By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Before you get too upset with Honda, find out what the problem really is and how they solve it. No one will know if it is the same problem, as the one you referred to, or if it is something different, until the repair is complete.
Seems unlikely that Honda would "deliberately" continue to do something that would come back to bite them.
Kip
I must have gotten one of those bad EGR valves, as well. I also have a 2003 Pilot (bought new in Aug 2003). My tranny tried to lock up the torque convertor at 37k miles. They said it was a bad EGR valve, but replacing it didn't fix the problem, so they replaced the whole tranny. I knew that they had problems with the trannys in the earlier models, but this is the first I heard about the EGR valve being the main culprit. The only other issue I have with my Pilot is a rattling noise from the dash. They've tried to fix it 3 different times, and each time the noise came back in about a week or two. I still highly recommend the Pilot to friends, and would definitely buy another one.
Symptoms with the EGR valve were; the tranny chattering and not wanting to lock up the torque converter.
From what I think I understand, from the explanation given by the service department. The Exhaust Gas Recirculator (EGR) valve is part of the EPA Emissions group of devices. It's function is to help the engine run cleaner. It is supposed to perform a function when the Torque Converter locks.
If it doesn't perform properly the engine begins to skip and miss rather violently.
The torque converter would not lock under those circumstances. There were some very slight variations in RPM, that I attributed to the torque Converter attempting to lock. Giving more throttle would just allow the car to reach a higher speed before the mess started. Heavy throttle to 60 mph and letting off the throttle would allow the Torque converter to lock, according to the tachometer. However, the slightest throttle would start the bucking and chattering all over again until more throttle was given resulting, in a tranny downshift.
In any condition and at any RPM, other than a locked or locking torque converter, the engine ran smoothly. That is why I thought it was a tranny problem.
The really strange thing is that the computer did not log any errors, and Honda tech support were no help to the technician. Eventually a service writer at the dealership remembered the problem, from 2003-2005 mostly, and it showed up at 20K+ miles. Mine didn't show up as early as most due to not driving as much as most folks.
Seemed to be only the 2003s that were affected by a bad batch of valves from a vender. Apparently it was a very low % that gave problems. Seems it would have affected any of the Honda/Acura products using that engine.
I don't understand, why Honda Tech Support didn't have that problem in a data base. :confuse:
Kip
Thanks for clearing up some terminology for me, and for the explanation of the EGR valve. My problem was a lot of chattering, and the car wanting to go forward, even with the gear in park. It happened when I was pulling out of the driveway. I immediately had the car towed to the dealership, hopefully to prevent any damage to the tranny. I never got it higher than about 10 mph, so I don't know what it would have done at higher speeds. Like I said before, they did suspect the EGR valve, which I had no idea what it did until your explanation. I realize that the torque converter locking up is a normal thing which needs to occur in order to prevent slippage and maintain power, and I misused the term "lock up". It seems like my problem was the torque converter applying more torque than it was supposed to...or at least that's what I understood from what the Honda mechanic told me.
G
With a manual transmission, the clutch sits between the engine and the transmission. When the clutch is engaged (foot off the pedal) the engine and tranny are connected. When the clutch is disengaged (pedal depressed), the connection between the engine and tranny is no longer effective, so the tranny can be shifted and the engine is no longer connected to the drive train.
In an auto tranny, the TC takes the place of the clutch. The TC has a shaft with several impellers (blades). The exposed end of the shaft slips into splines located in the engine's flywheel. The other end of the shaft, with the impellers, is inside the TC. The TC contains transmission fluid. The impellers are turning inside that fluid. At idle, not a lot happens. As the RPMs rise the swirling fluid begins to force the "Output" of the TC to drive the transmission. If the tranny is in gear, the car begins to move. The higher the RPM the more pressure, and the car moves faster and the tranny starts doing it's thing.
