Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. 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. 45 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 45, in the owner's own words
SPONTANEOUSLY SNAPPED MOUNTING BRACKET ON DRIVER'S SIDE POWER SEAT, BETWEEN MOUNTED FRAME/SUPPORT AND ADJUSTABLE SEAT COMPONENTS. A POTENTIALLY LETHAL AND ORIGINAL SAFETY RECALL-ABLE ISSUE, WHICH WAS NEVER ADDRESSED BY HONDA, RIGHT FROM THE VERY START OF THE HONDA PILOT MODELS. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF EARLY YEAR PILOTS...
THE BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO THE SLIDING BASE, SPLIT AND BROKE. THE BRACKET SPLIT AND BROKE AT THE TWO RIVET HOLES WHERE THE SEAT ATTCHES TO THE BASE. THE RIVETS ARE STILL IN PLACE ON THE PORTION OF THE BROKEN BRACKET WHICH REMAINS ATTACHED TO THE SEAT. INCIDENT OCCURED WHILE PARKED IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY. I WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND REACHED INTO THE MIDDLE PASSENGER AREA WHEN I FELT THE DRIVER'S SEAT COME LOOSE. I DO NOT KNOW THE MOUNTING BRACKET PART NUMBER, BUT ON THE INTERNET I SEE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM: THE BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO THE SLIDING BASE, SPLIT AND BROKE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE SEAT INADVERTENTLY MOVED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SEAT WOULD ROCK LIKE A ROCKING CHAIR. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,193.
NOTICE WHEN WHILE STOPPED, MOVING THE DRIVER'S ELECTRIC SEAT EITHER UP AND THEN FORWARD, IT BEGAN TO ROCK. THE NEXT TIME, WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY, A ROCKING MOVEMENT WAS FELT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED, WITH ONE BOLT OFF. TWO OPTIONS 1) REPLACE FOR $2K OR 2) GET FRAME WELDED, NO GUARANTEE WILL FIX PROBLEM. POWER OPTIONS MAY NOT WORK. A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ON HONDA OF AMERICA'S RECALL LIST. CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA TO REPORT THIS; NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. I ASKED IF THIS IS UNDER INVESTIGATION, AND THEY SAID NO. I ASKED WILL THERE HAVE TO BE A DEATH BEFORE ACTION OR RECALL? NO ANSWER. I AM CONTACTING THIS AGENCY AND MY STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, BECAUSE I FEAR THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY HONDA OF AMERICA.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND I HAVE TO PRESS DOWN ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE/ SPEED UP THE VEHICLE QUICKLY THE DRIVER SEAT BOUNCES BACKWARDS/MOVES AND IT FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO COME OFF THE FRAME ITS MOUNTED TO LIKE SOME BOLTS MAY BE BROKE OR SOMETHING. THE CAR LOCKS ARE MESSED UP. THE BOTH FRONT DOOR LOCKS HAVE TO BE UNLOCKED WITH A KEY. THE INSIDE UNLOCK MECHANISM ONLY UNLOCKS THE DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR AND THE TRUNK. IN ORDER TO UNLOCK THE PASSENGER FRONT AND THE PASSENGER REAR LOCKS A WINDOW HAS TO BE ROLLED DOWN AND YOU HAVE TO REACH IN AND MANUALLY UNLOCK IT AND THOSE ALSO HAVE TO BE MANUALLY LOCKED BACK WHEN YOU EXIT THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE PASSENGER AIR UNIT DOES WORK. IT DOES NOT BLOW OUT AIR EVEN WITH THE REAR CONTROL ON. THE INSIDE CAR LIGHTS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY CUT ON AND OFF AND NOT SET TO COME ON WHEN THE DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES BECAUSE IT RUNS THE BATTERY DOWN. SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER. AND THE POWER PORT TO CHARGE PHONES, ETC. WORKS BUT ANYTHING PLUGGED INTO IT GETS HOT REAL FAST. ALL THAT POINTS TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE AIR BAG LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON AND GOING OFF. THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING D AND DID NOT STOP UNTIL FLUID AND FILTER WAS CHANGED. SO FAR THAT SEEMS TO HAVE HELPED. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH ACT DEFECTED. THE KEY HAS TO REMAIN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE SPARE KEY HAS TO BE USED TO UNLOCK THE CAR BECAUSE IF THE KEY IS REMOVED, IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO BACK INTO THE SWITCH TO CRANK THE CAR. THE SWITCH DOES NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THE KEY AND TURN TO CRANK THE ENGINE ONCE IT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SWITCH. EVEN TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND PRESSING THE BRAKE TO RELEASE THE SWITCH DOESN'T WORK. AND THE GEAR SHIFT STICK/SHAFT ACTS ALMOST LIKE IT'S NOT PARK, BUT IT WAS PUT IN PARK.
