Honda Pilot Maintenance and Repair

qbrozen

we've always gotten between 19-21. I think that's great when you compare to similar vehicles. We've been very happy these past couple of years.

gullwing

Check your tire pressure. Low tire pressure will reduce your gas mileage. I keep the tires in my 2004 Pilot at 34 psi and I get 21mpg in the city and 25-26 mpg on the highway. The higher the pressure, the better the gas mileage. However, the tradeoff in higher pressure is a harsher ride as the pressure goes up.

Accelerating at a slow rate, compared to fast, jackrabbit starts, will also improve your gas mileage. When you start out in the winter time, drive slow if possible, until the engine warms up. Gas consumption is higher in a cold engine.

Another variable might be low quality gas. If so, try using a bottle of Techron to clean out your fuel injectors and the carbon deposits on your valves.

Also check your engine's air cleaner. Replace it if it looks terribly dirty or your maintenance schedule calls for it.

Good luck.

qbrozen

However, the tradeoff in higher pressure is a harsher ride as the pressure goes up.

Well, that AND, if you go too high, you will get premature and uneven wear on your tires.

rsmock21

I asked this question when I bought my '05 Pilot in May. The dealership recommended keeping below 60 mph for the first 1000 miles. I had a hard time doing this, since I commute to work on interstates, but I kept it close. I also asked about the initial oil change, since there indeed seems to be a debate over that. The salesman said to definitely change the oil the first time at the normal interval, which they set at the 3750/3-month mile point. At least the current Pilot doesn't have the break-in oil.

fred25

Does anyone know where the manual crank to close the moonroof is located in the event the roof malfunctions. Plus what is the tool use to manually close the moonroof? Is this supplied in the vehicle?

Thank you.

Fred

rossignols

Is it possible to shuffle all six CD's together? I have a 2005 EX-L and have not been able to figure it out. The manual refers to separate instructions for the changer, but do not see them anywhere. If anyone knows how to do this (or if it is even possible for that matter) would greatly appreciate a response.

jwcosta

Hi all. I bought a new 2005 Pilot EX-L with RES last week. Everything was fine until we took it on its first long road trip (3.5 hour trip to NY). Midway throught the trip the ABS, VSA and VTM-4 indicator lights kept coming on. We pulled over and called our Honda dealer, who assured us that the car was still driveable, but asked us to bring it in. It happened on and off for the remainder of the trip. Any advice from anyone who had a similar problem? I'm just trying to avoid getting the run-around on this issue. I'd appreciate it if you would email me directly your replies in addition to posting them here. My email is: jwcosta@comcast.net. Thanks!

jwcosta

p.s. the dealer says that it's a defective left wheel sensor that needs to be replaced. The part is being ordered and should be in by the end of the week. We'll see if this does it......Anyone else have a similar problem?

pagla

Interesting ... I think the forst OIL change is 7.5K ... that's what I heard from my HONDA dealer !
Keeping this animal below 60 is impossible in California Freeways ... I am keeping it around 65 and getting stares from everybody around. HONDA manual actually says 600 miles not 1000

pagla

I think you can use the warranty and get a good discount on another Bridgstone tire in that case. I have seen another friend of mile (who bought a Highlander and his Tire gave away in less than 6 months) ... and he bought new set of tires in a prorated discounted price.
Problem is ... u will get a Bridgstone again then which u may not like

leot

6 CD would go into CD player under driver's seat. You need to use spceal CD holder for that. You can switch between in-dash CD player and under the seat playr using a button on a dashboard.

rsharp

I switched to Kelly tires and they are wearing fine. I am now at 31,000 miles. I might have been able to fight it but then I would have the crappy Bridgestones again so what would I really gain?

llaskin

I have a 2004 Pilot which I purchased in September, 2003. I started noticing vibration problems at highway speeds in the steering and floor at about 7000 miles. I took it to the dealer 9 times for the same issue. The 9th time, Honda finally had a district rep drive my vehicle. He swapped the tires and rims from a brand new Pilot. We then took it for another test drive and did not notice any difference. It was obviously not the tires or rims. They spoke to engineers at Honda and kept my car for weeks. I still have some vibration problems. They said they re-torqued the suspension and it was mostly better. Honda kept telling me that there are no vibration problems with the Pilot. If you look at www.honda-pilot.org and look at the section titled problems, you will see about 100 pages of people with this same issue. I have had many, many other problems besides this. I love the way the Pilot drives, but Honda has HORRIBLE customer service. I wish you and the rest of the people with this vibration problem a lot of luck!

