Honda Pilot 2003 through 2005

qbrozen

great. thanks. look forward to it. i've been trying to get a hold of someone at my dealership to actually get a quote on this, but nobody is answering the phones in their service department. :-[

edit: whoa! update. Just got off the phone with my dealer. $349.99 for a 15K service!! What are these people on??! anyway, that does include alot of unnecessary stuff (including a transmission service?? this is not suggested by Honda until 45K). I asked the charge for just to change the vtm4 fluid and he said $50. So I guess I'll have to send my wife in with the instructions that she JUST ask for an oil change and vtm change. And to stand firm when they try to push this other crap on her. As a matter of fact, maybe what I'll have to do is print out that particular page of the maintenance schedule and send her with that in hand. Ugh. What a hassle to deal with these people. If they give her any grief, this will be the last time we visit them. I'm putting up with as much as I can only because we enjoyed the service we got from the sales department and I'm trying to be nice and continue giving them my business.

imidazol97

"we enjoyed the service we got from the sales department and I'm trying to be nice and continue giving them my business."

With all the packs in the service department, it sounds like they're giving you the business instead of you giving them your business!
Are all honda dealers this aggressive on their customers?

qbrozen

well, from the reports I've heard from other folks, the answer would be no. Others have paid anywhere from $88 to $200 for their 15K service (from what I've seen so far), but none have reported their dealer packing in all this extra stuff. I'm sure it happens elsewhere, but I also think there are good service department out there. Trick is finding them.

01r1

I paid about $120 for my 7500 mile service (severe schedule), which included the VTM fluid change. This dealer does not try to push service items early like some dealers do, they seem to follow the listed schedule from the manual.

ang35

Has there been any improvement in the middle of the 2nd row for 2004 EX models? I seem to remember some complaints about how uncomfortable the middle seat was on the 2003 because of the fold down armrest. Thanks!

toca

Nope. Your back side will still be resting against the activity tray. Have you gone to a dealer and sat in one?

toca

the dealer originally quoted me $70, but once one service guy looked at the other and it didn't appear they were to sure of the price I called another Honda dealer. They gave me a price of $50. Told the service guy and they said they'd match it.

It's a small dealership so I'd venture to guess they haven't done this fluid change all that much - which is a concern itself.

As far as the 15K service, besides the oil and VTM4 fluid change, it's a tire rotation and a bunch of inspections. Since I do some things myself, I normally pick and choose which ones I don't want to tackle.

qbrozen

well that's my take on it. I will do certain things. I COULD do all of it (and do so on my Volvo due to the very high costs at the dealership), but there is a limit to how much trouble I'll go through. Basically, I have to save myself about $40 an hour minimum before I'll do it myself.

so, anyway, there is a little caveat to this. If you check out your owner's manual, it specifies that some of these inspections are related to the emissions equipment. Now, if you look at your warranty section, you'll see that they state that they won't necessarily deny warranty coverage if you don't have the dealer perform these inspections, HOWEVER, if it is shown that a failure occured as a result of neglect AND the inspections were not performed, then they can deny a warranty claim.

So I'm a bit hesitant NOT to have them do everything. I realize its a long shot that anything would happen as a result of them not inspecting it, but why risk it over a few bucks? I don't know. I'm on the fence. I think what I'm going to do is send my wife in with a printout of that page of the manual that states what should be done on the regular schedule at this point and ask them how much. If its more than I want to pay for it, then I'll just have them do the oil change and VTM4 change for the $77 plus tax and I'll take care of the rest myself and take that miniscule chance that I'd get denied a warranty claim as a result.

imidazol97

Why not have another qualified mechanic do the inspections and check off on each one. Should be a lot cheaper than the dealer. Or do it yourself with a note for each one serving to indicate you actually did pay attention to each one.

The implied threat that if a dealer didn't do all service work on a vehicle the warranty didn't have to be honored h as always honked me off.

rlonn1

The 2004 DO HAVE some changes over 2003. The 2nd row seats in the 04 do SLIDE forward and back independently of each other. Also the BACK will recline some extra 20 degrees (my guess). So now one can slide part of the 60/40 split seat forward to make MORE room for the person sitting in the 3rd row. I believe, not 100% sure, but it looks like the 2nd row seat also moves forward about 2 inches more for easier access to the 3rd row seating.
I have not actually measured it but this is my guess based on looking at a friends 2003 Pilot.

