Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Honda Pilot submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 62 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 62, in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,118.
The contact owned a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated she was informed by her daughter that the inside passenger side of the vehicle was on fire. The contact extinguished the fire with water. The fire department arrived afterward and informed that the electronic software was the cause of the fire. The contact was unsure if a fire report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no injuries or medical treatments needed. The contact notified a local mechanic regarding the failure and was informed of the same information which the fire department provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the catalytic convertor was replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
I notice you guys had other 2003 Honda Pilot transmissions recalls. I checked mine with the vin # and my car happens to not be included on that recall. To be honest everything stated on that recall is what exactly is happening on my car Can you please help thanks my car would get high rpms or jerk while driving or just rev and not move it changes all the time seems that also the colder the car is or not ran till the next day seems to drive normal but after car worms up it’s starts to drive then rpm’s jump high I got to let go of the gas in order for it to get its 2 nd shift and randomly it’ll like hard jerk while driving like a hard stop then countinues at speed
TRANSMISSION SLIPS ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION IS SEPARATE SO ITDOES NOT SHOW UP BECAUSE THE LIGHT DOES NOT COME IT DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THE COMPUTER DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME SO IT CAN AND DOES WHEN DRIVING IT GOES INTO NEUTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, IT FAILED TO MOVE. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT OR WHILE MAKING TURNS, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED IDLING. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JEFF WYLER HONDA OF COLERAIN (8950 COLERAIN AVE, CINCINNATI, OH 45251, 513-741-3700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND THE TRANSMISSION AND GASKET NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AND REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 284,469.
VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING AND THEN FAIL TO START UNLESS LEFT OFF FROM 15 TO 30 MINUTES VEHICLE WILL PERIODICALLY FAIL TO START. THIS HAPPENED DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND WAS ABLE TO DRIFT OVER TO SHOULDER WHILE AVOIDING BEING RUN INTO. THE LAST INSTANCE A POLICE OFFICER KINDLY HELPED PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF A BUSY CITY STREET AS SO I COULD WAIT FOR A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THEY CONTINUE TO SAY THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE AND EXPENSIVE PARTS BUT TO NO AVAIL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE EMITTED A LOUD UNIDENTIFIABLE SOUND THAT STARTLED THE DRIVER. THE DEALER (CAPITOL HONDA, 745 CAPITOL EXPRESSWAY AUTO MALL, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95136) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS PROVIDED WITH VIDEO/RECORDINGS OF THE FAILURE, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 149,000. *TT *TR
THE CARS TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING ADEQUATELY THE GEARS WON'T GO WHILE IN 2ND AND THIRD OR REVERSE
THE TRUCK HESITATES IN ORDER TO GET IT TO MOVE YOU HAVE TO TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL.HAPPENS A LOT WHEN DRIVING.SOMETIMES IT STALLS....DRIVER SIDE REAR BODY MOUNT IS RUSTED OUT
