Honda Pilot Maintenance and Repair

sunil_bond

Hi Guys,

When I start my pilot, put it in drive and press the accelerator I hear a grating metalic sound from the left front side of the vehicle. The sound only lasts about a second and I never hear it again. Have any of you experienced it? Mine is a 2005 Pilot EX-L. Also when I am backing out and step on the brake I hear a thump from the back of the vehicle.

Any tips, pointers will be highly appreciated.

Thx.

sportymonk

If the sounds only occurs once after starting and occurs at about 5 - 15 miles per hour, then it is most likely the ABS system doing a self check. This happens on all of my cars and needs to b e addressed by dealers better as it appears to be a common question among many owners.

As to the thump sounds when backing up I am not sure but I believe this has been a common issue with Pilots. Not a safety issue, more of an annoyance issue. Like the gas tank noise some experience.

Wow, look at the new icons at the bottom. :shades:

sportymonk

This morning's Click an d Clack in the automotive section discussed oil change intervals. Seems like in Europe (Germany was discussed) they change oil about once a year. Answer basically was that they drive fewer miles per year ( 10K vs 12K+ ) and they use synthetics which last 10K miles. They also have a higher concern for the environment. The cost of synthetics pushes their price to about twice what we pay though. Click and Clack said at the end that even though manufacturers recommend 7500 miles, they always recommended 5000, BUT in light of the advances in oil and the environment they would consider changing to recommending 7500 miles on regular oil.

Does anybody have any comments on using synthetic oil? Know there are issues on the Mazda rotary engine but that is different.

wayoutthere

When driving my 2003 Pilot a loud clacking noise comes from the tailgate area. The noise sounds like something is banging on plastic. I've taken it back to the dealer a few times and they say they can't find it. Has anyone else had or heard of this problem?

qbrozen

sounds like maybe the latch needs adjusting?

wayoutthere

I thank you for your input, it drives me crazy on long drives.

bajabill1

Does the Pilot have a feature where the doors automatically lock when the car reaches a minimum speed, and then automatically unlocks when the car is turned off. I cant find any mention of this in the manual. The only automatic unlocking I noticed is when the front door is opened and the key is still in the ignition.

mtbdad

Does anyone have a remote that doesn't lock the doors on occasion? My remote on rare occasions doesn't lock the doors. If I push the lock button, nothing. The unlock button works all the time. If I start the car, then shut the engine off, it locks again. It happens with both remotes so I know it isn't the battery or the remote.
Of course if I bring it in to the dealer, murphy's law applies and it will work impeccably.

bubba10

anyone with crossbars for roof rack notice wind noise at 45 mph. Different from road noise from tires. Am tempted to take the front crossbar off to see if goes away but brand new car - not anzious to mess with.
thx

zis4me

this is more of a tapping noise. Loudest on left front over multiple small bumps like 'washboard' roads or gravel roads with uneven surface. 2 dealers say it is normal and refuse to investigate further. looking for anyone with a similar complaint to compare info with. yours sounds different, though.

sportymonk

Try reversing the crossbar. Some have experienced noise when it is installed backwards.

junglejim

"We bought a Honda because of their reputation!! "

Transmissions have always been Honda's weak point. Honda does not have a good reputation regarding transmissions.

junglejim

I bought a 05 Pilot EXL this past weekend and have noticed a weird wind noise from driver’s window: it is like a small piece of paper stuck in the top of the window making a flapping sound. It is not constant, but quite frequently sort of like a flag on a windy day. This happens both on freeway and local roads and is quite noticeable. I heard the same noise from both Pilots I test drove.

Any experience? Opinions?

This is the famous "window scrunch" problem. It is caused by the door seal pulling away and returning when the body flexes. Most people seem to notice it more on the highway.

Honda had a TSB to replace the door seals. Most owners ended up with the same noise with the new seals. Some dealers temporarily fix it by lubricating the seals, but the noise always returns.

Some owners have added weather stripping to cause a tighter seal.

The only fix that I've heard that works long term is taking a TSB for the gen 1 CRV and applying it to the Pilot. Role down the window. With the door open, place your knee against the center of the inside of the door, then pull on the top of the window frame. This will slightly bend the window frame, resulting a tighter fit for the door seal, thus eliminating the noise.

