2004 Honda Pilot Body & Structure Problems

Your hood latch isn't securing properly during highway driving at 60 mph, causing the hood to pop open while you're driving. This is a serious safety hazard that can block your vision and cause an accident. The fix will likely involve inspecting and adjusting or replacing the hood latch mechanism.

WENT TO GET A OIL CHANGE FOR MY CAR AT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECH SHOWED ME THE RUST ON THE SUB FRAME, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE REAR MOUNT. THE RUST WENT THROUGH THE FRAME AND THERE IS A BIG HOLE AROUND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR MOUNT. I WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENED TO SOME OTHER HONDA PILOT.

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.

OUR PILOT FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR GETS SOAKING WET WHEN IT RAINS! OUR CAR IS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY AND STATIONARY. AFTER A RAINSTORM IS WHEN WE FIND THE SOAKED CARPETING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE WATER SEEPS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WHERE MOLD CAN FORM. THE SEATS ARE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE AND THE AREA CAN'T BE VACUUMED EFFECTIVELY. THERE SEEMS TO BE EITHER FAULTY HARNESS PLUGS OR ANOTHER AREA IN FRONT TIRE FLAPS THAT THE COMPANY DIDN'T SEAL RESULTING IN SOAKING WET CARPETS THAT CAN SHOW SIGNS OF MOLD. I HAVE VERY BAD ALLERGIES AND THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I ALSO HAVE MY CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND SOMETIMES GREAT GRANDCHILDREN IN THIS CAR AND I'M AFRAID THAT ANY MOLD COULD COMPROMISE OUR HEALTH! WHY ISN'T HONDA TAKING CARE OF THIS ISSUE WHEN THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE? WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND IT'S GETTING RIDICULOUS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT ONLINE!

MAJOR REAR END CORROSION. FRAME & WHERE REAR END CONNECTS TO BODY. TOLD BY 2 BODY SHOPS & AN AUTO MECHANIC TO STOP DRIVING. THE BACK END COULD DROP OUT.

THE BODY WHERE IT ATTACHES TO REAR SUBFRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. THERE ARE 4 MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND ON MY 2004 PILOT ONE MOUNTING POINT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING SUBFRAME TO BE HANGING WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND WHEN VEHICLE HAD 218,675 MILES.

FLOOR ON DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE IS SOAK.

REAR SPOILER (WITH 3RD TAIL LIGHT AND WASHER NOZZLE) FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE AXLE FELL THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 213,000.

THE REAR HATCH HAS TO BE LIFTED MANUALLY AND HELD UP AT ALL TIMES OR IT WILL CRASH DOWN ON YOU WITH THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE HATCH. I HAD TO USE BOTH OF MY HANDS TO GET IT OPENED. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY HOLD IT UP TO ACCESS ANYTHING IN THE BACK. IT'S EXTREMELY HEAVY. I WAS WORRIED IT WOULD COME CRASHING DOWN ON MY BACK, HEAD OR ARM, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, NO ENGINE RUNNING. THIS IS NOT A REMOTE OPEN HATCH.

WENT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID VEHICLE HAS BAD ENGINE MOUNTS, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. NOTE THAT WE ALSO HAVE A 2003 ACURA MDX, AND THE DEALER ALSO TOLD US THAT SOME ENGINE MOUNTS NEEDS REPLACEMENT. WE CHECKED SOME BLOGS FOR ACURA MDX AND HONDA PILOT OWNERS, AND FOUND A LOT OF OWNERS WITH SAME ISSUES. SOME ARE BEING REPLACED EVERY TWO YEARS. WE OWNED A V6 TOYOTA FOR 15 YEARS, NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. WE HOPE NHTSA WILL CHECK THIS, BECAUSE IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO OWNERS AND ACURA/HONDA WILL NEVER ADMIT. I'M SURE IF NHTSA WILL GET REPAIR RECORDS FOR THIS "ENGINE MOUNT" ISSUES, IT WILL BE A LOT. FROM WHAT I READ, THIS AFFECTS DRIVE SHAFTS DUE TO EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE ENGINE. *TR

