KnownCarProblems2008 Honda Pilot Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Pilot, most often about the air bags (24% of complaints, typically around 93,000 miles). It is 19th of 24 Pilot model years by number of complaints and has 7 recalls.
Most common 2008 Honda Pilot problems
Air bags
32 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 93,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
Honda Pilot was struck (tbone) at 65 MPH side curtain airbags deployed and driver was knocked unconscious and leaned on the gas. Car went into full rev and crashed into a wall where the front airbag deployed. Homeless man was sleeping behind the wall and was struck by the runaway Honda Pilot. Shouldn't the vehicle of…
I received a recall notice from Honda" important safety recall" in the mail on my faulty air bag. Letter said call my local Honda dealer and they would repair it for free. Called oxnard dch dealer on 4/27/15 about my Honda Pilot 2008 requesting it to be repaired,they said we do not have the replacement part but will…
Engine
17 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 88,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system.
Honda Pilot was struck (tbone) at 65 MPH side curtain airbags deployed and driver was knocked unconscious and leaned on the gas. Car went into full rev and crashed into a wall where the front airbag deployed. Homeless man was sleeping behind the wall and was struck by the runaway Honda Pilot. Shouldn't the vehicle of…
The #5 spark plug exploded and a piece dropped into the cylinder damaging the wall and piston. The 4WD/traction control light came on before there were any mechanical failures, I pulled over and tried to "turn off" the 4WD/traction, but it is automatic and since some wheels were losing power it would just come back…
Body and structure
16 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 77,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
This occurred three times. We have found the hood to be in open position (ajar). Its like someone pulled the level and the hood opens, but the secondarily latch keeps it from flying open while underway. I will just reach in and pull the secondary latch to open the hood and close it. I am just afraid that the hood will…
Rear tailgate latch mechanism fell out of mount. 2 of 3 screws were found completely loose after partial removal of rear tailgate interior trim. Issue happened in store parking lot loading groceries; tailgate would not latch shut and drove home at slow speed with all dome lights on (Honda does not give a position…
Transmission
11 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 102,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The vehicle was stopped at a stoplight, waiting to make a left turn. When the light turned green, the driver accelerated into the turn, then let off the gas to coast thru the turn. After completing the turn and re-applying the gas pedal, it was realized that there was no acceleration. The engine was running normally…
Had my Pilot in park with the engine running and I could not shift out of park. I had to push on the release button on top of the steering column to go into drive. It won't reset and my horn doesn't work.
Lights
10 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 79,000 miles. Parts named most often: headlights.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65mph the low beam lights shut off and no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated the high beam lights and the fog lights have to be used while driving at night. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for testing.…
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the interior courtesy map lights would not illuminate. An independent mechanic replaced a fuse under the dashboard area however, the malfunction continued to occur. The vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealer who advised that there was a short circuit…
Electrical
9 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 78,500 miles. Parts named most often: horn.
Rear wiper prob - could not turn off ,last resort pulled fuse for wiper, fuse also controled passenger air bag., why are they on same fuse? Prob. With wiper could eliminate airbag.
Had my Pilot in park with the engine running and I could not shift out of park. I had to push on the release button on top of the steering column to go into drive. It won't reset and my horn doesn't work.
Seats
8 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 119,500 miles. Parts named most often: front assembly.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that when entering the vehicle and attempting to sit on the front driver side seat, the driver seat turned completely around. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Driver seat, front bottom left corner metal bracket holding seat in place broke. Seat acts like a "rocking" chair constantly. Very difficult to drive as you are always shifting in your seat.
Steering
8 complaints · 6%Driving at slow speed in parking lot, while making a turn to the right with steering wheel close to full right turn lock. Keys on key ring caught within recess in the back of the steering wheel (recess is exposed to keys because of right turn), and lodged against casing that contains the key assembly, with the result…
Wheel vibrations at 68-70 MPH. It's better at 73-76mph and comes back at 80mph and up. This happens from the date I purchased the car (october 6th 2008). Tried to fix it with dealers (balancing, aligning) but did not help.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2008 Honda Pilot recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are q5a and y58.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2002-2003 3.2tl, 2003-2006 mdx, 2001-2007 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot and 2006 ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began august 12, 2019. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are e5d and x5c.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2012 rl, 2003-2007 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014 ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began april 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is o41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is u40.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling specific 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2013-2016 ilx, 2013-2014 ilx hybrid, 2003-2006 mdx, 2007-2016 rdx, 2002-2003 3.2tl, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 tl, 2010-2013 zdx and 2001-2007 and 2009 honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014 ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began june 22, 2018. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are k1p, and m1o.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 honda accord and pilot, 2010 accord crosstour, 2001-2011 civic, 2002-2011 cr-v, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 element, 2007 and 2009-2013 fit, 2010-2012 insight, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2012 ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall bagan march 2017. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are kd9 and ke0.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2005-2006 acura mdx and honda cr-v vehicles, 2005-2011 honda element vehicles, 2005-2012 acura rl vehicles, 2006-2012 honda ridgeline vehicles, 2007-2008 honda fit vehicles and 2005-2008 honda pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, if not included in "zone a" above, honda is recalling certain 2005-2006 acura mdx and honda cr-v vehicles, 2005-2009 acura rl and honda element vehicles, 2007-2008 honda fit vehicles, 2005-2008 honda pilot vehicles and 2006-2009 honda ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, ke
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began june 27, 2016. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are ka0, ka1, ka2, and ka3.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2011 acura rl, 2005-2006 honda cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2003-2008 pilot, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2006-2011 ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 acura mdx, 2005-2008 acura rl, 2005-2006 honda cr-v, 2003-2008 element, 2007-2008 fit, 2003-2008 pilot, 2002-2004 odyssey, and 2006-2008 ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2015. Owners may contact honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to september 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after september 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already rec
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2001-2004 honda civic gx, 2003-2005 honda civic hybrid, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, 2006 ridgeline, 2003 acura 3.2cl, 2003-2006 acura mdx, and 2002-2003 acura 3.2tl vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Questions about the 2008 Honda Pilot
- What are the most common problems with the 2008 Honda Pilot?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (32 complaints, typically around 93,000 miles); engine (17 complaints, typically around 88,000 miles); body and structure (16 complaints, typically around 77,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2008 Honda Pilot have?
- 7 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 27, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2008 a bad year for the Honda Pilot?
- It is 19th of 24 Pilot model years by number of complaints, with 133 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.