general problems of the 2003 Honda Pilot - part 2

Owner driver was stopped on red light along with 20 other cars , the driver was last in the lane and other driver di not applied brakes, this vehicle was banged from the back. Body damage was repaired by westminster Honda in costa mesa . California, body repair cost of $ 3,500 was paid by insurance company of the person who was at fault, the auto transmission replacement cost of $ 6,500 was recovered from the me who was not at fault. The question is at that time the air bag was not deployed because of fault? after that I got recall notice from american Honda for two air bags driver side and passenger side, the notice came in the month of January 2015, first they delayed the repair task by making an excuse that they are very busy and first appointment is available on February 28 th at auto nation Honda in gilbert az then I got an e mail and a call from dealer that the parts are on back order, and they would not know when part will be available. After that I called american Honda, they have intervened and assured me that auto nation Honda will call me to schedule appointment again. Then I gave 4 - 5 calls to auto nation Honda, till today as of April 19th this repair is not fixed even though all parties know that this is critical to the life of drivers and passengers in this vehicle. Now I am in round rock texas, so I will need to see new dealer will somebody control these auto companies and dealer for compliance? thanks.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. While parked, the contact noticed that the vehicle began to roll backward. The contact was able to enter the vehicle, place her foot on the brake pedal and shift the vehicle into park. The contact noticed that she had removed the key from the ignition prior to shifting into park. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

I recently bought a used 2003 Honda Pilot from [xxx] of colerain in ohio. The car has 137,000 approximate miles on it. They wanted me to pay over 15,000 for the car and finally after debating for hours over 4. They sold me the car out the door with no warranty offered for 10,500. I was very happy and I have 2 children and one on the way. I bought the car on August 5, 2012 less than two week go by and I am driving home going 65mph on 71 and the car jerks down gears to 30 miles an hour in a split second. My neck and my back are both hurting and I do not want to sue nor try to get rich off of this. My complaint is, I took the car to[xxx] of colerain the next morning they said the transmission was bad and they could do nothing for me. So basically they said I will have to pay for a $7,000 dollar repair. I left the car there and came home did all kinds of research found that car is up for recall on the transmission and thousands of people have the same issue. They even have a facebook page dedicated to fixing this problem! how can Honda keep these vehicle's on the road? if my 17 month old would have been in the car with me she would have maybe broke her neck. Go drive 65mph and throw the car in reverse that is what happened to me! and they said I bought a certified used Honda? so what do I do ? who do I call? and why can they sell me a car in such a state? with over 4 recalls on parts and one being potentially fatal. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Have had this vehicle since new. Had the 2nd gear recall done as required at about 30,000. At 96,000 that tranny went out and had a "rebuilt" installed by sunset Honda slo, CA. Under warranty. At about 150000, d indicator flashed meaning sensors on tranny needed replacement. Now experiencing loss of drive, sometimes when coming out of stop, engine just revving but no drive, also, as happened to my wife yesterday, when going at about 35, loss of power/drive occurred. This could show that I need an actual decent new tranny put in! I have yet to visit my well qualified and non Honda dealer mechanic! I have been a Honda owner since 1992 and this will be my last Honda ever! the reliability is over with and they are way overpriced.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the transmission would not shift into any gear. The vehicle was taken previously to the dealer in 2004 for a recall repair under the NHTSA campaign id number: 04v176000 (power train: automatic transmission). The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for this most recent failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 220,000.

Shuddering and jerking while shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. Also does the same in reverse. Car would not accelerate on highway on-ramp. While at high highway speeds, car felt like it fell out of gear and lost power, until the gear engaged again.

I have the same problem with the transmission and being able to remove my key even when it is not in park that has been reported by others. Its led to an accident and a near one.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that she arrived at home and forget to shift the vehicle into park. The contact was able to successfully shut the vehicle off and remove the key from the ignition, even though it was not shifted into park. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that there were no recalls addressing the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 124,000.

