2008 HONDA PILOT Structure Problems

When in the service garage for a noise, our independent service mechanic confirmed that the body of the Pilot has rusted from the frame.

2008 Honda pilot Rear subframe on both sides rotted out! horrible design! Lots of Honda pilots with this issue!! you could've killed my family due to this!! This is a known issue now take care of your buyers!!!

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE REAR OF THE CAR STARTED SWAYING SLIGHTLY. SEVERAL PASSING MOTORISTS MOTIONED ME TO PULL OVER. UPON INSPECTION, WE NOTICED THE REAR CHASSIS ON BOTH SIDES HAD PULLED AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE REAR WHEELS TO TILT IN FROM THE TOP AND OUT FROM THE BOTTOM.

Mileage: 169,295

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE WELDED NUTS THAT HOLD THE LICENSE PLATE ON THE REAR CARGO DOOR ON MY 2008 HONDA PILOT. BOTH OF THE NUTS WERE WELDED ON A VERY THIN METAL FRAME INSIDE THE REAR CARGO DOOR AND FROM THE WEIGHT OF MY LICENSE PLATE FRAME AND FROM THE VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING OVER THE YEARS, THE NUTS COMPLETELY BROKE OFF WHERE THEY WERE WELDED. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO ATTACH THE REAR LICENSE PLATE TO THE REAR CARGO DOOR AND IN MOST STATES THAT'S A TRAFFIC VIOLATION. I CONTACTED HONDA CORPORATE WITH THIS ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY SO HONDA WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE. MY 2008 HONDA PILOT HAS 80,000 MILES AND IS 11 YEARS OLD, THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY WEAR AND TEAR OVER THE YEARS AND HONDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS! IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO WITH THE SAME BODY STYLE AS MY 2008 HONDA PILOT, IF SO WE ALL NEED TO STAND UP AND DEMAND A RECALL CAMPAIGN. SO LET'S ALL TOGETHER DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!

REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DROPPED. IT SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS WAY THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY BUT IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN IN MOTION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR PART. I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE AND INSTALL PART AT MY COST. QUICK WEB SEARCH SHOWED THIS HAPPENING TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

Mileage: 100,000

THE PAINT ON THE TRIM PANEL ABOVE THE BACK WINDOW IS FADED AND THE CLEAR COAT IS PEELING.

MY WAS DRIVING THE UNIT FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES FROM THE STARTING POINT. THEN, ALL THE LIGHTS OF THE DASHBOARD TURN ON. WHEN SHE TRIED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, A BLACK SMOKE START TO GO INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND A ENGINE FIRE STARTED. RAPIDLY, SHE LEFT THE CAR TO A SAFE PLACE AND THE FIRE CONSUMED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE. *TR

Mileage: 105,000

WATER IS COLLECTING ON DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS FLOOR AFTER RAIN. DOESNT MATTER IF CAR IS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

THE DOOR STOP CHECK WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE DOOR FROM CLOSING ON THE DRIVER'S LEGS AS ONE ENTERS OR EXITS THE VEHICLE FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT WORKING WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2014 WITH 59,900 MILES. THE DOOR WOULD NOT STAY OPEN WHEN PARKED ON THE SLIGHTEST OF INCLINES, AND A STIFF BREEZE WOULD BLOW IT SHUT. THE DOOR CLOSED ON MY LEFT LEG SEVERAL TIMES; I WAS NOT INJURED, OTHER THAN A NICE OUCH. IF THE DOOR CLOSES ON AN ELDERLY PERSON, THE INJURY COULD BE MORE SERIOUS. I REPLACED THE PART, # 72380-S84-A01 ON 29 MAY, 2014 AT THE HONDA STORE IN BOARDMAN, OHIO. COST WAS 46.00 SERVICE AND 21.10 FOR THE PART. I CAN SEND THE FAILED PART TO YOUR OFFICES IF SO DESIRED. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE A SAFETY FAILURE AS THE DOOR SHOULD REMAIN OPEN WHEN ONE IS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. A FAILURE AT 60,000 MILES ALSO SEEMS PREMATURE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 64,000

THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. WE HAVE FOUND THE HOOD TO BE IN OPEN POSITION (AJAR). ITS LIKE SOMEONE PULLED THE LEVEL AND THE HOOD OPENS, BUT THE SECONDARILY LATCH KEEPS IT FROM FLYING OPEN WHILE UNDERWAY. I WILL JUST REACH IN AND PULL THE SECONDARY LATCH TO OPEN THE HOOD AND CLOSE IT. I AM JUST AFRAID THAT THE HOOD WILL FLY OPEN ONE DAY WHILE WE ARE DRIVING, BUT THE SECONDARY LATCH IS DOING IT'S JOB. *TR

Mileage: 77,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT PANEL THEN BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FLEW ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ALE TO RETRIEVE THE PANEL AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS RIPPED FROM THE PANEL BY THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED FOR REPAIR. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

