2008 HONDA PILOT Complaints

THE DOOR STOP CHECK WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE DOOR FROM CLOSING ON THE DRIVER'S LEGS AS ONE ENTERS OR EXITS THE VEHICLE FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT WORKING WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2014 WITH 59,900 MILES. THE DOOR WOULD NOT STAY OPEN WHEN PARKED ON THE SLIGHTEST OF INCLINES, AND A STIFF BREEZE WOULD BLOW IT SHUT. THE DOOR CLOSED ON MY LEFT LEG SEVERAL TIMES; I WAS NOT INJURED, OTHER THAN A NICE OUCH. IF THE DOOR CLOSES ON AN ELDERLY PERSON, THE INJURY COULD BE MORE SERIOUS. I REPLACED THE PART, # 72380-S84-A01 ON 29 MAY, 2014 AT THE HONDA STORE IN BOARDMAN, OHIO. COST WAS 46.00 SERVICE AND 21.10 FOR THE PART. I CAN SEND THE FAILED PART TO YOUR OFFICES IF SO DESIRED. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE A SAFETY FAILURE AS THE DOOR SHOULD REMAIN OPEN WHEN ONE IS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. A FAILURE AT 60,000 MILES ALSO SEEMS PREMATURE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WENT TO A BURGER PLACE TO GRAB A BITE AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5.5 TOTAL MILES, PULLED INTO A PARKING SLOT WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT UPON RETURN, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, AND AS I STARTED TO VERY SLOWLY PULL OUT IN THE CROWDED LOT, THERE WAS THIS VERY LOUD SCREECHING SOUND, LIKE THE HAND BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. I STOPPED AND TRIED AGAIN, LISTENING MORE INTENTLY NOW, THE SOUND PERSISTED. AT THAT TIME SOMEONE RAN UP TO ME AND SAID I SHOULD DISENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT IT WASN'T ON. I THEN ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND RELEASED SAME FOR EFFECT, BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, REMOVED THE KEY, AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THEN TRIED AGAIN, BUT NO GOOD. FROM MY PARKED POSITION NOW, I TRIED GOING BACKWARDS, AND DISCOVERED THE SOUND HAD "STOPPED", EXCEPT THAT WHEN I MOVED FORWARD, IT WAS EVER SO LOUD. AT THIS WRITING, NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, WE'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A YEAR WITH NO ISSUES UNTIL NOW. *TR

IN DECEMBER 2012 WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY, MY PILOT BEGAN BUCKING, AND FITTING BACK & FORTH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAD TO DISASSEMBLE THE ENGINE, AND DETERMINED THE #5 PLUG HAD COME OFF, AND WAS RATTLING AROUND DAMAGING THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENGINE BLOCK, CYLINDERS, ETC AT A COST OF $9000. IT WAS ABOUT 2-3K OVER THE WARRANTY, AND PAST WARRANTY BY 2 MONTHS. HONDA PAID 90% OF THE BILL, AND I PAID 10%. TODAY... VERY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, EXCEPT THIS TIME IT'S LEAKING A COFFEE LOOKING LIQUID. ASSUMING OIL MIXED WITH COOLANT... STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM DEALERSHIP AS TO CAUSE OF LEAKING FLUID, AND APPEARANCE OF MIXED FLUID. *JS

THE #5 SPARK PLUG EXPLODED AND A PIECE DROPPED INTO THE CYLINDER DAMAGING THE WALL AND PISTON. THE 4WD/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON BEFORE THERE WERE ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES, I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO "TURN OFF" THE 4WD/TRACTION, BUT IT IS AUTOMATIC AND SINCE SOME WHEELS WERE LOSING POWER IT WOULD JUST COME BACK ON. THEN THE CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, SO I ENDED UP HAVING IT TOWED. WHEN THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE CAR THEY FOUND THE #5 (ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER INSTALLED) SPARK PLUG HAD LITERALLY EXPLODED AND A PIECE DROPPED INTO THE CYLINDER, RUINING IT. THE WHOLE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, IT HAS BEEN A TIMELY AND COSTLY EXPERIENCE. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR HAD A 100K WARRANTY UNDER HONDA CARE THE ENGINE THEY REPLACED MINE WITH LASTED ONLY 2700 MILES AND NOW WE ARE BACK TO REPLACING THAT ONE, TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT PANEL THEN BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FLEW ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ALE TO RETRIEVE THE PANEL AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS RIPPED FROM THE PANEL BY THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED FOR REPAIR. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