In days of yore, that was it! There was always some slipping of the TC and its swirling fluids. Resulting in poorer mileage. In modern cars, something inside the TC actually LOCKS the TC and tranny together. And the drive between the Engine and Tranny is more solid, similar to the way a clutch does. This generally only happens in the overdrive gear on most cars. Such as 5th gear with Honda's
You can observe the TC operation by watching the tach. Say you are in 4 gear at 40 mph with a steady foot. A light pressure in the throttle will cause the RPM to rise slightly even before the car begins to gain speed. The TC wasn't locked and was allowed to slip more resulting in more engine rpm.
At 60 mph when the car is in Overdrive and the TC is Locked up, a light additional pressure on the throttle won't cause the rpm to rise instantly because the engine and tranny are locked together and nothing is slipping. The rpm will rise only as the car gains speed. If you press a little too hard you will see the tach jump 300-500 RPM. That is the TC unlocking and the drive is now depending on the swirling fluids. A bit more throttle and the tranny will likely downshift to a lower gear resulting in another 800-1000 gain in rpm.
You can really observe this on a long up hill with Cruise Control activated.
Kip
All those little Icons around the speedometer should settle down within just a few seconds after cranking.
Kip
Kip
Do the following: fill-up, reset your trip odemeter, go for a long ride on the highway (200 or 300 miles). Now pull off the highway and refuel. Divide the mileage on the trip odometer by the gallons pumped and see how you do.
Always calculate it as miles travelled per gallons pumped to replace what was consumed during the trip. (tip: the size of your gas tank will never factor into the calculation of MPG at all... it only affects how far you can ultimately travel on a tank. and hondas typically indicate low fuel level well well before the tank is empty).
Things to consider: possible dirty engine air filter, drastically under-inflated tires, lots of stop and go or heavy application of the throttle and braking.
Joe
The vibration problems were typically related to tires, or on some specific 4WDs, the drivelines, but those seem to occur at around 70 mph.
Joe
I have had a Suburban and a Sequoia and the Pilot gets far better mileage (yes I know it's smaller- but interior space wise not much than the Sequoia) and have been very pleased with the truck. No, it's not perfect and it's not an economy car, but it is very reasonable on fuel for it's level of function.
tom
From what you said, it appears to me that you bought the 2WD after you learned there was a problem with the display. I would have insisted that they fix that problem before completing the sale.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Problem 1: 50 % of the Engine starts lead to a Loud Ting noise from the Engine.
Problem 2: The Driver Car Door doesn’t close properly unless extra force is applied.
Problem 3: There is periodic noise which comes from one of the wheels. The noise is easily hearable with open glasses, the PILOT needs to run few miles, before this noise starts coming.
Problem 4: I think there is a safety concern, on driving the vehicle at high speeds on an expressway. The vehicle sometimes shivers.
Please Suggest and help me. Does anyone else also have any kind of issues.
PS: I live in west central Florida so the mice here love that Honda wiring as well.
Good luck if you still have your Honda
Problem 1: sometimes with a new vehicle, the starter and the starter gears need a bit of time to wear in. I don't know exactly what you mean by "ting", but this may be it.
Problem 2: perhaps you're finding the cabin too air-tight to allow the trapped air to escape while you are trying to close the door.
Try leaving your ventillation control on "fresh" not "recirc" and closing the door slower -or-
Try turning the key to acc, lowering one window partially, closing your driver's door.
Did things get easier?
Problem 3: i wonder if your emergency brake is fully disengaging or brake pad sticking, or a wheel needs lubrication.
Problem 4: check for proper tire inflation - if they are under-inflated, this may be a problem. Take vehicle to a tire shop with proper equipment to have the tires road-force balanced if necessary. It's possible you have a bad tire, but more than likely, a tire balancing weight is off (wrong weight or wrong location or missing). I suppose it's also possible the alignment is off.
Did you speak with your dealership about 1-4?
The dealer availability for warranty repair is one of the thing i have started hating in honda.
I would keep you updated. Yes i talked to dealer i bought my pilot from and they told me that no 2 is not an issue, ie ur are 100 % correct
The 1 ting , is when the engine starts up in vibrates and touches some metal.
