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Honda Pilot Overview | Honda Pilot Transmission Failure Warning Signs | Honda Pilot Transmission Solution
The Honda Pilot is just one of the Honda models that were known to have severe transmission problems. They were part of the huge recall in 2004. Sadly, many of the Honda Pilot's that were repaired as part of the recall had their transmissions fail a second or even a third time.
The 2004 Honda recall covered about 1.1 million of Honda’s most popular models. Cars covered in the recall included 2003, 2003, and 2004 Pilot.
Honda Motor Company officially confirmed that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety existed in 2003-04 Pilots. Certain operating conditions resulted in heat buildup in the transmission second gear set and often led to gear tooth chipping. In very rare cases, actual gear breakage occurred. This gear failure could possibly result in transmission lock-up and a crash could occur without warning. Another problem with the radiator allowed antifreeze to mix with the transmission fluid.
In its 2004 filing with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Honda said it had two approaches to the recall:
- For vehicles with 15,000 miles or fewer, the dealer would update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to second gear.
- For vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the local Honda dealer would inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration existed the transmission would be replaced. If discoloration was not present the dealer would perform the revision to the oil-cooler return line.
A Honda spokesman said the automaker studied the issue and determined that only “prolonged operation” without adequate oil flow could cause the problem. Unfortunately, many Pilot owners who had the recall work done say their transmissions failed later anyway.
Honda Pilot owners purchased their cars based on a reputation of reliability. Unlike Honda Odyssey Owners, who were represented in a class action lawsuit settlement for transmission problems, Honda Pilot owners are at the mercy of the dealership – and are sometimes forced to pay thousands of dollars to repair the faulty transmission.
Honda Pilot Overview | Honda Pilot Transmission Failure Warning Signs | Honda Pilot Transmission Solution
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
If you were to stop by Tri-City Transmission on just about any given day you would think we were a Honda transmission repair shop given the number of Hondas we see on a regular basis.
That’s because many of these transmissions are now out of the recall period and are no longer being paid for by Honda. Honda says that they are handling transmission failures on a case by case basis. However, unfortunately, for many Honda Odyssey owners, this has resulted in thousands of dollars of repairs.
Sometimes when the customer doesn’t want the transmission fixed by the dealership, they come to us. That’s because at the dealership, they can’t take the transmission out and fix what was broken, all they can do is sell you a different (previously repaired) transmission, that often times they refer to as “new.” Whereas at Tri-City Transmission, in many cases, we can take the transmission out, make the changes and send people down the road without the big expense.
We could simply replace your transmission with another Honda transmission, but that wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem because Honda still hasn’t successfully fixed the problems in their transmissions so you’d just be switching problems.
It’s not that we don’t want to replace Honda transmissions, but we don’t want to replace them needlessly. We have found the greatest success in repairing the transmission by reverse engineering the problem and coming up with a handful of solutions that don’t require replacing the whole transmission. We realized that we could help Honda owners (of which I am one) save a lot of hassle and headache by catching these transmission problems ahead of time before they accelerate.
Who is Tri-City Transmission?
Having been in business in the Valley for over 40 years, Tri-City Transmission is recognized nationally by the Automatic Transmission Rebuilder’s Association (ATRA) as being a leader in the auto repair industry by raising the bar of repair, diagnosis and service. We are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau of Central Arizona, and winners of the Angie’s List Super Service Award for Customer Service for 2012 and 2013.
The technicians at Tri-City Transmission are highly trained, thought leaders; well-seasoned and ASE Certified Master Technicians. They have traveled extensively teaching innovative transmission repair to auto repair technicians across the US.
How Can We Help You?
At Tri-City Transmission we have a handful of different solutions that will prevent you from spending a ton of money to fix your transmission.
Call us at (480) 968-5062 or click here to email us.
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
The Honda Odyssey transmission failure problem began with the 1999 model. When Honda formally recognized the problem in 2004, they initially announced a 600,000 vehicle recall at an estimated cost of $153 million to the company. Honda later expanded the recall to include nearly 1.1 million vehicles.
A class action lawsuit was filed in 2006 claiming that Honda misled consumers by selling them vehicles with defective transmissions. Honda denied the charges and settled the case without admitting a defect.
