FaultScore

2008 Honda Pilot headlight problems

10 of the 166 complaints about the 2008 Honda Pilot are about the lighting — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 79,000 miles.

B

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Exterior Lighting 7 70.0%
Headlights 2 20.0%
Interior Lighting 1 10.0%

Lights across every Honda Pilot year

2003 32 21.3%
2004 13 8.7%
2005 36 24.0%
2006 15 10.0%
2007 20 13.3%
2008 10 6.7%
2016 14 9.3%
2017 10 6.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Johns Island, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Left headlight went out in July 2023 while traveling in Oklahoma. I had it replaced at a NAPA shop in Kansas shortly after. The headlight went out again while home in Charleston, SC in November 2023. I had it replaced again. 2 weeks later around roughly November 15th 2023 the light went out again.

NHTSA complaint #11556052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 143,000 miles Winchester, VA Fire

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WINCHESTER VA 22602 NOV 23 2018 7:38 PM . THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE DRIZZLE ON VERY DARK ROAD. I HAD TO KEEP HITTING THE HIGH BEAMS AND RUN ON THE DRIVING LIGHTS. WHILE HITTING THE HIGH BEAMS WHEN POSSIBLE.THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS RECALLED ON EARLIER MODELS OF HONDA PILOTS BUT IT DOES NOT COVER MINE AFTER GOING TO REPAIRPAL THIS IS A 9 MODEL YEAR PROBLEM.YOU CAN READ POST AFTER POST ON DIFFERENT SITES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR AT THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint #11155376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,000 miles Eagan, MN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TURNS ON HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA complaint #10700903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,000 miles Saint Cloud, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

LOW BEAM LIGHTS DO NOT WORK BUT HIGH BEAM DOES. REPLACED BULBS, CHECKED FUSE, CHECKED RELAY, AND LIGHTS STILL DO NOT WORK.

NHTSA complaint #10691293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Bangor, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS SHUT OFF AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS AND THE FOG LIGHTS HAVE TO BE USED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

NHTSA complaint #10486066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Oxford, AL

INTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR COURTESY MAP LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED A FUSE UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA HOWEVER, THE MALFUNCTION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT WITHIN THE MAP LIGHT HOUSING WIRING AND ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEFECT WAS COMMON. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #10480122 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Wallingford, CT

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CLIMATE CONTROL DISPLAY LIGHTS ARE OUT. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD TO TURN MY INTERIOR LIGHTS ON, THEN TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD AGAIN TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE BUTTON TO ADJUST HE HEAT OR AIR. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS CONSTANTLY TAKING MY EYES OF THE ROAD, PLUS HAVE TO TAKE MY HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL MULTIPLE TIMES TO TURN THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON & OFF TO ADJUST THE CLIMATE CONTROLS.

NHTSA complaint #10444893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,300 miles Tucson, AZ

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

3RD BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. UPON INSPECTION FOUND BULB TO BE BURNT OUT AND SOCKET PARTIALLY MELTED. REPLACED BULB WITH MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED BULB. IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME BULB THAT ORIGINALLY BURNED OUT. I HAVE A CONCERN FOR A VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO THIS OVERHEATING.

NHTSA complaint #10428092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Galway, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

A SAFETY CONCERN: HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE ROAD PROPERLY. ON RURAL ROADS THE HEADLIGHT DIP TOO LOW TO BE EFFECTIVE. ROADS WITH ELEVATIONS AND DEPRESSIONS NEGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY PLUNGE THE ROAD INTO TOTAL DARKNESS. A PERSON DRIVING FASTER ON A RURAL THAN 35 MPH WOULD BE "OVER DRIVING" THE HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA complaint #10217628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hillsborough, NJ

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PROJECTOR STYLE HEADLAMPS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY IN RURAL AREAS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MET FMVSS AND WERE DESIGNED IN THAT FASHION. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND HAS COPIES OF ALL WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE THAT WAS SENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 03/10/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ARTIFICIAL LINE ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT CONSTANTLY MOVED WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10214430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2008 Honda Pilot problems

← Full 2008 Honda Pilot report