Honda Pilot 2003 through 2005

microbust

The 2004 Pilot is supposed to have better access to 3rd seat than 2003. I haven't been able to see this yet. Is it a noticeable difference?

Thanks,

Richard

lexusrock

Just realized that the 04 resolved one of my concerns: the 2nd row seat can slide, so that the back row is a lot more seatable. Now if they can enlarge/deepen the trunk space with 3rd row seat up, and make the 2nd/3rd seats fall all flat, then it'd be perfect! Any SUV does that now?

tilak50

I have honda pilot 2003 and have 17K miles on it. I wanted to ask if other people have also noted a higher level of road noise while on the highway. During the earlier part of my owning it, the ride was noticeably quieter on the highway and other wise.

After my 15k service i also noted the engine noise within the car to have gone higher. Is that something i should be concerned about, or is it part of normal aging.

I would like to mention that my pilot was in an accident and my front bumper had to be replaced, i believe the body shop used a part which is not honda made. this was at about 10k miles. wonder if that is contributing to the noise.

torpman

I feel that the difference is fairly significant between the 03 and 04. I would guess that the 2nd row slides forward 4-6 inches. It is enough so that it is much easier to get your leg in between 2nd and 3rd rows when you are climbing in.

habitat1

I don't have a Pilot, but from my experience, depending upon the severity of your accident, you may want to have the front alignment checked and check for any uneven tire wear. Also, I assume the bumper was a Honda part, how "deep" did the accident go - i.e. any possiblity of frame damage?

I have had 2 cars that were in accidents early in their life and always seemed to have noise, rattles, etc. that could not be resolved. On the other hand, our Nissan Maxima is almost as smooth driving at 148k miles as it was new, so I don't think what you are experiencing is normal aging for a Honda.

markjenn

tilak50, my guess is that the perceived increased noise is a combination of tires wearing and becoming noisier along with the general newness of the car wearing off and causing you to think it is noisier when it probably isn't.

Human perception of noise levels isn't calibrated very finely and is based more on change rather than on absolute levels - you've probably gotten used to the quietness so now it sounds noisier. I'd suspect this even more if you came from a noisier car to the Pilot.

Of course, there could always be a fault, such as a leaky exhaust system, so if it really seems to be getting worse, I'd do more investigation, starting with listening closely to the car form the outside as someone revs the engine. But my money is that it's fine. Drive on and turn up the stereo! No worries.

I do recall the GM recently admitted to new Corvette owners that road noise increased dramatically after about 15K miles, but I don't recall what the fault is/was. You might want to do a search on this. I'm guessing it was tires.

Good luck,

- Mark

lobored

I own a 2004 EX Pilot that I am quite pleased with. I added both crossbars and a Thule cartop carrier. Loading the carrier is easiest if I stand on the rear bumper. Does anyone know what weight the rear Pilot bumper can hold? I weigh 180 lbs. and would be holding luggage of about 30 lbs.? Thanks for your help.

uptonguy

I've been following the postings here for a while. I just purchased a pilot and it has arrived. There's only one problem. My dealer and I agreed on an EX-L w/ DVD. My dealer told me that the car they thought was available that I (thought) I bought was already sold. But they traded with another dealer for my color in EX-L only without the DVD system. The dealer said they would install a Honda system in it. The only thing is, I did a little research and discovered that Honda does not offer an aftermarket DVD for the 2004 EX-L. I think it's because the DVD player goes where the heater switches for the seats are now in the 04. I did see an image of a Pilot DVD player that has the player at the top of the screen. (www.aberdeenhonda.com/pilotinterior/gallery_Interior_2.jpg) Is this the 2004 factory DVD unit. I haven't seen the 04 w/ DVD yet.

Anyway, my point is if Honda doesn't offer an 04 EX-L aftermarket DVD, how and what is my dealer installing? My salesman is supposed to call me soon, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for all the info!

dski

My advice... forget he Honda DVD. Use their mistake as a bargining tool for an extra discount or accessory you'd like. Then... Check out the All-in-One Screen DVD Portible unit from Panasonic I think. I know they show them at Best Buy and Sam's had a huge inventory of them before Chrismas which included a nice array of Car accessory stuff. Every thing is in the screen. Not a Bulky Back Pack system. The disks insert right into the top of the screen.

This system is the BEST I've ever seen for a Ton Less $$ than the Honda. It's a much larger screen and can be used on a table top when not in the car. I do NOT like the Honda system. The controls aren't Intuitive at all and the screen is small.

I wish I would have seen the Panasonic unit before getting the Honda.

Drew

mdesmaraisva

Trying to decide on a new vehicle. We currently have a 2001 CR-V and travel from VA to central NY 5 or 6 times each year. The CR-V is less than comfortable with two adults, a child and black lab! Considering the Pilot due to space and V-6. Does anyone have a comparison in terms of comfort and performance between the Pilot and the CR-V.

