I BOUGHT A 2007 HONDA PILOT EX-L 2WD. I AM DISABLED, SO I REQUIRE A HITCH, ELECTRIC CHAIR LIFT TO CARRY MY ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2WD, 4 CYL, WITH THE EXACT SAME CONFIGURATION. SINCE I HAVE ADAPTED MY 2007 HONDA PILOT WITH THE EQUIPMENT, I HAVE FOUND THIS VEHICLE IS NOT CAPABLE OF CARRYING THE TONGUE WEIGHT LOAD OF ABOUT 350 LBS, WHICH HONDA PUBLISHED IS ADEQUATE (I.E. HONDA STATES A 2WD PILOT IS CAPABLE OF TOWING 3,500 LBS AND A 4WD IS CAPABLE OF TOWING 4,500 LBS, WHICH EQUATES TO AN ALLOWABLE TONGUE WEIGHT OF 10% OF TOWING WEIGHT WHICH IS 350 LBS FOR THE 2WD AND 450 LBS FOR THE 4WD). I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE CHIEF MECHANIC AT HOLLYWOOD HONDA; THE HITCH EXPERTS; PROFESSIONALS AT MY WHEELCHAIR/LIFT FACILITY AND EVERYONE AGREEW THE 2007 HONDA PILOT CAN NOT CARRY THE TONGUE WEIGHT OF 350 LBS IN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER. THE VEHICLE STARTS TO LOWER THE BACK END AND THE FRONT END STARTS TO LIFT UPWARDS AS THE WEIGHT OF THE WHEELCHAIR ON THE LIFT STARTS TO ASCEND. WHEN THE BACK END OF THE HONDA PILOT HAS "BOTTOMED OUT", THEN THE WHEELCHAIR AND LIFT START TO ASCEND. WHEN THE WHEELCHAIR AND LIFT ASCEND TO ITS PROPER HEIGHT AS DESIGNED BY THE LIFT MANUFACTURER, THE LIFT AND WHEELCHAIR ARE IN A VERY VULNERABLE POSITION WHICH IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP THE LIFT FROM BOTTOMING OUT AND THE ENTIRE WHEELCHAIR AND LIFT FROM "BOUNCING" IN MANNER WHICH IS UNCONTROLLABLE, WHCIH GIVES THE SENSATION OF BEING OUT OF CONTROL. MEANWHILE, THE FRONT END OF THE HONDA PILOT HAS ESCALATED ABOUT 6 - 8 INCHES ABOVE ITS NORMAL LEVEL PLAIN. IF HONDA HAS CONDUCTED ITS EVALUATIONS IN A SATISFACTORY AND SAFE MANNER AS THEY PUBLISH A 2WD HONDA PILOT CAN TOW 3,500 LBS AND A 4WD HONDA PILOT CAN TOW 4,500 LBS, THEN WHY CAN'T THE HONDA PILOT EFFECTIVELY MAINTAIN THE NORMAL TONGUE WEIGHT OF 10% OF THE TOWING WEIGHT WHICH THEY STIPULATE? IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME IN MAKING SOME DETERMINATION PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE, I WILL BE GRATEFULLY APPRECIATIVE.
2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV HIGHLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. SUDDENLY, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FACTORY CLIP ATTACHED TO THE CLAMP OF THE TRANSMISSION LINE. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CLIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE VEHICLE'S PRODUCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
