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Honda Pilot Transmission Problems

392 messages,  Last post on Mar 07, 2013 at 5:52 AM

You are in the Honda Pilot Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Pilot, Transmission, SUV

Messages Page 29 of 40

#273 of 392 Re: my 2004 pilot [mrmagoo3] by gatdammit

Aug 25, 2011 (1:37 pm)

Replying to: mrmagoo3 (Aug 25, 2011 10:43 am)
Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but, as you've probably read, those are the exact indications of failure. Unfortunately, not many have escaped a new tranny after the fact. I would do everything in your power to get a gaurantee from the service manager that this is all the maintenance you required to keep running 4.0. Use this forum and the myriad other strings on the web to support your inquiry.
 
Save all your receipts and log it in your manual. I am confident this will be a class action someday. I am going to forward this and the other Honda/Acura V6 tranny failure threads to Consumer Reports - again. They still rate the early pilot very well and if you trust them, like I always have, its important they realize the problem.
 
Good Luck. When the dealer replaces your pressure sensors next, have the tow truck # handy...

#274 of 392 Re: my 2004 pilot [mrmagoo3] by jtsibes

Aug 29, 2011 (5:10 am)

Replying to: mrmagoo3 (Aug 25, 2011 10:43 am)
That is exactly how my problems started...replaced the radiator at around those same miles and then did a complete tranny 106k. I think flushing helped prolong the envitable.

#275 of 392 Unfortunate Pilot Owner by pilotowner69

Sep 23, 2011 (5:10 pm)

Wow, if only I had read this forum a few weeks ago...
 
I am an owner of a 2003 Honda Pilot and my transmission needs replacing at 139,000 miles. Actually, I'm not sure if that is accurate, if I recall correctly there was a recall on this vehicle due to a defect that affected the speedometer and mileage readout. Regardless, the car has been serviced at the dealership according to the Honda maintenance schedule since day 1. Actually, this is my third Honda, purchased new from the same dealership, all 4 have had all scheduled maintenance at this dealership. This vehicle was a part of the recall, and some other class action related to the invalid mileage which ended up extending my warranty. Nonetheless it is now out of warranty.
 
Only problem with the vehicle has been a motor mount and rear main seal needing to be replaced last November. No noticeable shifting problems. Wife was driving when the vehicle "stalled", check engine light. Had it towed into the dealership expecting something along the lines of a sensor or valve needing replacing. Got the call that the transmission fluid was dark and my transmission needed to be replaced. Say what!
 
Was quoted $2890 for a rebuilt transmission with a warranty of 12 months, or $4000 for a new transmission with a 3 year warranty. I couldn't freaking believe I was getting a caller telling me a HONDA transmission needed replacing at 139,000 miles. I googled, found this forum, called the service manager the next day and asked about a goodwill repair.
 
I got a call back, the district and dealership offered to pay 15% each for a new transmission with a 3 year warranty for $2896. $6 more than the original minimum hit I would be taking. I felt defeated at this point and told them to go ahead and install the new transmission at 30% off.
 
I called the number posted here for American Honda to ask for more help. They took my contact information and told me they would be calling me back. They called me back today and basically told me they owed me nothing, the transmission was beyond its warranty, it was a mechanical failure, yadda yadda yadda. I told them I would no longer be a customer of Honda Motor Corporation. She then proceeded to tell me that the offer of a 30% discount could be rescinded by the dealership and regional director. They expected me to be happy paying almost $3K for a transmission that was recalled, incorrectly fixed, and probably known to be defective.
 
Once she started basically threatening me I got so pissed I probably said quite a few things I shouldn't have, involving lawyers, verbal contracts, the BBB, the state Attorney General, and so on.
 
There have been Honda's in my family since the late 70's, none, not a single one before this Pilot, had a powertrain failure in 200,000+ miles of use. Honda has obviously lost their way, a shame, really.
 
So now the American Honda rep is calling the district manager and dealership, possibly getting them to rescind the offer of a 30% discount after I already told them to go ahead with the work, and then the rep is supposed to call me back.
 
My advice, DON'T BUY A HONDA. If they are willing to treat a life-long loyal customer like me this way, what will happen the next time they drop a ball on YOU? If you own a Pilot that is anywhere near the end of its warranty period, GET RID OF IT, immediately.
 
I'm still holding out hope Honda will take me up on my offer of keeping a life-long customer by making this right. Will post here when I find out what happens next...