Thanks!

hairong

Even in the Utility (people/cargo hauling) area, where Ody. is much better than Pilot, Pilot's flexible seat configuration still has some advantages in certain situations:

1) Carry 5 or 6 people along with a lot of stuff.
2) Need to seat 8 people (w/ some kids) once in a while.

clpurnell

I have owned both. Bought an Oddy EX last december and bought a Pilot EX-L RES this november. I traded in the Oddy after 4 months on an infiniti FX. I think the pilot will stay in the lineup longer than the Oddy did. Here's my take on both.

Pilot
Pluses-
1)AWD - if you live in inclement weather Area. I live in houston so this was not a huge selling point.
2)Ground clearance - even though we don't go off roading or have snow. Houston is notorious for it's torrential downpours and high standing water. So the added ground clearance is useful.
3) 8 passenger seating - even though we have a family of four we prefer the middle bench to the captain chairs as if we are carrying 1 extra person we do not need to use the third row. My daughter finds the middle seat just fine and has not complained of comfort.
4) Looks even though the Pilot is bland my wife and I being in our late 20's were not ready for the minivan scene yet.

Pilot
Minuses -
1) Gas Mileage - The oddysey has marginally larger tank and slightly better mileage.
2) Step in height - neither my wife or I are short (5'10 and 5'8) but it is tougher to get in and out of the pilot in relation to the oddy.
3) Space with 3rd row in use - The pilot fits a couple grocery bags but not much more the oddy had way more room because of the "well"
4) Handling - I woud say that the oddysey handles better than the pilot. Body lean was not as pronunced as in the pilot probably due to the higher center of gravity.

Overall the pilot fits the bill better. Also our pilot has leather and DVD while the Oddy only had cloth so that could add to our enjoyment. Both are good vehicles. I would recommend the pilot if you have a family of 3 to 4 and need the 3rd row occasionaly for guests. If you carry 5 or more regularly go for the minivan. Right now I feel the pilot/oddysey are the bargains in the market for those looking for 7+ passenger capability. I bought my Oddy EX for 25700 and my Pilot EX-L RES for 30.3k in there classes there aren't to many better values.

matrix585

I've had my Pilot for over a year now and keeping looking on this board for a product solution: The driver's side carpet floor mat does not cover the left dead foot area, making it perfect to get dirty and wear down.

I'm in Atlanta so I don't need big nasty all weather rubber mats or if the all season even cover this area as well.

EVERYONE on here must notice this. ANY solutions? OEM or aftermarket?

Thanks much.

torpman

You may want to try:

Weather Tech <http://www.weathertech.com> or
Husky <http://www.autoanything.com>

I believe that both of these cover the dead pedal area.

sjwsmw

I noticed this after about 3 weeks. I ended up buying an inexpensive thin vinyl mat at WalMart and put it under the carpeted mat. It covers fully side to side. The color(sandstone) happens to match very well.
Although I will be checking out the websites mentioned for a more 'factory' look.

sbcooke

The MDX has the very same issue. I haven't been able to find anything...I think the rubber replacements (i.e. Husky liners) are cutout at the same spot.

matrix585

torpman: have you actually bought mats from either of these places? I can't tell from the weathertech pictures if the mat is cut to actually cover the raised area and lay flat.

I sent an email question to weathertech on this and will let you know.

matrix585

Doesn't look like Weathertech is an exact fit. Here is their email response:

While our mats are not a custom fit we do offer over 40 sizes to accommodate most cars, light trucks and SUV's. Our W4 is the size that most closely matches the floor plan for the front seat of the 2003 Honda Pilot. While the mat DOES reach the bottom of the dead foot pedal it DOES NOT provide complete coverage. The mat dimensions for the left front mat for the W4 recommended for the Pilot are as follows:

9.5" across the top
19.5" across the bottom
20" from top to bottom on the left side
27.5" from top to bottom on the right side

If you would like to reply to this email with your address we can send you an illustration of the mats with the dimensions noted above.

ukkonen7

The MDX and the Pilot matts are the same with the same pin holders and holes in the back of the matts. Yes, the drivers side matt is designed very skimpy and I have moved the matt about 6 or 7 inches forward and halfway up the left foot rise. Up north here in Minnesota, with the snow and dirty slush, the matt is a joke. I am sure Honda is aware of this but just do not improve the coverage. Also I have searched some for other matts to fit with no success.

The solution I have been using is to take the matts out, almost daily, and put them on a bench in the garage to brush the crud off and spray with a bottle of -20 degree window wash. Finally I use old towels or rags to wipe them dry before replacing them. The temperatures in Minnesota have been below freezing for several days.

