2004 Honda Pilot Steering Problems

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!

NHTSA ID

11664243

Incident

Nov 15, 2022

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

NHTSA ID

11330863

Incident

May 12, 2020

Mileage

208,000 mi

KEY WILL NOT NOT TURN IN IGNITION TO START CAR. TRIED SPARE KEY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS FROM GOOGLE, TURNING STEERING WHEEL, BRAKES, DISCONNECTING BATTERY. LOCKSMITH CHARGE TO REPAIR $300+, PER COMMENTS ON GOOGLE BETTER TO REPLACE OR WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. COST TO REPLACE $600+. TRIED TAPPING AROUND KEY HOLE WITH SCREWDRIVER & HAMMER WHILE SOMEONE TURNED KEY, DID NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11164119

Incident

Dec 26, 2018

Mileage

12,000 mi

TIE ROD BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS

NHTSA ID

11123506

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

Mileage

185,000 mi

I HAVE A 2004 HONDA PILOT WITH ROUGHLY 174,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND THE ENGINE SEEMS TO RUN GREAT. I ACQUIRED THE CAR ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND UPON DRIVING IT I NOTICED A FAINT SHUDDERING BETWEEN GEARS UPON ACCELERATION FROM 2-50 MPH. THE WEEKS WENT ON AND IT IS NOW VERY SCARY TO DRIVE IT SHUDDERS TERRIBLY WHILE ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING FROM 2-50 MPH. IT FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO JUST STALL OR POSSIBLY LOCK UP AND CRASH OFF THE ROAD I HAVE AN INFANT SON AND IM AFRAID TO HAVE HIM IN THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT OUTRIGHT FROM A CERTIFIED HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR OVER 10,000 $ A FEW YEARS BACK,. AND LIKE I SAID THE CAR IS BARELY DRIVABLE THE STEERING IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND WILD IT IS UNRESPONSIVE AT TIMES WHEN IM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THE CAR CONTINUES TO GO STRAIGHT. THE NOISE FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AREA ALONG WITH THE BRAKES ARE SO LOUD WHEN GOING DOWN HILL THAT THEY CAN BE HEARD OVER THE RADIO ON LEVEL 24-27. I CAN FEEL THE CONSTANT VIBRATION AND UPSET IN THE FRONT END SO BAD WHILE DRIVING THAT I HAVE TO MUTE THE RADIO AT TIMES TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE ISN'T SCRAPING AND SPARKING ALONG DUE TO A TRANSMISSION LOCK UP CAUSE IT JUST FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG. I M TOO AFRAID TO EVEN GO ON THE FREEWAY UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY BECAUSE IM AFRAID OF BEING INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT. THIS FACT IS VERY TROUBLESOME BECAUSE I LIVE WHERE THE ONLY WAY TO GET ANYWHERE IS TO GO ON THE FREEWAY SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO DO. WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS EXACT ISSUE IM SURPRISED THERE IS NO LAW SUIT... I AM GOING TO TRY TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO GET ONE STARTED... IF YOUR PRODUCT HAS BEEN PROVEN DEFECTIVE LIKE THIS OBVIOUSLY HAS THEN HONDA REALLY NEEDS TO OWN UP ITS NOT FAIR HOW MUCH MONEY WE ALL LOSE BY PURCHASING THIS POS FOR THE HIGH RESALE PRICES WE PAY!!!

NHTSA ID

10785769

Incident

Oct 14, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,333.

NHTSA ID

10725234

Incident

Jun 11, 2015

Mileage

120,333 mi

SUDDENLY CAR STARTED MAKING BAD NOISE FROM ENGINE. I WENT TO STORE TO FIX IT. THEY SAYING ITS FACTORY RECALL AND WE CAN'T FIX IT. I DIDN'T FIND ANY INFORMATION FROM YOUR WEBSITE. ALSO IT'S VERY RISKY. I SUPPOSE TO DRIVE MY CAR FROM MICHIGAN TO VIRGINIA BUT THE AUTO TECHNICAN TOLD ME WIL BE RISK IT'S WILL STOP YOUR WHEEL AND YOU WILL IN BIG ACCIDENT. SEARS AUTO DIDN'T FIX MY CAR. THEY REFER ME TO GO HONDA DEALER FOR RECALL ISSUE. PLEASE ADVICE ME. THANKS

NHTSA ID

10725188

Incident

Jun 10, 2015

Mileage

120,228 mi

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL GETTING LOCKED. WE HAVE TO REGULARLY TAKE A PART OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND PUSH A SCREW DRIVER IN THE SPACE UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKS. THIS HAPPENED TOO OFTEN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. WE DO THE USUAL: PLACE FOOT ON BRAKE, TURN WHEELS, MAKE SURE GEAR IS IN PLACE, ETC. BUT THE WHEEL STAYS LOCKED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651757

Incident

Oct 15, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A LOAD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP SEALS FAILED AND RESERVOIR WAS CLOGGED. AS A RESULT, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RESERVOIR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,505.

NHTSA ID

10609272

Incident

Apr 8, 2014

Mileage

134,505 mi

THE KEY WAS DIFFICULT TO INSERT INTO THE IGNITION. ONCE IN, THE KEY WAS THEN VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE. FURTHERMORE WILL NOT TURN AS IT IS STUCK IN BETWEEN OFF AND ACCESSORY POSITIONS. HOURS WERE SPENT JIGGLING, BRINGING A LOCKSMITH TO MAKE ATTEMPTS AT REMOVING WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE HONDA PILOT HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THIS HAPPENED WITHIN 1 DAY OF A SERVICED RECALL FOR THE INTERLOCK LEVER WHICH INVOLVES THE IGNITION AND THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505047

Incident

Mar 29, 2013

Mileage

162,715 mi

THE SHIFT INTERLOCK ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE PILOT BEING IN PARK. THIS CAUSED THE PILOT TO ROLL BACKWARDS IN A PARKING LOT. LUCKILY THE LOT WAS FAIRLY FLAT, SO IT DIDN'T ROLL FAR OR HIT ANYTHING (OR ANYBODY!). A HONDA DEALER CONFIRMED THE ISSUE, AND CONTACTED HONDA ABOUT IT. HONDA SAID THEY WOULDN'T FIX THE ISSUE DUE TO THE MILEAGE, AND THE FACT THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED (FROM CARMAX). *TR

NHTSA ID

10479494

Incident

Aug 1, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

2004 HONDA PILOT SHAKES WHEN YOU BRAKE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING OVER 50 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO SHAKES WHEN YOU GO AROUND A CURVE AT 40 MPH OR MORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10415569

Incident

Jul 28, 2011

Mileage

51,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING SPEEDS RANGING FROM APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE CHANGED LANES WITHIN SECONDS. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXTREME FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE TIRES TO WEAR BEFORE THE NORMAL MILEAGE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES AT 27,000 MILES DUE TO THE EXTREME WEAR. THE STEERING IN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY TWO MECHANICS; HOWEVER,THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VIN, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND ENGINE SIZE ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ID

10222398

Incident

Sep 16, 2004

Mileage

33,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL SHAKE. BOUNCES IN HAND. CABIN NOISE/VIBRATION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10173137

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

2004 HONDA PILOT. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AT SPEEDS 75 MPH. CAN'T BE REMEDIED WITH BALANCE OF TIRES. MANY PILOT OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153375

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

I PURCHASED A 2004 HONDA PILOT AND EVER SINCE WE HAVE OWNED IT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION AT SPEED APPROACHING AND OVER 65MPH. WE HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES AND THE HAVE OFFERE NO SOLUTION AND TAKEN THE STANCE THAT IT IS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072914

Incident

Dec 1, 2003