2025 Pilot. I have had 2 Odysseys since 2005 and remember the importance of doing first fluid swap at 30k miles and 30k after because Honda was known for their weak transmissions. The swap was easier than an oil change. The new Pilot has a recommended fluid service at 60k and it looks fairly involved. Fluid can only be added from the underside at a port on the trans housing??

What changed and why?

Hi 👋 I’m shopping for a smoke blue pearl elite in California. Love the color and the drive. I dove into this forum and see so many people making deals on different states.
Is that possible in California ?!

I can probably get a deal done for around 60 OTD, I love the car but don’t want to over pay if I don’t have to.

That said the states are all different and I don’t want to waste a bunch of time haggling for nothing.

Any Californians have luck ?

I just bought a new pilot and had it detailed but the company used a strong perfume smell. How can I get this smell out?

My 2025 Pilot ac compressor went out last Saturday, brought it to the dealer, gave me a loaner. Today I got a phone call from Service Dept and stated that parts won’t arrive til Sept, I asked about the loaner,they said they cannot provide the loaner for that long period of time since it is not a safety issue, I told the Service Mngr that I have an asthma, and it is summer, I live in IL and I can provide a doctor’s note if need be to keep the loaner they provided but he said it’s Honda’s policy that if it’s not a safety issue then they cannot extend the loaner car til my car gets fixed. My Pilot is only 1 year old and 4 mos, yes it is still under warranty. Is anyone experiencing the same issue/s?

Just incase you needed to know, a king mattress will fit inside the Honda pilot.

I own a 2016 pilot elite out in NY and there was a snow storm in January/February and every since then these problem lights would pop up and I thought the cameras and radar was just dirty so I took my car to a car wash and it helped for a little bit then it popped up again and it’s been on and off for awhile sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t and other times the problems happen in the middle of my drive any tips would be great ty

I checked rockauto for the denso and they don’t have it. I need to replace my alternator sooner rather than later. I’ve been without a car for 3 weeks and my family is over chauffeuring me around. I live in a small town and we only have autozone and O’Reillys. Would this be a good alternative? I also am replacing the solenoid gasket above it. I have that already.

• 4 Door Wagon/Sport Utility
• 3.5L V6 F SOHC 24V
• All wheel drive

2013 Honda Pilot 188K mil.

Please recommend if I missed something, sorry I do not lot of car terms, thank you.

Nov 2024, I replaced brand new whole brake systems included pads, rotors, calipers AND brand new four tires with alignment. I do bring my car in for tire rotation every 5000 mil regularly.

Today, July 22, 2026, I dropped off my car at a local shop $1800 included timing belt, valve, water pump, and tensioner service. They will also check if idler pulley makes any noises.

Just last week, DIY finished Oil change.

Next week will DIY below: A college friend is helping me.

(He had me bought lot of fluid / liquid stuffs cost $240 Auto Zone)

Spark pug

Transmission fluid

Coolant fluid

cabin filter

Engine intake filter

From my researches:

1 Disable VCM - My friend told me that I had to order something online and he can use his laptop to disable it? Any good site I can order the item?

2 Head gasket? Should I concern? Can DIY or auto shop?

3 Power steerling?

4 My friend said I have to buy $400 ignition coil????????? So expensive I do not even know what is for. Do I need to?

5 What else am I missing for maintenance?

Hey all, I just became the owner of a 2014 Honda Pilot EX-L with navigation, AWD, at about 146,000 miles. It's my first Pilot and I plan to keep it a long time, so I want to start off right. I'd appreciate the sub's wisdom on a few things.

1. High-mileage maintenance
What should I prioritize at this mileage? I already know the timing belt and water pump is the big one if there's no record of it, and I'm planning to get the transmission fluid (DW-1), rear diff fluid, and the rest of the fluids sorted. What else tends to bite these J35 Pilots around 150k? Any "do this before it fails" items you wish you'd handled sooner?

2. Disabling the VCM
I don't think the VCM has been disabled, since I can feel it dropping into eco mode. I want to turn it off to avoid the oil consumption and motor mount issues people mention. What's the recommended way to disable VCM on this model? Are the plug-in controllers the way to go, or is there a cleaner method you'd recommend?

3. Accessories and mods Looking for what's actually worth it on these:

-All-weather floor mats (WeatherTech vs Husky vs OEM?)
-Cargo net or cargo area organization
-Side steps or running boards
-Steering wheel cover
-Anything else you consider a must-have, like a hitch, roof rack, or dash cam

What has held up well, and what should I skip?

4. Detailing and keeping it clean
Open to product recommendations, inside and out. Favorite wash soap, wax or ceramic spray, and interior cleaner, plus anything specific to keeping the leather and the plastic trim looking good on these. General tips for a daily-driven family SUV are welcome too.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

No econo mode

VCM disabled

3 people plus back loaded with gear/clothes.

Was as low as 8L/100km before we arrived and drove around for 5 days before heading back.

Approx 300kms each way via highway.

I have option to buy 2026 pilot black edition (silver color) for $55k OTD in Texas.

Is this a good deal? Should I go ahead or continue to shop around?