The lawsuit settlement gave 1999-2001 Honda Odyssey owners an extended warranty on the transmission of 109,000 miles or 7 years and 9 months (whichever came first). This extended warranty is now no longer available to the Honda Odyssey owners since more than eight years has passed.Many Honda Odyssey owners of 2007 and newer models are still reporting a vibration from their cars when driving between 20 and 45 mph. This issue was addressed in a 2009 Honda technical service bulletin and many were repaired under existing warranties. Today, the largest group of transmission complaints are for 1999-2004 Odysseys.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), consumers cited transmission-related problems with 2001-2004 Honda Odysseys more than five times more than they did for the Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Caravan, Grand Caravan, and Town and Country minivans during the same time period.
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
Is your car experiencing any of the following?
- Flashing “gear range” selector light “D4” or “D5” light
- On long drives the transmission over heats (on the way to California) and leaks fluid
- Clunky operation from park to reverse, park to drive, drive to reverse, etc.
- Check engine light comes on intermittently
- Leaking transmission as evidenced by red transmission fluid puddles under the car
- Vehicle acts strange on cold starts in the morning or after the car has been sitting.
It could be part of a Honda Odyssey transmission recall – a source of a class action lawsuit against Honda.
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
The Honda Odyssey transmission problems began with the 1999 model year. Hondas were traditionally compact vehicles with 4 cylinders but in 1999 Honda began producing vehicles with larger and more powerful V6 engines while at the same time breaking out of the compact mold doubling the weight of the vehicle.
However, when they upgraded to the V6 engines Honda did not upgrade the technology in the transmission to compensate for the added horsepower and weight. The result was that thousands of Honda transmissions began to fail prematurely, resulting in Honda owners having to pay thousands of dollars to install a new transmission.
Honda Odyssey owners were not happy because they had bought their cars based on a reputation of reliability. Now the transmissions were failing in record numbers and Honda would not help. Honda owners went to court. In December of 2006 a class action settlement against Honda was approved, which gave Honda Odyssey owners of 1999-2001 model years an extended warranty on the transmission until 109,000 miles or 7 years and 9 months. Honda Odysseys built in 2001-2009 were not included in this lawsuit, but they were (and still are) experiencing the same issues.
For newer Honda Odyssey models, a recall was announced to revise the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. This recall was supposed to fix the Honda Odyssey transmission issue that had previously occurred in the 1999-2001 models, however in many cases it did not.
The time period for Honda owners to take place in the suit is now expired; the extended warranty is no longer available even if an owner was included in the class.
Honda now says that they are handling transmission problems on a case by case basis as to how much of the bill they will pay when a Honda Odyssey transmission fails. In some cases the car owner is at the mercy of the dealership, forced to pay thousands of dollars to repair the faulty transmission.
Honda Odyssey Overview | Warning Signs | Honda Class Action Lawsuit | Odyssey Transmission Solution
The number one question everyone asks before they bring their car in for transmission service is “How much is it going to cost?”
Perhaps people ask because they have heard stories about shops that practice “RDI” (remove, disassemble and inspect,) essentially taking the customer’s vehicle apart without warning then telling them it will cost thousands of dollars to repair the transmission.
The idea behind this tactic is to first appear “low cost,” get the job, and then tell the customer about all the ancillary items once the car is taken apart and there is no turning back. This tactic gets us hot under the collar.
At Tri-City Transmission we don’t take apart your vehicle without your permission or quote lower prices just to get customers in the door. We believe that our job is to take care of our customer's cars as if they were our own. Our goal is to make customers and friends for life!
Now to get back to the question - “How much is it going to cost?”
The transmission is the most complicated piece of equipment on your vehicle and it’s important to understand that not all transmission issues are the same.
We have found that in the general auto repair industry 1 out of 4 transmissions are overhauled or replaced in total error. We believe that the most expensive transmission repair is the one you did not need in the first place.
At Tri-City Transmission, we diagnose and repair over 200 transmissions every month. Our experience is this: we work on over 200 transmissions to every one that most other shops work on and we’ve been doing this for over 40 years. We know transmissions!
In approximately 70 percent of the situations when someone brings in their car believing that they need a complete transmission overhaul or replacement that will cost them thousands of dollars, we have been able to fix the transmission for less than a car payment. The key is to provide an accurate diagnosis of what is wrong with the vehicle. It may not even be a transmission issue!
