Honda Pilot / 2003
2003 Honda Pilot problems
Owners have filed 877 complaints about the 2003 Honda Pilot with NHTSA. Power train accounts for 25.7% of them — the clear leader, ahead of electrical system at 15.1%.
Complaints877
Crashes56
Fires16
Injuries60
Deaths1
What owners report breaking
Power train 25.7% · 225
Electrical system 15.1% · 132
Air bags 13.3% · 117
Structure 5.5% · 48
Seats 4.6% · 40
Engine and engine cooling 4.3% · 38
Exterior lighting 3.6% · 32
Suspension 3.6% · 32
Severity
Of those complaints, 56 describe a crash, 16 describe a fire, 60 report an injury and 1 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 23 model years of the Honda Pilot in this data, 2003 sits 5th by complaint volume. 2016 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 13 in the last three years against 28 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 120,000 miles.
In owners' own words
2003 Honda Pilot ex-l: the vehicle shudders and hesitates between 35 - 50 mph. I was told by a Honda service dept. That the transmission and 2 motor mounts need to be replaced at a cost of $4162. This problem is too common to not be considered an immediate safety recall. There have been many complaints of the exact same problem with the same model vehicle. I hope no major injuries are caused from this problem. Power train
My 2004 Honda Pilot makes a loud rattling or vibrating noise that I can feel when the car is going about 35 - 60 mph. I notice it daily on my way to and from work. Since I live where there is no Honda dealer nearer than 150 miles, I've asked local mechanics to try to determine the source of the vibration. I've found out that the problem may be a bad torque converter, and will be quite costly to repair. Power train · reported at 115,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended, the vehicle rolled out of the garage and crashed into the neighbor's home. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000. Power train · reported at 146,000 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…