2004 Honda Pilot Seats

WE NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC PANEL COVERING THE DRIVER'S SEAT CONTROLS CAME DETACHED. SHORTLY AFTER THE SEAT BEGAN ROCKING SLIGHTLY. FINALLY, THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE SEAT NOW ROCKS FREELY. IT IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WHILE THE SEAT RESPONDS TO ALL MOVEMENT. IT WILL NO LONGER ALLOW YOU TO INCREASE THE INCLINE OF IT, SO IT'S RECLINED AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT STARTED AS TWO SCREWS BREAKING FREE FROM THE DECORATIVE LEVER COVER QUICKLY TURNED INTO A MAJOR STRUCTURAL ISSUE.

WHEN SITTING DOWN IN MY VEHICLE THIS MORNING, THERE WAS A SNAPPING NOISE AND THE SEAT ROCKED BACK TOWARD THE RIGHT REAR. REMOVING THE PLASTIC COVER, IT WAS PLAINLY VISIBLE THAT A METAL PART THAT HOLDS THE UPPER SEAT TO THE LOWER SEAT ASSEMBLY HAS SNAPPED WHERE IT ATTACHES WITH TWO INDUSTRIAL RIVETS. SEAT NOW TIPS BACKWARD RATHER EASILY, AND DOES SO WHEN I CLIMB IN OR OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND UPON ACCELERATION. CLEARLY THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THIS SEAT IS DESTROYED UNTIL I CAN HAVE IT FIXED/REPLACED. I AM FEARFUL THAT IF I WERE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT WILL COME COMPLETELY DETACHED. IN A 5 MIN WEB SEARCH I HAVE FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRING; THIS IS NOT A RARE PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED! COMPOUNDING MY PROBLEM, I AM IN THE USAF STATIONED IN THE UK, AND GETTING THIS FIXED WILL BE DIFFICULT TO SAY THE LEAST, AS THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SOLD HERE.

LEFT FRONT BRACKET ON DRIVER SEAT HAS BROKEN ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE INFLUENCE. WIFE PARKED IN DRIVE WAY LEANED BACK TO EXIT VEHICLE AND THE BRACKET BROKE.

FRONT LEFT STRUCTURAL BRACKET ON DRIVER'S SEAT FAILED, ALLOWING SEAT TO TIP BACKWARD. BRACKET FAILED ALONG A LINE WITH TWO RIVET/FASTENERS, DETACHING SEAT TRAY FROM POWER FORE/AFT POSITIONER RAILS. APPARENTLY DESIGN DEFECT, AS THERE ARE 12 OTHER ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL NHTSA COMPLAINTS ON FILE FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BRACKET, 81630-S3V-A30, HAS BROKEN AT A WEAK POINT IN THE METAL WHERE THE SEAT MOTOR ATTACHES. THE BREAK CAUSED THE SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH FREELY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS BRACKET HAS BROKEN. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JULY, 2011; MOST RECENTLY FEBRUARY 2015. EACH TIME I PURCHASED A NEW BRACKET ARM AT THE EXPENSE OF ALMOST $300. BOTH BRACKETS BROKE AT THE SAME SPOT, WHERE THE SEAT MOTOR MOUNTS. THE SUDDEN METAL BREAK ALMOST CAUSED US TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN EACH CASE, NORM REEVES HONDA IN HUNTINGTON BEACH REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BRACKET AT THEIR COST BUT OFFERED, INSTEAD, TO ORDER THE PART AND INSTALL IT FOR A COST OF $1200. *TR

WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WHEN I HEARD A 'POP' AND THE SEAT TILTED BACK, STARTLING ME. A METAL BRACKET ON THE FRONT-LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS BROKEN AND THE SEAT NOW SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH! *TR

DRIVER'S POWER SEAT ASSEMBLY PART BROKE, WHICH SEPARATED THE SEAT FROM THE POWER MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY. SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FEELS LIKE SLIGHT PRESSURE COULD COMPLETELY DISENGAGE THE SEAT FROM THE CAR. SEAT ROCKING WHILE DRIVING IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

HUSBAND PARKED CAR LEANED FORWARD TO GET WIFI OFF DASH AND LEFT FRONT OF DRIVER SEAT DETACHED FROM THE ADJUSTER. SEAT NOW LEANS TO FRONT LEFT AND ROCKS AROUND. UPDATED 2/27/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WARMER WAS ACTIVATED AND BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

