2004 Honda Pilot Problems

Transmission locks up when vehicle has been driven for a short time

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the transmission was shifted into drive(D) and the vehicle shuddered. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V176000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the transmission fluid was flushed 3 times; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle is shifted into drive(D) and D3. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

I heard a loud pop come from under my driver's seat and the seat started rocking backwards. I got out of my car and checked underneath the seat. The front-left bracket securing the seat to the seat frame had completely sheared in half and the seat was no longer securely attached to the seat frame. This is a significant safety issue. When the car accelerates the driver's seat rocks backwards by ~45 degrees, making it extremely difficult to stay in control of the vehicle and safely steer the vehicle. It is also extremely unsafe in the case of an accident because A) the seat would not hold the driver securely in place, B) the driver would not be properly in position and restrained for the air bags to deploy, C) the seat belt is attached to the seat base and would not be able to fully function properly, and D) any passengers sitting in the 2nd row behind the driver's seat would be in danger of having the full force of the driver and the driver's seat slamming back against them. This is a known issue widely reported in Honda Pilot owners' forums. Yet Honda has not issued a recall. I took the vehicle into a Honda dealership to inspect the issue. They said that Honda no longer makes the part that would be required to fix this safety issue. This issue affects all 2003-2008 model year Honda Pilots. There were over 800,000 2003-2008 model year pilots sold and because of Honda vehicle's longevity there is a massive number of these vehicles still on the roads.

Brakes seem to stop suddenly Must brake slowly to avoid a sudden stop Seatbelt locks up if I do not pull it forward and leave room in the belt so that it isn't completely holding me in Also the driver seat will only adjust sideways.

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ACTIVATED. I TOOK MY 2004 HONDA PILOT WITH CALIFORNIA LICENSE PLATE NUMBER [XXX] TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IN HEMET CALIFORNIA ON DECEMBER 14 2022 TO CHECK THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A $100.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE BECAUSE THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE AIRBAG RECALL PROGRAM. MY VEHICLE IS 20 YEARS OLD AND I'M WORRIED THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG IS UNSAFE AND COULD BE ACCIDENTLY ACTIVATED AND CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. MY VEHICLE HAS OVER 300,000 MILES. AS OF TODAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2023, THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP IS STILL ON. IS THE ACTIVATED AIR BAG WARNING LAMP COVERED UNDER THE AIR BAG RECALL PROGRAM? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP CHARGES $100.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE. I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT PART OF THE AIRBAG RECALL AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY. MY VEHICLE IS 20 YEARS OLD. I BELEIVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH AIRBAGS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. IN THE CASE OF AN AIRBAG ACTIVATION AND I AM INJURIED OR KILLED FROM A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG. I HAVE PROOF THAT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP WAS ADVISED ON DECEMBER 14, 2022. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR SIX (6) MONTHS AND CANNOT GET IT CORRECTED.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that at the time of purchase, the odometer mileage reading was 160,000. After obtaining a Carfax Report it was discovered that the previous mileage was 337,000. The contact also indicated that the instrument cluster had been replaced and the air bag and check engine warning lights were inoperable, and the driver’s side air bag had been removed from the vehicle. The VIN was not available.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase September 2024, the vehicle mileage was 139,020. The contact stated that after a mechanic had informed the contact that the frame was severely rusted, the contact retrieved the Carfax report history of the vehicle and discovered that the vehicle mileage was 196,000 on August 11, 2018.

I bought this 2004 Honda Pilot new in 2004 in Louisville. In 2018 I drove to Florida without incident. While here in Florida I have had a problem with oil leaking. Than the compressor for the air went out and I took it straight to the dealer here. They told me it was not worth fixing. Since then I have had 2 mechanics look underneath the car and said it was so rusted that the frame was dangerous and they could not risk fixing it. I have checked with other Honda owners only to find out this is a problem with numerous Honda years and no one fix this problems because of liability . I have photos of the rusted out rear-end and the frame is not attached. You can find owners trying to weld the rear-end back on. No one will repair my compressor because of the rust and damage. When I had it at the dealers they did not mention this problem at all. They just said it was not worth fixing. My car has about 200000 miles but has has its service. This has to be a major recall or replacement. We could have had a major accident over this and didn't know [XXX] Please call or forward communication. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE CENTER MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BLACK SMOKE WAS EMERGING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ODOR OF BURNING OIL PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-STARTED BUT LACKED FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC PREVIOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND SHUTTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS WORN OUT. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, BUT TO BE PREPARED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WHEN A WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 132,500.