llaskin

I meant to say, OTHER THAN THE VIBRATION ISSUE, I love the way the Pilot drives.

carbuyer89

Hello everyone,

I just got a 2005 Pilot EXL less than two weeks ago (in lake county, IL) and I have noticed that I get a frequent, but intermittant, static on the radio. It seems to come strongest on the NPR frequency - which is what I listen to everyday on way to work and therefore is quite irrititating.

For a bit I thought maybe it was incidental to the area I was driving in but over the last two weeks I have traveled in at least a 50 mile radius and I still hear it. My other car which also has an intenna in the body of the car itself doesn't get it.

I asked the dealer and he said to monitor it a bit b/c he couldn't "replicate" it in the shop.

I had an auto-day/night mirror installed when i bought the car - i wonder whether in that installation they didn't properly shield the electrical cables that run from the mirror ... or is it something else?

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks

mbtran

Folks,

I just bought an used 04 Pilot at Carmax and had brought it back 4 times to correct the steering vibration problem at hi-way+ speed (around 75-80). The 03 that I test drove before that also vibrated at that speed. I thought that this would be some sort of design flaw, and it may be easily corrected with alignment and balancing. Well ! I was wrong ! Carmax put on the front new tires, balanced, aligned and could not take care but about 40% of the vibration problem.

Are there more of you out there experiencing the same type of problem ? Any new solution on this subject ? Thanks

exalteddragon1

Is the Pilot as good or better than the GMC envoy, or is there another car to compare it with, in terms of quality issues, thanks.

qbrozen

Have you driven both?

we droth them back to back and there was NO comparison! After an extensive drive in the Envoy/Trailblazer, it took a mere 30 seconds from the back of the dealer's lot to the front to realize that the Pilot was far nicer for our money.

ftshin38

I plan to top-up/replace the power steering fluid of my 2000 Honda Accord. I don't know what type of fulid to buy. Even Haynes Repair manual indicates "Honda power steering fluid or equivalent." But what is the equivalent. I would appreciate anybody other there telling me what type should I buy.
Felix

exalteddragon1

one did you drive, the envoy or the trailblazer? becasue the envoy is supposed to have a quiter ride?

but are there any vehicles to compete?

mbtran

"llaskin",

Would you please giving me the "direct link" so that I could go directly to the "Problems Section" ? I had hard time to manuever around that site but still could not get to the right place. Thanks a lot !

qbrozen

We drove the trailblazer right before the Pilot, but I have driven the Envoy before, too.

I did think the Envoy was nicer, but its more than just noise suppression. The Pilot has a much better feel for the driver, steering is tighter, handling is superior, etc. You really do sometimes forget you are in an SUV when you are in the Pilot on an empty road (i say empty because the only time i feel like its a big vehicle is when there are other cars around).

Vehicles that compete? Well, the trailblazer/envoy is a competitor ... just not a very good one, IMHO. My story would be different if i needed to tow something, though, I'm sure. The toureag (sp?) is too expensive from what I remember (and i don't believe it was out yet when we bought our Pilot, anyway). Highlander seems quite a bit smaller, same with the Pacifica (not to mention only seating 6). Just about everything else seems too big. Am I forgetting anything?

I mean, to seat at LEAST 7, have this much cargo space, drive like a car, have (what is it now?) ~250hp, and get ~20mpg .... I don't see a real competitor. But maybe I'm being biased or I'm leaving someone out. Anyone else think of something that does all this?

Oh.... just realized we are on the problems thread ... so probably not the place to have posted all this ... but oh well. Maybe move to the general Honda Pilot board if you have any other questions. i subscribe to them all, so i'll see it.

