NHTSA Complaint #10280586 — 2004 HONDA PILOT

I AND MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN LOYAL HONDA OWNERS SINCE 1984. IN THOSE 25 YEARS WE HAVE PURCHASED 8 HONDA AUTOMOBILES. UNTIL RECENTLY THE SERVICE AND SUPPORT PROVIDED BY HONDA AND ITS DEALERS HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL. THAT WAS ALL UNTIL OUR MOST RECENT VEHICLE, A 2004 HONDA PILOT. IT IS A VEHICLE MY WIFE AND I LOVE BUT ONE THAT HAS HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF IRRITATING SMALL PROBLEMS. THE LATEST PROBLEM INVOLVES THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR THE REAR LICENSE PLATE. THE METAL HOLDING THE TWO WELDED ON MOUNTING NUTS IS SO THIN THAT AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF VIBRATING THE METAL BACKING SIMPLY BREAKS AWAY. IN SEEKING A REPAIR TO THE PROBLEM MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER HAD NO CLUE AS TO HOW TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND HIS ONLY REMEDY WAS TO SEND ME TO A LOCAL RETAIL BODY SHOP FOR A $234.00 REPAIR. MY LOCAL DEALER INDICATES HE WAS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN REPAIR SUPPORT FROM THE FACTORY BECAUSE THESE PROBLEMS ARE DUE TO 'THE USE OF HEAVY LICENSE PLATE HOLDERS'. IN RESPONSE TO THAT DEFENSE LET ME STATE THE FOLLOWING: 1.RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET QUICKLY REVEALS THAT THE HONDA PILOTS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DOZENS OF HONDA OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 2.HONDA REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY IN SOME CASES AND NOT IN OTHERS. 3.THE 'HEAVY LICENSE PLATE FRAME' BEING BLAMED IS AN ITEM SUPPLIED BY THE DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND DOES NOT REPRESENT AN EXTRA HEAVY BURDEN. 4.THE LICENSE PLATE HAS VIBRATED UPON CLOSING THE REAR HATCH FROM DAY ONE OF PURCHASE. IT IS THE NATURE OF THE DESIGN USING ONLY TWO MOUNTING POINTS. 5.THE FACT THAT THE LICENSE PLATE AND FRAME CAN SUDDENLY FALL FROM THE VEHICLE AND BOUNCE INTO THE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH HONDA SHOULD HAVE WARNED OWNERS OF WHEN THEY FIRST DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM. *TR