I originally had the 45-50 mph horrible shudder, but Honda did fix that issue and they said the hubs were defective. At 117,000, the transmission started to skip and jerk horribly and the revs spiked. I drove to Honda and they said the trans needed to be replaced for $5,000. I had it rebuilt by aamco for $2,700. Within 15,000 miles, the flashing d and vtm-4 light would start coming on. I drove it to aamco while the flashing d was ocuring and they could not find a problem and no error codes. I have preceeded to drive and replace the trans fluid every 20,000 just in case, to be safe. The flashing d is annoying. I have started to sense the shifting at 2 and 3rd gear to be getting rougher over time. I foresee number 3 transmission coming soon. Honda America corp would not help saying the car is out of warranty. The funny thing is that I mentioned all the people on-line complaining about trans issues, the reply: "Honda does not see an increased amount of claims on any transmission issues on the Pilot". What liars! I've owned 4 Hondas before and the quality is gone. I won't buy Honda again.

I am experiencing shudder or problem changing the gear. The engine lights is on now and not clearing up. I have seen the same problem on line from other people and all pointing to a problem with the transmission with this model.

I pulled the vehicle into a parking space and turned the key off. I got out of the car and the car began rolling backwards. It rolled down a small hill and smashed into a vehicle in the lot below. It appears the steering column allowed me to remove the key without putting the vehicle in park.

Just started having transmission problems. 2003 Pilot ex with only 150k miles, just started slipping. Going 65mph on the freeway and suddenly it feels like I slammed on the brakes, and engine revs without changing speed, like, I just shifted into neutral. Took the car into Honda and they are telling me it will cost $4500 to get a remanufactured transmission, not a new one. Since I bought it from its original owner I asked if the car was brought in on the recall in 2004. The original did not remember, but I called the dealership and they said yes but could not provide me with a date it happened. Now I'm a little worried.

While driving along a road at about 30 mph, there was a very intense loud vibrating noise under the front console of our 2003 Honda Pilot. It was very intense and loud and lasted about 10 seconds. We pulled over and looked but couldn't see anything visibly wrong on the outside. Then the next morning, when pulling it out of our parking stall, it did it again. The first time, we had driven it for a week straight(after buying it) without hearing a problem. Then it happened twice. After looking through multiple forums on this issue, it sounds like there are quite a few people who have had the same problem with the Acura mdx and with Honda Pilots. If there are so many issues, obviously it's a factory defect.

Transmission locked wheels, shifted to several different gears while at moderate speed (appx 45 mph).

My car is experiencing a weird slipping on the transmission, it doesnt seem to change gear sometimes. Its always the 2nd gear going to 3rd gear when it starts slipping. But when I stop and pull over for a minute and drive the car, the problems goes away. Also the airbag warning turns on and off for some reason. I called Honda a few months ago and asked if my car is included in the recall but I was surprised they said no. I just dont know whats going on with this car.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that he parked the vehicle in a residential carport. Approximately thirty minutes later, the contact went back to the vehicle and noticed that the vehicle was no longer parked in the carport but had rolled away and crashed into a tree. The vehicle was placed in park and the keys were removed from the ignition when the contact exited the vehicle. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash scene. The police were not contacted. The vehicle was later taken to a local mechanic for repairs to the external damages of the hatch back door and rear bumper. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not inspected for the roll away failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The current mileage was approximately 102,000. The VIN was unavailable. Kmj.

Same issue as every other Pilot owner with the 2nd gear not wanting to shift up around 30-40 mph, a delay and rpm's go up causing safety issues.