#276 of 392 Re: Unfortunate Pilot Owner [pilotowner69] by bdyment

Sep 24, 2011 (10:59 am)

Replying to: pilotowner69 (Sep 23, 2011 5:10 pm)
I am curious. What action did you expect Honda to take? Your Pilot is 8 years old. It has way more miles than the original powertrain warranty covered. Did you expect Honda to guarantee it for life? Warranties are for a specific time frame and mileage. If you had been just over your limit, I could understand your concern, but not in your case.

#277 of 392 2005 Pilot Transmission problem by rbett

Sep 24, 2011 (2:33 pm)

I have 82,000 miles on my 2005 Pilot. Started getting the A/T light. I decided to pull off the highway and waited for the transmission to cool down. Decided to get it towed since the car would not shifting to D and when it did, the engine would rev without moving forward. Had the car towed to the dealer, and got a call from the dealer that the antifreeze had leaked into the transmission via the radiator and I need a new radiator and a transmission. I have found similar complaints online. Any suggestions on my options to fix this for less than 5K quoted by the dealer?

#278 of 392 Re: Unfortunate Pilot Owner [bdyment] by pilotowner69

Sep 24, 2011 (3:44 pm)

Replying to: bdyment (Sep 24, 2011 10:59 am)
I didn't expect anything. I wanted them to show the customer service and quality I have previously experienced from Honda. In my opinion the transmission is defective. The recall did just enough to get it beyond their warranty coverage and then left me hanging. They could have at least warned me the transmission wouldn't last as long as normal Honda transmissions do so I wouldn't have been left holding the bag. I didn't buy my 3rd honda from them for a warranty, I bought it expecting not to have to replace entire power train components for at least 150-160000 miles, as every other Honda I have ever owned has done, and every Honda members of my family have owned since the late 70's. I would have bought a Toyota or Kia with a 100000 mile warranty if it was the warranty that mattered so much.
 
And I have had other problems that cost me over $1000 to repair which I gladly paid. I understand the difference between normal wear and tear and something that was defective and improperly fixed.
 
What it all boils down to for me is this, does Honda want to keep a loyal life-long customer, or not? It will cost them approximately $2000 to $3000 to do that. I have spent in the range of $60-80,000 at this dealership in the last 15 years. I will continue to spend my money there if I am happy with the quality of the product and service, up until this point I have been. It has little to do with specific warranty coverage periods or number of miles. No perfectly maintained, non-abused, single owner, modern automatic transmission for a passenger vehicle should need a complete replacement within 140000 miles. No one would buy a vehicle, new or used, with that expectation, unless the $3000-$4000 was taken off of the front-end cost.

#279 of 392 Re: Unfortunate Pilot Owner [pilotowner69] by bdyment

Sep 25, 2011 (8:00 am)

Replying to: pilotowner69 (Sep 24, 2011 3:44 pm)
Well, I wish you luck, but I doubt that Honda or any other auto company will honour your request, due to mileage and years in service. Your best bet is probably a discount from your local dealer.

#280 of 392 Re: 2005 Pilot Transmission problem [rbett] by jtsibes

Sep 26, 2011 (5:51 am)

Replying to: rbett (Sep 24, 2011 2:33 pm)
I went and had the transmission & radiator replaced an a local shop I know & trust. I haven't had any probelems since- and it's been a couple thousand miles. I opted for a Jasper transmission since Honda has been known to have problems. I don't regret it- Just wish Honda would increase the recall that they did for the previous years to apply to the 05 since it's the same issue.

#281 of 392 Another 2005 Honda Pilot - transmission problem by jlaw79

Oct 12, 2011 (2:25 pm)

No warning at all...just started overheating and then there was a huge puddle of nastiness on the ground. Same problem as described above: transmission cooler inside the radiator gave out and got antifreeze inside the tranny.
 
Only have 90,000 miles on it, and now they want $5000 for a new transmission. Ouch.
 
This is by far the worst and most expensive incident that has ever happened to any of the vehicles I've owned (Mazda, BMW, Nissan...)
 
And I thought Honda's were supposed to be solid....

#282 of 392 Transmission cooler? by wjtinatl

Oct 17, 2011 (10:11 am)

From reading these posts, it sounds like the problem originates with the trans. oil cooler inside the radiator. Has anyone either replaced the radiator early and avoided the trans failure or bypassed the internal trans cooler with an external trans cooler? Seems crazy for Honda to allow 3k tranny to be destroyed because of a $300 radiator.

Messages Page 29 of 40

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