[r_hammel]

Let me start by saying that after a month and week, including two fly fishing trips to the NC mountains, I LOVE my new Honda Pilot.

However, as with most new vehicles, there are certain problems/issues/complaints. Here are some that I have:


1. Interior rear view mirror is too small
2. Cargo compartment lid does not lock in upright position
3. Difficult to shift from Park to Reverse (maybe this is just me, 4. but I always seem to go past it)
5. Low Beams do not illuminate a sufficient distance
6. In-Roof Seat belt restraints do not properly "restrain" the belts (they are always falling out)
7. Rear A/C Manual override must be selected every time vehicle is started, i.e. last setting is not memorized
8. No Auto-On Headlights feature
9. No Auto-Door lock feature
10. No In-Dash CD changer for EX
11. No Entertainment System option w/o Leather
12. Fog Lights should be standard on EX and above
13. Rear Hatch is hard to close (it tends to want to open back up on you very quickly and strongly -- also, it needs an outside handle to help with closing after you have it down most of the way -- you really need to have both hands available to close it, it is hard to do with one hand, especially if you have something bulky in the other hand, which is usually why you are getting into the cargo area anyway, isn't it.)
14. Roof rack bars are not standard (why put rails on a vehicle without cross bars, it makes no sense :8
15. Second row of seats do not fold flat
16. The center console has two little "cavities" (for lack of a better word) that are great collectors of all that is grungy, messy, and nasty, and it cannot be cleaned easily. Not to say that I have already experienced this, but I know that those little areas are eventually going to get filled with all sorts of crap. I have cleaned them and it is hard enough just to get dust out of there.

I have seen others post problems with a "scrunchy" (I believe that was the adjective used) window sound. Fortunately, Mine does not suffer from this affliction. At least not yet (1900 miles and going up).

As you can see, a lot of these are nit-picky items.

And again, I love my Pilot, despite these minor issues. :5:

- Rick H

 

[jonnyk]

Everyone has their list. I don't, for example, want auto lock and don't expect cross bars as standard because only a small percentage of owners use the rack at all. The rear view mirror isn't a problem for me; the view is limited by the roof pillars.

My 2nd row seat folds completely flat, have never had a seat belt fall down, etc. On my Pilot, the only gripes so far are a window switch that wants to stick in the up position - with no effect - and an occasional clicking sound from the left.

I wish the rubber floor mats had taller edges so they'd hold water better and that the driver's side one covered the left foot rest. I also wish the wheel stereo controls had an on/off button. The odometer is a little oddly placed, but I'll get used to it. I also wish that everyone would stop showing speedometers that go up to 140 mph. As if. This compresses your view of the band in which you actually drive.

 

[jfrano]

My 2nd row seat folds completely flat, have never had a seat belt fall down, etc.

Can you verify this. I was disappointed that the second row seats did not fold flat like the third row seats do. The second row seats are elevated I would say 15 to 20 degrees. I asked the dealer about this, they compared it to another Pilot they had...both where the same. This is a BIG deal to me as I regularly haul stuff and it would be better if there where a way to make it flat.

Does anyone have pictures!!!

Joe

 

[TopMomm]

No, Joe, the second-row seats don't really fold completely flat. They're close, but your 15 degrees is probably about right. I figure that some people just consider that "flat enough." It doesn't bother me, but it would have been far neater if they had actually been able to fold COMPLETELY flat.

 

[TopMomm]

Rick, I agree with almost every item of your list -- with the exception of the ceiling seat belt holders. Have you "snapped" yours into place? If you hear the snap, I don't see how they're coming out -- mine have never fallen out once -- and I drive all sorts of pot-holed roads and gravel!

 

[Len]

Rick, I agree with almost every item of your list -- with the exception of the ceiling seat belt holders. Have you "snapped" yours into place? If you hear the snap, I don't see how they're coming out -- mine have never fallen out once -- and I drive all sorts of pot-holed roads and gravel!

