEVE IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA TRANSMISSION. *TR

MY '03 HONDA PILOT WAS IMPACTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BY A DRIVER BACKING UP A BIT FAST AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS DAMAGED DONE TO THE FRONT FENDER TO THE EXTENT OF BUCKLING ONE OF THE FENDER CORNERS. SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WILL NOT GO OFF. CALLED DEALER ABOUT THE SRS LIGHT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS PROBABLY A DEFECT WITH THE AIRBAGS, AIRBAG SENSORS OR A MODULE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS $1000 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED AFTER PARTS AND LABOR. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE AND HAVE DISCOVERED PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ACCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING. I BELIEVE THERE IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED FREE OF CHARGE BY HONDA. *TR

MY HONDA PILOT HAS AN UNFIXABLE LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. IT IS STICKING GAS PEDAL. USUALLY IT STICKS AFTER THE NIGHT IN THE GARAGE AND I NEED TO IDLE UNTIL THE ENGINE IS HOT AND THEN THE PEDAL UNSTICKS. BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING. THIS DEFECT MAKES THE CAR ABSOLUTELY UNPREDICTABLE WHILE DRIVING AND COULD EASILY LEAD TO THE FATAL ACCIDENT. ACTUALLY, ONE TIME OUT OF FOUR WHEN IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING I WAS VERY CLOSE TO SUCH ACCIDENT. FIRST TIME I ENCOUNTERED THIS DEFECT WHEN MY NEW CAR WAS STILL ON WARRANTY NOV 4, 2004. SINCE THAN THE AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX THIS DEFECT MORE THAN FOUR TIMES. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY BUT ALL THE ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. I?M VERY CONCERNED AND SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT THIS POINT AS THIS DEFECT NOT ONLY DIRECTLY JEOPARDIZES MY LIFE BUT ALSO THE LIFE OF MY 6-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO IS ALMOST ALWAYS WITH ME IN THE CAR. THE AMERICAN HONDA STATED THAT IT WAS NOT ANYMORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT BECAUSE IT?S UNFIXABLE AND ANYTHING ELSE CONCERNING THIS DEFECT FROM NOW ON IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

MY CAR HAD A TRANSMISSION RECALL NOTICE IN 2004. I TOOK THE CAR IN JULY 2004 AND SUPPOSEDLY THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. HOWEVER, AFTER THAT TIME, MY CAR SEEMED TO DOWNSHIFT VERY ROUGHLY AND WAS JERKY WHEN PUTTING INTO GEAR. LAST YEAR MY TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE GOING DOWN A HILL. WHILE, THE CAR BEHIND ME DID NOT HIT ME, MY ABRUPT HALT CAUSED AT LEAST 3 CARS BEHIND ME TO REAR END EACH OTHER. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BUT I AM STARTING TO FEEL SOME OF THE OLD SHIFTING ISSUES AGAIN. I'M HOPING IT DOESN'T DIE. *TR

DURING THE FREEZING WEATHER IN JACKSONVILLE. FL. SPECIFICALLY ON THE 7TH & 8TH JAN. 2010, THE GAS PEDAL ON MY 2003 HONDA PILOT WAS STICKING. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO APPLY EXTRA FOOT DOWNWARD PRESSURE TO MAKE THE GAS PEDAL MOVE AND MAKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DURING THE 2 WEEKS THAT IT WAS FREEZING ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN THIS AREA. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2003 AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM ARISE UNTIL THIS TIME. THE PROBLEM 'SEEMS' TO DISAPPEAR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING & WARMED UP. I ALSO CALLED HONDA 800-999-1009 AND INFORMED THE HONDA CUSTOMER REP. ABOUT THE ISSUE. HONDA INFORMED ME TO TAKE IT TO HONDA SERVICE OR MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC.*CW

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT IS FAMILIAR WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK SINCE THE LACK OF ACCELERATION COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

2003 HONDA PILOT EX-L RES; AUTOMATIC, 112,700 MILES. TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND-3RD WITH THE SELECTOR IN DRIVE. SHORTLY THERE AFTER AT ROUGHLY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WE EXPERIENCED A JARRING DOWNSHIFT FROM 5TH TO 2ND GEAR WITH A LOUD MECHANICAL "THUNK", THEN IMMEDIATELY BACK TO A HIGHER GEAR, MAYBE 4TH. THE TRUCK DECELERATED SO FAST AND HARSHLY THAT MY WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THEIR SEAT BELTS AND ALL ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR AND BACK SEAT WERE THROWN INTO THE FRONT OF THE CABIN. THIS MISHAP WAS UNSAFE ON THE HIGHWAY AND I COULD HONESTLY SEE THIS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR INSTANCE, MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY. THE MAINTENANCE INDICATOR LAMP ("MIL") ILLUMINATED AND THE TRANSMISSION MODE SELECTOR BEGAN FLASHING THE DRIVE ("D") INDICATOR. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PARKED THE VEHICLE AT OUR HOME A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. THE CLUTCH SLIPPED BETWEEN THE FIRST 3 GEARS BELOW 40 MPH ON THE SHORT DRIVE HOME. THE DEALERSHIP PULLED CODE P0780. NO ASSOCIATED FLUID LEAKS AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS STILL PINK AND DIDN'T SMELL BURNT. 3 SERVICE TECHNICIANS TEST DROVE IT. AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WARMED UP, IT DISPLAYED THE SAME BEHAVIOR REPORTED ABOVE AND THE LAST TEST DRIVE BARELY MADE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION FOR $4,293.00. THE TRUCK WAS SERVICED PER HONDA'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE/SERVICE SCHEDULE WITH HONDA GENUINE FLUIDS AND PARTS. THE LAST TRANSMISSION/ REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000 MILES AGO IN JANUARY, 2009. THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID JET KIT PERFORMED IN 2004. I WILL ALSO BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU DUE TO THE UNUSUALLY HIGH AMOUNT OF 2003/2004 HONDA PILOT FAILED TRANSMISSION REPORTS I HAVE READ ON A NUMBER OF ONLINE FORUMS. MOST VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES HAD BETWEEN 90K-130K MILES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD REACH CLASS ACTION LEVEL. *TR