WE FIRST NOTICED IN OCT. 2012 THAT THE CARPET AND MAT FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF OUR CAR WERE WET WITH WATER. IT IS NOW DEC. 2012 AND THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED. THE WET CARPET IS CAUSING A MILDEW SMELL IN OUR CAR WHICH WE CANNOT GET RID OF, AS THE CARPETS ARE GETTING WETTER EACH TIME IT RAINS. THE CAR ALSO FOGS UP CONSTANTLY DUE TO THE INSIDE MOISTURE, MAKING VISIBILITY EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ONCE THE TEMPERATURE DROPS THE WET FLOORS ARE SURE TO FREEZE, THUS CAUSING ANOTHER HAZARD: SLIPPERY FEET NEAR THE BREAK AND ACCELERATOR. IT IS REASONABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT THERE WILL BE RUST AND EVENTUAL DETERIORATION IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR ON BOTH SIDES WHERE THERE IS WATER DRIPPING IN FROM POSSIBLY THE WHEEL WELL OR RIGHT ABOVE THE WHEEL WELL. IN LOOKING ON LINE, WE SEE SEVERAL HONDA PILOTS AND RIDGELINES WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, IMPROPER STRUCTURAL SEALS BREAKING DOWN AND CAUSING WATER TO DRIP ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS OF THE CAR. HONDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM (WE CALLED OUR DEALERSHIP) BUT WILL ONLY FIX IT IF THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SEEING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND A KNOWN COMMON STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT HONDA SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2004 HONDA PILOT STARTED TO LEAK WATER IN BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE. BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER CARPET IS GETTING SOAK AND WET. I TOOK IT TO DAVID MCDAVID HONDA DEALER, AT IRVING, TX. THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE THE WATER IS COMING FROM . THEY WANT TO KEEP THE CAR FOR AN ENTIRE DAY TO SEE WHAT CAUSING THIS ISSUE. THEY WANT TO CHARGE $99.00 PER HOUR. (VERY EXPENSIVE OPTION...I WOULD SAY). I WENT ONLINE, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SEEMS TO HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH WATER LEAKAGE WITH HONDA PILOT. I AM TRYING MY BEST TO KEEP THE CAR DRY BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT WATER LEAKAGE MIGHT CAUSE TO GET MOLD INSIDE THE CAR, WHICH IS MAJOR HEALTH HAZARD. I ALREADY SAW THE RUST UNDER THE CARPET( SOME PART OF CARPET LOOK RED RUST SPOT). WAS THERE A RECALL ON THAT ISSUE? IS HONDA TREATING THIS PROBLEM AS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT? THANKS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HANDLES HAD SHARP METAL PAINT CHIPS THAT FRACTURED, CAUSING THE METAL TO PENETRATE UNDER THE FINGER NAILS OF ANYONE OPENING OR EXITING THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE DOOR HANDLES ON ALL FOUR OF THE DOORS. THE DEALER PAID HALF OF THE EXPENSES AND THE CONTACT PAID THE REMAINING BALANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO INFORMED THE DEALER TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

ONE OF THE TWO NUTS THAT HOLD ON THE REAR LICENSE PLATE ONTO THE CAR SHEARED OFF DUE TO NORMAL USAGE, I.E. NORMAL CLOSING OF THE REAR DOOR. THE TWO NUTS ARE TACK WELDED DIRECTLY TO THE THIN BODY METAL AND APPARENTLY THE REPEATED SHOCK OF CLOSING THE REAR DOOR CAN CAUSE METAL FATIGUE AND THE NUTS TO SHEAR OFF WITH THE BODY METAL, RESULTING THE LICENSE BECOMING UNSECURED TO THE VEHICLE. POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD SINCE IF THE OWNER DOES NOT NOTICE THE FIRST FAILURE, THE METAL FATIGUE WILL BE ACCELERATED BY THE ADDITIONAL TORQUE STRESS AND FAILURE OF THE SECOND NUT COULD OCCUR WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF THIS FAILURE HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE INTERNET BLOGS SINCE 2007. *KB

SEVERE CORROSION APPEARED AROUND THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WINDSHIELDS AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL LOOSEN THE ADHESIVE AND CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD TO COME LOOSE UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CORROSION IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT SINCE IT CAME FROM THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD FRAME AND THERE IS NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO IT AND WINDSHIELD HAS NEVER BEEN REPLACED. *TR