IN THE MORNING, ON JANUARY 27, I HAD MY 2 YEAR OLD AND 4 YEAR OLD IN THE VEHICLE AND I WAS DRIVING MY SON TO SCHOOL. LESS THAN A MILE FROM HOME, GOING BETWEEN 30-35MPH, I TAPPED THE BRAKES AS I APPROACHED A BEND IN THE ROAD AND AFTER A BRIEF INITIAL PAUSE (AS YOU WOULD EXPECT), THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED RAPIDLY ACCELERATING - I STARTED PRESSING THE BRAKES TO NO AVAIL - VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN - AT THIS POINT I WAS IN THE CURVE AND WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. I HIT A SMALL TREE AND CONTINUED CAREENING OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL I CRASHED IN A DITCH, HITTING A WOOD HYDRO POLE (THANKFULLY NOT CONCRETE) - BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED - I SUFFERED A BROKEN ANKLE, BRUISED RIBS AND SEAT BELT ABRASIONS - MY 2 YEAR OLD REQUIRED STITCHES ON HER EYE LID AND EYEBROW DUE TO IMPACT WITH HER CUP THAT SHE WAS HOLDING AT THE TIME (WE'RE LUCKY HER SIGHT WASN'T AFFECTED). MY SON SUFFERED NO PHYSICAL INJURIES BUT 1 MONTH LATER IS STILL TALKING ABOUT IT. VEHICLE WAS A COMPLETE WRITE OFF. HAD APPROXIMATELY 161,000 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT. CRUISE CONTROL WAS LIKELY ON BUT WASN'T IN USE. SIMILAR ISSUE HAPPENED ON 2 PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. 1ST AT LEAST 8 MONTHS AGO AND THEN AGAIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE ACCIDENT (WAS GOING TO ADDRESS WITH DEALER AT NEXT OIL CHANGE) BUT ON TWO PRIOR OCCURRENCES SURGE OCCURRED WHEN BRAKES WERE TAPPED TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL - SAME PAUSE/SURGE BUT NOT NEARLY AS INTENSE AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY WHEN BRAKES WERE PRESSED AGAIN. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I NOTED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE. NO IDEA HOW FAST IT WAS GOING WHEN IT CRASHED BUT IT "FELT" LIKE AT LEAST 50MPH. THIS IS TERRIFYING WHEN IT HAPPENS, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS HAD OCCURRED AT AN INTERSECTION OR ON THE EXPRESSWAY - WE MIGHT NOT BE HERE... ALSO MAILING LETTER TO MANUFACTURER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
OWNER DRIVER WAS STOPPED ON RED LIGHT ALONG WITH 20 OTHER CARS , THE DRIVER WAS LAST IN THE LANE AND OTHER DRIVER DID NOT APPLIED BRAKES, THIS VEHICLE WAS BANGED FROM THE BACK. BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY WESTMINSTER HONDA IN COSTA MESA . CALIFORNIA, BODY REPAIR COST OF $ 3,500 WAS PAID BY INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE PERSON WHO WAS AT FAULT, THE AUTO TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT COST OF $ 6,500 WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ME WHO WAS NOT AT FAULT. THE QUESTION IS AT THAT TIME THE AIR BAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF FAULT? AFTER THAT I GOT RECALL NOTICE FROM AMERICAN HONDA FOR TWO AIR BAGS DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE, THE NOTICE CAME IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2015, FIRST THEY DELAYED THE REPAIR TASK BY MAKING AN EXCUSE THAT THEY ARE VERY BUSY AND FIRST APPOINTMENT IS AVAILABLE ON FEBRUARY 28 TH AT AUTO NATION HONDA IN GILBERT AZ THEN I GOT AN E MAIL AND A CALL FROM DEALER THAT THE PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER, AND THEY WOULD NOT KNOW WHEN PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. AFTER THAT I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA, THEY HAVE INTERVENED AND ASSURED ME THAT AUTO NATION HONDA WILL CALL ME TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT AGAIN. THEN I GAVE 4 - 5 CALLS TO AUTO NATION HONDA, TILL TODAY AS OF APRIL 19TH THIS REPAIR IS NOT FIXED EVEN THOUGH ALL PARTIES KNOW THAT THIS IS CRITICAL TO THE LIFE OF DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS IN THIS VEHICLE. NOW I AM IN ROUND ROCK TEXAS, SO I WILL NEED TO SEE NEW DEALER WILL SOMEBODY CONTROL THESE AUTO COMPANIES AND DEALER FOR COMPLIANCE? THANKS *TR
