2005 Honda Pilot ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO MY NOVEMBER 21, 2014 REPORT REGARDING THE VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM ON MY 2005 HONDA PILOT ENGAGING THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN: ON ONE OF THE OCCASIONS THAT THE STABILITY SYSTEM ENGAGED THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN, THE CAR SWERVED TO THE LEFT INTO THE ADJACENT LANE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VSA LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER AND IT FELT AS IF THE BRAKE WERE ENGAGING. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE IT WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

WHEN DRIVING ON STRAIGHT, LEVEL PAVEMENT, VSA LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND CAR SUDDENLY SHUDDERS AND CHANGES DIRECTION. UNEVEN BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED BY THE VSA SYSTEM IN ORDER TO CORRECT A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT PRESENT. MEANWHILE, THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND AFTER THE RECALL TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL SERVICE DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OR MAKE IT HAPPEN LESS FREQUENTLY. MY CAR SEEMS TO ONLY HAVE THE PROBLEM IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. DEALER DIAGNOSIS SAYS THAT YAW SENSOR IS SENDING A BAD SIGNAL TO VSA SYSTEM. A NEW YAW SENSOR IS CURRENTLY ON BACK-ORDER, SO IT SEEMS THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN HAVING PROBLEMS. *TR

I WENT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP ON MAY 30, 2014 IN FREMONT CALIFORNIA FOR THE SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN - INSTALLING SUBHARNESS. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED NEW HARNESS FOR THE SAFETY OF VSA (VEHICLE STABILITY ASSISTANCE) ON THE 30TH OF MAY 2014, VSA LIGHT IS ON WHEN I PICKUP THE CAR AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS YAW RATE SENSOR FAILURE ACCORDING TO THE CODE SCANNED. BEFORE THE RECALL, THE CAR WAS OK, WITHOUT THE VSA LIGHT ON. BASICALLY I AM DRIVING THE WITHOUT VSA AFTER THE RECALL FROM HONDA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT BEFORE CRASHING INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE KILLED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEER AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY RELATED TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. A DEFECT PETITION WAS OPENED AND CLOSED UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER DP12002 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THERE WAS A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE12-028 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT OR THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 02/25/13 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VSA WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES BEGAN TO LOCK WITHOUT APPLYING ANY PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN AND WAS THEN MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT A VSA TROUBLE CODE WAS DETECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE A TROUBLE CODE WAS NOT DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WAS AN OPEN AND CLOSED INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER DP12002 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE12-028 WAS OPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000

WHILE MAKING 2 TURNS IN A PARKING LOT AT 10 MPH, THE VSA (VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST) ENGAGED, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO SUDDENLY GRIND THE VEHICLE TO A JARRING HALT---STOPPED ON A DIME! A MOMENT LATER, WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD AT ABOUT 20 MPH, THE VSA ENGAGED AGAIN, CAUSING ANOTHER SUDDEN GRINDING BRAKING TO A FULL STOP. HONDA SAYS THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS ANOMALY---DESPITE EASILY FINDING NUMEROUS BLOGS ON THE INTERNET OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ---UP TO OCCURRING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HONDA DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT DID NOT IDENTIFY THAT THIS OCCURRED NOR TELL THEM THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM. I DO NOT CONSIDER THIS VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE! *TR

HONDA PILOT 2005 VSA ISSUE AND MALFUNCTIONS: SOMETIMES THE LIGHT CAME UP EVEN I DROVE ON A FLAT ROAD WITH LOW SPEED. THERE IS A LOUD CLUNK NOISE AND THE BRAKE AND STEERING FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND LOCKS. ONE TIME IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN A TURN AND ALMOST HIT A WALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILIZATION SYSTEM IS NOT SAFE IF I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY TURN AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT SURFACE ALONG I95 IN GOOD WEATHER, I LOST CONTROL OF MY STEERING/BRAKES FOR A SECOND. THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO RAN SEVERAL TESTS ONLY RESULTING IN AN ERROR CODE WITH THE YAW RATE SENSOR. THE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN BEFORE I LEFT THE PARKING LOT. HE THEN RAN MORE TEST, FOUND THE SENSOR "LOST IT'S MEMORY" AND RESET IT. THE NEXT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN, MY MECHANIC THEN PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. THROUGH THIS HE ONLY CHARGED ME A MINIMAL FEE FOR ONE OF THE VISITS. HE STATED THAT THE SENSOR MAY HAVE GONE BAD. THIS HAPPENS DAILY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONDITIONS ETC. A FEW TIMES I TURNED THE CAR ON AND BEFORE I LEFT MY DRIVEWAY THE LIGHT WAS ON, OTHER TIMES, DROVE OVER AN HR AND IT DID NOT COME ON. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP TO WHICH THEY TOLD ME THEY DO NOT KNOW OF ANY ISSUES CONCERNING THE VSA. I HAVE LOOKED UP SEVERAL FORUMS ON LINE AND FOUND QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME STEPS MY MECHANIC HAS DONE, SOME HAD TRANSMISSIONS REPLACES, OTHERS MASTER CYLINDERS AND SOME IT REMAINED A MYSTERY. I ONLY LOSE CONTROL FOR A SPLIT SECOND, BUT THAT'S ALL IT TAKES TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

