2003 Honda Pilot Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle violently jolted forward with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The failure had occurred while driving on a major highway. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced Technical Service Bulletin: 04-021; however, the contact was informed that the repair had been performed on the vehicle in 2004. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.
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.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021 We traveled down OLD Dallas Hwy toward Gastonia, North Carolina. Transmission slipped and motor revved very high without forward speed. Attempting to put transmission into reverse caused similar slippage. Returning on Hwy 321 toward Dallas, north carolina, the transmission slipped and the car would not reach highway speed. Turning onto Hwy 279 to go home, the Honda would not go into gear at first, then slippage so that other cars almost struck our car which was unreliably stumbling. We have found there is a recall number 04V176000
PURCHASED 2003 HONDA PILOT EX IN 2006. THE FIRST OWNER HAD BROUGHT THE VEHCILE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ( DEALER SAID IT WAS OVERHEATING OF THE TRANSMISSION). TO WHICH THERE IS A RECALL TO INSTALL AN OIL JET WITH COOLER TO "FIX" THE TRANSMISSION. THE "FIX" DID NOT CURE THE TRANSMISSION FROM FAILING. MY DAUGHTER AND WHERE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN IT FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR AT 65 MILES AN HOUR. FORTUNITLY NO ONE WAS HURT. THE VEHICLE HAS 171,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED HONDA DEALER AND BECAUSE THE JET KIT WAS INSTALLED THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE FAILED TRANSMISSION. THIS RECALL CREATED AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE REPLACE UNDER A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY BY HONDA.
MY CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AROUND 40-45 MPH. THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS AND SEVERAL OTHER MODEL YEARS WITH THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS HAPPENS ANYTIME I AM ACCELERATING PAST 40 MPH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR ERRONEOUSLY CHANGED FROM THE DRIVE POSITION TO THE DRIVE 3 POSITION. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WITH THE ENGINE IDLING AND THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION, THE OWNER EXITED THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD, PUSHED AGAINST THE OWNER, AND PINNED HER AGAINST A STORAGE RACK LOCATED IN THE GARAGE. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE OWNER SUSTAINED A LEFT LEG INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
TAKATA RECALL I WAS MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND EXPERIENCED TOTAL ENGINE POWER LOSS. RPMS REVVED HIGH AND CAR LURCHED FORWARD. I HAD ALREADY MERGED INTO 60MPH TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR STALLED. FORCED THE CARS BEHIND ME TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AVOID HAVING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OR ANY OTHER INDICATION OF FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED GEAR SLIPPAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ERRATICALLY AT TIMES WHILE THE RPM'S REVVED WITHOUT FORWARD MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ESSERMAN LARGO HONDA (554 NE 1ST AVE, FLORIDA CITY, FL 33034, (844) 329-6036) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
I JUST BOUGHT A 2003 HONDA PILOT WITH 164,000 MILES ON IT A FEW DAYS AGO AND NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION WASN'T SHIFTING CORRECTLY. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD SOMETIMES OVER REV BEFORE SHIFTING BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. LAST NIGHT I PICKED MY GRANDCHILDREN UP FROM TOWN AND WAS HEADING BACK UP THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 55MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JERKED BACK AND DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND OR THEY WOULD'VE HIT US. I NOTICED THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THAT TIME ALSO.
THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT OF UPPER AND LOWER GEARS INVOLUNTARILY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE PROPELLED ROUGHLY FORWARD AND BACKWARD CAUSING A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION.
WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30-50 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL SHUDDER/JUDDER UPON LIGHT ACCELERATION AND THE RPMS WILL REV BRIEFLY. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTERS AMONG EARLY HONDA PILOTS
I AM ENCOUNTERING THE SAME RECALL ISSUES AS OTHER 2003 PILOTS. TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT RE-ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING. I NEED TO TURN ENGINE OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND RESTART IN ORDER TO GET BACK INTO GEAR. THE VIN SEARCH SHOWS NO RECALL, BUT THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE HAS CAUSED ISSUES WHEN I GET OUT AND PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. MOST OF THE ISSUE HAPPEN WHEN STARTING FROM A SLOW START. THE ENGINE REVS BUT WILL NOT MOVE, BOTH AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, DURING STOP AND GO COMMUTES. ONCE IT GOES, IT HAS NOT SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TURN, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND CONTINUED DRIVING. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TO FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,420.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL THE SUDDEN IT SEEM AS IF THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, THE TIRES SQUEELED AND DROPPED 20 MPH ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN A 40 MILE STRETCH, I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT.
AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVING FOR A LITTLE WHILE WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A DEAD STOP TRANSMISSION SLIPS SEEMS LIKE IT HAPPENS WHEN IT GOES INTO SECOND GEAR WATCH THE TACH MOVE BUT NO ACCELERATION SO I KNOW IT'S SLIPPING. I'VE DONE THE TRANSMISSION FLUSH 3 TIMES WITH HONDA TRANSMISSION FLUID AT $8 A QUART AND IT SEEMED TO HELP IT DOSENT DO IT AS MUCH BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN IT STILL SLIPS. ONLY ON ACCELERATION, AROUND 20-30 MILES AN HOUR.
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.
ON MAY 26, 2015, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON I-5 AT 60 MPH WHEN THE WHEELS OF MY CAR SEIZED. AT WHICH POINT THE CAR BEGAN A RIGOROUS SLIDE, BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED AS THE TREAD OF MY TIRES PEELED OFF. THE FORCE OF THE SLIDE EVENTUALLY JAMMED THE TIRES SIDEWAYS CAUSING THE CAR TO HOP AS IT PROPELLED FORWARD, FINALLY COMING TO A STOP ABOUT A MILE FROM THE STARTING POINT. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS A HORRIFIC RIDE, WHICH STILL CAUSES ME SOME STRESS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BILL'S TECH TRANS WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. BILL'S SENT THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION TO THE MAKER. AT THAT TIME I WAS UNAWARE OF THE RECALL ON HONDA PILOT 2003 TRANSMISSIONS. AFTER HEARING OF THE RECALL A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, I INFORMED AMERICAN HONDA OF MY INCIDENT. THEY REQUESTED RECEIPTS PERTAINING TO THE INCIDENT WHICH I PROVIDED IN FULL 3 TIMES. ONE OF THE FOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES HAD LOST SOME OR ALL OF THE PAPERWORK THAT I HAD SENT. IT HAS BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF OF DEALING WITH AMERICAN HONDA AND THEY CONTINUE TO PUT ME OFF, EVEN CLOSING THE CLAIM AT ONE POINT; THEY SENT A LETTER WHICH STATED, "WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT YOU IN REGARDS TO YOUR REQUEST, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING YOU." I CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY HAD CLOSED THE CLAIM DUE TO MY LACK OF RESPONDING TO THEIR PHONE CALLS. I TOLD THEM THAT BOTH MY HOME PHONE AND CELL PHONE KEEP LOGS OF WHO CALLS AND THAT THEY ARE NOT ON EITHER ONE. AMERICAN HONDA REOPENED THE CASE. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN REBUFFED REPEATEDLY. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS TOLD SOMEONE WAS REVIEWING THE CASE FOR POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE. IT SEEMS AS IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THE RECALL ON THE 2003 HONDA PILOT TRANSMISSION. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP? AMERICAN HONDA RECALL CASE NO. 04263486
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE ABOUT WHAT WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 150K CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND WAS UNSAFE. HAPPENED QUICKLY.
SECOND GEAR FAILURE AND SHIFTING ISSUES, 4TH GEAR PRESSURE SWITCH FAILURE, TC CLUTCH FAILURE; ALL RESULTING IN SEIZING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR, UNEXPECTED SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE. ALL ITEMS WERE EXPERIENCED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ROADS AND WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
THIS GOES WITH THE COMPLAINT # 10876282, I JUST ENTERED. I NEEDED TO CORRECT MY VIN # BY ADDING THE NUMBER 2 IN THE FRONT OF THE NUMBER. ON THE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT I STARTED THE VIN# WITH H, NOT 2.
WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS IN TRAFFIC AND SLOW TO 29 OR 39 MPH I FEEL A SHUDDER OR VIBRATION. ALSO INTERMITTENTLY MY "D" LIGHT FLASHES WHEN TURN ON MY PILOT BUT THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT NEVER COMES ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING LAST 6 MONTHS. I HAVE 160,000 MILES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.
WHILE DRIVING, I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND STARTED TO INCREASE MY SPEED. THE RPM'S INCREASED AT A VERY RAPID RATE, BUT THE CAR DID NOT SHIFT. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE MY SPEED AND THERE WAS A WHIRLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I TRIED MANUALLY SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR, BUT I WAS STILL UNABLE TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT THE RPM'S RISING. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL THREE TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT.
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Honda Pilot has 180 Power Train complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.