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Honda Pilot Electrical Problems

jm73233jm73233 Member Posts: 3
in Honda
My 2004 Honda Pilot is somehow losing its connection w/ a power source. When this happens all dash gauges bounce up and down when I turn the car off. When I restart the car, the trip meter/exterior temp goes back to the trip meter even though I always leave it on temp. The entire electrical system will for a brief second completely turn off while I am driving the car. Occasionally harder to start than before - when attempting to start the car, it does nothing (similiar to having a dead battery, but my battery is testing fine). If I leave it alone for 30 min and try again it will start fine, however the entire system has reset itself – the radio needs the theft code re-entered and driver power window needs to be re-programmed. I cleaned battery terminals etc. but no change. The dealer says the car is testing fine – all electrical systems are fine, the battery is fine, grounding and connections are fine. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?
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Comments

  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    check battery connections and any wire chewed by rodents.
  • n_da_dn_da_d Member Posts: 1
    I recently had a similar problem with my 04 Pilot. Yesterday within a 1.5 mile range, the radio turned off and the telltales on the instrument panel lit up. This happened 14 times. Each time is was a quick off/on type deal. Lasting less than a blink of an eye. The clock on the radio would never reset which is something I would expect if the radio lost power. The engine did not stop and the brakes worked just fine. This sort of freaked my out since I am driving down the road. This could be potentially dangerous. Dropped the vehicle off at the dealership this morning and they can't find anything wrong. Any ideas out there?
  • owens1972owens1972 Member Posts: 1
    I also have a 2004 Honda Pilot. I have not personally experienced the problem but my wife describes a problem very similar (if not the same) as you write about. The car will act as if it loses electrical power while drving. The instrument lights will go out for a brief second. The problem is extremely intermittent. I'm skeptical the service technicians can diagnose the problem due to the low frequency.
  • jm73233jm73233 Member Posts: 3
    My problem ended up being a defective battery. The battery had tested fine and appeared to be a good battery, however once it was replaced this problem has never recurred.
  • key4871key4871 Member Posts: 13
    I've searched through this forum and couldn't find my answer so I was hoping someone might know for my 2004.

    About a month ago both heated seats stopped working. I've checked and replaces the fuses and still nothing. Weird because the lights on the switches do not even come on.

    Thanks for any help.
  • rainman10rainman10 Member Posts: 1
    Tried to start my vehicle and the battery was dead. Had it replaced and the next day dead again. After the dealer gave me the run around, trying to say it was something that I must have added to the vehicle that was causing the problem. They called me back and said, it was a faulty air conditioner compressor. They said, it was not kicking out when turned off and running the battery down. They replaced it and said it was fixed. If not I'll let you know.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I'm guessing that this was covered under warranty?
  • ca15834ca15834 Member Posts: 2
    just an idea. a regular battery using a multimeter to read it will read 12 volts DC w/ the vehicle off.......as the car runs and warms up it should go up to about 13-15 volts DC...so my idea to diagnose if it could be bad connections would be stap the ground and power needles from a multimeter into the wires from the battery as you can easily access....while its running have someone jiggle the battery while you are reading the volts on the meter to see if they jump...if they do take the terminals apart clean and grease them and put them back together and see how that works...
  • jaybird1962jaybird1962 Member Posts: 1
    driving home from Target, I could hear the belt singing and my wife noticed the battery light on the dash. Opened the hood and checked the belt for tension, felt tight. All the pulleys appeared to be turning. Any thoughts? Alternator, Diode in alternator, other possibilities?
  • bjaderbjader Member Posts: 10
    When you see the light on your dashboard that indicates battery implies two things. Your battery is bad and not charging. Bring your battery to Auto Parts store for check. If the battery is bad buy a new one. If the battery is good there is only one thing you need to replace your alternator is bad. Your alternator is not charging anymore the battery.
  • bjaderbjader Member Posts: 10
    AC compressor has nothing to do with the battery why it is always dead or drain. The reason why your battery is always dead because i believe that your alternator is already bad. It is not charging anymore your battery and it drainedout. Bring your alternator to your auto part store for check or buy a new one. I hope this would help you.
    bjader
  • teramteram Member Posts: 1
    This is now happening to my pilot to a T!!! Did you ever get an answer to what the problems was???

    Thanks!
  • bushmackelbushmackel Member Posts: 1

    Was having the same problem as the 1st and 3rd poster was having. Saw the same problem over at the piloteers forms and someone there also suggested cleaning the battery terminals. Got some 5 dollar battery terminal brush from Autozone, some baking soda, water and a toothbrush... Cleaned off a whole bunch of gunk, used the brush and then drove some 4 hours back and forth on a road trip - Not a single problem.

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454

    Sounds too easy. B)

    If that doesn't work, follow the cables and tighten and clean the other ends too (assuming you can get to them - one probably ends up near the firewall).

  • mick53mick53 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2014
    The issue with my 06 Pilot was the ECM. Expensive, but glad to finally have it resolved. Symptoms where: Radio flashing on and off rapidly, and very sporadically. Eventually the dash gauges would dip at that same time that the radio flashes. I would also lose power to the charger in the center console at the same time. Thought it was alternator at first, but never lost power of lights or saw a battery light indicator.
  • jfergator1jfergator1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Honda Pilot that has been having electrical problems for about six months. Lights dim for a second sporadically while driving, specially when a/c is turned on. We've had times when the radio turned off completely and one time when the a/c also turned off. we are concerned that the whole car electrical system will turn off. We have been to our neighborhood mechanic (replaced battery), our Honda dealer (replaced battery again but couldn't find anything else wrong) and our nearby Toyota dealership (alternator) (my brother-in-law works in the service department there). Two batteries and one alternator later, still no solution. My brother-in-law tells me that when tested, the alternator was showing a lower voltage than it was supposed to (that's why it was replaced) and that the battery was also low on charge (bought new 1 month ago). Can anyone help or suggest what we should do? Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Has anyone checked all your ground connections and cables? Battery to ground, engine to frame?

    Also you could have an issue in the wiring harness or even the PCM itself which regulates voltage.
  • juliepilot04juliepilot04 Member Posts: 1
    Would love to hear the resolution for this issue! My 2004 Pilot has a 5 month old battery, connections solid, free of corrosion. It has lost total power 3 times now, not while driving. Each time it was while trying to start the car. Turning the key was like a completely dead battery- no power to anything, no engine sounds. 30 minutes later it's starts up and runs fine. Battery checks out as fine. Local mechanic checked all, and has no ideas our suggestions. There have been a couple instances of radio and dials flickering while driving. 
  • RN4_MercyRN4_Mercy Member Posts: 1
    My 2006 Pilot just started doing the power outages this month. Completely as described above, and does this while driving as described. So weird. Battery is less than 2 years old.
  • Rwjc123Rwjc123 Member Posts: 2
    Replaced battery due to not starting and battery was 4 yrs old, in AZ that is a good time, 3weeks later batter light and power issues started showed alternator putting out 10.4 amps should be higher. placed on charger and still have battery light come on and power issue.. had to go pick up grandkids, drove est. 15 mins.. in 2nd gear kept Rpms up.. when shifting back to Drive . and RPMs dropped to 1500 rpms battery light and power issue returned. back to 2nd... turned off to pick up kids, 15 mins drive home in DRIVE no issues ?...... not sure if something burned off will continue monitoring and take to shop still to have retested.
  • Rwjc123Rwjc123 Member Posts: 2
    oh 2014 honda pilot
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