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SUVs Honda Pilot Honda Pilot Care and Scheduled Maintenance
140 messages, Last post on Jun 06, 2009 at 9:53 AM
You are in the Honda Pilot Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Some of us were evidently successful in getting NHTSA & Honda to recall a safety defect in the 2003 Pilot (timing belt tensioner pulley misaligned, which may lead to a crash). You should be getting a letter in the mail soon.
Now we owners of the Pilot need to email NHTSA the following message, or a version thereof. Email the message below to: webmaster
Message that needs to be conveyed to NHTSA by as many Pilot owners as possible goes as follows: "The 2003 Pilot headlights are very weak and do not sufficiently illuminate the road ahead. This creates a very serious driving hazard on the freeway especially at speeds as high as 70 mph. The Pilot's headlights fail to illuminate the curves in the freeway, and consequently, Pilots can veer off the highway and get into crashes. Apparently, the Honda company is aware of this problem but has chosen not to take any action. We appeal to NHTSA to urge Honda to recall and replace the defective headlights". Feel free to modify the message above. Thank you.
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| My Pilot has 2500 miles and I asked the dealer to change the oil because I could not find any 5-20W oil in any local stores. He flat refused stating it has "special break-in oil". Has any one heard of such a thing. By the way, it gets 19.5 to 21.5 MPG, I had to pay $500 over MSRP to get the first one in my community, it has DVD which works great, and it has been flawless. | |
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The statement your dealer made regarding the "special break-in oil" is correct. I have a 2003 Pilot and the operator's manual as well as my local dealer specifically states that you should not change the oil until 7500 miles under normal driving. I payed MSRP for EX-L w/DVD at Wilde Honda in Waukesha, WI (Milwaukee). They will not charge over MSRP and did not push any accessories on us, however we opted for the running boards, mud flaps and cross bars to complete the exterior look. We added the cargo cover and all weather floor mats to the interior which have proven themselves useful during snowy days. |
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Hi, I'm currently considering the Honda Pilot LX to replace my wife's aging minivan. I got couple of maintenance related questions about it: - It seems the 3.5L has a timing belt instead of a chain. What is the recommended replacement interval? - Does the auto tranny has a drain plug? - Anybody has a link to an online manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule? Thanks |
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Maintenance Schedules, Recalls, and Technical Service Bulletins Hope this helps! |
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Is there a rule of thumb on scheduled maintenance -- dealer vs. local mechanic? Every time I take my car to the dealer for maintenance I feel like I'm getting taken. Any suggestions on whether I am better off with one vs. the other? Thanks. |
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| There is a standard maint schedule for 15K. Call a few Honda dealers and ask for a guaranteed amount for the entire scheduled maint. Choose the best price. Go with Honda on this one since the VTM fluid needs to be changed. Oil changes can be done anywhere, but make sure the filter has a check valve in it. With the cheap filters used by some quick lubes, there is not check valve and the engine starts with less oil flow than necessary. Since 80% of engine wear occurs at startup, this can be significant. My dealer charges 24 for the Pilot. That includes the filter, washer and 5 qts of 5w20. You will pay the same at most quick changes places and I will bet you don't get a new washer(possible leaks) and you will probably get 10wsomething. | |
| As always, check your owner's manual. There are 2 maintenance schedules. 1 is the maintenance schedule set by the factory (the one in your manual), and 1 set by the dealer. Most times, when you ask for a 15k service, the dealer will give you THEIR 15k service and charge you accordingly. You have to ask for the specific items listed in the owner's manual only and that will reduce your bill. | |
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nhtsa.dot.gov (alternatively, use the web form on NHTSA safety hotline site at 