Good luck!

bubba10

what a coincidence! I took off the crossbar when I noticed it was installed backwards (if I am to believe the decal). I noticed it is similar to an airplanes wing - one end is fat, the other is thin. It was mounted with he thin edge in front - perhaps contributing to the noise??

am going to check it out today on the road without the front crossbar.

thx
bubba10

sportymonk

My question is why is it so sporadic, affecting some and others don't have the slightest problem? :confuse:

arlow

I have a 2003 honda pilot with 62,000 miles, bought it new and had all scheduled maintenance and oil changes. At about 50,000 miles I noticed a slight vibration at 50mph, only when I was just maintaning speed, it went away over 50 and under 50. It felt like an out of balance tire. As time went by the vibration got a little worse. I had the tires rotated and balanced with no effect. At 55,000 miles I noticed the vibration at 30mph through 55mph, but only when trying to maintain a constant speed. At this point I took it to the dealer. The mechanic was sure that it was a "egr (?)"valve. He replaced it but it did not solve the problem so he took it out. He assured me it was not the transmission, but probably my injectors. When he ran diagnostics they were with in tolerances, but at the high end. He told me to keep driving it until a trouble light came on. I just took it in for the 60,000 check up, it has the same problem but its worse now and the injectors are showing the same numbers. The mechanic again said to keep driving it.

I'm starting to get concerned, any suggestions?
thanks, arlowe

bubba10

took crossbar off as mentioned in prior post. Problem solved. Tomorrow will ut back the right way.

Incredible that so much attention to detail goes into these cars yet the dealer who puts on the crossbars cannpt match that QI.

thx
bob

user777

i don't know if this will help, but someone posted a Honda Pilot or perhaps it was an Accura MDX service bulletin (i apologize, i can't remember exactly which) about strut / strut-tower interface welds. other people have asked about this on ODYs as well if I recall correctly, and if you search this forum for "strut" you'll see others have delt with this.

anecdotally, my '03 ODY front passenger-side had a tapping sound when going over very small bumps. the shop foreman took a little drive and identified it right away. i think the they dismounted the strut, deburred some weld points, applied some grease and re-assembled, and the vehicle has been quiet for the past 22K miles.

pilot seeker

yet another tow question....but I've yet to get a DEFINITIVE answer anywhere (to include the 'Honda people')..so here goes; the tow harness has a 4 prong flat connector...I just purchased a boat and trailer...the trailer has a 5 prong flat connector (the extra wire is 'blue' and needs to be connected to the brake lights in order to turn off the brake actuator so the disc/surge brakes won't engage when 'backing up'.........I looked online at the installation instructions for the wire harness..it shows the 'other end' of the harness to be a '6 prong connector'(?)...my question; what is the BEST and easiest way to 'add' the blue wire....can I obtain a 6 prong harness (or even a 7 prong with an adapter?..again, even Honda gave me the runaround...no one could give me a definitive answer...I don't want to (or at least would prefer not too) hack or splice into my brakes lights in order to add the 5th wire......I'd appreciate any input......(I even called U-Haul, and the 'trailer hitch' mechanic was unsure...said he'd have to 'look at it'1)

mtbdad

I am getting a loud metallic rattle when I hit a pot hole coming from the rear. If I have the window up, I can't hear it, but with it down, it is quite apparent. Anyone have that sound and was it ever addressed by the dealer?

ayalakay

Hi all - you may remember my first desperate post about my 13 MPG... reporting back now - first tank after doing the idle learn procedure was ruined by a 2 1/2 hour (14 mile!) commute during a NJ ice storm. (I got 12.5 MPG on that one.) Next was 12.9, then 13, then 14.4 and now up to 14.9! I believe it also makes a difference when leadfoot hubby doesn't drive it on weekends....coming up on 1,000 miles so I anticipate more improvement based on all your comments... thanks to everyone for the input! :shades:

patricemq

Hi, I had the same problem with the wind noise. I brought it back to honda and they told me the cross bars were put on wrong. They fixed it for me. What a difference there is no more wind noise.