Never thought I would be considering an extended warranty for a Honda product, but here we are.

Have already replaced my multi-cam at 24K and recently had the AC compressor melt (crazy that can even happen) at 30K which brings me to even considering an extended warranty.

Luckily these two issues were covered under the 3y/36k basic warranty, but those two fixes combined would have cost me close to $4K combined out of pocket.

Have researched extended warranties with wholesale dealership companies like Hyannis and Sacucci and they are around the $1,500/$1600 price range for an additional 5 years or 120K miles.

Still that is money out of my pocket now for a product that is supposed to be reliable and could never be used...

Thoughts?

*EDIT: This is a vehicle we were planning on keeping for a long time since we are financing it at 72 months (yes a mistake, but that's a learning experience for another conversation) but with the issues we have had early on should we consider possibly trying to get out of it and into another vehicle?

Everybody loves Honda. Here is my long term ownership report on my 2007 Honda Pilot Ex-L 2wd, 204,000 miles, garage kept and regular maintenance done. It’s a nice car but not the bullet proof machine everyone claims them to be. First, everyone knows what a pain VCM is on these things. I have replaced the spool valves, VCM solenoid and gaskets at least twice. Just recently replaced only the gasket. Also recently installed VCM tuner. I have replaced the starter, the alternator, the main seal (which costs a fortune due to labor of removing the tranny), replace the ceiling fabric because it delaminated, both transaxles, an o-ring in the power steering pump, the oil pan gasket, both head gaskets (which still leak a bit), the pistons that hold up the rear hatch and am about to replace the APP sensor as soon as it arrives. Did I also mention that you have to replace the timing belt every 100k miles? That ain’t free so I count it even though it is “regular” maintenance like a brake job. Drivers side speaker is dead, radio reception is mediocre at best, sub hasn’t worked in years. And to top it all off the paint has cracked under the clear coat. Only solution is repaint if you want to fix it. So while I do like this car it hasn’t been without its problems. My 4 runner with 164000 miles? No problems yet. Just saying.
Edit: And while I have your attention, I am thinking about redoing the front end with a kit from RockAuto. Do you think the Dorman is worth I the extra $120 over the Moog?

Hi everyone, we are looking to buy a new car soon and have considered the pilot. We like to go camping occasionally and thought about getting a more rugged car. Is the trail sport trim worth it? We don’t do anything crazy like climb rocks or go to Moab or anything lolol but we would like to be able to the car on more rugged terrains. Could I do this with just the basic trim pilot or would I need the trailsport trim? (I know nothing about cars, just know we would really prefer a pilot so any advice helps!! Thank you!!)

2025 Pilot Trailsport and my husband noticed this piece hanging from the bottom yesterday. Does anyone know what it is?

Hello,

I do service my 2016 Honda Pilot with my trusted car mechanich for many years and upto date on my fluids (I do way earlier than the recommended cycle as I don’t drive much). I did servicing last week and he said everything looks good.

This week I visited a dealership for a recall repair and they called me saying one of the front caliper bushing is cracked and recommended to repair both the front side caliper bushing. Asking $1800.

What to do?

Has anyone been adventurous enough to try and replace the head unit on the Gen 4? We recently picked up a 2025 Sport with 10k miles for $38k. Love the car, and the sound system is fine….for now. I am feeling that car audio tingle in the back of my neck though.

I am wondering how others have handled the plopped on head units that are all too common these days. I also wonder how hard it would be to replace the factory sub in its assembly to maintain a clean look. Figured if there is a good place to ask I should start here.

Got 2026 Honda Pilot elite new and the first tank states 16 MPG avg ( city driving) is this normal??

I finally did it! I put the deposit down on a white elite with brown interior. $50,400 before taxes. Feeling pretty good about it. No luck on anything local so I’ll have to travel to get it. I was pretty set on the brown interior, so just have to wait a few weeks. Any thoughts?

I have the replacement bumper support bracket for the RH side of my 2016 Honda Pilot EX-L. However, the replacement did not come with the grey clips that are found on the still intact LH side bumper support bracket. I have searched far and wide and cannot find how to source these clips.

Does anyone know where I can buy them?

If I cant source them, how integral are they to the bumper attachment? Can I maybe swap one from the left to the right?

Hello, I recently inherited a 2011 honda pilot (idk the model), it had been sitting around for a little over a year, and hadn't been touched. Upon turning on the car I noticed that there's an odd noise that comes from the engine when you turn it on, similar to that of a tractor. (that's the best way I can describe it). I was wondering if it's okay to drive with it like that or I should get it checked out. Along with what kind of things I should have done to the car for it to be good for the road. The Pilot has around 230k miles on it as of now.

I can add a video of the noise but I am on my pc and I have the video on my phone.

Ive taken it in twice now and it’s still not fixed. It has less than 18k miles on it.

Seems like the vehicle was maintained regularly and currently has 114,655 miles. It’s a 2013 EXL. Local dealer is asking $11,710.

Worth looking at or even potentially buying, it seems to be in great shape? Please advise!

Honda pilot transmission issues! Please help if you’ve experienced similar.