We took an unexpected trip to LA yesterday from San Diego. Don't like Funerals but needed to go. We had 5 people in the Pilot. We had the shortest person sit in the 3r row seat, 5'8", and they were very comfortable for the entire 70 minute drive. The pilot had plenty of reserve power with the extra weight and everyone was surprised how nice it road. As the driver I liked the way it handled on the road. Being over 100 degrees in San Diego this week, the rear AC unit was something that the folks in the second row liked a lot.

Not much I could say when they asked why I did not have a DVD player so they could watch a movie while I drive! I told them I don't plan on having lots of people in the car that often, and I don't expect any more funerals soon! I told them to LOOK out the windows and enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean! :-)))

my3kids

The lien filing fee is a state thing, I was told. Not a PeopleFirst(Capital one) fee. A state can charge to have a lien on a car, but, at least, mine did not. That was the answer I received when I inquired about the fee...it isn't them, it is a state gov't decision.

thamptonroads

It's good to know. Thanks for checking it out. They did not say that in the agreement. This is what the agreement stated "you agree to pay any lien filing fees, estimated at up to $65.00".
Honda dealer told me that they file the lien, not Capital One.

By the way, are you a Capital One employee?

my3kids

No, definately not an employee. Just someone who found out about them through Edmunds, then Costco when I bought my car. What a savings over local banks! It seems sometimes people are leary of using "an internet place" for things such as that, so just reporting my experience with them as very positive. When we received our blank check I noticed the filing fee statement also and called to inquire. I never thought much about their lowest price guarantee, since it was so much lower than local banks anyway, until the dealer offered a better rate. I just called People First, and immediately they came back undercutting the dealer by maybe .3 or so...can't remember exactly.

I also tell about my positive experience in buying the car via internet quotes and as an out of state purchase. To make a short answer long, I'm just a stay-at-home mom who looks for bargains!

farnorth

I am considering a Pilot so I rented one for a week. I had the opportunity to drive it on pavement ,gravel road conditions and on the last day through a snow storm up here in Alberta. Although it handled great and traction going forward was impressive, I have serious concerns about the brakes. On both the gravel road and the snowy icy roads the Pilot just wouldn't stop. It just kept on going. It is as if the ABS is too sensitive and reacts too quickly to wheel lock-up. I have not been in a vehicle that took that far a distance to come to a halt. It was very scary!
Has this been addressed by Honda? The rental vehicle was built in June 2002.
Any input would be appreciated.

rlonn1

I do believe that this has been adjusted in Late 2003 and in the new 2004. When coming down a dirt road in my 2004 pilot I did hit the brakes to avoid hitting a Fire Truck. The brake did PULSE but my stopping distance was VERY SHORT. This was during the recent FIRE here in San Diego. I was in a bit of a hurry to get OUT! I am sure others will comment on this as well.

LOL

Hello
I am somewhat confused, do the third row seats of the 2004 Pilot fold flat into a well like the Odyssey or do they just fold down like the second row seats? If they aren't, I am so disappointed. I love that about the Odyssey. If not, are the second row and third row seats completely removable?

Does anyone know if the Nissan Armada or the Toyota Sequoia's third row folds into a well?

Thank you for your help.

toca

The second and third row seats fold flat in the Pilot. Not sure about the Nissan or Toyota.

wmquan

The Pilot's seats do fold flat, but it's not the same kind of recessed well like an Odyssey. The second and third rows are not removable.

In the Odyssey, there is a well that is deeply recessed below the vehicle interior's floor. The third row seat folds completely into the well (seat cushion and seat back). Thus the vehicle's floor is pretty flat from the first row through the third row.

In the Pilot/MDX, the rear cargo floor is somewhat raised (not the same level as the front row's floor). The third row seatbacks fold flat to continue the rear floor, as does the second row. The rear cargo floor is actually artifically raised to help make the third row fold flat, as there is a small compartment behind the third row seatbacks, in the floor.

