1997 Honda Passport Problems

FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN LEFT REAR AREA NEAR LEAF SPRING HANGER. SHOULD THE FRAME FAIL IN THIS AREA, THE AXLE WILL NO LONGER BE SECURED TO THE VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE FOR YEARS STARTING 1998 OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

1997 HONDA PASSPORT WITH 122,000 MILES. THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LOOKS LIKE NEW. BUT THE FRAME IS SO RUSTED THROUGH I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. FROM ALL OF THE STORIES I HAVE SEEN WHY WAS THEIR NOT A RECALL ON THE HONDA PASSPORT AND ISUZU RODEO? ARE THEY WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO DIE? *TR

LEFT HOUSE AND PROCEEDED DOWNHILL ON GRAVEL DRIVEWAY AND THEN TURNED LEFT ONTO MAIN ROAD WHICH IS A HILL RISING APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OVER .5 MILES. AT TOP OF HILL LET OFF ACCELERATOR BUT THE SPEED WAS STILL INCREASING. TAPPED ACCELERATOR, PULLED FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM GAS/BREAK PEDDLE AREA, TAPPED ACCELERATOR, WHOLE TIME DEPRESSING BREAK WITH BOTH FEET. FINALLY CUT OFF IGNITION AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. I COASTED THE CAR BACKWARDS WITH ENGINE OFF AND TURNED IT AROUND. WHEN I RESTARTED CAR THE ENGINE WAS AT IDLE AND I DROVE IT HOME WITHOUT DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR. WHEN I CHECKED CAR AT HOME I OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER THIMBLE COVERING THROTTLE CABLE AT THROTTLE WAS DETERIORATED. I PULLED THE RUBBER THIMBLE OFF AND OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER HAD ENTERED THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING AND WAS THE CAUSE, JAMMING THE CABLE AT THE ACCELERATED SPEED. I CLEARED THE CABLE AND HOUSING OF THE EMBEDDED RUBBER AND CAR ACCELERATED/DECELERATED NORMALLY. A PRECURSOR TO THIS WAS THAT MY GAS MILEAGE HAD DECREASED DRAMATICALLY ON THE LAST FILL UP, SATURDAY, FROM 19MPG TO LESS THAN 12MPG. I WAS LOOKING FOR A LEAK AND HAD INTENTIONS OF BRINGING IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP ON MONDAY (TOMORROW). *TR

ALWAYS OIL CHANGES ON TIME AND MAINTENANCE. SINCE I HAD IT, THERE WAS ALWAYS A VALVE KNOCKING. SPARK PLUG MELTED FROM EXTREME HEAT THEN EXPLODED INTO CYLINDER THE PULVERIZE. SO I REBUILT THE ENTIRE MOTOR INCLUDING NEW OIL PUMP, TIMING BELT, CAM INTAKES, ECT. AND HAD VALVES PROFESSIONALLY REBUILT. I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR YEARS AND CAN NOT FIGURE WHY THEY STILL KNOCK AFTER $2,300.00 IN ENGINE COMPONENTS AND SUCH. I TOOK IT TOO A SHOP AND THEY ARE BAFFLED ALSO. *JB

CHECK ENGINE OFF AND ON, NORM REEVES HONDA CHECK AND ADVISE PULLED CODE:P0304 CYLINDER 4 MISFIRE. TECH CHECK THE COILS THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE FUEL PRESSURE. EVERYTHING IS GOOD.PERFORMED COMPRESSION TEST. PULLED UP SERVICE BULLETIN TO UP DATE THE PCM BROAD CAST CODES. PCM HAS TO BE REPLACE IF LIGHTS BACK ON AGAIN. *TR

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND POWER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, DASH LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WENT DIM. WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL RADIO CUT OFF, AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH OR ABOVE THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT GEARS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK

POWER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP WHEN TURNING ON SWITCH. CAN HEAR MOTOR RUNNING, BUT GLASS WILL NOT OPERATE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING IN THE RAIN DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE NECESSARY PART AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

A FAULTY HARNESS BELT IS CAUSING ALL THE WIRING TO BE BURNT OUT, THERE ARE NO TAIL LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, PARK LIGHTS, HEAT, OR AIR CONDITIONER. *SLC

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED WITH THE KEY OR POWER LOCKS WHEN TEMPERATURE IS NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING.

FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN LEFT REAR AREA NEAR LEAF SPRING HANGER. SHOULD THE FRAME FAIL IN THIS AREA, THE AXLE WILL NO LONGER BE SECURED TO THE VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE FOR YEARS STARTING 1998 OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE LEAF SPRING IN THE BACK TO FALL DOWN. MY REAR END IS NO LONGER HELD IN PLACE AND CAN FALL OUT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. MY CAR IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. IT'S A 97 HONDA PASSPORT. OTHER WISE MY VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT WHICH MAKES ME SICK TO KNOW THAT THE FRAME IS GONE. *TR