1. Fall of 2011, when attempting to pick up speed car would began to sputter and shake. For safety, I wouldn't drive faster than approx. 35 mph. Arriving at my destination, I put the car in park, took my foot off the brake. The engine revved and surged forward several times. Fuel injection cleaner remedied this. 2. 2012, when initially accelerating, gears would roughly change with a thumping sound. While driving and picking up speed, car would revve loudly. Brakes were applied to keep it from lungeing forward. (very scary), but maintained control. Checked transmission fluid level, added 1/4 qt of transmission fluid. Problem persisted. Engine warning light came on. Drove it to the Honda service department. Mechanic checked and test drove car. Advised about light flashing when in drive-(this had not occurred). They couldn't find the problem. Engine warning light reset. Returned to service department one week later when engine warning light came on again. Mechanic test drove and again couldn't find a problem. Warning light reset. Approx. 3 weeks later, warning light returned. Continued to drive cautiously. On Aug 20, 2013 (driving approx 20 mph) three houses from my home, my car changed gears with a loud clunk (sounded like something broke). I turned into the driveway and haven't moved or driven it since. My Honda Pilot has approx. 65,000 miles on the odometer. I believe Honda motors and dealerships are aware of this recurring defect with the Honda Pilot models and is deliberately ignoring the consumers of their product. I've received several notices from Honda dealers stating my 2003 Pilot is in high demand. I am angry that I'm stuck with this wreck, but glad this junk was not passed on to someone else. In the meantime I'm without transportation and maybe forced to purchase another vehicle. Very depressed.

As I was driving down a busy highway this morning my transmission started violently jerking in and out of gears so hard it was throwing me forward and my seatbelt was locking. After the jerking the rpm's went to 5,000 at 55 mph and the malfunction indicator lamp came on. I pulled over and had my vehicle towed home. The jerking was so bad the people behind me slowed down to avoid a collision. I do have two small children that ride in this vehicle and seeing that I am not the only person with this issue, why hasn't Honda owned up to this problem. I could have been seriously injured from this not to mention how scared I was while it was happening. This is a safety concern! Honda obviously did not fix the original problem. I have notified Honda motor corporation and have filed a complaint, my vehicle is being towed to the dealership to have a diagnostics done and sent to the "case worker", who should contact me in 24-48 hours. If Honda does not fix this problem and someone dies as a result of the transmission locking up, they are going to be in serious trouble. Why don't these corporations fix the problems before a life is taken. I expect way more than 107,000 miles out of my Pilot transmission.

Having difficulties puting car into gear from park to drive especially if vehicle is on a hill. Various friends who have the same car have the same issue. One friend had to replace transmission when it failed on the highway.

Vehicle transmission would not shift properly in lower gears; vehicle would not downshift to first gear, but would remain in neutral. Intermittently, vehicle would shift from first gear to second gear, then slips into neutral (engine would continue to rev, but vehicle would not move). Intermittent 'clunk' as transmission moves from one gear to another. When vehicle does not shift, poses a safety hazard as you cannot merge into traffic; or vehicle would not accelerate when attempting to merge, and would remain in neutral, holding up traffic behind. Highly dangerous condition, as driver cannot depend on vehicle to accelerate when required.

The transmission would not go in reverse and early was slipping when I was on the high way.

Car ran away in reverse as if it had a mind of its own. Full weight on the brakes but the car kept accelerating. Crashed into utility pole encircled with old car tires. Car bounced off and then crashed into the pole over and over again. Hit gear shift into forward. Engine screaming really high revs, car raced forward and I did everything I could to avoid hitting parked vehicles and a pond as car kept going faster. With nowhere to head but golf course or highway, I steered onto a farm field and drove a half mile until I was able to pull out the keys from the starter which stopped car. I did not think I was injured at time but I ended up with whiplash which meant I lost about six months income. Honda refused compensation, or paid for any of the repairs of the car with exception of the key interface for starter . Honda claimed thnothing wrong with car. Said had my foot on accelerator. However, Honda dealership charged me more than $3,000 to fix a completely destroyed braking system how could I have had my foot on the accelerator and destroyed the brakes? Honda refused to buy my car and decommission it because they said car was perfect. Downright rude afterward. I did not let anyone else drive the car and used it as infrequently as I could. Seven months later, I was in an underground parking garage and same thing happened. The car accelerated into thesolid concrete wall just four feet ahead. The impact destroyed car. Front end crumpled in, the engine damaged and all airbags deployed. This from a four foot collision.