jeshar1

I hoping I am not the only one with this problem. I just purchased 05 Pilot and I was impressed while driving. We had the tow package added on 3 weeks after we purchased the vehicle. We were waiting for our wood grain to come in to handle all of the dealer options at once. We got the Pilot back today and we hear a whining noise when the car is in idle and while I'm accelerating. We also had the crossbars, wind deflector, fog lights and moonroof deflector. Any ideas...

meyervilla

Tom -

In retrospect the seats in our '02 GMC Envoy were much more comfortable than the Pilot. Before it fell apart at 30,000 miles we drove the Envoy all over the country and never got stiff. Not so for the Pilot. A contributing factor could be that the Pilot suspension is stiffer than the Envoy. There's no comparison in handling between the Pilot and the Envoy; the Pilot handles much better. However a stiff back is the price we pay for the better handling. Perhaps we need a vehicle with a very soft suspension. I'd really like to dump the pilot but I haven't found anything as reliable. I'm scared to go back to GM. The mileage on SUVs like the Yukon is abysmal. So we continue to put up with the Pilot until something better comes along. Hope this helps.

las

Just placed an order for a Pilot EX-L RES and expect it in the next few days. Any problems that we should be expecting in the short term & long term?

moabcat

The battery went dead on our 1994 Pilot. When we replaced it, the stereo did not work and apparently needs to be reset. Anyone know how to do this?

ckshubin

When you bought your car, in all your manuals and paperwork you should find a radio reset code - mine was on a credit card size piece of paper. Dig through your manual and see if you can find it. If not, you might have to call in your vin # to get the radio reset code.

qbrozen

The only 1994 Honda Pilot I know of doesn't have a stereo. Do you mean 2004??

bud_foxx44

My Check Engine and VTM light went on just today and truck felt very sluggish, is my transmission done?

donben

I have a month-old '05 Pilot EX-L and notice ruffling/flapping noises (there is no good description) from different positions within the passenger compartment. I have secured all the 2nd row seat belts with some success. It appears that the seat belts flap around hitting the sides of the seats or the interior.

Has anyone noticed this. It doesn't strike me that it is coming from the windows.

rotorhead2

I have a similiar problem with a 2003 Pilot. I think it's transmission, torque converter or related electronic gizmo like a speed sensor. With mine if you accelerate slowly up to about 49-50 mph, immediately after the trans shifts into 4th gear the vibration starts. And as with your problem it continues at various speeds, but only at a steady speed. If you accelerate or decelerate slightly it stops. It is most noticable at speeds from 45 to 55 give or take a few mph. I too went through tthe same tire runaround with no positive results. I say possible transmission because it seems to be related to operation in 4th gear. I drove mine in D3 thus not allowing the trans. to shift to 4th and it was smooth with no vibration at the problem speeds. Mines in the shop as we speak, so we'll see! As you probably know, there is a recall on this model due to a problem with 2nd gear. Please let me know if you have discovered the problem. If it is the trans. and we both have the same problem, we may have a good claim against Honda. I know aof another person who had a similiar problem with a Honda mini van and Honda covered 100% of trans replacement.

Thanks
rotorhead2

sybhol

Can you tell me more specifically how to tell if the cross bars are mounted backwards? I don't see a decal, and I'm not sure whether you're talking about the edges or the top of the crossbars when you mention one end's being fat and the other thin. Any more info you can provide is much appreciated! Did it help with the wind noise?

sunil_bond

The VTM light on my 05 PILOT comes on but goes away after I stop the truck, switch off the engine and switch it back on. I have scheduled a service call, will keep you updated.

qbrozen

I never looked at mine, but I believe what he is saying is that each crossbar is shaped like an airplane wing. The sides facing the rear of the vehicle would be thinner than those facing the front. Not sure how else to instill a mental picture ... maybe if you've seen the professional bikers helmets? (like Lance Armstrong wears?) You'll see they taper off to almost a point behind their heads.

jay_24

If they are like my subaru the difference in thickness is small, and you need to look close.
If they are installed correctly here are some things some of the guys in the subaru boards have done. Some older subies had the issue with noisy cross bars because the wind made them vibrate at certain speeds.

