Honda Pilot Maintenance and Repair

stever

Aphid sap! My Outback is covered in it right now from parking under a tree a couple of times a week, but it washes right off with water. You must have some cast iron bugs in your locale.

I wonder if these pits can be felt by rubbing a ball point pen on the glass?

stakeout

nope... not sap... tried the razor blade using 3M Adhesive Tar Wax remover..nada... then tried the clay bar ... still there... I've used the clay bar with success on a brand new '01 Suburban that had ' railroad dust' on the entire truck and windows that got there 'in transit'

I noticed it right away in a couple of months of driving her Pilot right after she got it last year... I've been thru just about every type car/truck imaginable over the years.. never saw it happen so fast as with this truck...

I even have a stoneguard on the front of the hood

stever

If the clay didn't take it off, it must be pitted. (I'm between clay bars - they are real handy). But try the pen trick when you get a chance.

If the pitting affects visibility, especially when driving into the sun, you may be able to make an insurance claim for a replacement.

joe131

Oh, aphids?
That's probably it. The stuff on my paint would not wash off. It had been baked on in the hot sun for who knows how long before I discovered it. Clay bar worked pretty well. The guy at the carwash/detail place used one.

sddeb

My Pilot '03 had its malfunction indicator light go on today (40,500 miles). The dealership will run the diagonostic and then we'll see. That means, of course, that they will find something. But at first they simply said put on your gas cap again and wait a few days. See what happens; the light might reset itself. I'm wondering a few things: 1. is it best to go to dealer if I have a reliable mechanic? 2. how likely is it that the light "resets" itself. The car seems to be driving fine, but it revved up a bit, for a few seconds, just as the light went on this morning. Any thoughts would be appreciated. In the meantime, I have an appointment for a few days from now in case the light doesn't go off.

gmoney2

There's hundreds of reasons why your malfunction light could go on. One of the most common reasons is if you left your gas cap off. If this is the case, then, yes, the light would reset itself after a day or so (you can read about it in your owners manual). There are many auto part shops (e.g. Auto Zone) that will diagnose your check engine light for free. Sometimes they may only be able to give you a code, but you can often determine what that code means by doing a google search. So, you may try this first before taking it to the dealer. If it's something simple that you can fix yourself, then you can avoid paying the diagnostic fee that the dealership would charge you. In my humble opinion, if you have a good reliable mechanic who you are comfortable with working on your car, then you should stick with that guy. A good reliable honest mechanic is hard to come by, and he's probably cheaper than the dealer, too. I have yet to find a good mechanic, so I almost always use the local Honda dealer. Let us know what happens with your car.

kipk

Check engine light came on our 03 Civic. The gas cap turned just a small amount before it clicked. I read somewhere to always click at least 3. It had been several days since she got gas. Don't know why it took that long to turn on the light .

Took 4 days to reset, but it did!

Kip

justaveragejoe

Got the windshield replaced today. $256. The quotes ranged up to $350 for glass company and $600 for the dealer.

Joe

sddeb

Found out why the indicator light was on. I fixed the gas cap, and the light went off. Presto! But then the next day I stalled twice. I started to think I had battery problems, since the battery had died a few weeks earlier (I left the interior light on). I took it to the dealer, and it turns out that it was an idle malfunction. The carbon buildup causes problems, especially in V6 engines (I asked about this, since my 91 Accord never had such problems, even after 168,000 miles). Evidently, certain parts of the car's emissions are on a longer warranty, so the whole thing was covered. Hm, what does that tell you about the way the car works....and the battery checked out just fine.
Maybe this is why the car sometimes idled a bit louder than I thought appropriate. May help others, I can only hope. Have the dealer check these out when you do your checks--the parts are under warranty until 7 years or 70,000 miles.

kipk

"Got the windshield replaced today. $256. The quotes ranged up to $350 for glass company and $600 for the dealer."

Joe,

I gotta ask?

With a range of $350 to $600 how did you get it done for $256? :confuse:

Kip

justaveragejoe

I had three Dealer quotes, using only dealer parts/labor and all were around $600+. I then asked each of them who did their glass installations since they all mentioned that they typically use a company for glass replacement (which is cheaper for their customers). They each gave me a different contact.

The three glass companies quotes were:
$260
$300
$350
I said they ranged UP TO $350 but I went with low bid.

The glass is OEM (made by PPG but doesn't have the Honda name on it) and the seal was supposed to also be OEM but it looks a little different. If I were to do it again, I would have them get and install the seal from the dealer.

Joe

kipk

Joe,

OK, Thanks. Most of the glass companies guarantee their seals for as long as you have the car. So you should be good to go!

