NHTSA Complaint #10250964 — 2005 HONDA PILOT

I RECENTLY PURCHASED AN '05 HONDA PILOT FROM BUTLER PRE-OWNED DEALERSHIP IN BUTLER, PA. THE VEHICLE WAS LEASED FOR 3 YEARS, AND I WORKED THE DEAL ON THE CAR ON THE INTERNET. WHEN A PRICE WAS AGREED TO, I DROVE TO BUTLER TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, I TEST DROVE IT FIRST. IT HAD A VERY NOTICEABLE SHIMMY, AND A SHUDDER WHEN DRIVING AT 50MPH SPEEDS AND UP. I TOLD THE SALESMAN THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE, SO WE RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DROVE 3 OTHER '05 PILOTS ON THE LOT, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SALESMAN AND SALES MANAGER SAID THIS WAS A RESULT OF PUTTING NEW TIRES ON ALL OF THESE VEHICLES, AND AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A WHILE, THE RIDE WOULD SMOOTH OUT. WELL, I SWALLOWED THIS LINE OF CRAP, HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER, AND AFTER RETURNING HOME, AND DRIVING THE PILOT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, I REPLACED THE NEW KUMHO TIRES WITH OEM GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES, AND HAD THE WHEELS BALANCED TWICE, ONCE AT HONDA DEALER, AND AGAIN AT LOCAL TIRE SHOP, WITH LATEST STATE OF THE ART BALANCING MACHINES. AFTER ALL THIS, THE SHIMMERING AND SHUDDERING IS STILL AS BAD AS IT WAS WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME, AND I CANNOT DRIVE THIS THING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET LATELY, I HAVE FOUND LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM PILOT OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING. I PAID $16500 FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT OUT OF TOWN, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT STILL AND ACCEPT THIS AS MY FATE. FIRST, AT THE VERY LEAST, THE DEALER MIS-REPRESENTED THIS VEHICLE, AND I SHOULD HAVE SOME RECOURSE IN THIS RESPECT. SECOND, HONDA HAS OBVIOUSLY PUT OUT A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, WHICH THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO FIX, OR COMPENSATE THE VICTIMS OF THIS TYPE OF FRAUDULENT PRODUCT. I WAS VERY HAPPY AT THE PROSPECT OF PURCHASING A QUALITY VEHICLE, WHICH MY WIFE AND FAMILY COULD ENJOY FOR YEARS TO COME, AND FELT JUSTIFIED IN SPENDING THE MONEY TO DO SO. HOWEVER, I NOW FEEL SICK AT THE PROSPECT OF PAYING FOR THIS MISTAKE FOR THE NEXT 6 YEARS. PLEASE HELP! *TR