Mr_Shiftright

The general Honda Pilot forum is here:

Honda Pilot Forum

Host

normkol

I don't think anyone has established what equivalent would be. I also have a 2000 Accord and keep a bottle of OEM Honda fluid for topping off.

gores95

I just bought an '03 Pilot with 22K miles from a private seller. Car needed brakes and an alignment which I was able to leverage to negotiate the price down. One day after purchasing it I brought the car to my personal mechanic (who is a family friend and trusted) who repaired the brakes/alignment but then mentioned to me he couldn't open the rear hatch. I had the hatch opened numerous times with no issues so I am perplexed why a couple of days later it doesn't work. I can hear the lock unlocking when I hit the fob or unlock the door but it won't open. Using the key doesn't work either.

Any suggestions? I checked the manual thinking it was possibly a safety lock but no such luck. Has anyone had issues with not being able to pop open the rear hatch?

Thanks,

Marc

castore357

I purchased my pilot new in 2004.My concern is: When I am stopped on a steep incline,say facing down, and I put my Pilot in reverse and let my foot of the brake, the car will roll forward all the way down the incline, in reverse, unless I accelerate.It will also do this if I am facing up and the car is in drive, it will roll backwards.The dealer tells me it's normal because of the torque converter.Is this true? Does this happen with all Pilots or any other vehicles?

kiwi2

I have a 2003 Honda Pilot with 64,000 miles-has just had its 60,000 maintenance check. Have noticed the following- I brake, then when I take my foot off the brake to make a slow turn left such as going round a curve or turning into a parking space there is a groaning noise-sounds like metal on metal. Only happens when turning slowly, not on the open road. Doesn't happen when making right hand turns. Any clues as to what this is before I contact the dealership to have it looked at.

jwcosta

'05 Pilot update: The left front wheel sensor was replaced. Hopefully, we won't be seeing anymore of these indicator lights. Also, we noticed that the rear left axle was making creeking noises when going over bumps at low speeds. The dealer had to replace the upper and lower spring pads/struts to correct this problem. This is disappointing for a brand new car with less than 1000 miles on it. I hope I don't have any other prolems!

wkroberts

I have a 7 month old 05 pilot with 20K miles. The hesitation issue has been an ongoing problem starting at about 5K and it just came back from Honda for the 4th time with no answer other than it must be the way that I drive. However, other people in my office drive the car and come back to me with the same complaint. Honda indicates that problem is not common and as they cannot duplicate the problem it is a characteristic of the vehicle. The local dealer referred me to Honda but not before expanding on other “characteristics” of the Pilot that I have complained about, these include:

A shaking in the front end that occurs over 65. As 65 is the posted speed limit for the majority of this area, the local Honda dealer does not feel compelled to address the issue.

The sloshing noise in the gas tank when it’s full. Honda knows about the issue, but as it only occurs when the tank is full, they don’t see it as a problem, just a characteristic.

The brakes make a terrible noise when the ABS kicks in and the front wheels tend to lock-up in a panic stop. This is partially due to the location of the ABS unit and “glazing” of the rotors. The response from Honda is that while this might occur on the initial panic stop, the problem goes away after the second or third time. So as I understand it, it takes a couple of panic stops before the breaks work properly.

Apparently, the Pilot has a lot of character that was not spelled out in the sales brochure.

Before you buy a Pilot, understand that it has a lot of “characteristic” not addressed by Honda. Its main characteristic is it’s ability to make me want to get rid of the car and buy something else. :confuse:

jim70

I believe that there was a typo in llaskins post. The correct site for 27 pages of Vibration comments is www.hondapilot.org (not honda-pilot.org) Then just go to forums and problems it is easy to find. I am comparing the Highlander and Pilot and seems they both have customers who have issues.

qbrozen

yes, this is true, it is normal, and many different cars will experience this same thing if they are heavy enough, the idle is low enough, etc.

sportymonk

The Vibration problem is not on all Pilots but nobody has been able to define which type has it and which don't. It appears from recent posts on the infamous now 28 page thread, that the problem seems to be other than the wheels or tires. I may be in the rotors not being balanced. No firm answers yet.

madrid2k

Hi,

I just picked up my 2005 Pilot EXL-RES last week.

I'm VERY happy with the Pilot and everything seems to be okay. However, in the middle of a 2-hour highway drive, my wife noticed that the passenger side of the centre console was warm to the touch.

