NHTSA Complaint #11115904 — 2012 HONDA PILOT

IT HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME UP WHILE I DRIVE THE 2012 HONDA PILOT ON A 5INCH WATER PUDDLE. IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY DANGEROUS AND SCARED WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN A RAINING CONDITION. THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED UP DUE TO THE POWER FAILURE AND IT RESUMED BY ITSELF AROUND 10 SECONDS AFTER PASSING PUDDLE. I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE 2ND EVENT DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE BUT NO ISSUE WAS FOUND. THE 3RD INCIDENT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. I CALLED TO THE HQ AND TRY TO CREATE A CASE FOR IT BUT THEY ASKED ME TO BRING IT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND THE CHARGE WILL BE ON THE CUSTOMER SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE FACT IS THAT THIS ISSUE ACTUALLY HAPPED FOR A WHILE AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE DISCUSSED ABOUT IT ONLINE AS WELL. MOST PILOT USERS DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU DRIVE ON A 10CM/5INCH WATER PUDDLE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WITH MY FRIEND ON THE SAME DAY FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I HAVE THE 2012 PILOT AND HE HAS THE 2012 MODEL. THEY ARE 95% THE SAME AND THE SAME PROBLEM ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HIM ONCE AS WELL. I ALSO BROUGHT UP THIS COINCIDENCE TO THE HONDA HQ CUSTOMER RELATION DEPARTMENT BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT WE HAD TO OPEN A SEPARATE TICKETS FOR IT. NOTE: THE INITIAL PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AROUND 2013 BUT IGNORED THE PROBLEM. THE 2ND INCIDENT MIGHT HAPPEN 2 YEARS ABOUT IT AROUND 2015. THIS PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENED WHEN YOUR CAR DRIVES ON THE PUDDLE SO IT'S HARD TO FIND OUT AND DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE LAST EVENT HAPPENED ABOUT 5/18. THE FIRST 2 INCIDENTS WERE IN THE THE HIGHWAY AND THE LAST ONE WAS ON THE LOCAL STREET. REFERENCE: HTTPS://WWW.PILOTEERS.ORG/FORUMS/69-2003-2008-PILOT/32042-POWER-STEERING-ISSUE-WHEN-DRIVING-THROUGH-WATER-PUDDLES.HTML