FAILED FRONT AND SIDE ENGINE MOUNTS ON HONDA PILOT 2003. THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON AMONG OTHER HONDA PILOT OWNERS. *TR
CAR RAN AWAY IN REVERSE AS IF IT HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. FULL WEIGHT ON THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. CRASHED INTO UTILITY POLE ENCIRCLED WITH OLD CAR TIRES. CAR BOUNCED OFF AND THEN CRASHED INTO THE POLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HIT GEAR SHIFT INTO FORWARD. ENGINE SCREAMING REALLY HIGH REVS, CAR RACED FORWARD AND I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO AVOID HITTING PARKED VEHICLES AND A POND AS CAR KEPT GOING FASTER. WITH NOWHERE TO HEAD BUT GOLF COURSE OR HIGHWAY, I STEERED ONTO A FARM FIELD AND DROVE A HALF MILE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT THE KEYS FROM THE STARTER WHICH STOPPED CAR. I DID NOT THINK I WAS INJURED AT TIME BUT I ENDED UP WITH WHIPLASH WHICH MEANT I LOST ABOUT SIX MONTHS INCOME. HONDA REFUSED COMPENSATION, OR PAID FOR ANY OF THE REPAIRS OF THE CAR WITH EXCEPTION OF THE KEY INTERFACE FOR STARTER . HONDA CLAIMED THAT NOTHINGS WRONG WITH CAR. SAID HAD MY FOOT ON ACCELERATOR. HOWEVER, HONDA DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME MORE THAN $3,000 TO FIX A COMPLETELY DESTROYED BRAKING SYSTEM HOW COULD I HAVE HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND DESTROYED THE BRAKES? HONDA REFUSED TO BUY MY CAR AND DECOMMISSION IT BECAUSE THEY SAID CAR WAS PERFECT. DOWNRIGHT RUDE AFTERWARD. I DID NOT LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THE CAR AND USED IT AS INFREQUENTLY AS I COULD. SEVEN MONTHS LATER, I WAS IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE AND SAME THING HAPPENED. THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO THESOLID CONCRETE WALL JUST FOUR FEET AHEAD. THE IMPACT DESTROYED CAR. FRONT END CRUMPLED IN, THE ENGINE DAMAGED AND ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS FROM A FOUR FOOT COLLISION. *TR
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 HONDA PILOT. I AM AN OLDER, CAUTIOUS DRIVER AND HAVE BABIED THIS VEHICLE, DOING ALL REGULAR SERVICE AT THE DEALER'S, SO IT WOULD RUN IN TOP SHAPE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. AROUND SIX MONTHS AGO I NOTICED AT LOWER SPEEDS (20-30 M.P.H.) THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS. TO COUNTER THE PROBLEM I HAVE TO ACCELERATE AND THEN IT GOES AWAY. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY SAY THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. LAST WEEK THE D LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY AND THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR. I ASKED IF THAT COULD BE MAKING THE CAR SHUDDER AND THEY SAID PROBABLY. I HAD THEM CHANGE IT AND THE SHUDDER HAS NOT GONE AWAY. THIS MORNING IT WAS PARTICULARLY HEAVY SO I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY GAVE ME THE AMERICAN HONDA NUMBER. I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THE DEALER SHOULD LOOK AT IT. I'VE SEEN SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT HONDA IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE; A LITTLE LIKE OTHER AUTO COMPANIES HAVE DONE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS UNTIL A FATALITY HAPPENS. AS I CARRY MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE AND I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED. *TR
FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA PILOTS. NEVER HAPPENED ON ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES. *JB
DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR 2003 HONDA PILOT STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC WHO HAS BEEN SERVICING OUR VEHICLE. HE STATES THAT THE TIMING BELT PULLEY HAD RIPPED OUT THE WATER PUMP AND CAUSED A BOLT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE 10 MINUTES LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.
THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON MY WIFE'S 2003 HONDA PILOT WERE REPLACED IN 2010 AND I WAS INFORMED TODAY BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAD APPROX 93500 MILES ON IT WHEN IT WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AND NOW THREE YEARS LATER HAS 140,939. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE MOUNTS ARE WARRANTED FOR 12 MONTHS. THE VEHICLE IS USED BY MY WIFE TO DRIVE 20 MILES ROUNDTRIP TO WORK AND ON OUR TRIPS. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED FOR TOWING AND IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A TOW RECEIVER. ADDITIONALLY, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IMPROPERLY DESIGNED WITH A SPLIT WAFER MECHANISM WHICH ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TWO LOCAL LOCKSMITHS WEARS OUT PREMATURELY AND CAUSES JAMMING OF THE IGNITION CYLINDER AS WELL AS WEDGING OF THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER. LASTLY, WHEN A TRANSMISSION RECALL WAS DONE ON THE CAR IN 2005, IT WAS DONE IMPROPERLY. THE RECALL SPECIFIED A OIL JET BE INSTALLED ON THE TRANSMISSION TO LUBRICATE THE 2ND GEAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE HOSE USED TO CONNECT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SUPPLY LINE TO THE TRANSMISSION USED A STRAIGHT TRANSMISSION HOSE WHICH HAD TO BE BENT 90 DEGREES IN A DISTANCE OF APPROX 2 INCHES TO BE INSTALLED. THIS CAUSES THE HOSE TO BE KINKED AND RESTRICT THE FLOW OF FLUID. HONDA WON'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR ACKNOWLEDGE THE REPAIR SHOULD HAVE INCORPORATED A FORMED ELBOW HOSE INSTEAD OF A STRAIGHT HOSE TO ENSURE PROPER FLOW. NOW HONDA IS TELLING ME THEY DON'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE IN NEW MEXICO THAT I CAN SPEAK TO ABOUT THE ABOVE ISSUES. MY CASE NUMBER W/HONDA IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I ALSO HAD BOTH MY FRONT AND SIDE ENGINE MOUNTS GO BAD AND I HAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM I PAID $934.00. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT SIT IN THIS VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES SO IF I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE ESPECIALLY WITH THE MOUNTS THAT HOLD MY ENGINE I HAVE TO FIX IT WENT TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER DEALT WITH THE RECALLS THAT CAME UP AND HAD THEM SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SINCE IT WAS THERE. I AM SURE THAT I GOT ROBBED BUT, WHAT CAN I DO HAVE TO KEEP MY KIDS SAFE. HUSBAND SAID, THAT THE MOUNTS SHOULD LAST ALOT LONGER HE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT CARS HAVE OTHER CARS OVER 180K AND MOUNTS ARE STILL ORIGINAL WHAT IS GOING ON HONDA GETTING JUNKY ON US. I HOPE THEY CAN FIX WHAT IS GOING ON TOO MANY TRANNY PROBLEMS AND ENGINE ISSUES. SHAME ON YOU NOT HAPPY AT ALL BEEN A CIVIC, ACCORD OWNER ALSO.... *TR
THE KEY HAD TROUBLE TURNING IN THE IGNITION. IT GOT WORSE OVER TIME. EVENTUALLY THE KEY WONT TURN AT ALL. LOOKED UP ONLINE AND SAW MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MODEL AND MAKE OF OUR VEHICLE. HAD IT FIXED IN 2011 AND IT COST OVER $500. NOW IN MAY OF 2013 IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. SOMETIMES IT TAKES OVER 10 MINUTES TO GET THE CAR STARTED WITH TRYING TO TURN THE KEY OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHICH I'M SURE IT'S JUST MAKING IT WORSE AND WORSE. *TR
ENGINE REVS AT 25-30 MPH, AND RPM'S SHOOT UP. IT APPEARS IT WON'T CHANGE GEARS. *TR
I HAVE READ ON THIS WEBSITE AND ON OTHERS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTS BREAKING. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND, SURE ENOUGH, MY ENGINE MOUNT HAS BROKEN. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS DRIVEN ON SMOOTH ROADS DAILY. THIS IS A DANGER TO THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
I OWN A 2003 HONDA PILOT WITH 57,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER TAKING IT TO A HONDA SPECIALIST FOR SCHEDULED SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THE FRONT ENGINE MOUNT & SIDE ENGINE MOUNT ARE BOTH BROKEN, WITH A REPAIR ESTIMATE OF $503.30. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN A COLLISION, HAS HAD ALL ITS SCHEDULED SERVICES AND IN NO WAY SHOULD THE ENGINE MOUNTS BE BROKEN. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND HONDA SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO REPAIR AS IT SEEMS TO NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED TO BE BROKEN WITH SUCH FEW MILES. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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