Have any other Pilot owners experienced this? Does this have anything to do with the rear hvac blower/motor? The A/C was running for most of the ride, albeit on a low fan setting.

:confuse:

sharpster68

Typically across the board rear brakes last longer than front brakes due to the fact that the front brakes provide approximately 60 to 70 percent of the stopping power on most vehicles.

sharpster68

just boought a 2005 EX with the 3.5 VTEC Engiine has about 2300 miles drove it to vancouver wa from oak harbor wa about 4.5 hour trip ours got 19.5 MPG on 87 octane regular unleaded

lc9

I suspect your rear differential fluid is low. The same thing happened after my Honda was serviced; the tech forgot to tighten the filler and fluid leaked out.

Bring your Pilot to the dealer immediately, otherwise you might damage the differential.

tom3

Hi
Did any body experience a growing loud sound from right side Wheel when You drive at 40 Miles and higher with Your right side window pane down.
I don't hear anything when I rollup my right window and roll down my left window pane just ot verify if same is true for the left side too.

The sound increases with more speed and gradually subsides with lower speed.It's terrible grumbling sound.
I would appreciate if any body has any idea or is it a common characteristic of 2005 Pilot.Oh I forgot to mention it is 2005 model with only 3,800 miles on it.

Thanks
Tom

plasticlizard

Extended warranties are never a good deal....never.

It's better to take the $1500 bucks you would spend and put it in an IRA for the period of the warrenttee. Then when the factory warrentee runs out, you can self-insure any further costs.

There is a reason dealers are dying to sell these to you.

qbrozen

Never??
never say never.

tell my father and his 2 blown transmissions on his Isuzu that the extended warranty wasn't a good idea. Or the warranty on his Blazer when it blew its engine at 95K miles out of the 100k mile warranty. In both of those cases, the repairs would have been WAY more than the warranties.

I'm not saying its a guaranteed investment, by any means. But you might want to say "its not a good gamble," because, as you can see, it very well can sometimes be a good deal.

And, yes, of course there is a reason dealers want to sell them ... they get paid a commission for the sale of the warranty AND they get paid by the company that backs the warranty when they make the repairs.

and, yes, the company that backs the warranties sell them because, like i said its not necessarily a good gamble. They obviously pay less in repairs across the board on average than they take in on the warranties ... but that doesn't mean they ALWAYS pay less on any given vehicle.

jw05pilot

This vehicle is not an AWD (FULL TIME).

The heart of the rear differential unit is a system of
two electromagnetic clutches that are electronically
controlled by the VTM-4 ECU. When these clutches are
not activated, the rear wheels behave as they do in a
front-drive vehicle, providing more fuel economy. But
when the clutches are energized and engaged by the
ECU, up to 55% of the engine’s power is diverted to
the rear wheels so they can work with the front wheels
to provide 4-wheel drive. The ECU seamlessly engages
the system to help provide optimum traction at all
times, whether driving on pavement, snow or dirt.

Lock in the traction. The Pilot’s VTM-4 system operates
automatically. But when you need to start off in extreme lowtraction
conditions such as when stopped in mud, on ice or
in loose gravel, the thoughtful VTM-4 LockR feature lets you
manually lock the rear differential to help get you moving.
And it can stay manually locked up to 18 mph.

Hope this info helps everyone. Thoughts? This is from Honda directly.

jayjr98

This is not a characteristic of the Pilot. It sounds like you have a bad right front hub bearing! This is what happened when the hub bearing failed in my Saturn. Although the Saturn had 80k+ miles on it!

jayjr98

Go to www.collegehillshonda.com and check out the price the offer for their extended warranties. You don't have to buy a Honda warranty from the same dealer you buy your car from. My dealer wanted $1600 for the 7 year 100k mile $0 deductible warranty.. I told him to match the price on the website which was about $1100.. He claimed that that is "below cost" and griped and moaned but said he would "do it anyway" b/c they want to "make me happy".. yeah right...

So you can get a good deal on the warranty.. $1100 for 7 yr. 100k miles is a good deal for me.. peace of mind

fred25

I trust Jayjr98 you obtained a copy of the warranty and have carefully read it BEFORE you purchased it! There is a lot of legal verbage and fine print. Make sure you understand what you are paying for. It aslo very important you know WHAT'S NOT COVERED.

