There are 8 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2008 Honda Pilotin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
UNKNOWN
STATE INSPECTION FAILD, check engine light, bank 1 Catalytic Converter Internal Failure and bank 2 Catalytic converter Internal Failure, passenger side axle to be leaking, power steering pump to be leaking, power steering reservoir tank to be leaking, front and rear brake pad
I was starting my car and the steering column started smoking and smelling burnt. It was able to start up but started up rough. Car then turned off and when tried to turn on it would no longer start up again or even when key turned to start position was unable to move the car out of park. This happened on 12/03/2021 but has yet to be inspected due to mechanic has not had time. The safety of myself, son, and grandson was at risk due to the potential of it catching fire if smoking and burnt smell along with unable to move car out of park and could have been in an unsafe location and could have caused an accident. There were no warnings of any kind prior to the failure with the car.
NEW CAR, PROBLEMS JUST UNCOVERED.
THE STEERING SHAKE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER DIRECTLY AFTER SALE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG AND I SHOULD NOT BE GOING OVER 65 AS THAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT.THEY FINALLY FORCE BALANCED THE TIRES AND ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT, 50% BETTER. WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE THROUGH AND IT MIGHT BE A FLAT SPOT ON A TIRE I REPORTED THIS TO HONDA MOTOR CARS OF AMERICA CASE # [XXX]. I HAD A SEPARATE DEALER CHECK IT OUT AND THEY AGREE IT IS THERE BUT HAD NO SOLUTION. THEY SAID ALL THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS IN PLACE AND IT MAY BE A BENT RIM, BAD TIRE OR JUST THE VEHICLE ITSELF. I WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT TO BRING IT TO AN AFFILIATE HONDA DEALER. THEY FORCE BALANCED AGAIN AND ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT. IT WAS A BIT BETTER BUT AGAIN STILL SHAKES. THEY THEN SWAPPED TIRES AND RIMS WITH AN IDENTICAL 2007 PILOT WITH NEW GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES (RECOMMENDED AS THE TIRE THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE)THERE WAS NOT DIFFERENCE. THE 2007 WHEN TAKEN FOR A TEST RIDE WAS WORSE THAN MY VEHICLE AND SOMEONE WILL BY THAT THINKING IT IS JUST AN ALIGNMENT AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. LOOKING ON LINE THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH PILOTS, ACURA RDX AND MDX VEHICLES OF ALL YEARS WHEN USED FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING. HOW DOES A COMPANY CONTINUE TO MAKE A FAULTY VEHICLE AND DISMISS HUNDREDS OF CLAIMS? THERE WAS YET ANOTHER PILOT OWNER IN THE SHOP THAT DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AWFULLY BIG COINCIDENCE! *TR
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 OF THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKING IN THE RIGHT TURNED POSITION WHILE MOVING, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT ACCIDENT SINCE NO CAR WAS IN THE PARKING SPACES AT THAT TIME. WAS ONLY ABLE TO REMOVE JAMMED KEY/STEERING WHEEL CONDITION (AFTER STOPPING) WHEN HONDA KEY BROKE, RELEASING THE ELECTRONIC PORTION OF KEY FROM THE METAL PORTION, ALLOW THE WEDGING OF THE OTHER KEY TO RELEASE. COMBINATION OF KEYS ON KEY RING AND LOW SPEED FULL RIGHT TURN CAUSE THE DANGEROUS CONDITION. DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR OTHER MOTORIST WITH MANY KEYS (8) ON RELATIVELY SMALL KEY RING, ALLOWING SOME KEYS ON RING TO POINT TOWARDS STEERING WHEEL RATHER THAN DOWNWARDS. HONDA SHOULD EITHER PLUG THE RECESS IN STEERING WHEEL, OR PROVIDE SHIELDING TO PREVENT KEYS FROM CONTACTING BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL. NOTE THAT THE IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE HAVING THIS VEHICLE FOR 1.5 YEARS. *TR
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. *TR
PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2008 PILOT EXL IN FEB. 2008 WITH ABOUT 3 ODOMETER MILES. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER A FAINT POPPING NOISE COULD BE HEAR FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS (MORE THAN 3) TO THE DEALER THEY COULD NOT PINPOINT LOCATION OF NOISE AND CAR WOULD NOT CONSISTENTLY MAKE SOUND. IN DEC. 2008 IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED THE PART FEB. 2009. AFTER REPLACING THE PART THE DEALER TEST DROVE IT AND COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE ANYMORE. I PICKED UP MY CAR, HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING IT STARTED TO MAKE THE NOISE AND I LISTENED CAREFULLY OVER THE DAYS AND THE POPPING NOISE WAS COMING RIGHT BACK. I AM NOT TOTALLY CONVINCED THAT THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED THE PART. I AM CALLING HONDA MOTORS CORP. ON MON., MAR. 9, 2009, TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT THAT THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND POSES A HAZARD. I DO NOT WANT THE STEERING WHEEL TO COME APART WHILE I AM DRIVING. I NOTICED THAT THIS WEB PAGE POSTED A RECALL OF THE 2005 HONDA PILOT FOR STEERING COLUMN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED. I THINK THE SAME SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE 2008 HONDA PILOT EXL IF THIS IS A NORMAL SOUND AS MY DEALER IS TELLING ME. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026