Honda Pilot 2003 through 2005

qbrozen · June 2005

Our dealer charged us over $400 for just the fronts, so the $600 isn't outrageous compared to my experience. And, after getting that quote, I priced out pads and new rotors on the internet to see if I could save any money. I couldn't. Brake parts are darned expensive for this vehicle.

I am surprised that it needs fronts and rears. You can typically go through 2 sets of fronts to each set of rears on most vehicles.

As far as just replacing the pads, they probably won't comply. I've tried that with a different car and the shop refused to do it, so I had to take the car back and replace the pads myself. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. Personally, though, I'd go check, the car out myself and confirm if there are grooves forming on the rotors. If they are still smooth, then turning them is not needed.

enascar3 · June 2005

If you can change your own brakes, the below link will take you to a site to order them. I've ordered from this site - absolutely no problems. Pads for front and rear under $100 total. There are additional parts as well for the Pilot and other Honda products. I do my own brakes and have changed rotors in the past - not too difficult if you have the right tools. Good luck.

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

qbrozen · June 2005

If you just want to do pads, that's great. But if the rotors really do need cutting, you either need to remove them and take them to a shop or replace them altogether. If replacing, the cost of the job all of a sudden looks mighty expensive and, IMHO, not worth it when I can just let the dealer do it for an extra $100 or so. But I guess that's just me. And that is exactly what I did in my case.

delange · June 2005

Has anyone added the back-up assist feature? Or how about the rear camera video tie in? If so, I'd appriciate hearing how well its working for you. We have a steep driveway, on a street with over 50 kids, so I am very concerened about backing up when I move to a SUV.

Thanks for your help!

peatnick · June 2005

We need to replace an older vehicle in our garage this year and Pilot is our first choice based on test drives. Since we have 3 kids we wanted to buy a car with second row side curtain air bags. Several cars from other makers have these (Highlander, Tribeca, Trailblazer), the Volvo XC90 has them all the way back to the third row, though that may be out of our price range. Even the Acura MDX has them, but it may be beyond our financial reach to, the Honda salesman told us the MDX and Pilot are basically the same car. We would be happy to wait for a 2006 Pilot if it offered the side curtain air bags. Would like to know if anyone has heard (local dealer was uninformed). Otherwise we may be best served by going into a buying cycle now with one of the other choices since most are 2005 cars on which production has ended and selection will not get any better while we wait to hear about what Honda has in the 2006 Pilot.. :confuse:

Thanks in advance for your help.

drivein · June 2005

see www.hondapreview.com That is all the info I know but we have the same dilemna. Regarding price point, we are also looking at used XC90s.

peatnick · June 2005

thx drivein, looks like hondapreview.com believes the SAC will be on the 2006 Pilot (who runs that site anyway?) It says "HondaPreview.com is a dealer sponsored web site." My local dealer was either missing his training classes or telling a fib to try and sell a 2005....

Are you looking at used Acura's also? When did the XC90 come out?

nowakj66 · June 2005

Honda Preview is run by College Hills Honda in Ohio.

biscuit1941 · June 2005

Re: back problems. I have scoliosis, a hunchback, bone spurs in the spinal cavity, etc. Every car I have ever owned caused me to get out and walk like Igor for the first few minutes. Most produced leg pain after 1-2 hours behind the wheel. Just leased a Pilot EX-L. Only one medium length trip so far, but got out and walked fine. No pain. I know everyones back is different. My wife has back troubles too and we cannot stand the same chairs. But, i sure like my Pilot so far. Taking a longer trip this week and anxious to see how it goes.

They offered a fantastic deal on a 24 month lease so I went for it with caution, undecided between this, a Ford Freestyle Limited or the Acura MDX. After several long drives and lots of thought, went pilot. After 2 years? We shall see.

amiret · June 2005

I Installed the back-up sensor from Honda. It was a bear to do. The instructions are good, but you have to know where to push and pull the panels from the clips. The inboard sensors are very good, but the outboard sensors that point to the rear/side don't have enough audio volume at the higher frequency for my senior ears. There is a volume control to adjust, but you have to take off the panels again to get at it. === A nice feature is that as you back up, it starts to beep at about six or seven feet.(est), and when you get about three feet (est) the beep increases in frequency. It's not perfect as that it might not pick up a post, or will not sense a curb, but it is good. === I picked up a remote wireless camera from Radio Shack for about $90 and will mount it in one of the back-up lights, and feed the receiver into the video input of a small screen display. Problem is the angle of view, but the price is sure right compared to what Honda wants, and you must have the Nav system for their camera. I think I might go to two cameras and alternate between them to get a wider view.

delange · June 2005

Thank you so much for your reply - its exactly the information I wanted, plus more that I needed to know.

peatnick · June 2005

Got an email today from local Acura dealer re: $1500 under invoice on any '05 MDX in stock. This puts a new base MDX close enough for me to drool on...

biscuit1941 · June 2005

Posted this on problem and solution board as well.

