Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The steering became extremely loose over time on my Honda Pilot posing significant safety concerns because of it. The tires adamantly follow all the divets, lines, grooves, and bumps in the road causing me to lose control of the vehicle very easily in poor driving conditions. This is especially exaggerated during inclement weather such as snow or rain. Recently, due to the steering looseness, I lost control of the vehicle and hit a mailbox damaging the entire right side of the vehicle. Please help to work with Honda to resolve this issue. Thank you!
I bought this 2004 Honda Pilot new in 2004 in Louisville. In 2018 I drove to Florida without incident. While here in Florida I have had a problem with oil leaking. Than the compressor for the air went out and I took it straight to the dealer here. They told me it was not worth fixing. Since then I have had 2 mechanics look underneath the car and said it was so rusted that the frame was dangerous and they could not risk fixing it. I have checked with other Honda owners only to find out this is a problem with numerous Honda years and no one fix this problems because of liability . I have photos of the rusted out rear-end and the frame is not attached. You can find owners trying to weld the rear-end back on. No one will repair my compressor because of the rust and damage. When I had it at the dealers they did not mention this problem at all. They just said it was not worth fixing. …
Rear suspension cross member support rusts out due to design. Over time water is thrown from tire and rests in the support nut area. Over time rust builds up and the support breaks through the rear cross member. No way for the water to escape. I am supplying one picture of my car showing where rust has started. Two additional pictures are from the shop fixing my car for another issue showing another customer with the same issue, but much worse. You cannot buy the cross member due to how the car is made. So the fix is to cut out the rust and weld in a new support. The car shop will rust proof and put a water resistant foam over the new support nut ensuring the rust will not return. My cost of this repair for both sides is just shy of $2000. My opinion is this is a factory design flaw that should be addressed by Honda. …
I had a very serious mechanical failure after hitting a bump on a dirt road only going 25 MPH. All 4 of the rear axle mounts failed causing the rear of the vehicle to drop and the tires to spread. This could have been very dangerous if I was going faster or hit the bump on the highway. We had been noticing a clunking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle but couldn't figure out what it was. So, perhaps one or two for the mounts had all ready failed before this final failure. We bought this vehicle new in 2004 and it has never been in any accident nor driven off road. It is a michigan car so it has been exposed to road salt perhaps contributing to the rusting of the mounts. But, under no circumstance should this occur. After doing an internet search I was only able to find two other instances of this happening. As these vehicles get older more May happen if it is a design flaw.
Rinsing with water of the undercarriage after exposure to salted roads after snowfall (routine practice) I noticed flakes of rust beneath the rear of the vehicle. I crawled under the vehicle to observe extensive corrosion of the cross member that the rear suspension struts are attached to. The rear driver side area where the strut is connected is corroded to the extent where the mount is partially eaten away and a large hole has formed. The other strut mounting area is charting the same course and is substantially corroded. Should a strut disconnect from the vehicle a loss of control would occur. The approximate mileage of the vehicle is 107000. No other parts of vehicle appear to be corroded to a level approaching the rear. I will look at the front end to inspect more closely for corrosion damage and to take pictures. Vehicle was parked (stationary) when the corrosion was observed.
Driving on over railroad tracks and heard loud clunk . Control was a major issue after. When I stopped the vehicle to inspect , I saw the following. Both rear wheels tilted inward at the top. I inspected underneath to find the rear sub-frame anchors had pulled through the uni-body. Called the manufacture and no assistance due to mileage and age and living in a salt belt state. Other manufacturers are recalling vehicles for frame rust issues . This is basically the frame of this vehicle.....and the overall condition otherwise is great. This should not happen!
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact heard an abnormal popping noise. Upon inspecting underneath the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear axle was detached. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and opened case number: 08790702. The manufacturer referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
While driving over a bridge expansion joint I heard a loud bang, the ABS and vtm 4 lights came on ,and it started having a severe vibration . The rear uni body frame ,for the rear sub frame, mounting points pulled out of the frame. The rearward sub frame had dropped down about 6 - 8 inches. The inside of the frame has rusted away, on the inside.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. While the vehicle was stationary, the rear suspension became severely rusted and corroded. An independent mechanic was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Rear mounting points for rear suspension subframe rusted out, allowing the subframe to become detached at two of four mounting points. Subframe rotated down until stopped by exhaust system, detaching wiring for anti lock braking system. Failure occurred while driving on secondary road at 40-50 MPH.
Suspension complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2004 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the suspension of the 2004 Honda Pilot, 5% of the model year's 544 complaints. The component named most often is front (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Honda Pilot suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2004 Honda Pilot, though it has 12 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 2004 Honda Pilot suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 160,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension 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.