My third row middle seat belt popped out yesterday while I was driving and the buckle hit the back window with a loud CRACK -- I stopped the car to figure out what happened. I was afraid something had hit the outside of the back window.

I strongly agree with #7 and 8 -- and have my own item: why couldn't they add a seat memory to the EX versions?

 

[Spartanman]

Re: List

Much on your list is valid, however


1. Second row seats folded flat- the designers would have had to make that row as uncomfortable to sit in as the third row for them to fold perfectly flat. Then everyone would have complained more about the uncomfortable seats.

2. Cross Bars-- many people use aftermarket cross bars (Yakima , Thule). They are cheaper and easily transfer to other vehicles.

3. Auto-On (Dummy its dark out) Headlights---I hate automatic lights. Glad they're not there.

 

[r_hammel]

TopMomm,

I wouldn't say that mine "snap" into place, but there is a little resistance and you can tell that it is plugged in all the way. Maybe mine just don't have enough snap to them. Note, that it doesn't happen much, but as Len mentioned, when they come out, it can make you wet your pants.

- Rick H

 

[03pilot]

Re: Re: List

I agree with Spartanman on the second-row-seats not being folded flat. It would definitely have made it as 'uncomfortable' as the 3rd row.

Much on your list is valid, however


1. Second row seats folded flat- the designers would have had to make that row as uncomfortable to sit in as the third row for them to fold perfectly flat. Then everyone would have complained more about the uncomfortable seats.

2. Cross Bars-- many people use aftermarket cross bars (Yakima , Thule). They are cheaper and easily transfer to other vehicles.

3. Auto-On (Dummy its dark out) Headlights---I hate automatic lights. Glad they're not there.

 

[r_hammel]

My issue with the rear view mirror isn't so much width (though that wouldn't hurt), but height. Therefore, the pillars play no part. I can't see the entire rear view from top to bottom, and just another half inch or so would have made a big difference. I will probably end up getting the Day/Night Mirror, as I hear that it is larger in height.

Both JonnyK and Spartanman make good points about the cross bars. But, my point was: why put them on at all if very few people use them or if those that do, still have to buy something to finish it off. I agree with Spartanman about getting after market cross bars and racks, and this is exactly what I will do (and did with my Jeep Gr Cherokee, which came with cross bars by the way). And to that point, if I have to buy part of it from an aftermarket manufacturer, why not buy it all from them, rails included? So Honda decided to make all of those people who don't want a roof rack buy part of one, and those of us that do want one, still have to buy more to complete it. Of course, I would still have replaced mine with something better because I wouldn't have trusted them to support the weight of what I would put up there. IMO, it looks silly with just rails, and has little value without bars/rack. It is like supplying a spare without the tire on it (well, you get the point). I will also point out that our Pilots' sister, the MDX, comes with cross bars.

I don't know of any other vehicle where you get rails without the cross bars (not to say that there aren't any, of course, as I am sure someone will point one out, CRV & Odysee don't count).

As far as the second row of seats, SpartanMan, I think you are incorrect about the reason why they don't lay flat. I have been in several other SUVs (including my Jeep) where the second row of seats are very comfortable, yet still lie completely flat. IMO, it is a design issue, not a comfort issue. On top of that, the Pilot sales literature states: "And in all Pilots, the 60/40 split second- and third-row seats can be folded down flat ...". I, like jfrano, was disappointed by this, as I frequently use my full cargo area.

Auto-on Headlights and Auto-Locking doors, are safety features that help save lives. These features are cheap and do not HAVE to be used assuming they are designed correctly (thus satisfying JonnyK and Spartanman's request NOT to have them). My Jeep had a separate setting for Auto-On headlights, so you could use it like normal, OR switch to Auto-on. Also, Auto-on isn't just for darkness anymore. They are now also used to control daytime running lights, which have been shown to decrease accidents by 34%. Just joking about the 34%, I was always told that statements seemed 63% more reliable if you had percentages in them.

