NHTSA Complaint #11291041 — 2007 HONDA PILOT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, A BURNING RUBBER ODOR WAS DETECTED ALONG WITH A THUMPING VIBRATION AND NOISE; WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND NORMALLY BUT THE THUMPING VIBRATION WAS EVEN MORE APPARENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE LOCKING UP AND RUINING THE ROTORS; AFTER REPLACEMENT OF CALIPERS AND ROTOR, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED WITH EXTENSIVE OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKES. IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST MODULE HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED THE CLOSEST HONDA DEALER (APPROXIMATELY 70MILES AWAY) WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RAPAIRED BY THE MECHANIC AND NOT DRIVEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF F ULL BRAKE LOCK UP OR FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE DEALER TESTED THE REPLACED PART (VSA MODULE) AND DETERMINED THAT IT HAD IN FACT FAILED DUE TO AN INTERNAL SHORT. *BF*JB