2004 Honda Pilot Suspension Problems

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

NHTSA ID

11679046

Incident

Jul 8, 2025

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

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.

NHTSA ID

11487723

Incident

Oct 3, 2022

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).

NHTSA ID

11475588

Incident

May 12, 2021

DRIVERS REAR STRUT METAL FATIGUE FAILURE AT KNUCKLE CAUSED SHOCK ABSORBER TO DROP AND SLICE WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

11384257

Incident

Dec 20, 2020

Mileage

175,315 mi

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

2004 HONDA PILOT DRIVER SIDE REAR SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED AND FALLING APART. STARTED TO RUST AROUND 2010 THEN WORST AT 2019. ONLY THE DRIVER SIDE IS RUSTED AND BAD. THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS NO ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11301869

Incident

Jan 29, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

RINSING WITH WATER OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AFTER EXPOSURE TO SALTED ROADS AFTER SNOWFALL (ROUTINE PRACTICE) I NOTICED FLAKES OF RUST BENEATH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO OBSERVE EXTENSIVE CORROSION OF THE CROSS MEMBER THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION STRUTS ARE ATTACHED TO. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AREA WHERE THE STRUT IS CONNECTED IS CORRODED TO THE EXTENT WHERE THE MOUNT IS PARTIALLY EATEN AWAY AND A LARGE HOLE HAS FORMED. THE OTHER STRUT MOUNTING AREA IS CHARTING THE SAME COURSE AND IS SUBSTANTIALLY CORRODED. SHOULD A STRUT DISCONNECT FROM THE VEHICLE A LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD OCCUR. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS 107000. NO OTHER PARTS OF VEHICLE APPEAR TO BE CORRODED TO A LEVEL APPROACHING THE REAR. I WILL LOOK AT THE FRONT END TO INSPECT MORE CLOSELY FOR CORROSION DAMAGE AND TO TAKE PICTURES. VEHICLE WAS PARKED (STATIONARY) WHEN THE CORROSION WAS OBSERVED.

NHTSA ID

11180840

Incident

Feb 17, 2019

Mileage

107,000 mi

REAR SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER SUPPORT RUSTS OUT DUE TO DESIGN. OVER TIME WATER IS THROWN FROM TIRE AND RESTS IN THE SUPPORT NUT AREA. OVER TIME RUST BUILDS UP AND THE SUPPORT BREAKS THROUGH THE REAR CROSS MEMBER. NO WAY FOR THE WATER TO ESCAPE. I AM SUPPLYING ONE PICTURE OF MY CAR SHOWING WHERE RUST HAS STARTED. TWO ADDITIONAL PICTURES ARE FROM THE SHOP FIXING MY CAR FOR ANOTHER ISSUE SHOWING ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME ISSUE, BUT MUCH WORSE. YOU CANNOT BUY THE CROSS MEMBER DUE TO HOW THE CAR IS MADE. SO THE FIX IS TO CUT OUT THE RUST AND WELD IN A NEW SUPPORT. THE CAR SHOP WILL RUST PROOF AND PUT A WATER RESISTANT FOAM OVER THE NEW SUPPORT NUT ENSURING THE RUST WILL NOT RETURN. MY COST OF THIS REPAIR FOR BOTH SIDES IS JUST SHY OF $2000. MY OPINION IS THIS IS A FACTORY DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY HONDA. NO RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE EXIST, AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BACK END SUPPORT POTENTIALLY COLLAPSING AS YOU ARE DRIVING. THE ISSUE WAS CAUGHT BY THE TRANSMISSION SHOP DOING OTHER WORK ON 12/18/2018. THEY JUST FIXED THE OTHER CUSTOMER'S PILOT (2004) WITH THE SAME ISSUE (PICTURES I ATTACHED) AND HAD THE FORESIGHT TO LOOK AT MY 2004 PILOT. SO FOR SAFETY REASONS I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THEM APPLY THE SAME FIX.

NHTSA ID

11162277

Incident

Dec 18, 2018

Mileage

245,000 mi

REAR STRUT MOUNT ON FRAME IS TORN, WHEN DRIVING AND HIT SMALL BUMPS MAKES A CLUNK NOISE.

NHTSA ID

11156993

Incident

Dec 8, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. UPON INSPECTING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS DETACHED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 08790702. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300,000.

NHTSA ID

11104023

Incident

Jun 25, 2018

Mileage

300,000 mi

DRIVING ON OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AND HEARD LOUD CLUNK . CONTROL WAS A MAJOR ISSUE AFTER. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT , I SAW THE FOLLOWING. BOTH REAR WHEELS TILTED INWARD AT THE TOP. I INSPECTED UNDERNEATH TO FIND THE REAR SUB-FRAME ANCHORS HAD PULLED THROUGH THE UNI-BODY. CALLED THE MANUFACTURE AND NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO MILEAGE AND AGE AND LIVING IN A SALT BELT STATE. OTHER MANUFACTURERS ARE RECALLING VEHICLES FOR FRAME RUST ISSUES . THIS IS BASICALLY THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE.....AND THE OVERALL CONDITION OTHERWISE IS GREAT. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!