OUR 2005 HONDA PILOT VEHICLE STATBILITY SYSTEM (VSA) MALFUNCTIONED. ON SIX SEPERATE OCCASIONS AND OVER THE COURSE OF 7 DAYS, STARTING JANUARY 10, 2010 THE VEHICLE WOULD BRAKE SPONTANEOUSLY AND ABRUPTLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THIS OCCURRED AT SPEEDS FROM 10 MPH TO 60 MPH. AFTER EACH INCIDENT, THE VSA LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THE TEMPORARY REMEDY WAS TO TURN OFF THE VSA BEFORE BEFORE DRIVING THE PILOT. THE PILOT WAS REPAIRED AT OUR HONDA DEALER ON JANUARY 27, 2010. A YAW RATE SENSOR WAS REPLACED FOR $720 INCLUDING LABOR. *CN

TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PROCEEDED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION GOING STRAIGHT BETWEEN 10-15MPH MY BRAKES SUDDENLY STARTED PUMPING HARD I TRIED TO APPLY A LITTLE MORE GAS THE BRAKES STARTED AGAIN , I HIT THE HAZARD LIGHT AND MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC INTO A PARKING LOT , READ MY MANUAL THE VSA LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH AND THE TRIANGLE BELOW IT CAME ON AS WELL. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN RESTARTED THE 2005 HONDA PILOT EXL THE DASH INDICATERS DID NOT LIGHT UP I DROVE THE TWENTY OR SO MILES HOME TRYING TO STAY IN THE SHOULDER LANE JUST IN CASE THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. I DID A LTTLE RESEARCHING ON THE NET THERE ARE A FEW OTHER PILOT OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NO DEFINITIVE SOLUTION.

YESTERDAY, MY DAUGHTER'S 2005 HONDA PILOT WITH 71K MILES SINCE NEW, WAS ROLLING ALONG AT 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE 66 WHEN BRAKES ENGAGED BRINGING CAR TO SUDDEN STOP. SEVERAL CARS BEHIND HER HAD TO TAKE DEFENSIVE ACTION TO PREVENT PILING UP. VSA LIGHT AND ABS LIGHTS WERE ON. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES TO A POINT WHERE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND HAD TO BE PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO HONDA BY AAA. SAME THING HAPPENED IN OCT 2008 (ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO) BUT OCCURRED ONLY INTERMITTENTLY AND CAR COULD BE DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSIS FROM DEALER WAS NEED FOR NEW BATTERY. ORIGINAL BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND CAR WORKED FINE UNTIL YESTERDAY. IT APPEARS THAT THE HONDA DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM AT THE DEALERS CANNOT PROPERLY IDENTIFY THIS PROBLEM ALTHOUGH IT IS SURELY SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL. ACCORDING TO MEMBERS POSTING AT HONDAPILOT.ORG FORUM, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AND WITH THE SAME POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS RESULTS. MORE TROUBLING IS THE FACT THAT HONDA DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY. SOME HAVE REPLACED TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS, SOME HAVE REPLACED STEERING WHEEL SENSORS AND OTHERS HAVE REPLACED SIDE CRASH SENSORS AND BRAKE SYSTEMS. IN MY CASE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE FACT REMAINS, HOWEVER, THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE THE RESULT OF MALFUNCTIONS OF ALL THESE SYSTEMS AND THE CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC CODES APPARENTLY ARE INSUFFICIENT TO PINPOINT THE EXACT COMPONENT THAT FAILED. THIS LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY ONLY COMPOUNDS THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM AND INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MULTI-CAR PILEUP WHEN THE VSA SYSTEM ENGAGES FOR NO GOOD REASON. *TR

IN MAY 2008 WHILE APPROACHING A CURVE AT APPROX 30 MPH LIGHTLY APPLIED BRAKES. BRAKES LOCKED UP AND VSA LIGHT CAME ON. HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY DEALERSHIP AND NO ISSUES FOUND AND NO PARTS REPLACED. IN OCTOBER 2008, 5,000 MILES LATER, THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AT APPROX THE SAME SPEED - APPLYING THE BRAKES TO EXECUTE A TURN, NO VSA LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP A SECOND TIME AND FILED A SAFETY COMPLIANT WITH HONDA OF AMERICA (REF CASE # N012008-10-22-00221) AGAIN NO ISSUES WERE FOUND AND NO PARTS WERE REPLACED. HONDA WOULD NOT COMMIT TO THE SAFETY OF THE CAR. *TR

ON 10/30/2008 MY WIFE LEFT HOME AT APPROXIMATE 6:00 AM. AT ABOUT 6:05 AM THE BRAKES ON HER 2005 HONDA PILOT EX-L APPLIED THEMSELVES WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN SHE DID PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS NO EFFECT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VSA INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND A VSA ACTIVATION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER NEARLY REAR-ENDED HER. *TR