Kip

worthy2b

Hey what is the name of the place you got your window replaced at? I drove through a sand storm on my way to Cali and now I have tons of tiny pits on the windshield. :sick:

justaveragejoe

Their name is Hayes Brothers Auto Glass. They are located in downtown Sacramento. They have a clean shop and stock a lot of glass there. They also do mobile installations but since I work downtown, they shuttled me to and from my office after I dropped it off there.

jct57

when i was going home today from grocery shopping, i accidently stepped on the gas pedal instead of brake while the car was in park gear. the rpm jumped to 4000 briefly for half a second. the pilot is a 07 ex 4wd model w/ only 220 miles. what are the possible consequence. i'm kinda worried b/c it's my first new car.

boughtalemon

Don't worry, nothing is going to happen.

mropportunity

Lucky for you that you were in Park. Had you been in gear
and jumped to 4000 rpm (in a half second) you would have bolted forward or backwards!

ctfut

I know this is kind of an old thread, but has there been any resolve with this issue? Kip, any answere from your broad experience of Pilots?

-------We purchased 2006 2WD LX Pilot last April. We went through the NCS noise problem. A loose connection was fixed on the rear microphone and fixed the noise from "heat of the day" & especially around 50-55 mph. BUT, we still have a loud humming/vibration type noise that is extremely irritating. It seems to be coming from the front area. The NCS was then disconnected and did not help at all. I checked this evening with our Classic Honda Dealer in Round Rock, Texas. Tech verified with the service manager that the NCS was disconnected. The service manager told me she has 6 vehicles doing this and she calls Honda every week. Same answer " no solution". Since the NCS is disconnected I believe the problem is some sort of a vibration that periodically reaches reasonance. The oscillation of the noise/vibration occurs with or without cruise BUT only when excellerating. At a steady coast with ECO light on noise goes away. As soon as you excellerate the noise appears. It was also mentioned about the economy system shutting down cylinders but no one knows for sure. Stay tuned.----- posted from July7, 06 thread #1908

kipk

I don't have a clue! It is worrisome that HONDA Corporate has no solution.

Probably going to be something really silly and quick to fix, once isolated.

I wonder if it will occur while sitting still in gear, brake on, and with a little throttle pressure!

Kip

user777

wasn't there a problem with the A-pipe or something like that? sounds like a resonance / coupling with a part of the exhaust system and the cabin. no hanger / contact problem with the exhaust manifold, cat, straight pipe or muffler and/or heat shield and the underside of the car?

ctfut

Thx for prompt response. My '06 lx Pilot does the infamous deep humming sound around 55mph or when it's under a slow moderate acceleration. But it has to be under some kind of throttle or it goes away. I'll check with the dealer when I find time. I'm going to try the open door test also. I might try even disconnecting the noise reduction connector, which i believe is connected behind the stereo head unit?

ctfut

Update. Maybe this link will get me where I need to go?

http://www.hondapilot.org/forums/showthread.php?s=8520bbe3aa958db23799fdf7b46bae- - 2d&threadid=14808&perpage=15&highlight=hum&pagenumber=16

user777

can't hurt. worth a try.

connorbmx

Going back to 5/06, Honda replaced the radiator in my 05' Pilot. 16k miles and 14 months later, I had another leak..a large leak. Now my dilemma, the truck is 2000 miles out of warranty and this includes the extra 5% from the class action lawsuit. I take it to the dealer the following day and notify them of the problem, and the miles. It is also out of the 1 yr, 12 month warranty period for work done. I tell the technician that this is unacceptable to be going into my 3rd radiator in under 40k miles, notified that my 2 previous vehicles each had over 150k miles with the original radiators so this was definitely a problem with the Pilot radiator. He quickly said, "well if it is radiator related, the dealer will take care of it" (3 Hondas purchased from dealer). They contacted me later that day and told me that there was something that "got in" under the radiator and rubbed a hole in the bottom so they took it out and replaced with a new one. Hopefully this one will last for another year until its paid off if I don't sell it first.

hals2

Driving my one week old 07 Pilot on Monday, it started vibrating severly. I immediately pulled to the side of the raod, turned off the AC, and vibration went away. I assumed something came lose and got in the blower.
Took it to the dealer, and it had a mouse in the blower cage.
The cleaned it out, disenfected, and replaced the cabin filter (all for a price of course, this is not warranty).
My question is, does anyone know how a mouse can get in the ventilation system?
I am guessing maybe through the drain area of the ventilation intake. But I don't know.
This same problem has happened to a friend of mine who lives in the country, on his Toyota 4 Runner, and also his Lexue 330.
But he also can not see how they get in.

Anyone have any ideas? these vent systems seem to be well sealed, but obviously there is an entrance somewhere.

Thanks,

H

fmikeska

Hi H

I suspect the mice are getting into your 2007 Honda Pilot via the loose-fitting plastic cowl cover which leaves large gaps near both hood hinges. We have a mouse problem w/our 2006 Honda Pilot. Mouse problems seem quite common on Pilots.

http://www.wombatnation.com/2005/01/mice-ate-my-car

Read through the posts, many are from Pilot owners with mouse problems.