2005 EX-L navi. >700 miles. Nav display started randomly switching between map and instruction screen. Completely random time-wise. The road was very twisty and hilly and there MAY be a correlation between switching and turns or braking. anyone seen this????????? :sick:

jond · June 2005

Personally, I do not like that feature. I think it shoud be an owner set option. If you want it fine. I do not want the doors to lock when I put the car in gear and start it moving. On a previous Lincoln I owned, it was a settable and changeable option at the will of the driver. That is the right way to implement it.

enascar3 · June 2005

Question:

I realized over the weekend, that with the A/C on and the Mode set to both feet and head, nothing blows out of the rear vents. Once i take it off the "feet" mode and only have it set to head, it blows out the rear too. Is this right? The setting i use for this is, A/C on, fan on about bars, and mode in foot and head. Thanks.

stever · June 2005

A couple of posts quibbling about spelling and grammar have been removed. We're all fluent in chat typo around here, so let's just focus on the SUV please.

Steve, Host

drivingmom · June 2005

Would you buy a Pilot again? If you did buy one again, is there a particular year that you would have bought one vs. the year you did actually make your purchase?

Did you consider the Highlander as a possible choice before you bought the Pilot?

Thank you, Everyone for your future insights!

DrivingMom

sportymonk · June 2005

I am about to start sending out emails (hopefully tonight as soon as I pay some bills) and while I don't own a Pilot yet, we just finished out looking this past weekend and the Toyota Highlander, Sienna, and 4Runner were what we looked at.

As far as the 4 Runner goes, it was surprisingly smooth. But room seemed less than the Pilot, third row seat (that the salesman didn't know could be ordered but is in the brochure) is a joke. The 4WD system he said can't be used on the pavement and requires a switch to activate. RWD when 4WD is not in use.

The Highlander is a nice car but I felt the steering wheel was little far away and I could barely find a comfortable driving position. My wife liked the driving position but we agreed that it didn't have as much room as the Pilot and the third row seat was much better.

Theoretically the Sienna is better since it can tow just as much weight and has more room but I don't want a minivan and I didn't like where they put the transmission shift lever.

All in all the best summation of the Pilot was in Car and Driver I believe which said that it isn't the best at any one thing but does everything very well. Like I said, we looked at the Highlandeer and it is a cute little car but I want more room. We are getting the Pilot.

drivingmom · June 2005

I found your post very informative.

We are opposites.

At the present time, I have a 2001 Sienna. I love it to pieces. I am already feeling sorrow to see it go. . .but also feel like a change would be good.

We are looking to purchase something in the Spring of 2006.
We have a 12 and a 13 year old.
We have a 50 pound dog and a 80 pound dog.
We go camping.
We go on 3 day trips here and there.
The Sienna has been fabulous, but like I said, we feel like a change would be good.

The Toyota brand is great. The Honda brand is great.
For us it is about the specific car. . .Highlander vs. Pilot. . .rather than Toyota vs. Honda.

I am glad to have found these forums for I am learning a lot!

deerlake7 · June 2005

We've owned a 2001 Highlander and now own a 2003 Pilot. At this point, we have been close to trading the Pilot in on a 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. However, when all is said and done, we will most likely to wait until September and purchase the supposed mid-cycle update of the 2006 Pilot. We did not like the Highlander because its narrow width made it feel more "tippy" than the Pilot, its seats gave us backaches, it was full of rattles and the paint was very fragile. Although the Tribeca does handle better than the Pilot, our Pilot has been trouble free, it has excellent resale value, the cargo carrying capacity is much better than either of the other vehicles and my wife likes it. Therefore, because she has no interest in how quickly a vehicle can go through a tight road course, we're getting a new Pilot.

qbrozen · June 2005

Carrying that much, I would think the decision should be easy. Highlander seems much smaller, although we did not try one .... it didn't have a 3rd row back when we bought our Pilot.

Would we buy one again? Absolutely!

Would we buy a different year? Well, if we were looking at all the years, I'd pick the latest since it offers the most features. My wife would have liked to have heated seats and a moonroof, but those weren't on the '03 model. We did, however, add an aftermarket moonroof ... but still no bun warmers.

tcp27705 · June 2005

We have had a '05 Pilot for 7 months, and my dad has a '04 Highlander. Both are great vehicles, and the cost is comparable.

However, the Pilot has significantly more space, both for cargo and for passengers. The middle seat of the Highlander is crowded with a car seat and 2 adults. The third row seat is easier to access in the Pilot, and there seems to be more cargo space behind the third seat in the Pilot.

The Highlander offers side curtain airbags and a better color selection, but for a family with kids in car seats, I would buy the Pilot again.

durability05 · June 2005

We have a 12 month old 04 Honda Pilot EXL, initially I was disappointed in the Pilot due to its Poor Towing capability( I should have read Edmunds first", and its fragile demeanor. The Pilot is just not a heavy duty SUV. However, ever since we decided to treat the Pilot like as they say the 1960's Station Wagon, this vehicle has been great, very versatile seating and cargo configurations, acceptable handling and ride, even with its short for its class wheelbase of 106 inches. Great STATION WAGON , even mostly use it for shopping. Ever since we stopped expecting SUV performance from it , it has been great.

rsharp · June 2005

After just over a year in the 04 Pilot I have to say yes this is the car I would buy again. Styling could be better, brakes could be beefier, radio reception not very good, but otherwise no complaints and no problems.

Initially we wanted a Pacifica because of the styling and the comfort. But the lack of quality and the outrageous prices on the first year Pacs made us look elsewhere. Glad we did because although prices on Pacs have come down the quality is still very suspect.

There were few autos out there that met our needs: AWD, versitile room and seating arrangements, big enough for a good amount of stuff, somewhat affordable.

Only 3 autos currently meet those criteria: Pilot, Pacifica, Ford Freestyle. Out of those three the Pilot still wins hands down. Without even considering the quality issue.

sportymonk · June 2005

I didn't mean to make it sound like a Toyota vs honda thing because it isn't. Its just the highlander is too small. The Sienna is a close second (a Honda dealer couldn't understand comparing the two but since both tow the same, ....) anyway, I think the Sienna is great and to be honest if anything hiccups on the Pilot deal, it will be the first thing I re look at.

BTW I have two beagles (gophers digging up my yard cleverly disguised as beagles I suspect) a 17 year old son, 21 year old daughter and wife.

Agree these forums are great.

gnawk719 · June 2005

Ambient lighting is a printed difference between 2004 and 2005. What exactly is this difference.

qbrozen · June 2005

lava lamp?

oh, wait, maybe that would be "mood lighting."

gnawk719 · June 2005

A feeble attempt at levity. How about some serious responses.

srl99 · June 2005

I could be wrong - but in the 2005 there's a TINY little green light (LED?) in the
overhead console, which casts a dim light over part of the dash (radio stack if
memory serves). It's so tiny I didn't know about it before I read about it somewhere.

--SRL

:shades:

spyderred · June 2005

I noticed it as well when I drove my Pilot the first time at night. I was very pleased to see it there. I have this type of lighting in my 5 series BMW and it is a very nice touch as well as convenient. It sheds enough light to see what you have in the center console without it being too distracting. Glad to see that Honda engineers/designers are learning from the Germans.

Spyderred.

nowakj66 · June 2005

Accord sedan has the same thing in EX trims and up except the little light is orange.

nancy10 · June 2005

I have a 2004 Pilot and noticed a strange problem. I have had a odorless brownish fluid dripping very very slowly from the screw that holds my spare tire in place under the car. I first noticed it when it dripped on my garage floor, but since then (3 weeks) there is still a drop or two each time I check on the screw, but not enough to actually drip. I took the car in to Honda and they are "looking into it", but were not sure WHAT it could be. Could you Pilot owners check that screw for some oil-like fluid, and let me know if you have it also...and if so...any idea what it could be..it's driving me a little crazy to think something is wrong, but not having an answer...

srl99 · June 2005

Very likely the grease on the spare tire winch. I have seen MDX owners complain about this on other forums.

--SRL

nancy10 · June 2005

Not a greasy substance, more a a tea colored watery substance that continues to appear when wiped off...is this what others experience with the MDX or Pilot ???

tangled · June 2005

Make sure that you are very cautious about which XC90 you purchase. I just traded out of my '02 S60 2.4T AWD a week ago. I loved that car! I really hated to see it go. However, I have managed to put 57,000 miles on it with my job change. Volvo's preventive maintenance is very expensive. I had the 100,000 mi extended warranty. I was having trouble with my throttle again. They wanted to charge me the $95.00 service charge for the visit. I would have been reimbursed if they found something wrong. I had the car in about a year ago for the same problem. They would have told me the same thing and I would have been out $95.00. CA Volvo owners are working on a class action lawsuit regarding the throttle issue.

I also have a back that bothers me on long trips. I never had ANY back trouble in my Volvo. I hated to go back to a Honda because I had trouble in the other 10 that I owned previously. The Pilot is no exception.