Supposedly the reason that the third row in the Pilot/MDX do not disappear into an Odyssey-like well is because both the AWD hardware and the spare tire cannot fit such a configuration.

The new Sienna also has a recessed well for its disappearing third row. However, while it is available with AWD, that version has no room for a spare tire -- thus Toyota sells the AWD version without a spare and with run-flat tires!

Nevertheless, the Pilot has one of the largest cargo areas in its class.

LOL

Thank you for your responses. I did not know that about the Sienna and this definitely is something that would affect my decision.

kanadian45

Just test drove a Honda 2003 Pilot yesterday and I was really impressed. I own a BMW328IS and know what a smooth ride is like. It also handles well on the curves. The seats were very comfortable for a person like me (145lbs.5'4"). Will be picking the new one up this week! Can't wait. I'll miss the Beamer though. (trade-in).

G

mrkn

I read on the Honda web site that the Pilot's second and third row seats recline. I knew that the second row reclines but I did not think that the third row did. Can anybody verify that.

Thanks.

mrkn

Does anyone know where Pilots are made?

itsmedude

Both the 2nd and 3rd row reclines. The 3rd row reclines very little though since there isn't a lot of trunk space behind it but you can recline more with the 2nd row.

The Pilot are made in Ontario, Canada.

yingh

Paid 32,760 for a 2004 EXL with DVD. Price also includes dealer-installed foglights, crossbars, running boards, and freight. Other dealers in the area told me that I got a super deal (living in Washington, DC area and Edmunds TMV = 32,394 w/o options) Was that a really good deal - well, it is a little too late to find out now.
The car has not arrived yet though I have the VIN. Cannot wait to drive it home! I am really happy to join the Pilot family!
I browsed for cosmetic improvements but only found wood grain trims for interior. In my opinion, chrome trim will work much better on this car. I cannot picture the existing interior to go with wood trims. Anyone had any experience on chrome trims?

qbrozen

brushed aluminum is available from several dealers. only thing is that it doesn't match the steering wheel like I'd personally like it to. Anyway, exoticwooddash.com is one of the places you can find it.

jrosalia

Has anyone else had trouble with the transmission in their 2003 Pilot? Mine seems to shift erratically between 45 and 50 mph. I took it to the dealership and they can't seem to find a problem.

qbrozen

still no problems with the vehicle whatsoever. Still completely impressed by it every time I drive it.

thepaw

As I have discussed earlier in this town hall, my 2003 Pilot can take a great distance to stop on slick roads. The Dealer tested for fault codes in the anti-lock braking system but could find none. rlonn1 in message #5384 believes this has been adjusted in late 2003. Could you elaborate on this comment. Did Honda make the anti-lock system less sensitive or was there some other fix that can be done. This problem mars an otherwise fine vehicle.

p04

Are all Pilots built in Canada? There has been some discussion about non-canadian vehicles here.

rlonn1

I had read about this issue before I purchased my Pilot. I was told by the dealer that this problem was fixed. OK, so what does that mean?? I honestly don't know what they did, or even if the dealer was telling me the truth.

I know when I hit my breaks coming down the fire road to avoid hitting a fire truck last week ( Fire In San Diego) it seemed to stop very fast with the break pedal pulsing so ABS was activated. I don't know how one would test this? I do know that in the owners manual, it does say that stopping with ABS does not make the car stop in a shorter distant. It is more of a CONTROL feature.

Bigger tires could help for sure. So other than my own experience and what the dealer told me, that is all I know. You can always call HONDA of AMERICA and see what they think??

qbrozen

yes, canada.

pchiu

Last year this time,October in Toronto, we had a sudden snow storm.
My then 3 months new Pilot with OEM tire, Goodyear Intergr..., could not stop in front of 3 traffic lights in a row.

I started to slow down from normal snow storm speed, then ABS kicked in then it slided right into the intersection.
I changed all the tires to snow tires Mich. 4x4 Alpine as soon as I could ( Cad$1200 + tax). That sloved the winter problem.

Now I am on my snow tires. the OEM Goddyear is junk for winter in Canada at leasr for myself, even disscused in Toronto Star on Sat. Wheels way back last winter about switching to Mich Cross Terrian.

dako_tian

"Are all Pilots built in Canada? There has been some discussion about non-canadian vehicles here."

