NHTSA Complaint #10441048 — 2006 HONDA PILOT

THE REAR DOOR/HATCH OF OUR 2006 HONDA PILOT HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE LATCHING MECHANISM. THE ACTUAL MECHANISM ON THE REAR HATCH HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME AND IS ABLE TO MOVE FREELY ABOUT. THIS CAUSES THE REAR HATCH TO NOT LATCH, LATCH PARTIALLY, OR LATCH BUT STILL ALLOW THE REAR HATCH TO SLIGHTLY MOVE. THE LATCHING MECHANISM IS ONLY BEING HELD IN PLACE (IN A CONFINED AREA) BY THE PLASTIC PANELING OF THE CAR. SINCE THE LATCH IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, THE MOVEMENT OF THE MECHANISM DETERMINES IF THE REAR HATCH IS GOING TO LATCH OR NOT. WHEN IT IS LATCHED, THE ONLY ITEM SECURING THE MECHANISM IS THE PLASTIC PANELING. THE MECHANISM ITSELF IS NOT DEFECTIVE OR BROKEN HOWEVER; THE WAY THE MECHANISM HAS BEEN SECURED SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE. THE MOST CONCERNING ASPECT IS HOW A DOOR LATCH MECHANISM COULD BECOME DISCONNECTED AND ALLOW FOR AN INCIDENT TO POSSIBLY OCCUR. *TR