I got sick of being overcharged and hosed by my Honda Service Centers years ago and I go to my car wash place where they change the oil "religiously" every 3000 miles, check the fluids, tire pressure, and that's it - I made a BIG mistake of going to the dealer for my 15,000 mile service and for practically no more than my usual servicing I was charged $300.00, rather than my typically $29.00 (and no free car wash, either).
Except for serious or major repairs under warranty, recalls, etc., do you go back to your dealer for regular servicing?
I have a 2007 Pilot with about 17,000 miles. I've never been back to the dealer for service, which means I've had no problems to be repaired and I choose not to use the dealer for routine maintenance.
When it comes to maintenance, I strictly follow the maintenance minder and owner's manual. But I have the work done by an independent garage located near my home. It's primarily a matter of convenience. The independent is much closer to my home and has better hours than the dealer. No appointment necessary. I suppose I save money too. Also, I feel good supporting a local business.
I am personally leery about having maintenance done by a car wash place. It's convenient, inexpensive and a way to get a free car wash, but . . . I'd be concerned that they would deal with my Honda generically and not put in the right kind of fluids. Doesn't matter what they use for topping off your windshield washer fluid. But what about your oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc.? Do they have the right stuff, and if so, can they be relied upon to use the right stuff?
I have the same concern with independent shops, but I consider them to be generally more knowledgeable than car washes.
I believe that Honda dealers know best what your Honda needs and would be the least likely to screw it up. However, they generally charge higher prices and have a tendancy to do (or try to do) more than what is called for by the manufacturer (i.e., dealer recommended services). They then make you feel like you are doing the wrong thing by your car (and therefore by your family) when you refuse the costly extras and instead insist on sticking to what is called for by manufacturer (maintenance minder + owner's manual).
The bottom line is that convenience, cost and reliability are all factors to be taken into account when deciding where to have your car serviced.
The usual recommendation from the web is to rotate the tires at around 7,500 miles and mine has some less than 10,000. The manual however says I'd wait till the maintenance minder to show me the code -- not yet so far (except for the last oil change code months back) I don't really have a tire-related problem hoping to solve with this rotation but I wonder if it is best to do it now. Besides, my dealer gives me a free tank of gas for the 1st year whenever I visit them for a service...
Any suggestions? Thanks!
We get a "thunk" from the rear when changing direction and applying the brakes.
Back up and apply the brakes, and "thunk"!
Then move forward. It may "thunk" as it start moving. Or it may wait until the brakes are applied the first time. Then it is happy, until the brakes are applied in reverse again.
Something else that is annoying is the "scrapping" sound when very lightly applying the brakes, in reverse, after it has been sitting a day or so. This is especially true when the humidity is high. Both our Pilot and the 03 CR-V do it.
I've concluded it is the light coat of rust that forms on the rotors while sitting. Never noticed it moving forward, although it may do it. But, after sitting, it most always needs to move backward before moving forward, as it is parked in a car port..
Once in a while there is a single "KNOCK" from the engine compartment when it first starts up in the morning, after sitting over night. Sound is similar to taping your knuckle on a wooden surface one time. Doesn't matter if the AC is on or not, and can't be duplicated until it is ready to do so on it's own.
Once in a while there is a slight odor after cranking a cold engine. Kind of sickening sweet like anti-freeze. It only last a few seconds. As the heater fan is always running on "Fresh air" intake, rather than recirculate, I'm thinking that may be a cold start odor from the exhaust,a light breeze is moving it toward the front of the car, and the fan is bringing it inside. Can't duplicate it, until it is ready to do so.
Please keep us informed concerning your "FIXES".
Now, on a lighter note. Our Pilot runs fine. At 65-70mph it delivers 24-26 mpg on the road, and 17-19 locally. It has adequate power when needed. At 30K+ miles the brakes and tires have about half their life left. On trips it is comfortable for driver and passengers. Even those in the 2nd row of seats have plenty of room. Visibility is good and the utility of space and towing is everything we "NEED". Of the 60+ vehicles we have owned, over the years, it is without a doubt, the most pleasing to operate.