Fred

jayjr98

Yes I read the exclusion list twice and asked questions... it is NOT a BAD warranty by any means... my only complaint was that the SRS system is completely excluded... (i.e. your airbag system gets screwed up Honda won't help)

The other exclusions are basically no brainers... brakes, batteries, bulbs, etc..

The main reason I bought it is b/c my sister-in-law owned a Dodge Neon (yes not a Honda i know) and when her driver side power window wouldn't roll up one day, her dealer charged her over $700 to fix it!!! And we have the RES in our 05 pilot and if that stops working, I imagine it will cost an arm and a leg... Point is, there is so much electronic equipment on this car it just makes sense TO ME.. And I'm not trying to convince anybody else, I completely respect anybody who decides not to buy the warranty.. just as I WON'T buy warranties from Circuit City & Best Buy !!!

I realize I may never need the warranty... but considering there are no 4-7 year old Honda pilots on the road.. you never know, I just might!!

Oh and maybe the most important thing yet, my wife drives this car as much or more than I do, and if your wife was as hard on vehicles as mine, you might buy it too !!!!

rsharp

American Honda Finance is revamping HondaCare coverage beginning September 1st 2005. Among the changes are vehicles that are older than 3 years/36,000 miles that may currently qualify for a (new car) warranty will not beginning on Sept 1. These vehicles will fall under HondaCare pre-owned and the warranties must be purchased at the time you buy the vehicle from the dealership.

The second big change is that Honda will only make vehicles with under 6,000 miles eligible for their best coverage, meaning $0 deductibles and terms up to 8 years/120,000 miles. Beyond 6,000 miles your warranty options will be restricted based on the current mileage of your vehicle. Prices of these warranties increase and a $100 deductible is mandatory.

Anyone with a vehicle over 6,000 miles and under 4yr/42,000 miles may want to consider purchasing a warranty prior to Sept 1st.

tpd1

Honda rotated my tires and re-balanced. The front end shook at 70 MPH as bad as before. I took it to a tire dealer and they balanced the wheels/tires on the car which significantly reduced the problem but it is still there and is annoying. The cost of having the balance on the car was $100.00. I can drive it now on the interstate but have to drive below 68 or above 74 to have a smooth ride.

meyervilla

Our Envoy was OK until 30,000 miles. Then it fell apart. Trouble with the transfer case - made noise, shifted into 4WD LO by itself. Dlr replaced dash switch, actuator and reprogrammed software. Finally suggested arbitration. Our Pilot, while not as comfortable as the Envoy, handles much better and has been trouble free. We don't push it and as a result we've gotten some unbelievable mileage. Ergonomics is not a Pilot strong point. We could drive the Envoy all day and still feel fresh. Not so the Pilot. We're both stiff after two hours. GM vehicles aren't built as well but they're much more comfortable, The front seats in the Pilot are made for munchkins. I'm in a quandary myself. We love our Pilot but those seats . . .

dotto

Wondering 'how to' replace the cabin filter myself ?
- where is it (looks like it's behind/under the glove box)
- tools required
- how long does it take
any info will be appreciated.

Hate going to dealer, and paying exorbitant dealer labor prices, to replace something that seems should be simple to do....

normkol

It sounds like something may be stuck in the latch. I had the same thing happen on my Mazda Tribute.

Look at the cargo compartment and see if something is hanging out of the latch. If so, try pulling on whatever is caught while someone 'rocks' the tailgate. Hopefulley, that will free it.

mbtran

Carmax puts on 2 front new tires, re-surfaced the rotors, did front-end-alignment, balanced the wheels ... anything that they could do but the vibrations are still there at 75-80 range. BTW, the mechanic was not allowed to driver over the speed limit (which is 60 MPH) in this area. So, there is no way that he could "feel" the vibration at higher speed.

I called Honda manufacturer and they said that non of this type of problem was reported, and suggest me to bring the Pilot to a Honda dealership. I called the Honda dealership and was told that they are not aware of this problem, the issues may be at the tires. !!!...???...

I encourage those who has this type of problem please call Honda and let them know the issue. Hopefully, Honda would investigate and then come up with a solution for this issue. Thanks,