We have the 2004 Pilot EX-L with about 800 miles on it. Other than the drivers side matt the vehicle has been outstanding for our needs. Strangely enough the heated seats have been a welcomed surprise.

If someone from Honda is reading this site: Enough of this nonsense. Get someone to redesign these driver side matts!!!!!!

sbcooke

I have Husky liners in my other truck and on those messy winter days, the water just pools up in them. It saves a lot of mat/carpet damage by using the liners. It looks like getting something with a lip to catch dirt and/or water will be difficult by the shape of the floor.

torpman

Received my Husky Floor Liners this weekend and I am extremely pleased. For anyone worried about the dead pedal or snow and rain, I highly recommend them.

hartt

I leased a 2003 Pilot approximately 6 months ago and I am now facing the possibility of losing my job. In an effort to prepare for this unfortunate event, I advertised my vehicle on Swapalease.com to see if I could find someone to assume my lease. I have an interested party but when I called AHFS they told me they wouldn't allow it. They are telling me they will only allow it for a death in the family or if I was leaving the country. When I posted my vehicle I checked AHFS link and it said that there was a $50 application fee and a $50 transfer fee. Now it says that they are not allowing lease transfers at this time.
Has anyone out there had any success transferring your leased vehicle through AHFS? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

tidester

You might try the Lease Questions - Ask Here or Early Trade In of Leased Vehicle discussions.

Good luck!

tidester, host

hartt

I'll try posting there. Thank you.

markjenn

Since we don't know the model you're getting nor where you live to estimate what your sales tax is (which can vary from nothing to nearly 10%), it is impossible to say what kind of deal you're getting.

Best bet is to look up the invoice price here on Edmunds for exactly the car you're getting and find out how much "over invoice" you've been offered. Don't include any tax, title, or license fees charged by your state, but do include any weird "doc fees" or "prep fees" that dealers like to tack on.

If you give this group this "over invoice" number, you'll likely get good comments on whether others did better/worse.

- Mark

ccgegg

I have a deposit on a Pilot and was wondering if any of you have used your Pilot for a week-long vacation involving at least 3 adults and 2 children (both in carseats). My wife was a little concerned about space, but I'm thinking that we'd be able to at least have the larger part of the 3rd row seat folded flat. And since luggage can now stand up (as opposed to the trunks of our cars) we would be OK. I'm considering adding the cross bars to our luggage rack so we have more storage on top, but I'd rather not pay the extra $200 if we don't need it. Any experiences out there?

torpman

A lot depends on how lightly you pack. We have two young children and my wife packs everything but the kitchen sink. We fill up the entire cargo section with the 3rd row folded down. We also have a cargo carrier for the roof rack which sometimes we use and sometimes we don't need it. With the 2/3's section folded down, you would still have a pretty good amount of cargo space left.

The 2nd row is pretty wide. If the person is a small adult, another option is to have the person sit in between the two car seats. We have done this on occassion with my 16 year old niece in the middle. Granted this was only for a 1 hour car ride. I certainly would not want to be stuck between two fussy babies on a long car trip.

In regards to the cross bars, Handaaccessories.com and hondacuraworld.com have the cross bars for about $130. Several folks have commented that they were able to get their dealer to match the prices including installation. If not, H and A has installation instructions on their site. It does not look too difficult, but do a search to see some of the problems that people had performing the install.

Congrats on your new Pilot! It's a great car!

suavechavo

My sister has a 2003 EX and she is wondering if anyone can recommend a good dealer for service. She says that the service shes been getting in Fontana isn't that good and she got better service when she had her ECHO. So, if anyone could recommend a dealer, I would appreciate it greatly.

Thanks

zorglub

Does anybody know what the current Honda financing rates are on a 5 year loan, assuming AAA credit rating?

dako_tian

Honda Finance has a 3.9% 48-60 mos. special for Accords, but nothing listed on Pilots. I guess you'll have to apply to find out (or call a finance guy at your friendly, local Honda dealer and ask).... Good luck!

barshels

I got 3.94% from my so cal dealer on my pilot 2 weeks ago. Through Bank One. Honda was offering 4.1% at the time.

zorglub

Thanks for the numbers. This is helpful before going to the dealer.

stever

Long-Term Test: 2003 Honda Pilot EX

Steve, Host

qbrozen

anybody else catch the good comments on the brakes? interesting.

maybe the host can help me on this one: what is that almost $3K charge for body repair costs? I take it that was some sort of accident not talked about in the wrapup?