Wish list:
>I wish there was a 7 pin electrical connector, from Honda, for towing a light weight camper.
>I wish it had 300 hp and got 40 MPG at 70-75 mph.
>I wish it turned as tight as the CR-V.
Kip
If you have an oil change coming up at 10k, that would be a good time.
But on newer Hondas with maintenance minders, I've found that oil changes (at least in my case) are called for every 6,500 to 7,000 miles. So now I rotate the tires with every oil change. The independent shop I use rotates tires free of charge, if requested, when they perform other maintenance such as oil change. So it's a no-brainer.
1.I was told that the loud noise on Engine start is due to ABS, the computer does some mechanical stuff , sometimes, resulting in noise.
(Yesterday my engine started and then stoppd, with a thud .. i dont think the noise is due to ABS, i would have to wait till the problem repeats itself often)
2.the door is designed in that way by honda.
3.the backing plate was little bend and touching the roter, I dont know how can a new car has such an issue.the dealer repaired the backing plate.
4. They said the vibration was because of wheel balancing , they did that ... but the problem didnt go.
The New Issue:
Whenever my car goes over some bumps , i get some noise as if something is loose and that gets vibrated because of the bump.The mechanic said , its more or less impossible to find out from where that noise is coming.
I think i am screwed buying a Honda... :-)
2). Having a tight interior is a good thing. Did you try the things I mentioned?
3). I think you aren't being realistic; the probability is, with something as complex as a vehicle, there may be issues that require attention post-sale. Any make, any model. But that's 1 down, only 3 to go. No wait, 4 to go now.
4). Did it improve at all? Did you check tire inflation? You may have to go to an independant tire store with a road-force balancing machine. It's possible you have a bad tire. If you are so dis-satisfied, perhaps you can try another dealer.
I'd do some sleuthing of your own. Open the hood, and have someone competent listen to the engine compartment on an engine start to locate the noise. Close your door more slowly with the air handler on fresh, or crack a window slightly until the door seals have seen a little more use. Have someone quote road-force balancing the tires, or see if another dealer is more sympathetic.
For the newest issue: have someone else drive while you ride in the back. Try to localize the issue. Make sure that your spare tire, scissor jack and tools are secured properly.
Yes 2 is not an issue, ie with open windows the door closes pretty smoothly.
I would do whatever you suggested , would go to another dealer. I already did the debugging for the new noise. i had checked all loose stuff and sat in the back .. the noise comes from under the body.
I will try to find out another dealer, as you suggested.
Once again , thanks for ur excellent comments.
And that's the problem.
Cars are shipped from the manufacturer with over-inflated tires to prevent flat-spotting as the cars sit around in various lots.
The dealer was supposed to air down the tire to the recommended psi listed on the tire placard on the A pillar or in the glove box.
Makes you wonder what else the dealer overlooked or skipped in performing the new car prep eh?
Unfortunately, dealers forget to air down the tires on new cars all the time. Salespeople rarely check the tire pressures when they demo a car and then they wonder why the potential buyer walked across the street to find a smoother riding car.
/rant
Bingo !
Wouldn't hurt to let the service manager and his boss, know about it! :mad:
Kip
The dealer was supposed to air down the tire to the recommended psi listed on the tire placard on the A pillar or in the glove box.
Very interesting. I didn't know that. Looks like the dealers have made some over-adjustments in my case, because the last few vehicles I took delivery of had grossly underinflated tires. Two Hondas (from different dealers) and one BMW.
I can't recall ever reading a post around here where someone took delivery of a new car and all the tires were under inflated. Occasionally now you'll see reports where the tire pressure monitor sensor light is on because of a low tire (often the spare).
Anyway I had the tires rotated and balanced on Monday. Then I went to a local Goodyear shop and found they have a $40 rotation/balancing plan -- even if people coming in with 10K~15K miles on the tires already. Thanks for your suggestion. The road hazard deal is about $10 per tire though.
Thank you again!