Mileage: 111,000

REAR TAILGATE LATCH MECHANISM FELL OUT OF MOUNT. 2 OF 3 SCREWS WERE FOUND COMPLETELY LOOSE AFTER PARTIAL REMOVAL OF REAR TAILGATE INTERIOR TRIM. ISSUE HAPPENED IN STORE PARKING LOT LOADING GROCERIES; TAILGATE WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT AND DROVE HOME AT SLOW SPEED WITH ALL DOME LIGHTS ON (HONDA DOES NOT GIVE A POSITION SWITCH OPTION FOR ON*DOOR*OFF AS I HAVE SEEN IN MANY OTHER VEHICLES OWNED). DUE TO SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING UNLATCHED TAILGATE OPTED TO EFFECT IMMEDIATE REPAIR UPON RETURN TO HOME ADDRESS. I HAVE REINSTALLED ALL 3 SCREWS AND USED BLUE LOCTITE THREAD LOCK AS IT APPEARS NO THREAD LOCK WAS PREVIOUSLY USED. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND WAS CONCERNED THAT A) VERY SMALL DIAMETER SCREWS RELATIVE TO SIZE OF ITEM BEING SECURED AND B) NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO HOLD TORQUE ON THE SCREWS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF VARIOUS HONDA MODELS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE ON INTERNET AT HONDA OWNER DISCUSSION BOARDS. THERE ARE EVEN STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PHOTOS HOW TO FIX POSTED ON A HONDA OWNERS DISCUSSION BOARD; YET WHEN I CHECK HONDA'S OFFICIAL TSB LIST - THERE IS NOT EVEN 1 TSB FOR THE TAILGATE LATCH LOOSE ISSUE; SO IT IS LIKELY MANY OWNERS (AS MYSELF) HAVE OPTED TO TAKE THE DIY APPROACH FOR THE SOLUTION. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS THIS IS POORLY DESIGNED SINCE THE ATTACHMENT MECHANISM (3 SCREWS) TO HOLD THE LATCH BODY TO THE TAILGATE PANEL COULD BECOME LOOSE FROM NOMINAL IN-CITY DAILY DRIVING (PROOF THAT THE TORQUE ON THE FASTENERS IS NOT HOLDING UNDER NORMAL USE). *TR

Mileage: 75,000

2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY HONDA THAT THERE IS A LABEL INSIDE THE SEATS THAT SAYS DO NOT CUT.*DT THE DOOR PANEL WAS BROKEN AND THE SEATS WERE COMING APART. THE SEATS WERE CHANGED FROM CLOTH TO LEATHER AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN. *JB

THE ELECTRIC CORDS IN MY CAR HAS BEEN BITTEN BY RODENTS FOR 5-6 TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR. EVERY TIME MY CAR COULD BE STARTED OR THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON. MY CAR IS PARKED IN OPEN PARKING LOT. BUT THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS JUST HAPPENED TO MY CAR, NOT MY NEIGHBORS'. AND IT ALSO HAPPENED TO MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE THE SAME MODEL. I BELIEVE THERE ARE DESIGNING PROBLEMS WHICH ARE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

I OWN AN 2008 HONDA PILOT (AUTOMATIC) AND WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS VEHICLE'S INABILITY TO HOLD IN GEAR ON AN INCLINE. THE PILOT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN IN DRIVE WITHOUT STOPPING ON AN UPHILL INCLINE, AND WILL ROLL FORWARD WHEN IN REVERSE ON A DOWNHILL INCLINE. I LIVE NEAR SAN FRANCISCO AND DRIVING IN THAT AREA IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE IN AN AUTOMATIC THAT WILL NOT HOLD ITS GEAR. IT IS WORSE THAN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE GEAR ENGAGEMENT WITH A CLUTCH. I AM FORCED TO DRIVE WITH MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT ON THE ACCELERATOR IN ORDER TO AVOID ROLLING BACKWARDS INTO FOLLOWING VEHICLES OR CROSS TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT WITH NOT JUST MY VEHICLE BUT WITH ALL HONDA PILOTS PRIOR TO 2009, AS HONDA ADVERTISED THE 2009 MODEL WITH A NEW 'ANTI-ROLLBACK' FEATURE. THE 2008 MODEL IS LACKING THIS FEATURE, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER AUTOMATICS OF ALL OTHER TYPES AND SIZES AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. IN MY RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING CALLED A 'TORQUE CONVERTER' THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE RETROFITTED OR MODIFIED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE HONDA DEALER IN MY AREA BUT WITH NO SATISFACTION. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE. AFTER ONE DAY IN S/F, STUCK ON AN UPHILL SLOPE IN GRIDLOCKED TRAFFIC, I COMPLETELY BURNED OUT MY BRAKES AND NEARLY STRUCK CARS BEHIND ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND RECOMMEND A METHOD OF RECOURSE AS I CAN NOT SEEM TO GET HONDA TO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO MY CONCERN. THANK-YOU. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

2008 HONDA PILOT WITH DESIGN QUIRKS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING TWO VALVE CAPS, REAR MUD FLAPS WERE INSTALLED AFTER PURCHASE AT HER EXPENSE, RADIO/CD/DVD NOT MP3 CAPABLE, ROOF RAILS ARE INCOMPLETE. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE SUNROOF WAS TILTED OPEN, THERE WAS AN ANNOYING SOUND.