Honda Pilot Maintenance and Repair

Replying to: pilotvic (Jun 09, 2008 6:39 pm)

Ok, so I've been to the dealership about 5 times to take care of the "thump". They replaced the rubber feet on the hatch, they adjusted the hatch, adjusted the locking mechanism and even added some temporary tape to the locking mechanism and the noise it's still there. The service rep said that it could be the gas shocks on the hatch but the noise still persist!! The service manager got involved and involved Honda and both came up empty handed. If there's no breakthrough ideas from the dealership, Honda or my fellow forum members I'll be trading it in for a Mazda CX-9 or a Subaru Tribeca... Any suggestions out there?!?!
Thanx!

Replying to: mercara (Oct 13, 2008 5:10 pm)

">Seems like you had a lot of life left in your 03 pilot under warranty. Why wouldn't you just keep it? "
 
mercara,
 
Excellent question! In hindsight, I agree with you 100%.
 
(Stupid as it seems now) Here is how it went down:
 
My next door neighbor decided he wanted to try camping. My family spent several years camping, and memories of those wonderful times still linger. So I was eager to help. I'm retired so I really don't have many "Have to do Things"!
 
He needed two things. A camper and something to pull it with. He decided on a light weight hard sided camper that would fold or telescope for easier towing and better fuel mileage. Choices were a Hi-LO or a Trail Manor. He decided on the Trail Manor. Not my choice, but he is spending the money! Then we spent the better part of the '07 summer driving and comparing every type of truck made.
(Meanwhile, I was starting to really want another camper again.)
 
Eventually I talked him into driving a Ridgeline. Honda was having some serious incentives and he bought a $29K Ridgeline, ready to tow, for something like $23,500.
 
In my mind I had decided to seriously consider one of the makes of fiberglass "Egg" campers. Light weight, easy to tow with a even a small car, shaped like an Air Stream, and plenty of room for me and the wife to camp for a week at a time. The Pilot would easily tow it, as it only weighs 1300-2000 pounds.
Needed to get the 7 pin electrical connector that would charge the camper battery and operate the camper electric brake. Well guess what! Not available through Honda. The Ridgeline has it. But not the Pilot. Went to a respected Hitch house. They said they could do it, but had never actually done it before. That got scary!
 
So my mind turned to the Ridgeline. My neighbor's was towing his Trail Manor with ease. And I was on a roll! Thank goodness, the dealer trying to steal my Pilot, brought me back to my senses.
 
This Pilot is a wonderful vehicle, and does everything we need. If I drive it for pure economy, at 60 MPH with little to no AC, it will return 26+ MPG. At 70 with full AC, it returns 23-24 MPG. If I need to haul something, that won't fit inside or on top, I have a utility trailer.
 
Thanks,
Kip

Replies to this message:
• mercara (Oct 17, 2008 6:37 pm)
  • kipk (Oct 18, 2008 4:04 am)

Replying to: kipk (Oct 16, 2008 3:19 am)

Replies to this message:
• kipk (Oct 18, 2008 4:04 am)

Replying to: mercara (Oct 17, 2008 6:37 pm)

Even the 03 models were rated to tow a 4500# boat or low trailer. But limited to a 3500# trailer with a flat tall front, such as a square type camper or utility trailer, that would have a lot of wind resistance. I got no problem with that.
 
Where I have the problem is with the fact that they don't give me the option of towing something with electric brakes. The only choice Pilot owners have had is "surge" brakes. Surge brakes work fairly well, but are "Re-active" . When the tow vehicle slows quickly enough, the trailer pushes against it's hitch/coupler and hydraulics apply the trailer brakes.
 
If backing up a hill, over a curb, and such, the surge trailer brake may activate because the hitch is being compressed, just as it would be if braking while going forward.
This requires getting the pressure off the coupler and inserting a pin to keep the coupler from compressing. Need to remember to remove the pin before getting back on the road. Electric brakes only operate when getting an electrical signal from the tow vehicle or driver.
 
Electric brakes, if properly set up, will apply a slight amount of brake to the trailer before the tow vehicle begins to brake. This really helps to avoid "Jack Knifes", and can even correct swaying when going down long steep grades in the mountains. Or swaying due to a passing 18 wheeler or heavy cross winds. Electric brake controlers have a lever that can be operated by hand that will apply trailer brakes "only" if need be.
 
I've dealt with both types over the years and they each have their place.
Just pisses me off, me that Toyota, Nissan, GM, Ford, and Chrysler all offer the 7 pin connector with their tow packages, but Honda does not.
 
Possibly the 09 Pilots, with the integrated Class 3 hitch, do!
 
Rant over!
 
Kip

Replies to this message:
• bigdadi118 (Oct 24, 2008 11:41 pm)
  • mitch65 (Oct 26, 2008 5:54 am)
    • bigdadi118 (Oct 26, 2008 10:53 am) and 4 more...
• kipk (Oct 25, 2008 12:06 am)
• jmac8 (Oct 25, 2008 4:41 am)
  • mitch65 (Oct 26, 2008 5:51 am)

Replying to: mitch65 (Oct 24, 2008 12:46 pm)

Replies to this message:
• mitch65 (Oct 26, 2008 5:54 am)
  • bigdadi118 (Oct 26, 2008 10:53 am)
    • vibo (Oct 29, 2008 12:11 pm) and 3 more...

Replying to: mitch65 (Oct 24, 2008 12:46 pm)

Replying to: mitch65 (Oct 24, 2008 12:46 pm)

Replies to this message:
• mitch65 (Oct 26, 2008 5:51 am)

Replying to: jmac8 (Oct 25, 2008 4:41 am)

Replying to: bigdadi118 (Oct 24, 2008 11:41 pm)

Replies to this message:
• bigdadi118 (Oct 26, 2008 10:53 am)
  • vibo (Oct 29, 2008 12:11 pm)
    • mitch65 (Oct 29, 2008 6:59 pm) and 2 more...