Honda Pilot Maintenance and Repair

zmoney

i don't have my owner's manual with me and the two left tire lights on my dashboard are on and i just wanted to know if anybody knew what that meant. there's also an exclamation point light. doesn't look good but i must drive home.

any info would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance.

markjenn

It's aaying your tires are low, perhaps the two left ones. In any event, you should check tire pressures when you get a chance, 32 psi is the stock spec (cold).

If the TPMS indicator is on, then you have a problem with the monitoring system and have to see the dealer. But it sounds like you've got the "tires are low" indicator.

- Mark

ralph9

When I had this problem the local Honda dealer in Colorado Springs told me to increase the tire pressure on all four tires to 34 psi. I did so and the low tire pressure lights went out. The ride is not that much more harsh. When I first observed the problem I checked the tire pressure with a manual gauge and the indicated tires were at 30 psi so I drove home on them from 50 miles away. I hope this is your solution. Best wishes, Ralph

crv77

Roxon,

Do a search using "seat base extension kit" and you'll see what I am referring to.

bayson

I saw your post from a search I did on "Radio Problems." We have a 2004 Honda and the radio is lousy at best. Did the reset work for you to get better reception?

roxon

finally found the site you said to search on! hondapilot.org NOT honda-pilot.org! found the thread on the seat extender...think i am going to try it out!
thanks.

patricemq

Some how the seat belt didn't retract and got caught in the front passenger door when it closed the result a small piece of the molding cracked off and there is a crack going down the inside corner of the molding where it meets when the door closes. does anyone know if this can be fixed do they door panel replacements and is this going to cost alot of $$$.I have a feeling it cracked so easily cause of the cold. could this be true?
thanks

gduncan19

The 06 EXL has an alarm that will go off at constant intervals if both front seat occupants do not buckle their seat belts. Does anyone know how I can disable this alarm?

I use my seat belt, but I feel like an idiot telling the front seat passenger to put his on when the alarm keeps going off.

Thanks

brickyarddog

My salesman told me that there is a special "break-in" additive added to the oil in the factory. If you change the oil too early the first time, this additive will not have enough time to do its job.

brickyarddog

I've had a similar problem with the weather getting colder. In cold weather, tire pressures are lower. After I put it in the garage overnight or after driving and letting the tires warm up, the lights often go out.

Just make sure they don't look flat, and you should be fine.

cwoody

Hey All,

My wife and I have an '04 Pilot with about 30K miles on it now. It has been a good vehicle for the most part. However, after the first 2500 miles I noticed that the inside door pillers (between frt & rear seats) was gettting really scratched up by the seat belts. This was happening when you unbuckled the belt & just let it retrack by itself. The dealer replaced them for me the first time (under warrenty) but stated that he would only do this once.

My solution was to cover the pillers with clear packing tape. I found some in 6" wide and covered the pillers (both driver's & pass. sides) in the area that was getting hit. It has protected them so far. I'm just very disappointed that honda would allow something like this to pass a quality audit on the pilot. I have seen this problem on other Pilots as well. I hope this tip helps you protect your pillers before it is too late.

Happy Holidays, Christmas and Everything else!
cwoody

sunil

Do full-sized bikes fit comfortably inside a Pilot ? I have a friend with a Odyessy - he can fit 4 people + 4 bikes inside comfortably. But we would prefer a Pilot. If I configure it so the second & third row are folded down 60% (ie 2 people in front, 1 kid in second row, 1 kid in third row) : does that create enough room to fit 4 bikes inside the Pilot (3 full sized, 1 kid sized) ?