- remove them (maybe a short term solution to see if thats where the noise really is, unless you don't use the rack).
- move the front cross bar forward or back to change how the wind hits it.
- wrap a black rope or maybe electrical wire (single black wire) around it. I imagine about 6 or 7 times around as you go across (looks like a barber shop pole). This helps disrupt the air flow a bit.

--jay

mond

I spotted the vibration soon after I picked up the Pilot. The low life service people said they couldn't drive it beyond the NY speed limit. I offered to drive it and then have them put their hand on the wheel at 70 ... they refused. So I explained to them that states out west have speed limits beyond 70 mph and unless they would put in writing that the Pilot can't be driven over 70 and therefore can't sell it in those states they better fix the problem. A tire rotation solved the problem for a few thousand miles. My guess is if you forget about the scum at Honda selling the Pilot and take it to someone that really knows how to balance tires, the problem will go away.

rodut

That's typical Honda service. They have no clue how to fix them, that's why they don't want to drive yours faster than 70 mph. If they would put in writing that your Pilot can't be driven faster than 70 mph, who would buy a Pilot ?!

Your guess could be very wrong. Vibrations can be caused by lots of problems, not limited to tires. You better go back to Honda a couple of times, and if they can't solve it you can use the Lemon law to get your money back. It seems it's a simple process.

normkol

I just installed my crossbars this past Sunday. There is a black vinyl trim on both front and rear edges of the crossbar. The thinner trim faces forward, the thicker trim is at the back of the bar.

What I couldn't find were the marks showing where to line up the crossbars on the rails. I just put them where they looked good, it shouldn't be critical.

qbrozen

so thinner edge is towards the front? Hmmm... well, i guess that throws all my examples of other aerodynamic items out the window. Go figure.

lomares

Bought an 05 Pilot in Janurary. We noticed a couple weeks later that the rear passenger side tire was low - the indicator light did its job. But ever since then, the tire would slowly lose its pressure and the light would turn on. I've been too lazy to go to the dealer to have the tire looked at - I just keep filling it back up with air. One time, I noticed the tire was low on air, but the "tire indicator" light didn't turn on, only the Tire Pressure "system" light - It knew there was a problem, but it didn't know which tire.)

Is there such a case where a "slow leak" would not be picked up by the tire pressure sensor? (I know it seems dumb, cuz the sensor would only check the pressure once the key is in the ignition. But, I did try turning the car on and off several times to get the sensor/light to go on- no success.)

It hasn't happend since, so I figured it was a glitch. Also, I thought that maybe if I gave it more time, 10 or 15 minutes, it would have eventually figured out which tire was low. (This seems like a stretch, since the other times the corresponding indicator lights came on as soon as the "key-in-the-ignition" cycle was completed - just before the engine cranks....)

Anyway, anyone else experience anything similar? :confuse:

dnebergall

I have had my 2005 Pilot EX-L about a month. It is smooth, quiet, responsive, comfortable, and spacious. My only complaint is with the keyless remote. I find that I have to stand within about 3 feet of the vehicle before the remote will unlock the door(s). Also, it seems like the remote won't work if you are standing directly in front of or in back of the Pilot. With my wife's 2004 Camry, the remote works from 20 to 30 feet away and from any angle of approach. Is anyone else having a problem with their Pilot keyless remote?

amiret

Our '05 EX-L remote works approx 80'max to 45'min depending which side/end you are facing. ---- Our low fuel warning light came on ONE block from station. Put in 22 gal in 20.4 gal tank (Honda manual). Have put in 19.5 gal with no warning light. Gas mileage since Jan has been 13.5 to 16.5 here in MPLS. Took trip yesterday of 180 mile at 55 mph and slight tail wind and averaged 24.5 mpg. All mileage computed with FULL tank. Only filled to top when was driving at leat 25 miles after fill.

arlow

I had my dealer look at it again and they still think its the injectors, i'm waiting until the readings are out of limit parameters before replacing them, (now they are at the high end). thats what my dealer suggests. if you find anything out please let me know.
P.S. I don't know anything about a recall for 2cnd gear. what is that about?

thanks arlow

dski

I'm visiting here for the first time.... Only read the most recent page of posts.

