NHTSA Complaint #10286606 — 2003 HONDA PILOT

THE 2ND ROW LH (DRIVER'S SIDE) PASSENGER SEAT IN MY 2003 HONDA PILOT PURCHASED 1/2/2003 WITH ABOUT 90K HAS HAD TWO RELATED PROBLEMS ON THIS SEAT. THIS SEAT IS RARELY SAT IN AND ALMOST NEVER MOVED. IT BECAME JAMMED IN THE UPRIGHT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, LIKELY MUCH EARLIER THAN I DETECTED IT IN JULY 2009. I ATTEMPTED TO FOLD THE SEAT DOWN VIA THE TOP LEVER AND WAS NOT ABLE TO. THE RESULT WAS THE TOP LEVER PLASTIC HANDLE BROKE OFF THE CABLE ACTUATOR. I PAID OVER $200 AT THE DEALER (PRIORITY HONDA IN HUNTERSVILLE NC, 28078 - 704.875.3100) TO HAVE IT FIXED EVEN THOUGH I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE JAMMED CAUSING THE TOP LEVER TO BREAK OFF. AT REPAIR, NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT WOULD CAUSE THE JAM SUCH AS A FOREIGN OBJECT OR ANY DAMAGE. RECENTLY I TRIED TO MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD (SIDE LEVER ENGAGES BOTH BACK FOLD DOWN AND BASE RELEASE) TO ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO EXIT FROM THE THIRD ROW SEAT AND FOUND THAT THIS LEVER WAS NOT WORKING AS WELL. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE ABOVE-MENTIONED DEALER THE EVENING OF 8/24/09 AND LEFT IT WITH THEM UNTIL THE EVENING OF 8/24. ED JENKINS THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME THAT HE PERSONALLY WORKED WITH THE MECHANIC TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE SPENDING THREE HOURS WORKING ON IT AND COULD NOT REPAIR IT. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT A NEW SEAT FRAME WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE THE SEAT OPERATIONAL. A SEAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER 6 YEARS WITH LIGHT USE AND IN MY OPINION SHOULD LAST AS LONG AS OR EXCEED THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH IN THE US IS ABOUT THIRTEEN YEARS I CONSIDER THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE AS PASSENGERS MAY BECOME ENTRAPPED IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT. ANY DELAY IN EXITING ESPECIALLY IF THE OTHER SIDE IS OCCUPIED OR SOMEHOW BLOCKED COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR