2003 HONDA PILOT Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELTS OR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC DID NOT IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEM SO THE WARNING LIGHT WAS RESET. AFTER THREE DAYS, THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT.

I WAS COASTING TO A STOP WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2003 HONDA PILOT SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY DOWN SHIFTED. IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SUDDENLY JABBED THE BRAKES ON MY CAR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THE SAME DAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON THE WAY TO THE SHOP. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION STUCK IN SECOND GEAR, THE LIMP HOME MODE, AND WOULD NOT UPSHIFT. THE ONLY WAY I COULD KEEP THE TRANSMISSION FROM VIOLENTLY DOWN SHIFTING OR STICKING IN SECOND GEAR WAS TO MANUALLY SHIFT THROUGH THE GEARS. THE DEALER REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION WITHIN ONE WEEK AT A LITTLE OVER 48,000 MILES BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER NOW CLAIMS AFTER MY COMPLAINT THEY WILL WARRANT THE REPLACEMENT REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR 36,000 MILES AND THREE YEARS. THIS HELPS, BUT HONDA SHOULD GIVE ME THE SAME EXTENDED 93 MONTH AND 109,000 WARRANTY THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO NUMEROUS OTHER HONDA AND ACURA OWNERS DUE TO A CLASS ACTION SUIT. TODAY THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY SAID THEY WILL NOT EXTEND MY WARRANTY. HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WILL START ANOTHER CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR HONDA PILOTS. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THAT THIS POOR HONDA TRANSMISSION DESIGN THAT IS PRONE TO DEFECT IS ALSO A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT CAN TAKE FULL VEHICLE CONTROL AWAY FROM OPERATORS WITHOUT NOTICE. PERHAPS ALL AFFECTED HONDAS AND ACURAS SHOULD RECEIVE NEW REDESIGNED TRANSMISSIONS. *NM

SAME SITUATION AS RELEASED IN ODI CASE NUMBER 10172900. I HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASH. THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC OR CIRCUIT BOARD WAS STRONG. AFTER THE INCIDENT, MY REAR DVD HEADPHONE OUTPUTS, BOTH WIRED AND WIRELESS, NO LONGER FUNCTION. TOOK THE PILOT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM THE FAILURE OF THE HEADPHONE OUTPUTS EVEN THOUGH I REQUESTED THAT THEY PUT IN A DVD TO TEST THE SYSTEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE ONE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WOULD ONLY PULL THE RADIO UNIT AND RECOMMEND THAT I REPLACE THAT UNIT. WHEN I ASKED IF THEY HAD TESTED THE UNIT, THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY COULD NOT TEST THE UNIT. THE UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE SENT SOMEWHERE FOR TEST AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT. THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. TO VIEW THE AREA BEHIND TO DVD PLAYER, I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD TAKE A TECHNICIAN 8 PLUS HOURS TO REMOVE THE NECESSARY DASH ELEMENTS IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE CAVITY CONTAINING THE DVD PLAYER. THERE WAS A DEFINITE RESISTANCE TO EXPLORE THE SUGGESTIONS I HAD AS TO WHY THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SMOKE. ALL I KNOW IS THE THERE WAS ENOUGH SMOKE TO REQUIRE ME TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND MY DAUGHTER AND I TO "BAIL" OUT OF THE CAR. *JB

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE BACKING OUT OF A GARAGE. CAR PROCEEDED UNTIL IT STRUCK OTHER CARS DESPITE APPLYING THE BRAKE. CAR FINALLY STOPPED WHEN IT BECAME STUCK IN THE MUD. *JB

STEPPED ON GAS TO ACCELERATE, SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD NOISE - THOUGHT SOMETHING GOT CAUGHT UNDER CAR, BUT WHEN I PULLED OVER, THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION & THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE HONDA DEALER AS THIS MAY BE PART OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES. SO I TOOK IT TO BALL HONDA ON FRIDAY, 11/17 & HAD HENRY AS THE SERVICE ADVISOR. WHEN I SPOKE WITH HENRY OVER THE PHONE, HE SAID THAT WHAT WAS STATED ON THE RECALL AS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO ORDER THE TRANSMISSION BUT HAD TO WAIT FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILEAGE ON MY CAR. HE THEN SAID THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM, HE JUST NEEDS IT APPROVED. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED BACK TODAY, 11/20/06, I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, SCOTT MOSES AND WAS TOLD THAT HONDA WILL NOT COVER IT AS IT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL PROBLEM. THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSTICS WAS THIS: CHECKED 2ND GEAR CAMPAIGN - CHECKED CUSTOMER'S CONCERN ON RACK NOISE COMING FROM INSIDE TRANSMISSION. NEEDS TRANSMISSION. B: CHECK 2ND GEAR CAMPAIGN. CHECKED 2ND GEAR WITH LED LIGHT. 2ND GEAR SHOWS SLIGHT DISCOLORATION. HE (SCOTT) THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, AND THAT, DUE TO MY HIGH MILEAGE, I'VE VOIDED THE WARRANTY. *JB