My Wife's (capital W intended) Olds has programmable door locks where you can disable the feature if you do not like them (as well as configuring how they work). However, they are very intelligent and work great, and it makes my Wife feel safer (which makes my life better).

Anyway, I type too much. I'll shut up now. Besides, its 2:00 am and I am dead tired :23: .

- Rick H

 

[r_hammel]

Another point concerning the second row of seats lying flat issue, I believe that the second row of seats in the Acura MDX lie completely flat, and they are very comfortable. All Honda had to do was steal the same seat design.

 

[Spartanman]

Second row

r_

I'll stand corrected if the MDX's second row is comfy AND folds perfectly flat. Agree if true; Why would they design it so differently?.

My wife's CRV second row folds flat, but you have to raise the lower seat cushions first. Was just curious how you can design a seat back to lay perfectly flat ontop of its seat bottom, without the sacrifice of lumbar, thigh and hip support??. Maybe that's why I'm not a design engineer......

 

[wmquan]

The MDX's second row has a slight rise. I don't believe it's 15 degrees, but it is is not perfectly level either.

 

[r_hammel]

Well, I will admit that the Jeep's second row of seats do require the seat bottom to be folded forward, via a hinge, then the back lowers into the evacuated cavity. But, I believe that the Expedition seats fold just like our Pilot's seats do, and their seats felt pretty comfortable to me, though this was a friend's vehicle and the most time I spent back there was a couple of hours. In contrast, I haven't spent more than a couple of minutes in the back of my Pilot so I don't know how comfortable the are for a long trip, but I would judge them to be very good, and the second row is definitely more comfortable than the third row.

 

[banningjr]

Beating a cross bar to death

r_hammel on a trip this weekend I took notice to your comment of vehicles without crossbars. I could very well be wrong with this but I noticed a number of vehicles without them yet with the roof rack, some surprised me. Rodeo (ok, same as Passport, disregard), BMW X5 (notice none with cross bars), Mercedes ML320(also found none with crossbars), Jeep Cherokee(some with, some without 50/50 split), Hyandai Sante Fe(snicker, this may not qualify), Suzuki Grand Vitara(same deal), and Explorer Sport-Trac(well it does have rails). I'm more inclined to believe these vehicles offer it the same as Honda, as an option. These all also seemed to be integrated options to be styled as roof rails rather than considered a roof rack on their models almost to the point of having it distinguish it from their lower model. (EX vs. LX)

 

[eschand]

I can't seem to figure out how I did it but the second row of seats do slide forward about three inches. Meaning there is a three-inch gap between the 3rd low seat and the 2nd row. If you look below the 2nd row seat you can see a track on both sides of the seat. This track has about three inches where the seat could slide forward. The seat also looks like it is made to move as it has springs and such to keep pressure on the seat. I don't know why I am speculating as I have actually moved the seat but I just spent 10 minutes and have no idea how I did it.


On another note, why does Honda claim you can put an 8' x 4' sheet of plywood in the back of the pilot? My friend and I have measured the back every possible way and can only get 7' x 4'. The vid clip I saw on the web showed a full sheet of plywood going into the pilot with the tailgate going down. There is no way this is possible with my pilot.

Earl

 

[banningjr]

eschand, what part of PA?

The second seat locks into position. It moves when you hit the side level to give access to the back. You can remove some of the space at the top of the seats by using the top lever and tilting the seat back.

The book claim is a 4' x 6' sheet although I know I fully plan to plop a 4' x 8' in there as well as some 2x4's and dry wall this fall when I try to do more basement work. (Lord help me on that, loading the Pilot will be the easy part!)

 

[r_hammel]

Well, what do I know. I still think it is odd. Looks to me like a car with spoiler lifts and no spoiler.

 

[eschand]

Chester county and I work in Delaware Co.

Earl

BTW Who the hell has ever heard of a 4 x 6 sheet of anything? lol

 

[havasu]

BTW Who the hell has ever heard of a 4 x 6 sheet of anything? lol

I think the intention was "Its width fits, but the door won't close"