Perhaps the confusion is that, while all Pilots may well be built in Canada, some of those are built specifically for the Canadian market and most for the US market. There are small differences in the options included on the two as well as the speedometer/odometer being marked in Kilometers for Canada and Miles for the US.

rlonn1

GOODYEAR INTEGRITY
Excellent all season tire that provides superior traction, durable steel belts and a smooth ride.
long tread life.
smooth quite ride.
Excellent handling on wet roads.

I think Honda is looking for the best of all worlds with emphasis on SMOOTH QUIET RIDE. Tire design and overall SIZE makes a big difference for sure. This is not rocket science. If I drove on roads that were covered with Snow a lot, I would definitely have a set of tires designed for SNOW driving. However the last time it Snowed in the city of San Diego, well I was not even born yet (55),,,

My experience with DIRT, is not to be compared to Snow or Ice.. Thanks for your feedback from Canada. This will help many folks. I will definitely get a different Brand and Style of tires once the ones I have need to be changed..

rlonn1

When I purchased my wife 2000 Accord V-6 I was told that I could use regular gas. This is in line with what the owners manual said. However in trying out different grades of gas "I am now doing this with my 04 Pilot" I discovered a few interesting things. The dealer told me that if I wanted full HP out of the V6 Accord engine, I should use 91 octane. When I did this Gas millage was improved a lot. 300 miles vs 345 miles when going from 87 to 91 octane. I also felt the difference in HP. For now we won't concern ourselves with the Price difference of the gas.

Now on my 4th tank of Gas for the 04 Pilot, This time I put in 91 octane Shell gas. The same octane recommended for the Acura MDX that claims 265 HP but requires 91 octane premium fuel. I only drove to work one day so I think the jury is out on any of these statements I have made.

The HONDA PILOT owners manual says this "When towing heavy loads it is recommended that you use PREMIUM FUEL". How the Computer is set up for EMISSIONS is KEY for all of this, but if Honda has designed the computer to in fact change a few settings on Engine timing etc. when the higher octane is used, then this is good to know.

Whenever I take a long trip, San Diego to Las Vegas, 2000 Accord V6, I always us PREMIUM fuel. I do this for increase MPG and MORE horsepower.

If I decide to head out on Vacation and have 3 or 4 people in the Pilot, I will probably use PREMIUM fuel to assure I get MAX MPG and Maximum HP out of the engine. OK, before everyone JUMPS on my case about this, I am just doing some experimentation with all of this. The Jury for me is still out on the PILOT, but with my V-6 Accord, I know Premium fuel gives me that edge I demand on long trips.

BTW, the new 3.3L V-6 in the Toyota Highlander DEMANDS that you use PREMIUM FUEL. So for them to get the MPG and HP advertised, they may already know what others know about changing the grades of gasoline "IF" the engine computer can deal with it acordingly..

Naturally comments and your "Valued Opinion" on this is welcomed :-)))

rossdm

jrosalia: I have noticed the same thing. Sometimes the tranny "hiccups" if I'm travelling right around 45-50 mph. Nothing major, but I notice it. I just assume it's characteristic of this particular tranny and I haven't done anything about it.

dklanecky

If you do a Google search on "Honda Pilot Braking Distance" you'll find a few reviews/articles that mention the brake performance (specifically compared to Murano, Highlander, etc.)

Here's one:

http://www.epinions.com/content_107630399108

Here's another:

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/100318/page012- .html

rlonn1

Yes that 30 feet difference in breaking IS A LOT!! I wish we could verify if in fact Honda has fixed this at all. I was told they have, but only a professional test track could prove this. OH WELL, time will tell.

qbrozen

yup. 30 feet is alot. So is the extra 500 lbs the Pilot is hauling around.

The brakes on the Pilot are not the greatest by any means. But I did my research and knew that before we even bought one.

