NHTSA Complaint #10501310 — 2012 HONDA PILOT

A FEW THOUSAND MILES AFTER PURCHASE OF MY 2012 HONDA PILOT TOURING, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE DRIVE TRAIN VIBRATION ISSUES. THE VIBRATION WAS MOST NOTICABLE BETWEEN 40-45 MPH BUT ALSO NOTICABLE AT OTHER SPEEDS. IT IS RELATED TO THE ECO MODE AND THE VTM. THE VIBRATION GROWS WORSE AS THE DRIVE TRAIN IS PUT UNDER LOAD JUST BEFORE IT SHIFTS OUT OF ECO MODE. THE VIBRATION IS NOT NOTICABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN ECO MODE AND ENGAGING ALL 6 CYLINDERS. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP AND TEST DROVE IT WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO ALSO EXPERIENCED THE VIBRATIONS. MY DEALERSHIP CONTACTED HONDA TECHS AND WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. I SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. COMPUTER DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SENT TO HONDA. AT THAT TIME, THEY DETERMINED NOT TO REPLACE THE CONVERTER AND INSTEAD REPLACED THE PROPELLER SHAFT. THE VIBRATION ISSUES CONTINUED. I SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND TEST DROVE A 2013 PILOT. IT HAD THE SAME ISSUES. MY DEALERSHIP AGAIN CONTACTED HONDA TECHS AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT THE VIBRATIONS ARE INHERENT IN THE VEHICLE AND THAT THERE ARE NO PLANS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. I CONTACTED HONDA DIRECTLY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ISSUE AND REQUEST A SCHEDULE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. A CASE MANAGER WAS ASSIGNED TO MY COMPLAINT, AND I RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VIBRATIONS, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE A "SYMPTOM" OF THE VTM. WHEN I ASKED WHY I DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUES WHEN NOT IN ECO MODE, IT WAS REPEATED THAT IT WAS A "SYMPTOM" OF THE VTM. HONDA ACKNOWLEDGES A VTM "SYMPTOM", BUT WILL NOT DISCUSS IT IN ANY MORE DETAIL. I AM CNCERNED ABOUT THE LONG TERM AFFECTS ON THE DRIVE TRAIN AND DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I WON'T ALLOW MY FAMILY TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF CATSTROPHIC FAILURE LEAVING THEM STRANDED ON THE ROADSIDE. *TR