I was contemplating the XC90. However, it is too much to pay for a vehicle that also comes with an expensive prev. maint. schedule. My Volvo had 3 onboard computers. Everything they had to do to the car required some type of computer upgrade. When the vehicle is out of warranty, it usually costs $95.00 per fix.

A good friend of mine had one of the first XC90s. He had so much trouble with several parts of the vehicle that Volvo upgraded his XC90 when they finally decided to replace it. Beware when buying a used Volvo. They have managed to work out a lot of the bugs. However, they are still present in the older model years.

BTW, I love the Pilot. I hope that my AWD/tranny issues haven't followed me to my Pilot.

One more thing to consider if purchasing the Volvo........the depreciation is terrible. I took a huge hit on my vehicle. If you can lease, do it.

junglejim · June 2005

"As far as the 4 Runner goes.....The 4WD system he said can't be used on the pavement and requires a switch to activate. RWD when 4WD is not in use. "

This is so not true. The 4WD on the V8 is full time (meaning that you can't switch to 2WD). The V6 4Runner is switchable between 4W and 2W, yet you can drive infinitely while in 4WD on any type pavement. The 4WD on the V6 is exactly like the V8. You can switch it into 4WD and leave it.

That dealership needs to fire that salesman before he loses too many sales for them!

kolbster · June 2005

I have purchased several Honda vehicles in the past but I leased a Pilot EX-L yesterday. They offered a service that would correct any problem I would have turning in the Pilot at the end of the lease (new tires (if less than 1/8 in. tread), upholstery damage, scratches etc.). This service would cost $499.00. I don't expect to go over the mileage. How picky are they when you turn in the vehicle? Normal wear and tear --Is this service worth it? I initially declined it. Thanks for your opinions.

Kolbster

qbrozen · June 2005

Feeble?? Well, at least I made myself chuckle.

Don't you watch Pimp My Ride? My suggestion was certainly not an impossibility. Some folks would take it quite seriously.

stever · June 2005

Check out Lease Termination Fees and other costs.

Steve, Host

onlysurfer · July 2005

what's happening to '06 Pilot?

no new post over 10 days, specifically during model change time....Honda is good at keeping secrets!

nowakj66 · July 2005

Honda preview has posted some trim and color info. Looks like Amazon Green with green interior a la Ridgeline will be avaialble. All trims come in 2WD and 4WD. Now I wonder if it looks like a Ridge.

For the front treatment (headlights, grill, that would not be a bad thing.

It would be nice if they added some of the interior updates found in the Ridgeline too but that might be too much to expect from a mid model refresh.

stever · July 2005

There's a specific '06 Pilot discussion (not much news seems to have leaked out there either though):

2006 Honda Pilot

Steve, Host

explorerx4 · July 2005

gb... guess some folks need to lighten up on the caffeine. i chuckled too.

nowakj66 · July 2005

Thanks. I moved the info over so you can delete that post here. -- Joe

stever · July 2005

Yeah, but if we leave your informative post here, we might drive some traffic to the Future Vehicles board. :shades:

Steve, Host

qbrozen · July 2005

qbrozen · July 2005

Wait a sec. This is the Honda Pilot board. I'm sorry, but, with all due respect, I shouldn't have to go to a different board to talk about this vehicle.

In which case .... 2WD and AWD? Really? So they are making just FWD Pilots? Hmmmm.... I guess they need to do it to keep competitive most minivans and something like the Highlander FWD, but, personally, it would feel like its cheapening the Pilot in general. Oh well.

stever · July 2005

Some of the discussions are a bit more focused that others, like the Honda Pilot Owners: Problems & Solutions one or Honda Pilot Owners: MPG-Real World Numbers. Take your pick.

Steve, Host

tidester · July 2005

I shouldn't have to go to a different board to talk about this vehicle.

No problem! Talk about the vehicle here and, if you care to join in, talk about the future vehicle there.

tidester, host

qbrozen · July 2005

I hear ya, and I subscribe to those, too.

But I thought the future vehicles board was for DIFFERENT vehicles in the future, no? Since the '06 Pilot won't be much different than the current one, why break it out to a separate board?

Are there really separate boards for every single car that comes out each year? In other words, there's a board for, say, an '06 Explorer, although its identical to the '05, etc. (ok, i don't really know a thing about the '06 explorer, but hopefully you understand my question). That would make for ALOT of discussions! Way more than I care to sift through, that's for sure. i certainly don't want to see all separate boards for an '03 Pilot, '04 Pilot, '05 Pilot, etc.

Honda Pilot 2003 through 2005

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