PREMATURE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER RECALL WORK (04V176000) OIL JET KIT INSTALLATION ON 2004 PILOT. HONDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING ALL TRANSMISSIONS ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. HOW COULD HONDA POSSIBLY DETERMINE THAT NO DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED TO THE TRANSMISSION PRIOR TO THE OIL JET KIT INSTALLATION THAT VEHICLES WITH LESS THAN 15K RECEIVED AS A "FIX". ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE END CONSUMER GETS THE SHAFT IF THEIR FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SURVIVED THE RESULTS OF THE FAULTY PART. *TR

Confirmed with local mechanic that the rear cross member of the sub-frame needs to be replaced immediately. Badly rusted and is a safety issue.

I bought this 2004 Honda Pilot new in 2004 in Louisville. In 2018 I drove to Florida without incident. While here in Florida I have had a problem with oil leaking. Than the compressor for the air went out and I took it straight to the dealer here. They told me it was not worth fixing. Since then I have had 2 mechanics look underneath the car and said it was so rusted that the frame was dangerous and they could not risk fixing it. I have checked with other Honda owners only to find out this is a problem with numerous Honda years and no one fix this problems because of liability . I have photos of the rusted out rear-end and the frame is not attached. You can find owners trying to weld the rear-end back on. No one will repair my compressor because of the rust and damage. When I had it at the dealers they did not mention this problem at all. They just said it was not worth fixing. My car has about 200000 miles but has has its service. This has to be a major recall or replacement. We could have had a major accident over this and didn't know [XXX] Please call or forward communication. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Honda sold America cars that they knew were rusted less than five years and they still letting people drive these cars that are rusted at the bottom

The steering became extremely loose over time on my Honda Pilot posing significant safety concerns because of it. The tires adamantly follow all the divets, lines, grooves, and bumps in the road causing me to lose control of the vehicle very easily in poor driving conditions. This is especially exaggerated during inclement weather such as snow or rain. Recently, due to the steering looseness, I lost control of the vehicle and hit a mailbox damaging the entire right side of the vehicle. Please help to work with Honda to resolve this issue. Thank you!

Brakes seem to stop suddenly Must brake slowly to avoid a sudden stop Seatbelt locks up if I do not pull it forward and leave room in the belt so that it isn't completely holding me in Also the driver seat will only adjust sideways.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RPMS REVVED AND THE GAUGE READING FLUCTUATED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

THE ACCELERATOR SOMETIMES FREEZES AND I CANNOT PRESS IT DOWN. WHEN I PRESS VERY HARD IT RELEASES AND GOES TOO FAST FROM THE STOP POSITION. I WAS IN THE SCHOOL ZONE STOPPED WHEN I TRIED TO START AGAIN, IT FROZE. THE GUARD WAS TRYING TO MAKE ME GO, I WAS TRYING BUT PEDAL WAS FROZEN. WHEN I PUSHED VERY HARD, IT WENT VERY FAST FROM STOP. THE COP SAW ME CLOCKED ME AND GAVE ME A $360.00 TICKET. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. DID NOT BELIEVE ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BUT NEVER THIS BAD. I HAVE SENT TO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE FAILURE PROGRESSED FOR YEARS. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE AND THEN SLOWLY MANEUVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO LIFT BACK INTO PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE AND THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V35300 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

FUEL TANK WILL NOT ACCEPT FUEL IN A TIMELY MATTER, ACTS AS THOUGH THERE IS A PLUG IN THE TANK.

FUEL TANK-- THE FUEL TANK WILL NOT FILL AT A NORMAL RATE, IT CONTINUES TO SHUT OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. VERY ANNOYING AS IT TAKES LOTS OF TIME TO FILL THE TANK PLEASE ADVISE [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact entered the vehicle and the front passenger attempted to secure the seat belt however, the seat belt failed to retract. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

I heard a loud pop come from under my driver's seat and the seat started rocking backwards. I got out of my car and checked underneath the seat. The front-left bracket securing the seat to the seat frame had completely sheared in half and the seat was no longer securely attached to the seat frame. This is a significant safety issue. When the car accelerates the driver's seat rocks backwards by ~45 degrees, making it extremely difficult to stay in control of the vehicle and safely steer the vehicle. It is also extremely unsafe in the case of an accident because A) the seat would not hold the driver securely in place, B) the driver would not be properly in position and restrained for the air bags to deploy, C) the seat belt is attached to the seat base and would not be able to fully function properly, and D) any passengers sitting in the 2nd row behind the driver's seat would be in danger of having the full force of the driver and the driver's seat slamming back against them. This is a known issue widely reported in Honda Pilot owners' forums. Yet Honda has not issued a recall. I took the vehicle into a Honda dealership to inspect the issue. They said that Honda no longer makes the part that would be required to fix this safety issue. This issue affects all 2003-2008 model year Honda Pilots. There were over 800,000 2003-2008 model year pilots sold and because of Honda vehicle's longevity there is a massive number of these vehicles still on the roads.