DRIVING MY 2003 HONDA PILOT WITH APPROX 40K MILES. WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN I HEARD A SINGLE THUMP. LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW A TIRE BOUNCING 20-30 FEET IN THE AIR WITH CARS BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY SWERVING WILDLY TO AVOID THE TIRE. IT BOUNCED 3-4 TIMES AND THEN WENT OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A RAVINE. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT MY SPARE TIRE HAD BROKEN FREE AND DROPPED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I HAD TO SIT FOR 15 MINUTES BECAUSE I WAS SO SHAKEN THINKING THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR HIGHWAY ACCIDENT. THE SPARE HAD NEVER BEEN USED OR LOWERED FROM THE CAR. DEALER REPORTED THAT THE STEEL LIFT CABLE HAD JUST BROKEN. *NM

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2003 HONDA PILOT. ON THE EVENING OF 11/09/06 SHE WAS ATTENDING AN EVENT. WHEN SHE STARTED UP THE TRUCK SHE COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF PARK. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND TURNING IT BACK ON A COUPLE OF TIMES SOMEHOW SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN LATER ON WHEN SHE DROPPED OFF A FRIEND AND LEFT THE CAR IN PARK WHILE SHE LET HER FRIEND OUT. SHE TRIED THE SAME TACTIC AS BEFORE AND AFTER A FEW TIMES SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OUT OF PARK. WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME SHE TOLD ME OF THE PROBLEM. I WENT TO THE GARAGE AND STARTED THE TRUCK UP AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME. I BEGAN TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THAT WHEN THEY CAME ON I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. THERE WAS NO HAZARD LIGHT OF ANY KIND TO INFORM US OF THIS MALFUNCTION AND THAT IT WAS TIED TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS. MY WIFE DROVE OVER 60 MILES THAT EVENING AND MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD HER BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING. I TOOK IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH, FP # 5615215, DESCRIPTION SW.STOP 36750-S84. *NM

OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT WAS PART OF THE HONDA RECALL OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO CARL HOGAN HONDA IN COLUMBUS MS WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION FOR HEAT DISCOLORATION AND INSTALLED AN OIL JET KIT. IN EARLY 2006 WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR PILOT. IT WILL INTERMITTENTLY SURGE AND JERK BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AND AT TIMES IT SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEMS GOING INTO OVERDRIVE. WHEN THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR, THE DRIVE LIGHT WILL FLASH A FEW TIMES THEN GO OUT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE COMING ON AGAIN. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAS HOOKED OUR VEHICLE UP TO A COMPUTER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT EACH TIME HAS FAILED TO GET A CODE. THE FIRST TIME THEY HOOKED IT UP THEY DID NOT GET A CODE AND WHEN WE GOT THE CAR BACK THE SRS LIGHT WAS ON. WE THEN HAD TO GET THAT REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM IS NOW A WEEKLY OCCURRENCE AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEY CAN RETRIEVE A CODE. THE JERKING AND SURGING IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND WE FEEL IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. WE WERE DRIVING WITH OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN TODAY AND MADE A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE JERKED, SLOWED DOWN AND SURGED. AN ONCOMING CAR NARROWLY MISSED US. *NM

MY HONDA PILOT 2003 EX 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS "REPAIRED" UNDER A PRIOR RECALL BY DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2004. ON OCTOBER 6, 2006, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 M.P.H. WITHOUT ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD SUDDENLY AND HARD, SUCH THAT MY SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH ME AND LOCK AND PUSHED ME INTO THE DRIVERS WHEEL. WHEN I GOT HOME, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THAT SINCE THEY HAD FIXED IT IN 2004 I WOULD HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN $4,000 AND $5,000 FOR A "NEW" TRANSMISSION. I WAS NEVER TOLD OF THIS DEFECT WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, ALTHOUGH I WAS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH AMERICAN HONDA'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED AND THAT SAID OFFER SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME OF THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I ASKED AMERICAN HONDA TO REPAIR IT WITHOUT COST TO ME, AS THE FIRST REPAIR WAS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AND I WAS TOLD A "MANAGER" WOULD GET BACK TO ME IN 48 HOURS. I HAVE NOW GONE 10 DAYS WITHOUT MY CAR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. HAD TRAFFIC NOT BEEN LIGHT, THE INCIDENT ON 10-6 COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN 2004, THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA RECALL # 04V176000 PERTAINING TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO INSTALLED AN OIL JET KIT. THIS SEEMED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, ON 10/02/06, THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWED AS IF LOSING POWER THEN JERKED VIOLENTLY WHILE ENTERING SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR THE LABOR. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH BOTH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE MANUFACTURER, WITH NO SUCCESS.