To provide an accurate diagnosis, we perform a Level One Transmission Diagnostic Service. No other shop in Arizona does this kind of due diligence!
This Level One Diagnostic Service diagnoses about 80 percent of the transmission issues that we see on a regular basis. This diagnosis usually takes 24 hours and is referred to as a “No Wrench Diagnostic.” In this diagnostic step, we don’t take the car apart at all.
After the diagnosis is complete, we will let you know what is wrong with your transmission and give you several options on what to do next.
We let you decide! We’re in the business of making friends, not enemies. We’re all about building relationships. Whatever is good for you is good for us.
Our Level One Diagnostic is $98 and entails the following:
- Thorough interview about your concerns for your vehicle.
- Check transmission fluid level and analyze condition.
- Short road test to check shift quality, shift pattern, torque converter operation, and verify overall transmission performance.
- Put the vehicle on a lift and check for external transmission leaks, as well as check the linkage and external electrical connections.
- Using a computerized scan tool, we scan the vehicle’s on-board computer and record all diagnostic trouble codes and interpret the results. We also observe the transmission data stream for irregularities.
- We perform a battery and charging system test, as we have found a lot of transmission issues are caused by bad batteries and faulty alternators.
- Research the database of known problems about specific transmissions: i.e. recalls, and technical service bulletins.
After we have gathered all this information, we analyze the data to diagnose the problem. Then we prepare an estimate and call you to let you know what is wrong with your transmission, and what your options as far as fixing it are.
We never perform any work without your permission!
Call and schedule an appointment to have a transmission diagnosis done today. For only $98 you’ll find out what’s wrong with your transmission and what your options are to fix it. No sales pressure, no manipulation, we promise!
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| Click here to download the Repair or Replace Calculator |
Should I Fix My Car or Replace It?
That's a difficult question that we help our customers with every day.
We've been helping car owners with that decision for 30 years and we've identified 5 questions we think you should consider when you're confronted with this decision. If you are faced with a major repair such as an engine or transmission replacement, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does my vehicle still perform the task I bought it to do (family car, work truck, etc)? If my driving needs have changed, is it time for a different vehicle? For example...if I drive a sports car and I just had twins, a mini-van would be more practical.
- Do I feel safe and secure while driving it; or do I constantly worry it might break down?
- Do I feel embarrassed while driving it?
- Has it been routinely maintained; or have I allowed other needed repairs to build up?
- Was I already preparing to buy another car; or do I just want an excuse to buy another vehicle?
Still Can't Decide?
Call us and we'll help with more "common sense" questions that may help you make the final decision. But first, here are 6 more things to consider:
- Do your best to make this decision with your head rather than your heart. Why? Because your emotions tell you it feels good to have a new car, and then it’s too late when the reality sets in and you have to make the down payment, pay for the tax and license, and begin making 48, 60, or 72 monthly payments.
- If you are considering a used vehicle, you are assuming the risk of any needed repairs to that vehicle plus the added cost of the purchase.
- In most cases, you will end up paying for the repair to your current vehicle, anyhow. If you trade it in or sell it “as is”, you will get less for it than if it was fixed. Not to mention, you might get less for it because you’re in a rush to sell it. At least if you fix it, you can drive out some or all of the cost of the repair and take your time in selecting your next car. It’s easier to drive out the full value of a large repair bill than it is to drive out the full value of the cost of replacing a vehicle.
- It is difficult to financially justify replacing a vehicle that's been well-maintained even when it’s in need of a major repair like an engine or a transmission replacement.
- Most of us look at our expenses on a monthly basis. We develop a "feel" for how payments will fit into a monthly budget...cable, phone, rent, mortgage, and/or car payments. You should look at car maintenance and repairs the same way and put them into your monthly budget, as well.
- A QUALITY REPAIR is almost always your least expensive approach if you keep your vehicle for a year or longer.
If You Still Want Some Help, Consider This:
Just as a surgeon wants a patient to take a physical before an operation to discover other potential problems, we think the same logic works when trying to decide if it makes economic sense to do a major repair on your vehicle. We have a calculator tool to help you with forecasting the cost of fixing and keeping your car versus replacing it with a new or used one. Click here to download the Repair or Replace Calculator.
