NHTSA Complaint #11231990 — 2011 HONDA PILOT

TEERING COLUMN MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED POWER STERRING THREE TIMES AND RACK AND PINION ALONG WITH OTHER PARTS OF POWER STEERING. DEALERSHIP ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR PILOTS AND SUGGESTED I TRADE IN MY VEHICLE. CAR HAS 100,000K BUT ONLY IS DRIVEN IN TOWN 90% AND 10% HWY; ORIGINAL OWNER AND OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION.). OTHERS HAVE POSTED SAME COMPLAINT WITH PILOT ONLINE. THIS CAN'T BE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR! TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN SHOULD NOT BE A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. SAFETY IS A CONCERN BUT DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IT SHOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE IF REPAIRS ARE NOT DONE BUT THE NOISE WILL GET LOUDER. SEEMS TO ME THAT DEALERSHIP IS DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM QUIET OFTEN. CONTACTED AM. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REPORTED THIS ISSUE. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRY WILL BE CLOSED. NOT SURE IF HONDA IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER THERE IS A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT. FORD HAD SIMILAR ISSUES AND IT TOOK STEPS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.