I TOOK MY 2004 HONDA PILOT FOR SERVICE TODAY AND DURING THE INSPECTION THE HONDA DEALER FOUND THAT THE FRONT ENGINE MOUNT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE MOUNT HAD BOTH FAILED. THE ENGINE MOUNTS SHOULD LAST THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE CAR. IT IS A NON-MOVING/NON-WEARING PART. I READ SEVERAL WEBSITES WHERE PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE HONDA PILOT'S ENGINE MOUNTS FAILING. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A FAILURE IN ENGINEERING AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY HONDA. YOUR ASSISTANCE IS APPRECIATED. *TR

THE PAINT STARTED PEELING ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO (OCT, '09) ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR OF MY 2004 MIDNIGHT BLUE PEARL HONDA PILOT, AT FIRST IN SUCH A SMALL AREA I CONSIDERED ITS CAUSE TO BE THE OCCASIONAL 'FLYING ROCK DING'. THEN IT STATED PEELING ON THE RIGHT REAR FENDER APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO, AND I BEGAN TO TAKE MORE NOTICE. ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO IT STARTED PEELING OFF IN LARGE SHEETS ON MULTIPLE AREAS ON THE CAR (TWO PASSENGER DOORS, REAR FENDER, TAILGATE). I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA, AND ALTHOUGH THE LOCAL AGENT ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE MIDNIGHT BLUE PEARL PAINT MIXTURE USED ON THE 2004 ODYSSEYS (AND HENCE, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THAT COLOR PAINT ON THE ODYSSEYS), THERE WAS "NO BULLETIN" ON THE HONDA PILOTS AND THEREFORE, NOTHING WOULD BE DONE. *TR

2004 HONDA PILOT - PURCHASED A BRAND NEW VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER THAT I AM REFERRING TO IN THIS COMPLAINT - THE PROBLEM: A SERIOUS WATER LEAK PROBLEM ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. IT HAS GONE THROUGH WARRANTY WORK WITHIN FIRST 10000 MILES BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE WATER LEAKAGE PROBLEM AFTER 8 HOURS OF WORK IN THEIR BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A SEVERE WATER LEAK PROBLEM IN TO THE PASSENGER FLOOR EVERY WINTER SEASON (IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST, RAINY SEASON IS THE WINTER SEASON) EVER SINCE THE WARRANTY WORK (THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ROOT CAUSE) WAS DONE IN 2004. I RECENTLY CALLED THE SAME DEALER AND THEY SAID IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I NEED TO PAY A CONSIDERABLE DEPOSIT EVEN FOR THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX BACK IN 2004 AS A WARRANTY WORK. WITH THIS SERIOUS INTERIOR WATER LEAK CONDITION, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SMELL BAD INSIDE AND TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT (MY OWN TIME IN EVERY WINTER) TO SOAK UP WATER OFF THE CARPET FLOOR INSIDE OF MY PILOT EVERY TIME IT RAINED. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE EXTEND OF THE RESIDUAL DAMAGE IT MAY HAVE ON MY VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT VISIBLY SEE WHERE THE LEAK IS COMING INTO INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BUT IT CERTAINLY WILL BRING DOWN THE VALUE OF MY HONDA PILOT IN CASE I WANT TO TRADE OR SELL. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION FOR THE HONDA PILOT OWNERS TO TOLERATE. I NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND SOAK UP MORE WATER OUT OF MY PILOT AFTER I SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

WATER LEAKS IN EVERY TIME IT RAINS AND GETS BOTH FRONT CARPETS WET. HONDA DENIES THE PROBLEM; I KNOW I'M NOT ALONG BECAUSE OTHERS CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEB. I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS A BODY SEEM FAILURE BUT HONDA WANTS TO CHARGE YOU HUNDREDS BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

2004 HONDA PILOT - INSIDE COMPARTMENT WATER LEAK. FOR 2 YEARS WE HAVE HAD WATER COMING IN THE FRONT FOOT WELLS. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT BY DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS. THE DEALERSHIPS SAID IT WAS THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH WE HAVE REPLACE TWICE, AND THE PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP SEALED ALL AREAS THAT COME INTO THE CAR. I'VE CALL HONDA CORPORATION TWICE AND HAVE COMPLAINED. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH CALLS ON THIS PROBLEM TO MAKE IT A RECALL. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE ON LINE (HONDA.ORG) THAT HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE WATER IS COMING IN UNTIL THE CARPETS ARE SOAKED. *TR

