NHTSA Complaint #11219916 — 2006 HONDA PILOT

WHILE RECENTLY DRIVING MY 2006 HONDA PILOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SEEMED A LITTLE UNSTEADY WHEN CORNERING. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, THE REAR SUSPENSION LOOKED TOO LOW AND THE NEGATIVE CAMBER OF THE REAR WHEELS LOOKED EXCESSIVE. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THE REAR FRAME CROSSMEMBER HAD EXTREME INTERNAL CORROSION AND BOTH REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTING BOLTS HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE FRAME (SEE INCLUDED PHOTOS). THE REAR SUSPENSION HAD DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES BELOW THE ORIGINAL MOUNTING POSITION AND WAS PRESSING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I QUESTION THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION AND POSSIBLY HAS BEEN AND IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. OVERALL, THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE, HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, NEVER BEEN DRIVEN OFF-ROAD OR IN HARSH CONDITIONS AND HAS NEVER PULLED HEAVY LOADS. THE INTERNAL FRAME CORROSSION SEEMS EXCESSIVE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS AGE AND PERHAPS THE RESULT OF POOR DESIGN, POOR QUALITY AND/OR INADEQUATE CORROSION PROTECTION. MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN TO THEM, IS NOT FIXABLE AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AT THIS TIME BUT REFER ME TO HONDA NATIONAL. HONDA NATIONAL ALSO INITIALLY CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH NUMEROUS IDENTICAL PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AS WELL AS OTHER ONLINE SOURCES. A COMPLAINT AND CASE NUMBER HAS NOW BEEN REGISTERED WITH HONDA FOR THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ONCE GREAT VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE PREMATURELY DESTINED FOR THE SCRAP METAL PILE. VERY SAD OUTCOME FOR ANY MODERN VEHICLE AND ESPECIALLY ONE WITH THE REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND RELIABILITY OF A HONDA VEHICLE.