The steering became extremely loose over time on my Honda Pilot posing significant safety concerns because of it. The tires adamantly follow all the divets, lines, grooves, and bumps in the road causing me to lose control of the vehicle very easily in poor driving conditions. This is especially exaggerated during inclement weather such as snow or rain. Recently, due to the steering looseness, I lost control of the vehicle and hit a mailbox damaging the entire right side of the vehicle. Please help to work with Honda to resolve this issue. Thank you!

WHEN GETTING WORK DONE BY LICENSED MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR FRAME BEING SOO RUSTED THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS NOT ATTACHED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO ATTACH IT TO. I WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIX IT AND I SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING RID OF IT. *TR

WHILE ON THE 605N FREEWAY CLOSE TO THE 10 FREEWAYSPLIT OUR ENTIRE SUNROOF WHICH THE GLASS AND COVER DITACHED FROM OUR VEHICLE AND FLEW OFF. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND WAS NOT HIT FROM WHAT I SEE IN THE RECORDING BUT WE CAN'T SEE IF IT FLEW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. MY CHILDREN WERE SEATING IN THE MIDDLE ROW AND SMALL DEBRI HIT THEIR FACE. WE PULLED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO CHECK DAMAGE. ALL THAT'S LEFT FROM THE SUNROOF IS THE GLUE.

IN MAY 2013 I RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT THE SUNROOF HAD A DEFECT. CLAIM #[XXX] WAS OPENED AND I WAS DIRECTED TO S & C IN HIAWATHA (319-393-2591) AND ON MAY 31, 2013, I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL. THE SUNROOF STARTED TO LEAK WHEN IT RAINED SO I HAD IT CHECKED BY SAFELITE AUTO GLASS WHO INSPECTED THE DRAIN TUBES AND CONFIRMED THEY WERE NOT CLOGGED. I TRIED TO CONTACT S & C TO CORRECT THE ISSUE WITH THE WEBASTO SUNROOF AND THE BUSINESS WAS CLOSED. I CONTACTED WEBASTO TO SEE IF THEY COULD CONFIRM THAT THE SERVICE CENTER (S & C) HAD ACTUALLY REPLACED THE SUNROOF. WEBASTO DIRECTED ME TO THE NEXT NEAREST SERVICE CENTER, MID IOWA TRUCK & UPHOLSTERY, 1628 S. DUFF AVENUE, AMES, IA 50010 (515-232-4343) WHICH IS 2-HOURS AWAY AND WEBASTO COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SERVICE CALL WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE YOU CAN HEAR AN INCREASE IN THE AIR COMING THROUGH THE SUNROOF. I FREQUENTLY TRANSPORT MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE GLASS MAY COME OUT OF ITS FRAME AS STATED IN THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

lights that illuminate the functions/buttons of the climate control system burned out

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DID NOT WORK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SCHOMP HONDA (303-798-1500, LOCATED AT 1003 PLUM VALLEY LN, HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO 80129) WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 204,000.

The steering became extremely loose over time on my Honda Pilot posing significant safety concerns because of it. The tires adamantly follow all the divets, lines, grooves, and bumps in the road causing me to lose control of the vehicle very easily in poor driving conditions. This is especially exaggerated during inclement weather such as snow or rain. Recently, due to the steering looseness, I lost control of the vehicle and hit a mailbox damaging the entire right side of the vehicle. Please help to work with Honda to resolve this issue. Thank you!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, A LOUD BANG SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE WHEELS SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 207,584.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WARMER WAS ACTIVATED AND BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DRIVERS HEATED SEAT CAUGHT THE SEAT ON FIRE. *JS

MY VEHICLE IS HAVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY NEED TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS. THEY DIAGNOSED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND SAID THE SENSOR AND TRANSMISSION NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MOST 2003 AND 2004 HONDA OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THIS MORNING I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR STOPPED AND I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE AND I TOOK IT IN BEFORE BUT WAS TOLD DIFFERENT SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TT

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD TWO FLAT TIRES, BOTH HAD PUNCTURES ON THE SIDEWALLS. CONSUMER HAD THIS VEHICLE LESS THEN 2 MONTHS. SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TIRES RUBBING AGAINST ANYTHING OR RUNNING OVER ANYTHING. CONSUMER READ ON LINE THAT THE TIRES ON VEHICLE WERE NOT MADE FOR A SUV, BUT FOR REGULAR PASSENGER VEHICLES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. GOODYEAR, INTEGRITY, SIZE P235/70 R16.*AK