I know I could always get a bike rack, but then I have to buy the hitch & towing package, so I was wondering if somebody on the board has tried the above configuration...

mikereyno

Who will feel like the idiot if someone slams into you and they go through the front windshield because they did not put the seatbelt on?

flyinpilot

Hi! Could a kind soul on this list let me know if there is an ambient light for the "Off" switch for the AC (in the central console of the '03 Pilot). I thought that like the rest of the switches on the central console, this too has an ambient light that turns on when the parking/headlights are turned on but my memory fails me after almost 3 yrs of ownership!

connorbear

I occasionally have trouble shifting my '03 Pilot EX from Park to Reverse. I either have to turn off the car and restart to get it to work, or I insert a screwdriver into a slot on the top of the steering column to make it work. It will happen for about a week at a time and then not give many any problems for months. Any ideas?

connorbear

Lately I have been noticing a high pitched hissing sound when my '03 Pilot reaches about 35 mph. It stops when I slow down below that speed. Any ideas?

thavee

ANDY,
DO YOU STILL HAVE THE PINGING NOISE WTIH YOU PILOT?
IF NOT, WHAT DID THE DEALER TELL YOU. I ALSO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS
THANKS. TAVI

bahondaguy

Sounds like a Shift-Brake Interlock problem.

Try this. With the engine started, tap your brake pedal several times in intervals of a second and listen for a click in your steering column each time the pedal is depressed. Do you get a click EACH TIME your depress the pedal? You should. If not, this might be the problem.

This is the mechanism that stops you from shifting from Park to Reverse unless your brake is depressed. I'd imagine that it might need to be looked at or serviced if it is not working properly, but it is a safety device so Honda might service it under waranty. Check with your dealer.

Hope that helps.

DC

johnk4

I have a Pilot with about 75,000 miles (2003 or 04 I don't remeber which). Recently, near the end of a long trip where my family had been listening to CD's and watching DVDs for several hours, smoke suddenly began pouring out of the cassette opening and around the buttons of the radio unit. I quickly ejected the discs and shut the unit down. Although the unit appears to power up now, there is no sound. Obviously, the unit is cooked. I called my Honda servicing dealer and he said he'd never heard of this before. I'd be interested in hearing if any other owners had seen this.

meyervilla

We also have an '04 Pilot. It's single weak point is interior ergonomics. Can't compare with the comfort of GM vehicles like our GMC Envoy. Unfortunately our Envoy was a mechanical rear end. So we continue to suffer in silence even when my foot gets caught in the door crack and our backs get sore on long distance trips. We haven't found anything better.

connorbear

My husband took it in for servicing today. I'll let you know what they say about it. Unfortunately it's not doing it today so we can't recreate the problem!

newcomer

My new Pilot LX, when at the parking gear, there is a light sound coming from the dashborad, sounds like a fan is working, is it normal?

Also, you can hear the engine a little bit when door is closed, the hood got hot for idling for 5 minutes, are there all normal?

master1

ATTENTION ALL HONDA PILOT OWNERS
I noticed that a lot of Pilot owners are complaining about steering wheel vibrations at speeds over 72. They also mentioned that the dealer did not know why it was vibrating. Something must be misaligned because that would cause it to vibrate. PLEASE CALL THE HONDA HEADQUARTERS SO THEY WILL INVESTIGATE. A recall probably has to be issued. The American Honda Headquarters number is (800)999 - 1009.
If a part is misaligned, that could even result in a crash. I urge you to please call the headquarters if you experience this problem. This is a safety issue, and I don't know if I should buy the Pilot or not since I travel at speeds of about 73. Please let me know on what they said if you call. Thank you.
American Hondas number = (800)999 - 1009

markjenn

What information do you have that this problem could result in a crash? This has been an annoying issue for a few Pilot owners, but it's a huge reach to make this a safety issue, especially for someone who doesn't even own the car and therefore has zero first-hand experience with the problem.

- Mark

connorbear

The dealer is now telling us that the sound has occurred in other Pilots due to a faulty propeller shaft. The cost of the repair is $1260. The dealer got Honda corp. to agree to pay some of the costs and the dealer will also chip in. We are responsible for $250. My husband is furious and trying to find out if it should be part of the warranty. Anyone else had this problem?

markjenn

If the vehicle is still under warranty, of course, Honda should cover the full cost. If not, then paying $250 of a $1260 repair costs for a vehicle out of warranty seems generous - I'd take it.

