NHTSA Complaint #10660443 — 2011 HONDA PILOT

I PURCHASED A 2011 HONDA PILOT IN OCTOBER 2014. FROM THE FIRST DAY OF DRIVING IT, I NOTICED A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN/ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SWITCHING INTO "ECO" MODE. THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, GAS PEDAL, AND FLOOR BOARD. IT BECOMES WORSE WHEN CRUISING AT A LOW RPM, OR WHEN CLIMBING A HILL (NO MATTER HOW STEEP THE HILL IS) WHEN THE ECO MODE IS ENGAGED. THE VIBRATION ONLY STOPS WHEN THE CAR IS REQUIRED TO INCREASE THE RPM, EITHER FROM MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, OR THE COMPUTER DECIDING IT NEEDS MORE POWER. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THIS VIBRATION UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP AND THE ECO MODE ENGAGES. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, THE ECO MODE DOES NOT KICK IN, AND THERE IS NO VIBRATION. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. VEHICLE CONSTANTLY VIBRATES/SHUDDERS AS ENGINE RUN IN ECO MODE AND AS VCM KICKS IN/OUT OR IS IN USE. I SEE HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINT ON HONDA MESSAGE BOARDS AND ALL HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME RESPONSE FROM HONDA. THEY INDICATE IT IS NORMAL OPERATION AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO. ANYONE THAT'S DRIVEN A VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE TO VIBRATE LIKE THAT. IN MY DRIVING, I FIND IT TO BE NOT ONLY ANNOYING, BUT VERY DISTRACTING AS I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CHANGE SPEEDS/RPM, ETC. TO MAKE THE VIBRATIONS GO AWAY. THIS CONSTANT DISTRACTION IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I IMPLORE YOU TO GET HONDA TO OWN THE SITUATION AND FIND A FIX. *TR