LEFT HOUSE AND PROCEEDED DOWNHILL ON GRAVEL DRIVEWAY AND THEN TURNED LEFT ONTO MAIN ROAD WHICH IS A HILL RISING APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OVER .5 MILES. AT TOP OF HILL LET OFF ACCELERATOR BUT THE SPEED WAS STILL INCREASING. TAPPED ACCELERATOR, PULLED FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM GAS/BREAK PEDDLE AREA, TAPPED ACCELERATOR, WHOLE TIME DEPRESSING BREAK WITH BOTH FEET. FINALLY CUT OFF IGNITION AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR. I COASTED THE CAR BACKWARDS WITH ENGINE OFF AND TURNED IT AROUND. WHEN I RESTARTED CAR THE ENGINE WAS AT IDLE AND I DROVE IT HOME WITHOUT DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR. WHEN I CHECKED CAR AT HOME I OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER THIMBLE COVERING THROTTLE CABLE AT THROTTLE WAS DETERIORATED. I PULLED THE RUBBER THIMBLE OFF AND OBSERVED THAT THE RUBBER HAD ENTERED THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING AND WAS THE CAUSE, JAMMING THE CABLE AT THE ACCELERATED SPEED. I CLEARED THE CABLE AND HOUSING OF THE EMBEDDED RUBBER AND CAR ACCELERATED/DECELERATED NORMALLY. A PRECURSOR TO THIS WAS THAT MY GAS MILEAGE HAD DECREASED DRAMATICALLY ON THE LAST FILL UP, SATURDAY, FROM 19MPG TO LESS THAN 12MPG. I WAS LOOKING FOR A LEAK AND HAD INTENTIONS OF BRINGING IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP ON MONDAY (TOMORROW). *TR

FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY.

WHEN CHANGING THE BRAKES I NOTICED A LOT OF SURFACE RUST WHEN I INSPECTED FURTHER I FOUND TWO HOLES IN FRAME ONE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND THE SECOND IN THE REAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE INFRONT OF THE BACKSIDE OF THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE THE HOLE IN THE BACK IS AS TALL OF THE FRAME RAIL AND ABOUT 10 INCHES LONG ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME THE HOLE IN THE FRONT IS ONLY A FEW INCHES TALL AND 6 INCHES LONG ON THE OUTSIDE OF FRAME AND STARTING ON THE BOTTOM OF FRAME RAIL THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE BUT MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION I INSPECT IT DAILY TO CHECK FOR ANY DISFORMING OF THE FRAME. *TR

ABS ENGAGES ON DRY ROADS INCREASING REQUIRED STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING SPACE,BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE STRAIGHT LINE BRAKING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB

BRIDGESTONE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM FRONT AND SIDE, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.*AK 1 PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH THE BACK LEFT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. IT TORE THE SKIRT AROUND THE BACK WHEEL FROM THE HOLDING SCREWS ,CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT BUMPER. ALSO, IT TORE THE BLACK BORDER PANELS FROM DOOR AND BUMPER. THE AMAZING PART WAS THAT THE TIRE NEVER WENT FLAT. HAVE PHOTOS. *AK

ON DEC. 23 MY WIFE, MY SON, AND I WERE DRIVING ALONG GA HIGHWAY 365 AT APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH AND REAR LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT. I SAW NO DEBRIS IN THE ROAD AND THE DRIVER BEHIND ME, MY BROTHER IN LAW, SAW THE TIRE BLOW AND DIDN'T SEE ANY DEBRIS ON THE ROAD BUT SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRE AS IT BLEW. THE TIRE BLEW STRAIGHT ACROSS FROM THE FRONT SIDE OF THE WHEEL TO THE BACK AND STAYED ON THE WHEEL. THIS TIRE, AS WELL AS THE OTHER 3, WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS OLD AND HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE, WHICH DIDNT BLOW, HAS A BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE TOP OF THE TIRE (CLOSEST TO THE TREAD). THEY WERE PURCHASED FROM GAINESVILLE TIRE SERVICE (770-534-5280) AND HAVE NOT YET BEEN TAKEN BACK DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS. WE CAN LIKELY FIND OUT THE EXACT DATE OF PURCHASE FROM CHARGE CARD RECORDS IF NECESSARY. THE PASSPORT HAS 4 WHEEL DRIVE CAPABILITY ALTHOUGH IT WASNT ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. YOUR FORM DIDNT ALLOW ME TO ENTER ALL THE NECESSARY DOT DIGITS AND THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS:MK9LCRWR529. WE WILL ATTEMPT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOTH THE BLOWN TIRE AND THE REMAINING REAR TIRE THAT HAS A BULGE. I AM GOING TO TAKE THEM BACK TO GAINESVILLE TIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CONTACTING ME EXPEDIENTLY IN CASE THE TIRES NEED TO BE SAVED FOR YOUR INSPECTION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: MK9LCRWR52 TIRESIZE: P24570R16)

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND POWER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, DASH LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WENT DIM. WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL RADIO CUT OFF, AND SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH OR ABOVE THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT GEARS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK

ACCELERATOR STICKING. NLM

ACCELERATOR STICKING. NLM

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 WHEN THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK, EVEN THROUGH BRAKING. CONSUMER SWITCHED IGNITION OFF AND WAITED FOR VEHICLE TO STOP. IN MAY OF 1997, THE SECOND TIME CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, TRIED TO PASS A VEHICLE, AND THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. *AK

LUG NUTS/STUDS/WHEEL HUBS ARE MADE OF SOFT STEEL OR LOW HARDNESS STEEL RESULTING IN PREMATURE RUSTING AND DAMAGE.

CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 28,043 MILES ON IT BUT WHEN THE CARFAX REPORT CAME IT SHOWED THAT IN APRIL 99 THE VEHICLE HAD 43,211 MILES ON IT, CONSUMER BELIEVES THE ODOMETER HAS BEEN ROLLED BACK. NLM