NHTSA Complaint #11231743 — 2006 HONDA PILOT

2006 HONDA PILOT EX MILEAGE: 144,309 I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP WHEN I FELT A JOLT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP IN THE DASHBOARD, THERE WAS A LOUD EXHAUST LEAK, AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER ACCELERATING. THERE WAS AN AUTO CARE CENTER 50 YARDS AWAY SO I SLOWLY DROVE IT THERE FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC LIFTED THE VEHICLE AND SHOWED ME THAT THE BACK TWO REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS WERE DETACHED FROM THE BODY WHICH MADE THE CAR INOPERABLE. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE RUST ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE; THE SUBFRAME MOUNTS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE AS IT WAS A RUST ISSUE. THE CAR WAS IRREPARABLE SO I HAD TO TOTAL THE CAR AND RECEIVED 10% OF WHAT THE CAR WAS WORTH RUNNING FROM THE JUNK YARD. I PURCHASED THE PILOT NEW IN FEB. 2006 AND PERFORMED ALL THE RECOMMENDED HONDA MAINTENANCE. I PERSONAL PERFORMED ALL OIL AND BREAK JOBS SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. I DID NOT SEE ANY RUST UNDER THE CAR THAT WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME THERE WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH THE REAR SUBFRAME. A GOOGLE SEARCH TURNED UP SEVERAL OTHER HONDA PILOTS OF THIS GENERATION HAVING THE SAME SUBFRAME RUST AS MINE WITH THE SAME CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR MOUNTS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THAT WATER WAS ALLOWED TO POOL BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF STEEL IN THE UNIBODY. THE CAR HAD 144,309 MILES ON IT AND WAS MECHANICALLY IN GREAT CONDITION UNTIL I HAD THIS ISSUE.