NHTSA Complaint #11193055 — 2009 HONDA PILOT

WE PURCHASED THE 2009 HONDA PILOT FROM IN MID-SEPTEMBER IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - ONE PREVIOUS OWNER, SERVICED REGULARLY, TIMING BELT REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED AT 100,00 MILES.IN NOVEMBER 2018,AS AGREED UPON WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, WE BROUGHT THE PILOT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA, A TEAR IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT ARMREST AND WE ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE EMISSIONS AND ENGINE BE CHECKED AS THE ENGINE AND EMISSIONS LIGHTS WERE ON. THE BACKUP CAMERA AND TEAR WERE REPAIRED AND GRACE'S ASSURED US THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT AND EMISSIONS LIGHT WERE OKAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CARED, FOR (OIL CHANGED ETC) AND LESS THAN AVERAGE MILES HAVE BEEN PUT ON IT AS I WORK LOCALLY. HOWEVER, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 24 AT 11:40 AM, I WAS DRIVING EAST ON 64 IN VIRGINIA AND SUDDENLY THE PILOT SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF 64. AS I DID, SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I COULD SMELL GAS, SMOKE AND OIL AND I GOT OUT QUICKLY AS I WAS AFRAID THAT IT WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE - I HAD NO IDEA WHAT COULD BE WRONG OR WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AS WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH, IT AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND AGAIN, GRACE'S LOOKED AT IT IN NOVEMBER. AS THE CAR BEGAN TO COOL OFF A STATE TROOPER AND MY HUSBAND ARRIVED AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHECK THE OIL AND THE COOLANT - THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR AND COOLANT BUT IT WAS QUICKLY LEAKING ALL OVER THE GROUND AND THE STATE TROOPER COULD NOT PUT UP FLARES DUE TO FEARS OF FIRE. WE CALLED TRIPLE A AND WE EVEN FOUND A PIECE OF THE MOTOR THAT HAD BROKEN OFF (WE HAVE THE PICTURE AND THE PIECE) AND TRIPLE A TOWED THE VEHICLE A MECHANIC. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MOTOR/ENGINE SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY BROKE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS RIDICULOUS AND EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO ALL. WE ARE CONTACTING HONDA AS WELL AS THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING ENGINES IN 2009 HONDAS.