What do you mean Honda fixed this? You mean shortened the stopping distance? Or are you referring to some of the problems noted above? These are 2 different issues completely. The normal stopping distances as stated in those articles are what they are. They will not be changed or "fixed" (as if its broken some how). They just aren't great brakes. Unless you mean they were improved at some point, but I have read nothing to support this wish. Maybe next year.

rlonn1

They adjusted the PULSE rate on the ABS. They lengthened the rate so the wheels are STOPPED more than before. Under "non" ABS braking, the good old days, the wheels are esentually LOCKED and are not turning. On the other extreme the wheels are locked and unlocked (turning) to give you some steering control when ABS is engaged.

It was my understanding that the pulse rate was to short allowing the wheels to TURN more than they should. Now the wheels TURN LESS or one could say LOCKED MORE with the new software they changed in the ABS computer. That shortened the distance which the Pilot will stop and DOES take away from some of the CONTROL you have as well. The whole thing is a big compromise.

I am sure HONDA did not like the results of the ABS test Car and Driver did and adjusted the computer a bit to reduce the stopping distance. As you claim weight, type of tires and the size of the Disk Breaks all affect this. They may have gone with an even SOFTER break pad to help with this. This is my 2 cents!

sbcooke

I have a 2002 MDX, which is supposed to be almost the mechanical twin of the 2003 pilot. We haven't noticed long braking distances with ABS engaged? I wonder how/when Honda decided to change the specifications, and if they used different calibrations between the 2?

imidazol97

" am sure HONDA did not like the results of the ABS test Car and Driver did and adjusted the computer a bit to reduce the stopping distance"

Didn't Honda test this very carefully presale?
I find it hard to believe they didn't do that testing because of the legal responsibility for safety in braking.
There has to be something else happening here...
that affects the brakes on some of these.

rlonn1

I agree with what you are saying 100%. I mean we are talking HONDA here and that means SAFETY. However for Honda it may be more of a CONTROL of the car rather then pure stopping distance. They may have just made a mistake or the computer was set incorrectly. I'll call Honda Of America today or tomorrow and see what they tell me.

yingh

Thanks gbrozen for pointing me to the right direction. I visited several websites that offer dashboard trim kits. Dashtirms.com is a little expensive, I found the same item on eBay for half of the cost. But So far I am most interested in eDashkit.com. The pieces included in their kit are much more than the other places and they offer free shipping.
They offer three metal styles: aluminum, brushed aluminum, and chrome. I have requested some material samples and is waiting for their arrival.
From pictures of installed sample the car looks much nicer. I will report back in after I have them installed. Anyone else has the experience to share?

qbrozen

please let us know what they say. If they have truly made a change, then I see no reason why this should not be some sort of recall on the older Pilots. They did do a reprogram of the side airbags, so who knows.

low_ball_88

Does anyone know any information or spy photos about this vehicle. I read in Autoweek that it will be based on the Pilot platform and has 4 doors (quadcab) with a short bed. I am very interested in it since the third row seat in the Pilot is not very roomy for passengers other than kids and that it will be rarely used.

Thanks in advance for the info.

rlonn1

As much as I like Honda and Don't like Ford, if I needed a pick up truck it would be the Ford F-150, by far one of the best trucks on the road with a great track record for reliability. IMHO..

ukkonen7

I thought I would share my similar experiences with braking on slippery snowy surfaces. I've got a 2001 MDX and have also had the unnerving experience of not being able to stop, even while going slow, especially on downhill grades. The surfaces I am refering to are wet new snow, glazed, and ice. The vehicle would not stop... Before ABS one could feather the brakes, and have some feel for the surfaces for a little control, but the problems expressed in some of the previous posts reflect a problem I hope Honda has now solved.

I'll be going into the 2004 Pilot in about a month so I appreciate all of you sharing your comments about this and similar issues.

Cheers from the Minnesota northland......There is a little snow already on the ground here...

qbrozen

I have to wonder if a great deal of this isn't crappy stock tires. Seems to me that would be the answer. I hate to think we'd have to put new tires on this truck ALREADY. Well, guess I'll make sure my wife takes it easy when it snows and to tell me how she makes out.

itsmedude

I just stopped by my local tire store and they offered to take in my 4 Good years (only 500 miles on them) and put on 4 Michelin Cross Terrains mounted and balanced for $200. I told them let me think about it.