We had our first Pilot mouse in June as one scurried over my wife’s foot while she was driving. Sitting quietly inside the Pilot, I could hear mice running in the headliner. We parked the car in the garage, kept the garage doors closed and set traps inside the car. Two days and five mice later (we also set traps outside of the car but did not catch any mice there) we took our Pilot to the Honda dealer. After paying the $650.00 bill for pulling the headliner, replacing the HEPA filter and cleaning the duct work, the mechanic was kind enough to show us how the mice get inside the Pilot.

Fast forward to August. This week a shredded stick of gum was a sign that the mice are back. Setting traps inside the car caught two mice in one day.

Our house is four years old and the garage door seals are tight. Certainly the mice can get in the garage when the doors are up. A 2000 Mazda MPV and 2003 Mazda Protégé park in the same garage with the Pilot, neither Mazda has problems with mice.

The Pilot looks great, rides well, delivers acceptable fuel economy and is the ideal size for our family. We "were" in the process of transitioning from a Mazda family to a three car Honda family w/an’08 Odyssey and Civic joining the Pilot. Unless Honda can tell us how to keep the mice out of our Pilot, it is hello Toyota.

F

justaveragejoe

Obviously, those mice know a comfortable roomy ride when they see it.

Mice are creatures of opportunity and are not partial to Hondas. They typically move into new areas when displaced by flooding, earthwork construction, and other habitat disturbances and may be coming from somewhere other than around your house.

Let me know if you find any solutions.

Joe

kipk

What is the URL for some Honda Dealers that give good mail order discounts.

Thanks,
Kip

fmikeska

Mice do love it inside our Honda Pilot as would we "if", there were no mice keeping us company. Comfortable and roomy indeed.

While mice may not be partial to Hondas in general, they are quite partial to Honda Pilots. Please read through the thread on wombatnation.com where nearly 20% of the posts are from frustrated Honda/Pilot owners.

Will let you know if we find any solutions.

Thanks
F

user777

http://www.handa-accessories.com/

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/PartsSearch.jsp

kipk

Thanks 777 !

cbrunson1

I haven't had a vehicle with an automatic A/C and I'm paranoid about it breaking, though I think it's great. Do you guys and gals leave it in 'auto' all the time? Would it be less wear and tear on the components to turn it off before exiting so that the starter isn't cranking the engine and the A/C, or is the A/C on a delay so that it comes on after the motor is running and lubed up? Any tips on getting the longest possible service out of the A/C other than following recommended routine maintenance?

hos

I have not figured out the AC on this car yet becuase on Auto it sets up the fan blowing hard when you don't expect it, I always have to fiddle with the fan speed which bypassed the auto. Also, the mode has to be on certaine setting only before air is pushed through to the rear passangers. In any case, I keep the AC turned off as much as possible mainly because it totally hogs gas. As it is the MPG of this car is horrible (2007 4WD) and having the AC on certainly does not help. All in all I do not like the auto AC.

normh

I have an '03 Pilot and I use the auto air function exclusively and have never had a problem with it. I did have to have the rear air sensor replaced as it cut off all the air going to the rear but that is all. I do, however push the A/C switch(which turns the A/C compressor off) before I shut the engine off as this unloads the pressure off of the compressor, and I never start the engine up with the A/C on(I don't think the A/C compressor relay is powered during start up anyway so it doesn't really matter whether it is off or on). As far as maintenance goes, just have the cabin filter change for maximum air flow through the coil.

hon

How many people know that the {CAF} Compartment Air Filter even exist? My 2005 owners manual does not have anything in it about the filter behind the glove box. My service record manual states that at 30,000 miles to replace the dust and pollen filter. I think it means Cabin Air Filter, not clear on what it means. The Petaluma, Ca. Honda dealer parts department told me that all pilots have the Compartment Air Filter. I'm glad they told me.

wjn

When I tried to drive last night, I noticed both of the headlights were inoperative in low beam. High beam worked fine. Both lights worked fine the previous night. I pulled one of the bulbs and it appeared to be intact and tested good with an ohmmeter. I drive regularly with the headlights on using them as running lights. Is there a relay that would cause this problem and if so, which one? Or is there another problem?

rpowers

I have an 05, I TOTALLY AGREE with everything you said I have the exact same issues- all the way to the really bad gas mileage. Great size vehicle, looks good, but fuel mileage and transmission performance suck!

njdevilsrn

I've got under 20,000 miles on the OE Duelers, and I don't think I will make it into winter on them.

I know, but don't understand why they would put such a fast-wearing tire on as OE on a $30000+ vehicle.