REAR TAILGATE LATCH MECHANISM FELL OUT OF MOUNT. 2 OF 3 SCREWS WERE FOUND COMPLETELY LOOSE AFTER PARTIAL REMOVAL OF REAR TAILGATE INTERIOR TRIM. ISSUE HAPPENED IN STORE PARKING LOT LOADING GROCERIES; TAILGATE WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT AND DROVE HOME AT SLOW SPEED WITH ALL DOME LIGHTS ON (HONDA DOES NOT GIVE A POSITION SWITCH OPTION FOR ON*DOOR*OFF AS I HAVE SEEN IN MANY OTHER VEHICLES OWNED). DUE TO SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING UNLATCHED TAILGATE OPTED TO EFFECT IMMEDIATE REPAIR UPON RETURN TO HOME ADDRESS. I HAVE REINSTALLED ALL 3 SCREWS AND USED BLUE LOCTITE THREAD LOCK AS IT APPEARS NO THREAD LOCK WAS PREVIOUSLY USED. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND WAS CONCERNED THAT A) VERY SMALL DIAMETER SCREWS RELATIVE TO SIZE OF ITEM BEING SECURED AND B) NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO HOLD TORQUE ON THE SCREWS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF VARIOUS HONDA MODELS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE ON INTERNET AT HONDA OWNER DISCUSSION BOARDS. THERE ARE EVEN STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PHOTOS HOW TO FIX POSTED ON A HONDA OWNERS DISCUSSION BOARD; YET WHEN I CHECK HONDA'S OFFICIAL TSB LIST - THERE IS NOT EVEN 1 TSB FOR THE TAILGATE LATCH LOOSE ISSUE; SO IT IS LIKELY MANY OWNERS (AS MYSELF) HAVE OPTED TO TAKE THE DIY APPROACH FOR THE SOLUTION. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS THIS IS POORLY DESIGNED SINCE THE ATTACHMENT MECHANISM (3 SCREWS) TO HOLD THE LATCH BODY TO THE TAILGATE PANEL COULD BECOME LOOSE FROM NOMINAL IN-CITY DAILY DRIVING (PROOF THAT THE TORQUE ON THE FASTENERS IS NOT HOLDING UNDER NORMAL USE). *TR

HONDA CORPORATION IS AWARE OF A NON-CONFORMANCE ISSUE WITH THE HONDA PILOTS TRANSMISSION BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED A RECALL OR SOLUTION TO CONSUMERS. THE "TRANSMISSION" CAN FAIL BETWEEN 35K TO 157K MILES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE MECHANICAL DEFECT WAS KNOWN IN 2000-2004 SECOND GEAR FAILURE AND AGAIN IN 2008 PRODUCTION TO BE LATER REDESIGN IN 2009 WITHOUT CONSUMER NOTIFICATION OF SUCH DEFECT. CONSUMERS HAVE FILED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND HONDA HAS DONE NOTHING TO COMPENSATE BUYERS. WE THE UNDESIGNED EXPECT HONDA TO ADHERE TO THE "TOTAL REPAIR COST" ARE "REIMBURSE" THE CONSUMER FOR THEIR TRADE-IN LOST DUE TO TRANSMISSION DEFECT WHICH EVER TRANSPIRED AS A RESULT OF THE PRODUCT NON-CONFORMANCE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF DELAYED RESPONSE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING IN RAINY WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 03/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. UPDATED 03/11/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT MANUAL FORCE. THE CONTACT THEN CRASHED INTO A PARKING SIGN. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE DRIVER ACCELERATED INTO THE TURN, THEN LET OFF THE GAS TO COAST THRU THE TURN. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN AND RE-APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL, IT WAS REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY AND THERE WERE NO OTHER SYMPTOMS OTHER THAN THAT THERE WAS NO POWER BEING SENT TO THE WHEELS. THERE WAS NO ADVANCED WARNING OF ANY KIND. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A HIGH-SPEED SHOULDER LESS ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. THE DRIVER AND HER FATHER WERE STUCK IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE WITH CARS DRIVING BY AT 55 MPH IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE AND MANY CARS IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE SWERVING INTO THE LEFT LANE JUST IN TIME TO MISS THE STOPPED CAR. IT TOOK 20 MINUTES BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED TO SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC SO THIS INCIDENT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ENDED WITH TRAFFIC INJURIES OR DEATHS. *TR