NHTSA ID

11101784

Incident

May 27, 2018

Mileage

260,000 mi

REAR END SUPORTS TOTALLY FELL OUT FROM RUST

NHTSA ID

11101317

Incident

Jun 10, 2018

Mileage

211,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINT I HEARD A LOUD BANG, THE ABS AND VTM 4 LIGHTS CAME ON ,AND IT STARTED HAVING A SEVERE VIBRATION . THE REAR UNI BODY FRAME ,FOR THE REAR SUB FRAME, MOUNTING POINTS PULLED OUT OF THE FRAME. THE REARWARD SUB FRAME HAD DROPPED DOWN ABOUT 6 - 8 INCHES. THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY, ON THE INSIDE.

NHTSA ID

11081793

Incident

Mar 17, 2018

Mileage

205,540 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE REAR SUSPENSION BECAME SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000.

NHTSA ID

11064419

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

101,000 mi

REAR MOUNTING POINTS FOR REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME RUSTED OUT, ALLOWING THE SUBFRAME TO BECOME DETACHED AT TWO OF FOUR MOUNTING POINTS. SUBFRAME ROTATED DOWN UNTIL STOPPED BY EXHAUST SYSTEM, DETACHING WIRING FOR ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROAD AT 40-50 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11047690

Incident

Nov 18, 2017

Mileage

242,000 mi

I HAD A VERY SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE AFTER HITTING A BUMP ON A DIRT ROAD ONLY GOING 25 MPH. ALL 4 OF THE REAR AXLE MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO DROP AND THE TIRES TO SPREAD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF I WAS GOING FASTER OR HIT THE BUMP ON THE HIGHWAY. WE HAD BEEN NOTICING A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BUT COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. SO, PERHAPS ONE OR TWO FOR THE MOUNTS HAD ALL READY FAILED BEFORE THIS FINAL FAILURE. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2004 AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT NOR DRIVEN OFF ROAD. IT IS A MICHIGAN CAR SO IT HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT PERHAPS CONTRIBUTING TO THE RUSTING OF THE MOUNTS. BUT, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD THIS OCCUR. AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH I WAS ONLY ABLE TO FIND TWO OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING. AS THESE VEHICLES GET OLDER MORE MAY HAPPEN IF IT IS A DESIGN FLAW.

NHTSA ID

10978999

Incident

Mar 20, 2017

Mileage

160,000 mi

ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR SPED OUT OF CONTROL HIT THE CENTER DIVIDER. FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS WENT OFF! THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAGS SCARRED THE INSIDE OD MY WRIST.

NHTSA ID

10748262

Incident

Mar 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 TO 40 MPH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ID

10482301

Incident

Oct 26, 2009

Mileage

125,000 mi

STARTED AT APPROX. 70,000 MILES. CAR SHUTTERS/VIBRATES (AS THOUGH GOING OVER A SOFT RUMBLE STRIP) WHEN GOING APPROX. 45 MPH. STOPS ONCE I LET OFF GAS OR ACCELERATE. INITIALLY HAPPENED ONLY ONCE IN A WHILE. NOW IT HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. *KB

NHTSA ID

10452356

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON MY 2004 PILOT WERE CRACKED AND THAT I WOULD START TO NOTICE THIS IN VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING SEEN QUITE OFTEN IN THE PILOT AND ODYSSEY. 2004 PILOT WITH 91K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276533

Incident

Jul 9, 2009

Mileage

91,000 mi

BROKEN FRONT ENGINE MOUNT DETECTED ON MY 2004 HONDA PILOT WITH 45000 MILES. NOTICED A VIBRATION WHEN STARTING OUT FROM A COMPLETE STOP. FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED RECENTLY AND WAS INFORMED OF PROBLEM. HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PILOTS. ALSO HAD FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED AT 40000 AT DEALERS ADVICE. VEHICLE IS USED STRICTLY ON PAVED ROADS AND THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT THEY WOULD GO OUT SO EARLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10275634

Incident

Jun 22, 2007

Mileage

45,000 mi

IN APPROXIMATELY EARLY 2006, I NOTICED THE FRONT WHEELS WOULD SHIMMY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AT HIGHER SPEEDS. TYPICALLY IT WOULD OCCUR AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN STEEPER GRADES IN THE MOUNTAINS. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE HONDA DEALER IN APRIL 2006 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 35,418 MILES. THE HONDA DEALER DISMISSED IT AND SAID IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FRONT WHEEL STILL WANTING TO PROVIDE POWER WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CONSEQUENTLY, THE BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED OUT FINE DURING THEIR INSPECTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AND IS GETTING WORSE. I'VE ALSO NOW NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN I DRIVE ON FLATTER SURFACES AS WELL. THE PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN STOPPING AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH AND IS EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILLS. MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BECOME UNSTABLE BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE SHIMMY THAT OCCURS IN THE FRONT WHEELS WHILE BRAKING AT HIGHER SPEEDS OR ON AN INCLINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208759

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

Mileage

35,000 mi

MY 2004 HONDA PILOT HAS A CONTINUOUS VIBRATING PROBLEM AT 75 MPH. SEVERAL SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED, BUT NOTHING FIXES THIS PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10154340

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

THIS VEHICLE FROM ORIGINAL PURCHASE HAS HAD A WHEEL VIBRATION THAT SEEMS TO BE INCORRECTABLE BY DEALER. I BELIEVE IT IS A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE HONDA. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO NEEDED BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES AND IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR PARTS TO HAVE TWO TIE RODS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10127717

Incident

Jul 1, 2005