THE NOISE IN OUR CAR HAS PROGRESSIVE GOTTEN WORSE AND THEN WE STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH OUR LOCKS AND LIGHTS IN OUR CAR. WE FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE DOOR SENSOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS NO LONGER BEING "TURN-OFF" AS IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS APPARENTLY BECAUSE THE DOOR IS SLOWING SEPARATING FROM THE CAR. NOT NOTICEABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE WORSE SYMPTOM IS WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS THE DOORS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK. THIS SEEMED PRETTY SCARY THINKING THE DOORS MIGHT OPEN. *TR

I AND MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN LOYAL HONDA OWNERS SINCE 1984. IN THOSE 25 YEARS WE HAVE PURCHASED 8 HONDA AUTOMOBILES. UNTIL RECENTLY THE SERVICE AND SUPPORT PROVIDED BY HONDA AND ITS DEALERS HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL. THAT WAS ALL UNTIL OUR MOST RECENT VEHICLE, A 2004 HONDA PILOT. IT IS A VEHICLE MY WIFE AND I LOVE BUT ONE THAT HAS HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF IRRITATING SMALL PROBLEMS. THE LATEST PROBLEM INVOLVES THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR THE REAR LICENSE PLATE. THE METAL HOLDING THE TWO WELDED ON MOUNTING NUTS IS SO THIN THAT AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF VIBRATING THE METAL BACKING SIMPLY BREAKS AWAY. IN SEEKING A REPAIR TO THE PROBLEM MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER HAD NO CLUE AS TO HOW TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND HIS ONLY REMEDY WAS TO SEND ME TO A LOCAL RETAIL BODY SHOP FOR A $234.00 REPAIR. MY LOCAL DEALER INDICATES HE WAS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN REPAIR SUPPORT FROM THE FACTORY BECAUSE THESE PROBLEMS ARE DUE TO 'THE USE OF HEAVY LICENSE PLATE HOLDERS'. IN RESPONSE TO THAT DEFENSE LET ME STATE THE FOLLOWING: 1.RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET QUICKLY REVEALS THAT THE HONDA PILOTS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DOZENS OF HONDA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 2.HONDA REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY IN SOME CASES AND NOT IN OTHERS. 3.THE 'HEAVY LICENSE PLATE FRAME' BEING BLAMED IS AN ITEM SUPPLIED BY THE DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND DOES NOT REPRESENT AN EXTRA HEAVY BURDEN. 4.THE LICENSE PLATE HAS VIBRATED UPON CLOSING THE REAR HATCH FROM DAY ONE OF PURCHASE. IT IS THE NATURE OF THE DESIGN USING ONLY TWO MOUNTING POINTS. 5.THE FACT THAT THE LICENSE PLATE AND FRAME CAN SUDDENLY FALL FROM THE VEHICLE AND BOUNCE INTO THE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH HONDA SHOULD HAVE WARNED OWNERS OF WHEN THEY FIRST DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM. *TR

EVERY TIME IT RAINS EVEN IF CAR IS NOT MOVED, IT LEAKS TO FLOORBOARDS OF DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE. HONDA PILOT IS FREE FROM ANY WRECKS OR DAMAGE. *TR

WATER LEAKING INTO FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR.*TR

THERE IS A AUDIBLE VIBRATION IN MY '04 HONDA PILOT WHEN I DRIVE AT ABOUT 1400 RPM. IT SOUNDS LIKE A STRONG WIND NOISE, LIKE SOME SORT OF COVER VIBRATING. IT IS INTERMITTENT. ONCE THE RPM GOES BEYOND 1600RPM, THESE VIBRATIONS RARELY HAPPEN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE EXHAUST LINE, INCLUDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VIBRATIONS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. THE VIBRATION SEEMS TO COME FROM THE UNDERBELLY OF THE CAR, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *JB

RUST FOUND ON ALL DOORS OF A YEAR OLD HONDA PILOT. *NM

WIND BUFFETING, SEVERE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 35 MPH WITH REAR WINDOWS DOWN. *JB