NHTSA Complaint #10465636 — 2004 HONDA PILOT

WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 35-45 MPH THE CAR EXPERIENCES SHUDDERING FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS. IT SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, PERHAPS ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MAY BE BAD WHEEL BEARINGS. THOSE TURNED OUT TO BE FINE. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO SAID IT NEEDED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SERVICED. THAT DID NOT STOP THE SHUDDERING. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE HONDA PILOT / ACURA MDX WITH THE 3.5L V6 IN THE 2003 - 2008(?) RANGE EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM ON A LARGE SCALE, RESULTING FROM A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10022468 ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM SPECIFIC TO THE 2003-2004 ACURA MDX BUT MY EXPERIENCE AND THAT OF HUNDREDS OF HONDA PILOT / ACURA MDX OWNERS SHOWS THAT THE ISSUE IS MUCH BROADER IN SCOPE. *TR