CarComplaints.com Notes: Beware the 2003 Honda Pilot once the odometer reaches 100k miles, when two problem defect trends have shown up: transmission failure & ignition switch problems.
Typically a locksmith can fix the ignition switch or it can be replaced for around $700. However the transmission failure is a far more expensive problem, with the average repair cost at well over $3,000. A major transmission recall of over 1 million Honda vehicles back in 2004 dealt with transmission damage due to overheating, but 2003 Pilot transmissions have continued to fail.
Honda Airbags And Flying Shrapnel - Honda has expanded its global recall for defective airbags to 2.8 million vehicles. Yes, the very device intended to protect you in a crash may hit you with .... any guesses? If you wrote down "metal shrapnel", you win. Checkout a full timeline of events over at HondaProblems.com.
The dealership had my Honda Pilot in for a day, then the next day the problem was worse. The dealership tried to fix the faulty airbag indicator on the front passenger side, three times. Then they had to order an new part. They called me when it was in stock and I wasted more time while they installed it. Problem fixed ? Maybe not...because later in the year, when a vehicle struck my car on the right passenger side, the airbag did not deploy.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The dealership had my Honda Pilot in for a day, then the next day the problem was worse. The dealership tried to fix the faulty airbag indicator on the front passenger side, three times. Then they had to order an new part. They called me when it was in stock and I wasted more time while they installed it. Problem fixed ? Maybe not...because later in the year, when a vehicle struck my car on the right passenger side, the airbag did not deploy.
- pilot error, Exeter, NH, US