NHTSA Complaint #10574505 — 2008 HONDA PILOT

REAR TAILGATE LATCH MECHANISM FELL OUT OF MOUNT. 2 OF 3 SCREWS WERE FOUND COMPLETELY LOOSE AFTER PARTIAL REMOVAL OF REAR TAILGATE INTERIOR TRIM. ISSUE HAPPENED IN STORE PARKING LOT LOADING GROCERIES; TAILGATE WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT AND DROVE HOME AT SLOW SPEED WITH ALL DOME LIGHTS ON (HONDA DOES NOT GIVE A POSITION SWITCH OPTION FOR ON*DOOR*OFF AS I HAVE SEEN IN MANY OTHER VEHICLES OWNED). DUE TO SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING UNLATCHED TAILGATE OPTED TO EFFECT IMMEDIATE REPAIR UPON RETURN TO HOME ADDRESS. I HAVE REINSTALLED ALL 3 SCREWS AND USED BLUE LOCTITE THREAD LOCK AS IT APPEARS NO THREAD LOCK WAS PREVIOUSLY USED. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND WAS CONCERNED THAT A) VERY SMALL DIAMETER SCREWS RELATIVE TO SIZE OF ITEM BEING SECURED AND B) NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO HOLD TORQUE ON THE SCREWS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF VARIOUS HONDA MODELS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE ON INTERNET AT HONDA OWNER DISCUSSION BOARDS. THERE ARE EVEN STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PHOTOS HOW TO FIX POSTED ON A HONDA OWNERS DISCUSSION BOARD; YET WHEN I CHECK HONDA'S OFFICIAL TSB LIST - THERE IS NOT EVEN 1 TSB FOR THE TAILGATE LATCH LOOSE ISSUE; SO IT IS LIKELY MANY OWNERS (AS MYSELF) HAVE OPTED TO TAKE THE DIY APPROACH FOR THE SOLUTION. MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION IS THIS IS POORLY DESIGNED SINCE THE ATTACHMENT MECHANISM (3 SCREWS) TO HOLD THE LATCH BODY TO THE TAILGATE PANEL COULD BECOME LOOSE FROM NOMINAL IN-CITY DAILY DRIVING (PROOF THAT THE TORQUE ON THE FASTENERS IS NOT HOLDING UNDER NORMAL USE). *TR