A LOWER SEAT SUPPORT ON DRIVERS SEAT HAS FAILED. CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE DRIVES SEAT TO NOT BE HELD IN PLACE. ON ACCELERATION THE FRONT OF DRIVERS SEAT LIFTS UP CAUSING THE SEAT TO LAY BACK IN A MORE RECLINED POSITION. *TR

LOWER SEAT SUPPORT/BRACKET ON FRONT LEFT OF DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAS BROKEN, MAKING SEAT LOOSE, UNSAFE. SAME PROBLEM CAN BE SEEN REPEATEDLY IN 2004 HONDA PILOTS AND APPARENTLY 2003-2006 MODELS. OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINT CASE NUMBERS WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM IN 2004 HONDA PILOT MODELS ARE 10583003, 10578612, 10567737, 10541789, 10505250, 10489089, 10488805, 10466947, 10455702 *JS

A BRACKET THAT CONNECTS THE DRIVERS SET TO THE SEAT ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY. THIS BRACKET IS ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE APPROXIMATELY BEHIND THE POWER SEAT CONTROLS. THE SEAT IS NOW UNATTACHED FROM THE ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY AND QUITE UNSAFE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE GETTING IN THE VEHICLE. THE BROKEN BRACKET MAY BE PART OF ADJUSTER ASSY., L. RECLINING, 81630-S3V-A30, BUT IT IS HARD FOR ME TO TELL SINCE THE EXPLODED PARTS DIAGRAM THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO DOES NOT SEEM TO MATCH, QUITE, WHAT I SEE. BASED ON PARTS AND LABOR, I ESTIMATE THE COST TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT TO BE IN THE $800-1200 RANGE. *TT

EXTREME HOT SPOT IN DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT WHEN THE SEAT HEATER IS TURNED ON FOR MORE THAT 3 MINUTES. *TR

FRONT, DRIVER SEAT, SEAT WARMER WAS ON HIGH. SEAT WAS GETTING VERY WARM. SEAT BEGAN TO SMOKE, LEATHER WAS MELTING. THIS OCCURRED UNDER THE DRIVER'S RIGHT LEG. THE SEAT GETTING VERY WARM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SOME TIME NOW ON BOTH LOW AND HIGH, BUT I TURN THE SEAT WARMER OFF. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS STARTED SMOKING. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD TO JUST NOT USE SEAT WARMER. WILL NO LONGER USE SEAT WARMER AS IT IS A FIRE HAZARD. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS FELT EXTREMELY HOT IN THE LAST FEW TIMES THAT I USED SEAT HEATER. PULLED INTO WORK AND AS I STARTED TO EXIT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE SEAT. NEVER CAUGHT FIRE AS I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SWITCH AND POUNDED THE SEAT CUSHION. *TR

I TURNED THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER TO HI DURING MY DRIVE HOME YESTERDAY, THE HEATER GOT EXTREMELY HOT AND FELT IT WAS BURNING MY BACK EVEN WITH A HEAVY COAT ON, ALSO SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. I TURNED THE HEATER OFF BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. THE SEAT STILL HAS BURNED SMELL TO IT NEXT DAY. *TR

WHILE WARMING UP CAR IN DRIVEWAY, I HAD TURNED ON THE SEAT HEATERS TO BOTH FRONT SEATS AND WENT INSIDE. WHEN I CAME OUT TO LEAVE ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS SMOKING AND MELTING THE TOP OF THE SEAT CUSHION. IT WAS ON FIRE. I QUICKLY SHUT OFF THE HEAT TO THE SEAT AND SMOTHERED THE SMOKING/MELTING SEAT. *TR

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT SUDDENLY BECAME VERY HOT WHEN THE SEAT HEATER WAS TURNED ON. IT GOT SO HOT THAT I COULD FEEL IT BURNING MY SKIN THROUGH MY JEANS. AFTER I TURNED IT OFF THERE WAS A SLIGHTLY ACRID BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR. *TR

