Vsa Applies Full Brake For No Reason

[stonetemple]

My 2005 pilot, just had the VSA light stay on for about 2 miles yesterday. I turned around to check air in tires, thinking it was the tire light, I turned the engine off, and it was off after restart. I just bought this truck, and the dealer warrentied it for 30 -60 days, or something like that. I have half a mind to take it back RIGHT NOW! This is starting to sound like broken record on 2005's

Suggestions?

[Crankshaftsam]

Rudycat: If you have a 30-60 day return agreement with the dealer I would consider returning the car. If the car is OK and the VSA problem does not occur, fine and dandy, you have lucked out like many other Honda Pilot owners. However, if your car has a malfunctioning VSA system, the first time you find this out could cost you or someone else -- or a bunch of somebody elses -- their lives, plain and simple. I do not know how to sugarcoat this but if you've followed the threads in this forum, you must by now realize that this is not an isolated, can't happen to me-type problem. The sad news is that Honda doesn't seem to care. If Honda were to take an interest in this problem, it might incur tort liability for not recalling and fixing the problem when a tragedy occurs and is found to be related to a faulty VSA system. Only the federal government can "force" Honda to fix the problem and it probably won't for a number of reasons that I won't go into here. If your VSA does malfunction and you survive and cry loud enough to get the attention of a Honda regional manager, you may be able to recover have the $1600.00 out of pocket cost for replacing the VSA. This, of course, assumes that the new VSA will not again malfunction. Should that occur, I don't know if Honda would pick up the cost or just ignore the matter as it has, thus far. I was a Honda fan for many years, bought three brand new cars for myself and family over the years and even have a Honda lawn mower, tree stump grinder (motor is Honda 13 HP), and small generator. Except for this issue, Honda has served me well. But, it's not when things are going great that you judge the integrity of a company but when things are going badly. In this category, Honda scores very low among the imported car companies and may even come in below our domestic car companies and that's really not saying much. Good luck.

[stonetemple]

rudycat here, changed my user name. Any how, I've only seen the light come on once but I started to search on here, and am appalled Honda doesn't address this serious safety issue more. I have so far only had the light come on, but, I believe i'm taking her in for a 60,000 mile service in a short time, 1200 miles to go. I'll make copies of all these posts and WILL return it if I'm not satisfied with the answers!

Thanks, John

[stonetemple]

I kind of wonder if a person buying a used Pilot should disconnect the battery so the computer gets re-set to new driving habits from the previous owner.

I don't know, just a thought........

[bigdadi]

Originally posted by bigdadi
VSA system failed in a 2005 model with 58,000 miles is plain scary.

I prepare to return the Pilot to Honda after 3 years lease.

I traded-in (dealer buy-out) the 08 Pilot VP AWD after 1 year 3 mos on 3 /36000 lease ... my present car is Subaru Outback Wagon 2.5i Limited ... Subaru is full-time AWD which is great for New England winter ... 2.5L save about 9 to 10MPG on top the Pilot ... I don't need 8 seater and no 3500-lb on tow ... Outback ground clearance is 8.4" about same as Pilot's ... I'm 5'7 and easier to get in/out the Outback.

[hermojo]

Hi, my original post is an actual thread on it's own. I was routed here and want to go on record to say:

We have reported this to the proper channels. My complaint has already been published on safercars.gov which is the Nat'l Transportation website.

My 2005 Honda Pilot brakes are activating while driving. I don;t use both feet to brake. That's just odd to me, but different strokes.

The dealership does not want to see any of these posts and I have been told to call the regional service manager for Honda itself to get the dealer out of the mix. I have NO extended warranty and the dealer says there is oil or something in my brake fluid???? C'mon, Honda did the brake work after the first event: replacing the brake pads, front and rear rotors were repaired. Second event happened again recently.