METAL BRACKET MOUNTING DRIVER'S SEAT TO BASE HAS SHEARED OR TORN AND THE SEAT NOW TILTS AND WOBBLES. VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AS THE SEAT TILTS BACK DURING ACCELERATION AND SHIFTS FORWARD DURING BRAKING.
I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN MARYLAND. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR EXTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE. THE MAIN DAMAGE WAS TO MY NECK WHICH RECEIVED A SERIOUS STRAIN AND HAS HURT EVER SINCE THE ACCIDENT. BECAUSE THE HEADRESTS ON THE PILOT ARE NOT ADJUSTABLE, THE BACK OF MY HEAD WAS SEVERAL INCHES AWAY FROM THE HEADREST WHEN I WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND. THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR REPLACED BY HONDA. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID WHIPLASH INJURY IN THIS CAR IF ONE IS HIT FROM THE REAR. *TR
THE CAR WAS MOVED INTO LOCATION, TURNED OFF, AND THE KEY REMOVED LEADING TO THE DRIVER THINKING THE CAR WAS IN PARK, HOWEVER THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE CAR WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREET, ROLL OVER A TREE, AND CRASH INTO ANOTHER TREE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHROME PLATING ON THE DOOR HANDLES WAS PEELING AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONTACT'S FINGERS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL FOUR DOORS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FAILURE. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL FOUR HANDLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I PICKED UP MY GRANDCHILDREN FROM SCHOOL WHICH IS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. WHEN I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AFTER A STOP, I FELT THE BACK OF THE SEAT GO BACK. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR TO A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE OUR OIL CHANGED AND TIRES ROTATED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE SUPPORT MOUNT BRACKET FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS BROKEN. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE TO FATAL INJURY HAD I BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON. I HAD TO CROSS ROUTE 83 IN BENSENVILLE/WOOD DALE AREA IN ILLINOIS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FRACTURED POWER SEAT FRAME AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.
SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE. SEAT NOW IS NOT FIRMLY CONNECTED TO THE FLOOR AND WILL ROCK BACK TO THE RIGHT WHEN SEATED. IT'S NOT SAFE IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. I KNOW THE CAR IS GETTING OLDER, BUT SOME IMPORTANT PARTS THAT COULD COMPROMISE DRIVER SAFETY SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER A FEW YEARS OF REGULAR USE. *TR
THERE IS A RECALL: HTTP://WWW.HONDA.COM/NEWSANDVIEWS/ARTICLE.ASPX?ID=7018-EN IN ADDITION THE KEY AND LOCK MECHANISM CAN BE WARN OUT WHERE THE KEY CAN FALL OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE ON A FREEWAY OR STREET. THE CAR DIES AND YOU CAN'T PUT THE KEY BACK IN AND MOVE THE CAR. HAPPENED TO ME HAD TO TOW THE CAR HAVE THE RECALL DONE AND HAD TO PAY FOR THE IGNITION WITH REPLACEMENT. THE WEB SHOWS 100 OR 1000 OF OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. *TR
STEEL BRACKET OR WELD TO STEEL BRACKET HOLDING LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SEAT TO FLOOR BROKE RENDERING SEAT UNSAFE FOR DRIVING. HONDA HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR. HOWEVER, WEB RESEARCH SHOWS MULTIPLE YEAR HONDA PILOTS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. HONDA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. DEALER COULD DO NOTHING AND SUGGESTED I CALL AMERICAN HONDA WHICH I DID AND THE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DUE TO AGE AND MILEAGE OF VEHICLE. THE REP SAID I COULD WRITE AND HAVE MY CASE REVIEWED. I WROTE ON 1/2 AND JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL TODAY, 1/8 FROM THE PA AREA CASE REP WHO TOLD ME, AND I QUOTE, "COMMON SENSE TELLS YOU THAT SOMETHING ALMOST 11 YEARS OLD WILL BREAK". I DO NOT BELIEVE A STEEL PART OR WELD HOLDING THE PART TOGETHER SHOULD BREAK. I WAS TOLD BY THE PA AREA CASE REP THAT THE PHONE CALL WAS MY RESPONSE AND I WOULD NOT BE RECEIVING A REPLY IN WRITING. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. *TR
DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM STOP I FELT MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT SNAP AND GIVE ALLOWING MY BODY TO LEAN BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. VISUAL INSPECTION UNDER SEAT SHOW FATIGUED METAL BRACKET AT FORWARD OUTBOUND POSITION OF SEAT BASE/BRACKET JUST ABOVE RAILS. I WOULD ASSUME INTEGRITY/SAFETY OF SEAT IS COMPROMISED. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN DURING NORMAL ACCELERATION/USE. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME SHEARED OFF ON THE FRONT BAR, LEFT SIDE. THE SEAT IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME. IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS, I FEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN. THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE INFLUENTIAL CAUSAL EFFECT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, IT JUST BROKE. THE SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING, A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. THIS SEEMS TO PROBLEMATIC AMONG 2003 - 2006 HONDA PILOTS. HONDA NEEDS TO DO A RECALL? *TR
THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COMMON ON ALL HONDAS AND HAS NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED. THE POWER DOOR LOCK MOTORS CONSISTENTLY GO BAD. SO FAR, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS ON MY PILOT. THE HONDA DEALER IS ASKING FOR $300 PER DOOR!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAME FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BRACKET FRACTURED AND THE SEAT WOULD MOVE AROUND WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,595.
WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT-LEFT BRACKET OF THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO MOVE ERRATICALLY, LEADING TO TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. THE INCIDENT HAD THE POTENTIAL OF BEING MUCH MORE SERIOUS, HAD THERE BEEN MORE TRAFFIC AND/OR WERE I DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE QUITE COMMON AMONG HONDA PILOTS. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWS MANY PILOT OWNERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, SPECIFICALLY, FAILURE OF THE FRONT-LEFT DRIVERS SEAT BRACKET. AS A RESULT, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY DEALERSHIP, NORM REEVES HONDA, TO HAVE THE ISSUE REMEDIED. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1,600 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. WITH NO OTHER CHOICE, I AGREED TO THE PRICE AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR A SATURDAY MORNING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN THAT SATURDAY AND WAITED 8 HOURS IN LOBBY ONLY TO HAVE THE SERVICE ADVISOR TELL ME THAT THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE TO BE DELAYED, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PART ORDERED FOR THE REPLACEMENT WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS FACT ONLY FURTHER LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURER'S ISSUE WITH THIS PART OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
REAR HATCH WINDOW WIPER BLEW THE FUSE. THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY AIR BAGS OR MY SEAT SENSORS. A NEW FUSE FIXED THE WIPER BUT WOULD NOT TURN OFF SRS LIGHT. DEALER WANTED $100 PLUS DOLLARS TO CHECK SYSTEM AND TURN OFF LIGHT. INDEPENDENT MECH. CHECKED SYSTEM FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND RESET THE LIGHT. WHY IS A WIPER MOTOR TIED INTO THE SEAT SENSOR AND AIR BAGS? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BRACKET FRACTURED AND AS A RESULT, THE SEAT WOULD MOVE AROUND WHILE THE CONTACT DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000...UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED A BRACKET UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE FROM SIMPLE METAL FATIGUE. UPDATED 07/23/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT LX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BECAME SLIGHTLY DETACHED AND BEGAN ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
OWN A 2003 HONDA PILOT AND THE MIDDLE SEAT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE AND WON'T RECLINE OR GO DOWN. COULD CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE REAR PASSENGERS CAN'T GET OUT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WOULD LOCK ABNORMALLY AND WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO INSERT THE KEY, HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION OVER AND THE WHEELS WOULD REMAIN LOCKED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT WOULD SPORADICALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE SO THAT THE KEY WOULD FIT INTO THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS THE ORIGINAL KEY PROVIDED WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
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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