The motor mounts on my wife's 2003 Honda Pilot were replaced in 2010 and I was informed today by the dealership that they need to be replaced again. This vehicle had approx 93500 miles on it when it was replaced the first time and now three years later has 140,939. I have been told by Honda customer service that the mounts are waranteed for 12 months. The vehicle is used by my wife to drive 20 miles roundtrip to work and on our trips. The vehicle is not used for towing and is not equipped with a tow receiver. Additionally, the ignition switch was improperly designed with a split wafer mechanism which according to the dealership and two local locksmiths wears out prematurely and causes jamming of the ignition cylinder as well as wedging of the keys in the ignition cylinder. Lastly, when a transmission recall was done on the car in 2005, it was done improperly. The recall specified a oil jet be installed on the transmission to lubricate the 2nd gear. The problem is that the hose used to connect the transmission fluid supply line to the transmission used a straight transmission hose which had to be bent 90 degrees in a distance of approx 2 inches to be installed. This causes the hose to be kinked and restrict the flow of fluid. Honda won't correct the problem or acknowledge the repair should have incorporated a formed elbow hose instead of a straight hose to ensure proper flow. Now Honda is telling me they don't have a representative in new mexico that I can speak to about the above issues. My case number w/Honda is n012013-06-1902010.

My Honda Pilot is now at 75,000 miles. I obviously don't drive it a lot. Thank goodness because it has had so many issues. For the last 25,000 miles and 3 years, it revs up and down when stopped anywhere like a light or stop sign or in the pickup line at my child's school. I have to put it into park and press the brake while in park to be sure it doesn't leap forward into another vehicle. I've had this looked at on three different occasions and they fix it for about a day. I've been told its an ongoing known issue with this car. So, why has it not been addressed?.

Our Honda Pilot will shutter while accelerating between speeds of 20 to 50 miles per hour. The shutter will continue if you continue to excelerate, if I let off the gas pedal shutter dissipates and I can resume on accelerating. Occationally the rear end jumps when excerating from a stop. It looks to be a problem with multiple Pilot/mdx owners. A recall needs to be addressed soon, before serious injury could occur.

Bought used 2003 Honda Pilot in March 2009. Had to replace transmission in April 2009. Purchased a new transmission for over $4,000 to get a 3-yr, 36,000 mile warranty. Previously owned a 2003 Honda accord (bought new) that had the transmission replaced under warranty in 2006. Didn't think about Pilot having the same transmission, or I would never have purchased the Pilot. Now at 166,000 miles my drive light is blinking again, but of course the warranty is out on the transmission!!.

My Honda Pilot has an unfixable life threatening defect. It is sticking gas pedal. Usually it sticks after the night in the garage and I need to idle until the engine is hot and then the pedal unsticks. But sometimes it happens while driving. This defect makes the car absolutely unpredictable while driving and could easily lead to the fatal accident. Actually, one time out of four when it happened while driving I was very close to such accident. First time I encountered this defect when my new car was still on warranty Nov 4, 2004. Since than the authorized Honda dealer has tried to fix this defect more than four times. They replaced the throttle body but all the attempts to fix it were unsuccessful. The problem is still there. I?m very concerned and scared to drive this car at this point as this defect not only directly jeopardizes my life but also the life of my 6-year old daughter who is almost always with me in the car. The american Honda stated that it was not anymore responsible for this defect because it?s unfixable and anything else concerning this defect from now on is my responsibility.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated the air bag light remained illuminated and the transmission would not shift into second gear. The manufacturer advised that the air bag and the transmission recall were performed on the vehicle and the vehicle should be taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 149,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated the door locks would not lock and the windows sporadically failed to open and close. The contact also mentioned while driving various speeds, the transmission would shift into gear. In addition, the lights within the buttons on the dashboard stopped working and there was an electrical short in the air conditioner fan. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 15,000 and the current mileage was 120,000. Updated 05/15/12 * bf.

While driving between 35-50 mph, my 2003 Honda Pilot begins to shudder and rev rpms. I have to let off the throttle and then accelerate again. This happens when the speed is constant or during light acceleration.

Trans. Shuddered at 30-40 mph. Recall #04-021 done 8/23/04 (oil jet kit installed). Didn't solve problem, which has gotten worse until now (06/13) and happens at all speeds. Very common problem with Hondas of that year (2003). Car now has 125k miles, Honda refuses to fix as recall, wants to replace trans. At my expense.