- Mark

dedog

Haven't had a significant problem with our 2004 with 28k until today. The wife came home from work and had it in park and the engine was revving from idle (~1000 RPM) to 2500 RPM, repeatedly, about once a second. You could feel the pulsation while riding up and down the street too. Any ideas? Heard of this before? Its about 40 deg F and misty/rainy today.

master1

If the steering wheel is vibrating, something is misaligned or mis-balanced. Something is not right in the steering column, or somewhere else. The steering wheel only vibrates if something is wrong. Also, when the people took it to the dealership, the dealer didn't know what the problem was. So therefore, something must be misaligned. If something is misaligned, or mis-balanced, there is a possibility that something could go wrong and lead to a crash. Its a possibility. Like I said, something is wrong with some of the Pilots because it is not supposed to vibrate. That's all!

master1

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/Maintenance/maint_faqs.asp#breakin

scroll down to the middle. It talks about reving. It's from the American Honda web-site. It says that its normal for it occasionally to rev differently when weather changes. It's always a good idea to check it out with the company who made your car first!

dedog

Thanks - I do think its gas and/or weather related. Called the dealer tonight and he said he just got off the phone with another Pilot owner (2003) with the same complaint. He said difficulty holding idle is something worth checking out so I have an appt.

We just took it out to fill-up the tank and add dry gas, within a mile the check engine and VTM-4 lights come on. After filling up and restarting, the VTM-4 light went out. Will have to wait and see if the check engine light goes out. Do Pilot's have OBD-II plugs? We have a code reader but I've never had reason to use it on the Pilot?

qanda

I have a 03' Pilot with 57000 miles. Recently it developed a hissing/humming noise at about 40mph and faster. When I slow down and drive under 40mph it stops humming. I took it to the dealer for 60000 service and described the noise- nothing found.
I plan on taking it back to a dealer. I have heard people say it might be the tires, tranny or rear end. Does anyone know so I can enlighten the dealer?

qbrozen

yes, it does have OBD2. The port is just under the edge dash on the driver's side.

markjenn

Vibrations like this are common with many cars. They can be caused by many things: alignment, tire imbalance, tire imperfections, etc. Dealers do know about the problem and if they're competent, they do the typical things like check alignment and rebalance the tires to try and solve it. In most cases they do, although the Pilot seems to be afflicted with the issue somewhat more often than most cars. It is probably a situation where the Pilot's steering and suspension has resonant frequency that can be excited by relatively minor mis-adjustments and defects in the alignment and tires.

To make a blanket statement that any steering wheel vibration is a sign that "something can go wrong and cause a crash" is silly, like saying that if the brakes squeal then that means they are defective and may fail. There are issues which are safety related and issues which are not. By all reports, this is a non-safety issue and I've never heard a first-hand report of anyone thinking the problem is a safety concern.

In short, you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

- Mark

master1

Go to :
http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/Maintenance/maint_troubleshooting.asp

Look around that and see what you find.

master1

sry.......that link is wrong......go to hondas web site. Then go to Honda Automobiles. You will see a box that says you can type a question. Type in "pilot noise". Then click on the first answer that says tips for troubleshooting and your answer will be there!

dedog

Thanks. It helped to check the OBD-II code. The check engine light was out when I brought it to Honda last night and they said it would be $99.95 for diagnosis if they couldn't find/reproduce the problem. Even though the check engine light was out the code reader still picked up the code stored in memory - 0505 - Idle Control System Malfunction. Got it back today they had to replace the idle control valve assembly.

podze1

Hi

I just bought a 2006 Pilot ex-L and am experiencing the same rattling. I think it is the window or seat belt (passenger side only) but it is annoying. I am taking it in tomorrow to the dealer.