DRIVER'S POWER SEAT ASSEMBLY PART BROKE, WHICH SEPARATED THE SEAT FROM THE POWER MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY. SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FEELS LIKE SLIGHT PRESSURE COULD COMPLETELY DISENGAGE THE SEAT FROM THE CAR. SEAT ROCKING WHILE DRIVING IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT APPEARS TO BE A SMALL METAL BAR WHICH RUNS FROM THE SEAT ASSEMBLY TO THE "SLIDE ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY". IT IS A VERY SMALL COMPONENT OF ITEM REFERENCE NUMBER 14 (P/N: 81660-S3V-A30) OF THE "FRONT SEAT COMPONENTS (L.) (POWER)" FOR THE 2004 HONDA PILOT 5DR EX - KA5AT. SPECIFICALLY, THE METAL BAR SEEMS TO ATTACH TO THE ROD WHICH ROTATES WHEN THE SEAT IS TILTED FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THE BAR IS DESIGNED TO BE FIXED TO THE ROD, WHICH WHEN ROTATING, PUSHES THE OTHER END OF THE BAR (ATTACHED TO THE FRONT END OF THE SEAT BOTTOM) UP OR DOWN, RESULTING IN THE SEAT TILTING BACK OR FORWARD. IT IS THE ONLY PART SECURING THE FRONT-LEFT OF THE SEAT TO THE ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY. READING AROUND THE INTERNET, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS GENERATION OF PILOT. *JB

I PURCHASED A USED HONDA PILOT IN JANUARY 2012. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER WOULD GETS SO HOT THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY START TO BURN MY LEGS. THE HONDA DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS NOT AN ISSUE, THEY DID NOT FEEL IT GET OVERLY HOT. THEN ON DECEMBER 5, 2012 IT JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. *TR

THE DRIVE SIDE SEAT WARMER GETS INCREDIBLY WARM AND FEELS AS THOUGH IT COULD BURN. CALLED HONDA FOR SERVICE, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS VERY RUDE. HE SAID JUST DON'T USE IT. VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE SEAT HEATER GOT REALLY HOT IN ONE PLACE ON MY BACK. IT SLIGHTLY (LESS THAN A 1ST DEGREE BURN) BURNT MY BACK. ALSO, THE SEAT SMOKED. I HAD THE SEAT HEATER ON FOR 15 MINUTES. I NOTIFIED HONDA AND THE DEALER. THE DEALER TESTED THE SEAT FOR ONLY 10 MINUTES; AND, SAID IT DIDN'T SMOKE. I WAS ONE OF THE THE FIRST ONES INTO THE DEALER AND THE LAST ONE OUT (ELEVEN HOUR WAIT!) FOR A 10 MINUTE CHECK AND 2 RECALLS WHICH SHOULD HAVE TAKEN LESS TIME. I DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK ANOTHER DAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED FOR 15 MINUTES (I HAVE A FAMILY); SO, I TOLD THE DEALER TO DISABLE THE SEAT HEATER SO THAT MY TODDLERS, MY WIFE AND I WON'T GET HURT ANY FURTHER OR HAVE A DISASTER WITH A POSSIBLE FIRE. THE DEALER DISABLED THE SEAT HEATER AS I REQUESTED. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM HONDA (OF COURSE). *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT GOT EXTREMELY HOT UNDER THE RIGHT LEG. IT GOT SO INTENSE THAT I HAD TO TURN IT OFF FOR FEAR OF BURNING MY LEG. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER GOT BURNING HOT, AND IT BURNT THE LEG AT A SPOT, THE INJURY WAS MINOR; WHEN THE HEATER WAS OFF THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. I AM NOT USING THE HEATER NOW AS IT IS INTOLERABLY HOT AND MIGHT CREATE FIRE HAZARD. *TR

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON CHRISTMAS EVE (DECEMBER 24, 2012) TO A DESTINATION ABOUT 65 MILES AWAY. I HAD THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ON THE HIGH POSITION, AS IT IS QUITE COLD IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. ALONG THE WAY, I NOTICED THAT MY RIGHT BUTTOCKS WAS GETTING EXTREMELY HOT, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BURNING, BEFORE I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER. IT WAS DARK WHEN WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER WHEN WE RETURNED HOME, THAT I SAW A SCORCHED HOLE ABOUT 1.5 INCHES LONG AND 0.5 INCHES WIDE IN THE LEATHER DRIVER'S SEAT. REACHING MY FINGER DOWN INTO THE HOLE REVEALED A LOT OF CRUMBLING BLACK ASHES. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL FIRE, IT'S QUITE APPARENT THAT THERE IS A FIRE SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE 2004 HONDA PILOT DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT. IF WE HAD LEFT THE CAR RUNNING AND UNATTENDED WITH NO ONE SITTING ON THE SEAT (ALLOWING OXYGEN INTO THE SEAT), I SUSPECT THE SEAT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY ERUPTED IN FLAMES. IT WAS VERY, VERY HOT. *TR