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Hood Flexing in High Winds

61K views 115 replies 66 participants last post by  awd.nv 
#1 ·
My hood flexes in four directions (seriously) in gusrty winds at freeway speeds passing big rigs in the desert. I have filed a complaint with the NTSB about this. Anyone else notice this?
I am going to set up a GoPro on the dash to try and capture this, but I can tell you, it has happened four times now, and got me pretty shaken each time, thinking it would come through the windshield.
Of course, the dealer can't replecate the situation, so there is no fix...
 
#3 ·
Yup I noticed mine shaking when doing 70 mph on a windy day. I had to pull over to check if the hood was not properly shut. It was properly shut. The problem is the latch is a bit too high, & not press down on the soft rubber seal enough & wind can channel through there I think.
 
#5 ·
https://www.google.com/webhp?source...spv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=my hood is flexing from wind

It may not be normal, but it has become the norm... A quick google search finds the first 10 are(some repeats in there):

2015 Toyota 4Runner
2016 Honda Pilot
2004 Dodge Ram
2013 Nissan Pathfinder
2016 Ford F150
2014 Ford Mustang GT
2014 Toyota Rav4

Looks like bump stop adjustment is the way to fix this, I'll try and look at mine today and see if it's possible or easy to do on the Honda. The Rav4 forums have a video on a before and after this adjustment. Makes sense to me.

Hood Flex/Vibration - Page 2 - Toyota RAV4 Forums
 
#6 ·
I noticed it as well in the high winds the other day out on the highway. I'm thinking the hood air deflector might help.
 
#7 ·
I have the hood air deflector and it is no help. I actually thought it may be worse. In another Thread Rjaxx said to adjust the rubber bumpers. I'm going to try this and see if it helps.
 
#8 ·
Mine flexes too. Posted about this a while ago, someone replied it was thin aluminum. Someone else suggested it was a safety feature- hood crumples upon impact if you hit someone not in a vehicle. Not sure about that one. The most believable explanation to me would be weight savings. When I first noticed it on the highway I seriously thought my hood was going to pop open. Now I'm just used to it and ignore it.
 
#10 ·
Hood Flex

I absolutely noticed this on a drive through Texas recently. Over 70 mph on a two lane roadway, each time a semi passed in the opposite direction this occurred. The first few times I thought I was imagining this but after multiple times I was certain it was occurring. And my first concern was the hood was going to blow open or that I had not properly closed the hood. After checking, the hood was completely closed.

Has anyone checked with Honda to see about a fix as I can't believe this is not a safety issue?
 
#12 ·
OK.

Now, when your Pilot is parked safely. Can you pry the hood up with your fingers in between the cracks? Is there any 'give' when you put any upwards pressure on it with your hands? Put your fingers in the gaps or next to the window and try to pull it up. Are any of the connections to your hood loose when you try to pry it up - or down?

My hood does not flex or move or anything like this driving on the road. I tried to move it around with my hands, tried to pry it up to see if it is loose in anyway - anywhere. No - it is not. Solid as a rock.

If you would do this simple test and you find that your hood is loose, then it would need to be adjusted.

Please give this a try and let me know what you find.
 
#15 ·
I followed jshirley's suggestion and there was some "play" in the front end of the hood when I pushed downward-not upward. I could hear a small knocking against the hood latch. I had no give when prying alongside the windshield and the gap along the sides is too small to get my fingers into it. I then made the grommet adjustments suggested by Djaxx and that seems to have eliminated any play in the front end of the hood. I am headed on a long road trip in a few days and it will be interesting to see if the problem has been fixed. I will report back. Thanks for the suggestions!
 
#18 ·
Honda's customer service (do they Know what that means?!) has the same responce to every problem I have found with this vehicle: "It works as designed".
Wow, do they know the signs of a design flaw, and what to do about it? Or will they wait for enough damage from hoods hitting the windshields...
FYI: those of you that are also seeing this should make sure you report it to your dealer and its in your service records file: at a minimum, the paint is going to be damaged eventually, and you will want documentaion to get warranty coverage for that.
RE the NTSB: if you read your owners manual, Honda instructs you to report safety issues, and gives you the contact info... if you don't think a hood flexing in four directions a couple of inches a possible safety issue, well, then, why do you bother with the seatbelt?!?
 
#19 ·
RE post about manual test of hood adjustment: I have over 40 years as a mechanic in many fields, including race cars, so of course I not only check myself, I am with the mechanics and service manager at my dealership trying to solve this. They all agreed with me: the only solution is to stiffen the hood. But, f course Honda refuses to admit there is a problem, so there is no attempt to fix it.
The only way to get them to act, is everyone that is experiencing this issue has to get it documented at your dealer, and contact Honda Customer Service. They continue to claim I am the only owner to complain about this...
 
#23 ·
I went through a car wash today and watched the blowers flex the hood from the windshield. It only happened in the middle from windshield forward... It was interesting to watch.

I don't know how I feel about it.. The hood is just to protect the engine and keep the elements out. It is doing this.

I only had one other car with a hood that bounced around.. 1970 Dodge Challenger TA with a fiberglass hood that was OEM. It used hood pins to hold the hood down because of no latch being available on that type of hood.

I drove the car for years and never had a problem with it.

It's just different than what we are used to.. I don't see it as a safety hazard and I doubt there will be any change to our hoods unless it leads to damage or failure of components. If a hood flies off a car, I'll be talking to Honda about it.
 
#26 ·
The Pilot's hood does flex a bit and it doesn't require an eagle eye or breakneck highway speeds to observe it. I don't know if what appears to be a flimsy hood is due the material it is constructed with or shaving one millimeter too many off it's mass to save weight for EPA guidelines, but my primary concern is how well does it maintain it's structural integrity over time and how well can it resist any dents or dings from occurring.
 
#28 ·
I had my Pilot for 5 months and 12000 with not 1 problem. I have heavy foot on the open road I have gone 85+ on the Jersey turnpike passing trucks with no hood flex. I think the problem is wide spread. I think the Pilot Is great SUV for the money


2016 Pilot EX-L AWD Obsidian Blue, WeatherTech floor liners , mud guards ,hitch ,Bully step, 35 percent tint
 
#30 ·
Following up on my 4/14 post, just completed a 1500 mile trip mostly on interstates. Although I adjusted the grommets as suggested by jshirley, my hood still flexes although maybe not as much as before after making the adjustments. I even noticed this with a strong cross wind and not passing semis. I have yet to take mine in for it's first service but I will make sure to discuss it at the dealer when I do.
 
#34 · (Edited)
A video of the hood flexing would be great as it appears to be reproducible. I have no doubt it's happening as several members have reported it. I believe many automakers will be using aluminum for their hoods to reduce weight.
 
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#37 ·
Our 2016 pilot does this at speeds over 55 MPH. I have always noticed it and thought it was odd but didn't think of it as a hazard per say.
 
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