Did you ever figure out where the noise was coming from?

thanks
Mike

uppie

I'm having the exact same problem with my 2003 Pilot. It has 45k miles. The dealership charged me $380.00 to have the valve replaced. I'm starting to wonder if this is a bigger problem then I originally thought.

carbuyer13

When I start up the Pilot in the morning, I notice that the engine fan seems to run for a bit and then shuts off eventually. Is that common?

dedog

Looks like there is a Service Bulletin (04-007), see:

http://hondapilot.org/forums/attachment.php?=&postid=144703

justin12

I purchased a 2005 EXL with 20K miles on it and about a week after having it the car would not shift out of first gear. Honda is going to replace the entire transmission under warranty. Anyone else experience this problem?

meyervilla

"I was disappointed in the driver's space, wishing the seat would go back another inch or two."

j2thomas

A simple tire rotation cured my problem. Evidently I had an out of balance tire onthe front, moving it to the back solved the issue.

45K miles on my Pilot and it's never been back to the deal for anything. By far the best car I've ever owned, (12 new cars in the past 20+ years).

tone2

hi Mike, 1/8/06
I have a 2005 pilot and experiencing the same problem, took back twice to dealership: staff adviser suggested it's normal cause quick acceleration on the first time, took the car to another dealership they spotted the rattling noise on the driver side. This time arrive under the front dash board and they insulated with foam to dampen the noise. When I went picking up the car and drove off the lot and noise is still there, called the adviser to re-schedule for the third appointment - it's very dissapointed not sure the merchanic personel took the car and test drive

patpend

I just picked up a 2006 Pilot EXL last weekend. Last night was the first time I took it on the highway. At any speed over 75 mph the Pilot makes an awful, shrill wind noise. The sounds is difficult to localize - it seems to emanate from upper region of the windshield. It's the same whistling sound you hear when a window is slightly open.

I do not have roof rack crossbeams so that's not the problem here.

Overall the trucks is great but this noise is very un-Honda-like and a great disappointment. Would like to hear from others who had this same issue and whether it was resolved, and if so, how.

Thanks,
Russ

master1

Hi! Unfortunately, many cars are extremely noisy at speeds from 70+. Most Honda's do have some pronounced noise, but they are slowly improving. For example, I test drove the 05 Pilot, and that had A L O T of road noise. There isn't anything wrong with your car, that's just how it is. I just have one question, in your opinion how noisy or quiet is your car at speeds of 65? How much road noise is there? Anyway, enjoy your new pilot - hopefully for many more years to come!

patpend

If you could hear my Pilot I think you'd agree it's not a normal road noise. It's certainly nothing I've experienced in any other car.

Up to the threshold speed at which the whistling starts, it's very quiet and solid. There's got to be a misaligned piece somewhere which is causing the problem.

user777

Any chance your crossbars (assuming you have some) are installed backwards? I believe (i am uncertain), like an airfoil the thicker aspect ratio is supposed to be toward the front of the vehicle, and taper towards the back.

There are installation instructions here:
http://www.handaccessories.com/pilot/06crossbars.pdf

I do not know if you can re-position the front cross-bar, moving it to the back. I suppose I might be inclined to remove the front one to see if it is the source of the noise.

On my '03 Odyssey (LX), I has rails only installed. I have used the side rails to haul things like Christmas trees and serve as anchors for roof pouches when going on vacation. the crossbars are something i'd just synthesize out of 2x2 or 2x4 lumber, or to be fancy, buy something aftermarket if i needed it. so far in 2 years, i haven't had the need for cross-bars.

tsy

I just spent all weekend driving my '06 EXL at speeds of 70-80mph- no vibration, no excess wind noise (for an SUV) certainly no shrill noises like you describe. Maybe the windshield was not glued on correctly- take it back to the dealer. Definitely something's not right.

Good luck Russ

tom

user777

or the plastic cowling at the bottom of the windshield... some Odyssey's had this issue and there was a TSB on it.