On the wind noise and Cross bar comments i have a thought. I remember last year when my Pilot was in for service, Enterprise gave me a Trailblazer loaner. It had a Horrible wind noise so I moved the cross bars to a different location. The wind noise went away. No cross bars on my Pilot so that's all I can offer up here.

Just a thought... if memory serves me, both the cross bars were located towards the back and next to each other.

Drew

dski

My two year old Pilot has had an occassional Flapping noise or knocking noise during certain wind and cross wind conditions at highway speeds... Including turbulent conditions when following behind a Semi.

It sounds like a knocking somewhere under the vehicle or like someone is knocking on the side of the vehicle.

Anyone experience this or have any suggestions. It never happens when I'm close to a dealer visit so I always forget to mention it.

Thanks
Drew

pilot seeker

I've asked this question here before....but will now try to simplify it......to tow a boat, I need a 5 prong flat (extra wire is for the backup lights to not allow the surge brakes on the trailer to engage when I back up) WHERE EXACTLY do I attach the 5th wire? (I have a 4 prong to 5 prong flat adapter I need to intall..it has the extra, or 5th wire)....do I need to tap into my back up light with one of those 'blue Scotch 3M' connectors, or is there a 'place' on the factory wire harness to connect the 5th wire?...I know there are many 'towing threads' on this site....but couldn't find one that answered this question....my thinking is that there must be a 'place' on the factory harness to attach it....what color is the backup wire?..thanx, in advance..

ckshubin

Thought i'd update everyone on my door locking saga. It is, for now, fixed. The door lock hasn't acted possessed and is behaving properly. Sadly it took 6 times and over 25 days and a contact with a lemon law lawyer to get it fixed. However, I was treated very well the whole time by Honda and, much to my happiness, they are footing the bill for a trailer hitch (not the tow package - the hitch only) and the installation for all my trouble. I originally asked for the tow package and they offered me a good deal on one (parts at warranty price and they'd pay for the labor), however it was still more than we wanted to pay and I only want it for a bike hitch anyhow so I don't need the tow package. After she heard that she said she'd just toss the hitch and installation in for me and they'd pick up the tab on it. So, even though I did have this problem, which was more of an annoyance, I LOVE my Pilot and would not trade it in. I have no other problems that i've seen here (vibration, keyless remote, wind noise etc) and am VERY happy with Honda Motor overall.

ldnsocali

My pilot was having the same problem. I took it in and they replaced the EGR valve.

Peace

marq1

Did you ever come up with a decent solution to your starting issues???

I have just brought in my '05 Pilot (11K miles) for the third time exclusively for intermittent starting problems. (We mention the problem at every oil change). My car sometimes cranks and doesn't turn over and sometimes turns over but immediately stalls. The last time the car was surrounded by thick black smoke and I just got the kids out and gave up on going out that day. The dealer still has it now and I had been trying to follow their insane rituals of turning it on to battery first to make sure that the car recognized the key and there was no blinking key symbol before then trying to turn it over. They want me to make sure now that I don't have anything metal on my keychain - like other keys!!! The maint. mgr. says they can't find anything wrong and they want me to accept that.

This happens two or three times a month - not only from a cold start but also after having turned over beautifully first thing in the morning then coming out of work to the parking garage after the day's warmed up only to wonder if I'll ever get out of there.... or if I will be pushing the thing off the third floor of the garage to a tow truck awaiting below (didn't actually have to do that - just a bad image that ran through my mind by the sixth try).

Did you get a resolution or do you live with it?? Has anyone else experienced these startup problems that were so common in the '02 - '04 that I have in the '05? Please let me know!

scheller

I am looking at buying a used Pilot EX. I need to tow a 2700 pound boat and trailer. Do I need to get the installed tow package with the transmission and ps coolers? Is the rating for the pilot 3500 lb towing as standard and UP TO 4500 pound with the additional coolers added? I cant seem to get a straight answer from anyone one this? Is anyone towing under 3500 pounds with the standard Pilot? Thanks