NHTSA Complaint #10056180 — 2003 HONDA PILOT

3 TIMES WE HAD THE SRS LIGHT COME ON AND STAY ON IN OUR 2003 PILOT. THE SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR AGAIN (WARRANTY), BUT INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF RF INSIDE THE VEHICLE INTERFERRING WITH THE SRS SIDE AIRBAG IN THE DRIVER SEAT. THE TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT IT COULD BE THE USE OF CELL PHONE OR TELEVISION. WE HAD ROUTINELY USED A PORTABLE DVD PLAYER IN THE PILOT WITH AC POWER INVERTER PLUGGED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER. WE USED THIS FOR ABOUT A YEAR WITH NO PROBLEMS. WE TRIED THE INVERTER ONE MORE TIME AND WITHOUT EVEN CONNECTING THE DVD PLAYER, THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON. THIS INVERTER WAS POWERED UNDER THE LIMIT LABELED ON THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER. THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE AIRBAG CONTROLLER THIS TIME WHICH I THINK PROBABLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND IS WHY IT KEPT RECURRING. BUT NOW WE ARE AFRAID TO TRY AGAIN SINCE WE GOT A FIRM WARNING FROM THE TECHNICIAN THAT WE AREN'T SUPPOSED OT USE INVERTERS IN THE LIGHTER AND IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, THEY WON'T COVER IT! I THINK THEY BUILD THESE SUV'S KNOWING THAT PEOPLE WILL USE THE RECEPTACLES FOR POWER, THEY EVEN LABEL THEM WITH VOLTAGE LIMITS. I THINK IF THERE ARE LIMITATIONS KNOWN, WE SHOULD BE INFORMED EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO ELIMINATE ALL USAGE.