NHTSA Complaint #10538360 — 2007 HONDA PILOT

WE EXPERIENCED A BURNING ODOR IN THE CAR CAB, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIT AND THE A/C TEMPERATURE ROSE TO THE OUTSIDE AIR LEVEL. WHEN TAKEN TO MY CAR TECH, HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE RIGHT CABIN WIRING HARNESS NEAR WHERE THE HARNESS ENTERS THE CABIN. THIS FIRE BURNT UP ALL THE WIRING FOR SEVERAL FEET AND DISABLED THE A/C, FRONT LIGHTS AND AIR BAG SYSTEMS. IF WE HAD NOT CAUGHT THIS ISSUE WHEN WE DID, THE ENGINE COULD HAVE HAD A FIRE EVEN WHEN NOT DRIVING (I.E. IN THE GARAGE AT NIGHT). OUR REPAIRMAN ALSO REMARKED THAT THE AIRBAGS COULD HAVE DEPLOYED AT ANYTIME WHEN ON THE ROAD. OBVIOUSLY SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED! THIS WAS DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY A FACTORY DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BECAUSE THE AREA OF THE ENGINE WHERE THE WIRES PASSED THROUGH HAD ROUGH EDGES RESULTING IN WIRE FATIGUE AND DAMAGE TO THE WIRE HARNESS. *JS