Dealership 'offering' me $10k for a trade. Been told to take the deal and run like hell. They want to send it to auction...so I have the conscience nag that some other mother's child will be killed. The issue will come up on car facts with the history, but dang...What to do?

ANY HELP IS GREAT!!!

[bigdadi]

Sure it is safety issue, make sure file a complain to NHTSA in order to force a recall if enough number is reached.

[rocky]

Whether this comes to anything or not will be interesting to see.

NHTSA opening safety probes into 2005 Honda Pilot, 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe

[GreenMachine]

Sounds like all those complaints might have found the right party. A followup to the story mentioned above...

Check out the story at Edmunds.com

2005 Honda Pilot Probed by Feds for Unexpected Braking

[rocky]

Seems it took Edmunds since October to spot the story.

Its moved on a little since then:
The page for the investigation
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...h&summary=true

Honda identified a problem with faulty yaw rate sensors sending an incorrect yaw rate signal to the VSA modulator.

Honda's most response to NHTSA http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...028-55146P.pdf

[Caddyman]

Originally Posted by Teresakae

Thanks for posting Robert. I'm not sure we have the same thing going on? My car doesn't go to idle, the engine doesn't quit on me. The breaks keep getting applied. As if someone were consistently hitting the breaks. Like a bucking horse. Although, it happens at slow speeds like your scenerio. And mine was always after a left hand turn made just after stopping at a light or stop sign. They did record the "event" like you suggest. I sure hope they have it figured. I am going to keep your info. in the back of my mind though, just in case it happens again. Although I'm gonna be pretty fed up about then.

Originally Posted by Teresakae

I will do that Robert. Thanks for the info. What year Honda do you have? I have a 2005. Did your car put the brakes on and off too??? Interesting about the left hand turn.... and the just pulling off a stop.... very similar in that regard.

This site/forum have been a tremendous help to me.

A big thank you to all for your help

Originally Posted by Teresakae

Just keeping things updated. I have not had the car brake hard on its own for quite some time. Hopefully it is history now.

I still do not like the system, regardless of how much it "could" save my life. It "could" also kill me. The other day my husband tried to hit the gas hard because some fool pulled out as he was pulling across traffic to get into the far lane. He needed the speed to avoid getting hit! What did the car do. It thought for him....it engaged its brakes. Slowed the car down. great. Fortunately we didn't collide...but this is just another time when I would prefer the car let us drive it. Not it drive us. These systems do not know the circumstances. And, we once again were turning left. Don't know what it is about this car, but turning left just sets it off.

SORRY FOR BUMPING AN OLD TOPIC

my wifes '06 pilot 2wd ex with 175k miles is doing this exact same thing now.

get mail at end of driveway, sharp LEFT turn into driveway, VSA light comes on and engine shutters like crazy.

anyone have any idea what i is happening here? if i turn the truck off, then back on it is fine. it did it this morning when she turned left from a stop at a red light today too.

[rocky]

That actually sounds like normal VSA operation. Its possible to get the VSA to kick in from a standing start if you have turned the steering wheel hard and accelerate.

What people at the start of the thread were complaining about is the brakes kicking in without warning or driver action. Admittedly nobody believed them at the time, but it seems their reports are credible.

[Caddyman]

i hear what you are saying but this is not acting normal. she is not flooring it or even accelerating fast at all. she is creeping with the wheel turned and the truck freaks out.

[AlphaOne]

If it's just doing it just now, could be a faulty sensor.
Have it checked. Turn VSA off for now.

[McDermottSeattl]

I was going down the road a little over 3 years ago with my wife and kids when all of a sudden the brakes kicked on FULLY. We screetched to a halt from a speed of approximately 30 mph. It scared the heck out of me and my wife. I took the vehicle into the dealership and they couldn't find a thing except they did say my battery was low. I am just shocked to see so many people with the 2005 Pilot having experienced the same thing. Hopefully I can get the Pilot in soon for the recall. The car had about 80K miles at the time.