And why is the TMV so high when Edmunds own sale experience was $3K lower?? Could this maybe be attributed to the body damage?? It would be nice if something like that were addressed in the article. It would also be nice if, for instance, when something like the non-adjustable 2nd row was mentioned, Edmunds included something like, "(but Honda added an adjustable 2nd row in their '04 models to address this complaint)"

hairong

I pretty much agree with their assessment in the wrap up, except 1) their bitching about after-market DVD RES, something not related to the OEM Pilot; 2) Brian Moody's constant complain about Pilot's ride and handling. I think the other tester Erin summed it up perfectly, "If you resign yourself to the fact that you're driving a family vehicle intended for five or more people and their cargo, the Honda does not disappoint."

All in all, I think Pilot is an almost perfect midsize FAMILY SUV, for people who don't want to drive a minivan. It shines on the Utility side, but is a bit low on the Sport side. However, the first year ('03) pilots do have some design/build quality issues that's uncharacteristic for a Honda. My Pilot has a lot of the common (all minor) problems.

stever

Someone had a little run in with a flower planter:

February 2003 report

I do wonder if the editorial staff walked down the hall and talked to the TMV data people about the eBay price :-) Feel free to contact them and ask.

Steve, Host

qbrozen

appreciate the response and explanation.

repaired damage will definitely affect the resale. Just a matter of whether or not it was disclosed to the buyer.

stever

I dug through the completed eBay Motors Pilot auctions and didn't see any sales from Southern California, but I guess that history only goes back 15 days. Beats me what the auction disclosed.

I think the other lesson is that most accessories and options don't hold value very well.

Steve, Host

ca_crv_owner

I have had excellent service done at Norm Reeves Honda. I have purchased a 2002 CRV and a 2004 Pilot...... Norm Reeves will go out of their way to do a super job! Good Luck.

qbrozen

most accessories and options don't hold value very well

that is very true!
Anything aftermarket, especially. Sometimes it can even hurt the value of the vehicle.

heck, we put a moonroof in our Pilot. I fear that it probably hurt the value, but the wife insisted on it and its her vehicle after all. i just hope she still loves it 6 years from now.

ccgegg

My Pilot is only days away from arrival. :-)
Simple question: Do the steering wheel controls light up at night on the EX? I thought they did, but I looked at so many vehicles that I don't recall.

reichowjr

They do not light up on my 2003. It is something that should be addressed if it has not thus far. Enjoy your new Pilot.

dski

I've been away from here for sometime but glad to see complaints about the Drivers Side Foot well design. It was obvious to me during the purchase that i'd be unhappy with the HORRIBLE design that would make a mess of the carpet where a legitimate Dead Pedal should be.

Shame on Honda for such an oversight on this detail! I use a cheap clear plastic floor mat from AutoZone and place over the area and under the Honda Rubber Mats i also purchased for protection.

If anyone wants to see a great Dead Pedal design, check out the left foot rest in a Mitsu Montero.. the full size version. That's how it should be done!

Get to work Honda and fix this embarrasing flaw!

Drew

ccgegg

After searching and reading about the driver side floormat issue, which are the best to get?.....
Husky?
All-weather ones thru Honda/handaaccessories.com?
Other?

How well do the Husky ones fit & best place to purchase?

sbcooke

I am looking for my MDX. The more expensive husky liners look like they may actually go up under the pedals, where the stock ones don't. I have Huskies for my other truck and love them, but I am afraid the way the MDX (and Pilot) footwell space is, it will be difficult to find anything that will stop snow and other stuff from wrecking the carpet.

dski

It doesnt really matter.. the problem is that none of them cover the spot where your left foot will naturally rest. Also because of the contour of the Floor.. the same holds true for under the Accelerator pedal. It's just a plain stupid design. UGH

Drew

torpman

I bought the Huskys and they seem to do a great job protecting the dead pedal area. If I knew how to post pictures, I would take some of our Pilot. Unfortunately I am mentally challenged in that area. Here is a decent example of the coverage that the Husky provides. It is from the Husky site and a picture of a Expedition, but the coverage looks pretty much the same as on my Pilot:

<http://www.huskyliners.com/expedit.html>

I bought front and middle row liners from www. autoanything.com. Very good service. I think there might be a coupon code for 10% discount somewhere. I will try to find it and post it here.

torpman

Here is the %10 off coupon code for Autoanything: 10P75AFF

Its good for purchases of $75 or more.

tcasboy

The radio and cruise controls on the steering wheel are designed to be used by feel, not by sight. The idea is for you to be able to use them without taking your eye off the road to look for the controls. If you need to look for the control, you might as well use the knob on the dash. The fact that they are not lit is not a problem, since they are very intuitive to use by feel. I think that they are not lit on purpose, because you shouldn't need to see them to use them. IMHO only.

educ8r22

I'm looking into purchasing an '04 Pilot with the tow package. We'll be pulling a 10' pop-up camper. Does anyone here use their Pilot for towing? Any problems? Thanks for anything you can share!