2011 Honda Pilot steering problems

“STEERING HAS FELT LOOSE FOR AS LONG AS I REMEMBER. TIRES WERE LASTING ONLY 15K MILES AND FRONT BRAKES GO BAD YEARLY. I HAVE A GOOD 1 TO 2 INCHES OF PLAY TURNING THE WHEEL TO BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT. I ASKED MULTIPLE MECHANICS TO TIGHTEN THE STEERING COLUMN DOWN INCLUDING HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT MECHANICS BUT THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE. WHEN I MOVED FARTHER AWAY FROM MY KIDS SCHOOL IN 2018 I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY HONDA FOR ANYTHING WRONG SINCE NOW MY KIDS WILL BE COMMUTING 25 MILES TO SCHOOL AND BACK IN IT. SERVICE TOLD ME MY BUSHINGS WERE BAD. MY CAR HAD ABOUT 40K MILES ON IT AT THAT TIME. ALSO AT THAT TIME NO ONE MENTIONED THAT THE PART WAS PREVIOUSLY ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OR THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SPINDLE NUTS THAT WEREN'T TIGHTENED DOWN CORRECTLY NOR DID I RECEIVE NOTIFICATION FROM HONDA REGARDING THOSE ISSUES. FROM WHAT I READ ONLINE ABOUT THESE PARTS IS THAT THEY ARE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS YOU CAN LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE AT ANYTIME. I REALLY FEEL THAT THE BUSHINGS WENT BAD FROM THE FACT THAT THE SPINDLE NUTS WEREN'T TIGHTENED DOWN AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN JIGGLING AROUND AND ADDING STRAIN TO THE REST OF THE SUSPENSION. I THINK THE EXTENDED…”

“WARPING OF ROTORS CAUSES EXTREME SHAKING WHEN BREAKING ALSO WRENCHING OF STEERING WHEEL WHEN SUDDEN STOPPING OR FAST DESCENTS OF STOPPING/BREAKING. CLICKING IN STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING TURNING,IN REVERSE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD DRIVING, SHUDDER IN SHIFTING 5-30 MPH , ECO LIGHT COMING ON AND CAUSES DELAY IN SPEED PICKUP OR CONTINUING IN SAME SPEED DURING DRIVING 01/15/2019. DOOR LOCKS FAILURE 06/05/2019 GAS PURGE VALVE GAS SMELL IN AC VENT REPLACED 06/05/2019. AC/HEAT BLOWER MOTOR FRONT REPLACED NOT WORKING 02/14/2019. REAR BLOWER AC/HEAT MOTOR BROKEN SMELLED OF SMOKE REPLACED 08/05/2019”

“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.”

“WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE FAR RIGHT OR TO THE FAR LEFT (OR ON A SHARP TURN) AS IN MAKING A U-TURN, THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND AND VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FEELS LIKE IT IS TIED TO THE AXLES OR TIRES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2010. AS YOU ARE DRIVING, THERE IS A SENSATION THAT THE WHEELS ARE MOMENTARILY LOCKING UP FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE ECO SYSTEM. THE CAR FEELS AS IF IT IS SKIDDING OR SKIPPING AND THEN IT RESUMES TO NORMAL DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY 5 MILES.THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 40 MILES OR HIGHER ON THE FREEWAY NOT IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AND ALL WAS REPORTED NORMAL.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ADDED STEERING FLUID TO THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (HONDA OF SUMNER, 16302 AUTO LN, SUMNER, WA 98390, (253) 826-6800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”

“WHILE LEAVING A PARKING RAMP AT A SLOW WALKING PACE HEARD A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY THE STEERING WHEEL SPINNING RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE TURNING INTO THE EXIT DOOR FRAME. I BACKED UP, TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE LOUD BANG. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WAS OBSERVED. UPON DRIVING FORWARD AGAIN, NOTICED THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE HONDA DEALER WHO HAD NEVER SEEN A POWER STEERING FAIL LIKE THAT. THEY REPLACED THE PUMP, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. THEY ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE RACK AND PINION UNIT. THERE WAS SOME SIDEWALL SCUFFING ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, WHICH INDICATED THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN RUBBING ON THE EXIT CURB, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. BY HOLDING THE WHEEL STRAIGHT, THE POWER STEERING WAS PROBABLY TRYING TO PULL THE WHEEL LEFT, SO WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE WHEEL SPUN RAPIDLY RIGHT, ACTUALLY SPRAINING MY RIGHT THUMB WHICH WAS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL CROSS MEMBER. KIND OF A FREAK ACCIDENT, BUT THE POWER STEERING SHOULDN'T FAIL IN THIS WAY. COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IN A TURN ON A ENTRY OR EXIT RAMP WHERE THE FORCES WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMILAR TO THIS PARKING RAMP INCIDENT.”