Anyhow, I know I won't be going back to the Duelers. From what I see on Tirerack.com, it seems the Cross Terrains, Fortera Triple Tred, and Dueler Alenza are the cream of the crop (similarly priced around $140 apiece). I'll probably replace @ BJs or Costco, so unless I hear overwhelming good news about the Fortera, it will probably be the Cross Terrains or Alenza.

Does anyone have one of these as replacements or have an opinion about new shoes for the Pilot?

upstatedoc

I have an '04 MDX, very similar structurally and got 40k+ on my cross terrains. Got a great deal on replacements @ Sam's Club (I assume similar to BJ's/Costco), however they balanced all 4 wheels incorrectly and had to go to dealer to have them done right. Next time I'll buy the discount tires and have them shipped to dealer.

ldvann

Did you ever get an answer to your question? I bought a 2004 Honda Pilot in November 2006, and had 3 sporadic occurrences with a flashing drive light earlier this year and most recently, more frequently.

cbrunson1

I think the Duelers are Bridgestones, and I got 86,000 miles out of two sets; 44,000 and 42,000 when I traded cars. What I noticed was that after every oil change the vehicle rode like a buckboard, and it turned out that service people always air up the tires too high, causing a rough ride and premature wear. After giving up hope that the service people would look at the manufacturer's recommended settings, after an oil change I just drove a block and pulled in at McDonald's or Kwik-E-Mart and made adjustments. A $20 pressure gauge can save you hundreds if you use it frequently.

Does anyone have any suggestions about tires for a Pilot that reduce road noise and rumble??

natev1

This is in many parts:
i have two sets of rims for my 06 Honda Pilot one set for summer and one set for winter (I am now setting up the ones for winter)this is where my problem begins.
1: I was told by two different stories by two different Honda dealers. one said I can put an new set of tpms on the winter rims and will not need to reset the system to train it to the new sensors. The other told I would need to take it in to have the system reset. Does anyone have any insight on this issue?
2: Has anyone has had to reset the system? If so how do i go about resetting it do i need to buy equipment to do this also how do i get the vehicle in learn mode. Any help in this area would help me alot. Thanks

mercara

Lucky You !!

I am waiting for mine to wear out so I can upgrade to 245/70/16. The OEMs are too thin for the size of the vehicle and braking sucks.

cb13

On slow speeds on a road with bumps I can feel the bumps as it goes through each of those and also the shakes laterally up and down. This is a new 2007. I had a car before and did not feel it as much. Is it me being paranoid or should I be expecting a smoother ride as compared to a car.

Also sometimes I feel the transmission shifts hesitates and can feel the gear shifting. :confuse:

Thanks

kipk

Our Pilot does not ride as well as my Mother-in-law's Buick Lesabre. Pilot ride is a little firmer and more of the sway is transmitted to the occupants because they are sitting higher. This will be true with most SUV types of vehicles.

The Pilot has a 5 speed transmission. You will likely feel the shifts from one gear to another. When using very little throttle, there are times when the tranny is not sure what to do and will hesitate or prolong a shift.

I agree the Pilot transmission "shifts" generally seem more positive than most "Cars" I've owned. However most vehicles with towing capabilities do.

In days of yore, we found that more positive shifts were easier on the transmission clutch packs, as they didn't slip as much. So we installed "shift kits" for a more positive shift, especially if we were towing a lot.

My understanding is that Honda Transmissions last a long time. Could have something to do with the "Positive" shifts not as wearing on the clutches.

Over all, I'll take the Pilot over any CAR I'm aware of. Sitting position, visibility, utility and general comfort are perfect for our needs..

Kip

nvdriver

Actually just a couple years ago Honda Pilot Transmissions were experiencing premature failures at an alarming rate. I believe the newer models have not had that problem however.

damengineer

Tirerack.com is the best site for researching tires, look into the on/off road all terrain tires section, the Pirelli Scorpion ATR tires are some of the best out there. Do not be fooled that just because the tires are not made by Michelin or Goodyear that they are great tires.

jerryoster1

Check out the Bridgestone Dueler AT REVOs as well. I had these tires on my prior SUV (Jeep Grand Cherokee 1997) and they had 40,000 miles on them when I traded, and they were still in great shape. I plan to upgrade my stock Honda tires in the next season or two. They are not wearing badly, but not the greatest in wet or slippery conditions, especially snow and ice. The AT REVOs really hugged the road in all conditions, were great around corners and curves, and really quiet for an AT tire. Tirerack (where I bought them) rated them highly as well.

stephens211

I'm no help with this problem but I wondered if you found anything out. My lights have done the same thing. The high beams work fine but no low beams. I can't find any assistance...

Any help is appreciated.

gmoney2

I have a 2003 Pilot EXL. Last year, at 38k miles, my transmission had to be replaced. I never towed anything, and it's never been off road. I couldn't believe it. It was 2k miles out of warranty, but Honda paid for it anyway.