Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the rear axle separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the subframe replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 209,000. The VIN was not available.
Owner driver was stopped on red light along with 20 other cars , the driver was last in the lane and other driver did not applied brakes, this vehicle was banged from the back. Body damage was repaired by westminster Honda in costa mesa . California, body repair cost of $ 3,500 was paid by insurance company of the person who was at fault, the auto transmission replacement cost of $ 6,500 was recovered from the me who was not at fault. The question is at that time the air bag was not deployed because of fault? After that I got recall notice from American Honda for two air bags driver side and passenger side, the notice came in the month of January 2015, first they delayed the repair task by making an excuse that they are very busy and first appointment is available on February 28 th at auto nation Honda in gilbert az then I got an e mail and a call from dealer that the parts are on back …
The rear driver side electric door lock mechanism is jammed not allowing the door to be locked or unlocked either manually or electrically. This, I imagine, can happen with any door. Luckily, the jam is in the unlocked position allowing the door to be opened. What is not safe is that door cannot be locked leaving the car vulnerable to theft or car jacking. If the door was jammed in the locked position, this can be unsafe for passenger exit in the event of emergency (a fire or emersion in water). Any electric door lock mechanism made by any vehicle manufacturer should be designed to fail safe allowing manual locking and unlocking of the door in the event of electrical power lock mechanism failure. This is just as much a safety issue as a jammed seat belt or faulty airbag. This should be a no cost repair by manufacturer dealerships like they do with jammed seat belts or faulty airbags. …
2003 Honda Pilot ex with 219,000 miles on it. The two rear subframe mounts that attach the body chassis to the frame were rusted out and completely disconnected from the frame. In fact on the right side there was a large hole that had rusted out. Apparently no excessive rust on the rest of undercarriage. Vehicle was in very good mechanical shape and maintenance kept up. Vehicle was kept in a garage at night not subject to unusual wear and tear. Upon slow acceleration from a red light I heard a loud crash as if we'd been hit from behind. I was crossing a busy intersection and the lights weren't functioning so I was proceeding very slowly through the 4 way flashing lights when this happened. There were no vehicles behind us so I cleared the intersection then parked the car to check it out but no visible damage, no debris in intersection etc. …
While driving Honda Pilot ex-l on a local street at 35 MPH, the right rear wheel seems to have hit something or skidded. Attempt to control the vehicle by moving the steering wheel resulted in the SUV going out of control. While still on the road, any attempt to steer the vehicle caused it go in an unexpected direction. Finally, the vehicle rolled over and landed back on the wheel in a ditch by the side of the road. Driver sustained head injuries and two children in car seats, ages 1 and 4, escaped unhurt in the back seat. The car sustained extensive damage all around especially on the driver side. The windshield, front side windows, front doors and front roof appear to have sustained the greatest impact. The fact that the vehicle went out of control so easily seems to point to a mechanical failure. …
I heard crunching noises coming from the driver's seat cushion. I assumed it was a spring giving way, since the car is 16 years old. I arranged to have the front seats reupholstered and repaired the following week. A couple days later, I got into the car after running an errand, and the driver's seat acted like a rocking chair! This was in the parking lot of sam's club. I slowly and cautiously drove home, since it felt like the driver's seat could let go. Online research indicated a bracket broke that holds the drivers seat down, and this is a well known issue for the Honda Pilot. They said no recall because nobody had died?? This doesn't seem right. The re-upholsterer had the bracket welded as a side-job when he did his work. Still, this isn't OK. If the seat had let go and slid forward while I was driving, it could have been a serious accident. I needed to report this.
Had to replace water pump and belt payed for it at homda dealer then noticed it had a recall on it dealership didnt notify me of the recall. Now I'm having problems with the transmition dealership said they couldn't find the problem but it also has a recall. But when I searched my VIN it said no recalls were found. The transmition periodically comes out of gear if I stop quickly or 1st thing in the morning or if I go over a speed bump slowly or sometimes randomly in the middle of driving in traffic. I can switch it into 1st 2nd or 3rd and get it moving again. It hasn't happend at high speeds yet. And the the metal under the seats is all rusted. At this rate the transmition will cause me to have an accident and the seats will come off and the airbags that have also been recalled will kill us im highly dissapointed in this vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic because other 2003 Honda Pilot owners informed him of rust issues. The mechanic discovered rust on the rear subframe of his vehicle. The contact also heard a rattling noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to jeff wyler Honda in florence (949 burlington pike, florence, ky 41042, [phone]) where the rust was confirmed. The dealer stated that they were unable to repair the vehicle due to the location of the rust. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
Of the four posts where the complete rear axle mounts to the under body of the chassis, two of the posts have rusted away from the frame, leaving the rear axle only half attached to the main body of the car. The vehicle has very limited rust anywhere, so for the under body to rust to a point of separation from the rear wheel assembly is disconcerting. We had no warning and had the vehicle properly/routinely maintained. If the rear axle assembly had completely broken away, the resulting crash would have been disastrous. Certified mechanics confirm that they had never seen such a serious deterioration of a significant structural component.
The attachment points on the frame where the rear subframe attaches have nearly completely rusted out. The rest of the frame appears to be in good condition. An internet search showed that this is a common issue with Honda pilots. Given the prevalence of the issue, it appears to be a design flaw. This is a significant safety issue since complete failure of the mounting points could result in loss of control of the vehicle. The attached picture is not from my vehicle but the damage is identical to that shown in this picture.
Body complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2003 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the body & structure of the 2003 Honda Pilot, 7% of the model year's 720 complaints. The component named most often is body (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Honda Pilot body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2003 Honda Pilot, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Pilot body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 15% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.