Problems with 2005 Honda Pilot POWER TRAIN

Transmission cooling mechanism in lower part of radiator failed causing transmission fluid to leak into the radiator and mix with coolant. introduction of antifreeze into the transmission caused damage which would require replacement of transmission, radiator, hoses, flush the engine, etc. even with this amount of repair, increase failure rate of water pump, heater core or any rubber seal or gasket exists. a quick google search as well as a search on this site reveals that this is a known problem which has never results in a recall. my pilot had just under 134,000 miles and now is undriveable. the repairs cost more than the vehicle. please issue a recall so that there may be some relief for owners who have been left stranded by this known problem.

2005 honda pilot, when cruising between 35-45 miles car shudders/vibrate never fixed since i bought this vehicle.

When driving 30-50mph my 2005 honda pilot shudder/vibrates as if i'm driving on a rumble strip. i bought my pilot at 113,000 in 2017 and i noticed the issue first at about 120,000 miles. i now have 134,000 miles and the research i'm doing on this issue suggests there is a major defect with honda/acura transmission and or torque converters. what can i do at this point?

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 honda pilot. while the vehicle was in park and the key was not near the vehicle, the gear shifted independently. as a result, the vehicle crashed into the neighbor's yard. the contact was in the vehicle cleaning it out at the time of the failure. the contact sustained a concussion to the head and injuries to the neck, back, and left leg that required medical attention. the vehicle was taken to union park honda (1704 pennsylvania ave, wilmington, de 19806), but the cause of the failure was undetermined. the body damages were repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

The rear cradle which has the drive shafts and rear differential has come unattached from rear crossmember due to the attachment points rusting through letting cradle and k member loose from 2 of the 4 attachment points.this seems to be a problem on several vehicles that i have seen.the crossmember rusts out from the inside out and lets the cradle loose from the vehicle causing complete suspension failure and loss of control of vehicle.

When accelerating at approximately 35-40 mph the cars shakes and vibrates. if you let off the accelerator the shake will go away.

My vsa light and my vtm-4 wheel light came on. when i attempted to push on the gas petal it would accelerate. i was driving on a city street going home

At 105,000 miles i took my 2005 honda pilot for some preventative maintenance-oil change, transmission service, and an air bag recall. the mechanic noted that the vehicle shuddered on his test drive. now the d light is blinking and the vehicle does shudder between 35-50 mph. the service writer alex schenbeck at dick's honda in hillsboro said he didn't notice the mechanics note and had no idea what this could be. after doing some research this is a very common problem. acura issued a recall on the mdx for the exact same problem caused by a design flaw in the torque converter. on the nhtsa website there have been 208 complaints on the 2004-2005 honda pilot transmission and 66 complaints on the torque converter specifically. i will be contacting honda north america to see if they are interested in helping a loyal honda customer or losing my business for life.

When accelerating at approximately 35-40 mph the cars shakes and vibrates. if you let off the accelerator the shake will go away. has progressively gotten worse.

There is vibration when accelerating between 35-45 mph. seems there issue with transmission which is common among other ownwers.

My 2005 honda pilot check engine light came on. my local mechanics scanned the computer code p0741, torque clutch solenoid. after he replace the solenoid and cleared the code i drove it for about 50 miles before the light came on again. so i took it back the the shop to have the code scan again. the same code, p0741 appear in his scanner. he recheck the replacemental part for malfunction and connection issues with no issues. so i took it to a transmission shop to have a second opinion. the trans shop exam the tran and found no issues also. both shops suggest that there must be an interior issue in the tran itself. my only option are to replace the whole tran or drive it as long as it is driving fine. i think honda know of this interior issue and don't want to recall the vehicles. replacing a tran isn't a cheap fix.

D light started blinking as i was going down the interstate. after i stopped i check gas cover and transmission fluid levels. both ok. happened again so i went to get code read...throwing code p0872 and code 0700. i had this problem a few years ago and honda fixed problem for almost $500. why is it happening again?

The vehicle jumps on and off and i tend to loose control of the vehicle with steering. further check revealed that the transmission failure of the vehicle.

Traveling about 35 to 45mph we feel a shutter once you speed up it goes away.also see a flutter in engine rpm.

On 9-9-15, our 2005 honda pilot abruptly stopped on emerald parkway - police assisted. leaking fluid was clumpy red/brown and vehicle hot. shop today says radiator and transmission and possibly engine need replaced and instructed us to contact a honda dealer. this is our second safety complaint on this vehicle - 1st was dangerous "phantom braking" or inadvertant application on brakes in 2012, which honda subsequently recalled in 2013. after reading thru complaints, i see the exact same problem - transmission line in radiator suddenly came loose and transmission fluid leaked into radiator and coolant leaked into transmission, ruining both has occurred numerous times. we anticipate a very expensive repair.... we are thankful this did not occur on the highway, during rush hour or with any of our 3 kids in the vehicle, and are angered at honda's failure to recall this as well - as some said they did for 2003 and 2004 models?

After coming home from work i noticed a drip line in the driveway. when i turned around i saw a pool of milky red liquid under the passenger side engine compartment. after opening the hood i saw that the coolant overflow bottle was in fact overflowing with this milky red liquid. after having the vehicle towed to the service station i was told that the transmission cooler failed in the radiator causing the coolant to mix with transmission fluid. i was told that this a common problem in the 2005 pilot and that now the transmission will have to be replaced or rebuilt at a cost of $2500 plus the cost of replacing the radiator and lines, total bill $3500. i am told and i have since researched that honda is aware if this issue and has not at least warned owners that the radiator will most certainly fail, had they informed me i would have replaced the radiator before this happened. i recently came back from a 1500 mile road trip and was told that i was lucky this did not happen on the road at speeds of 70mph. i would like to see honda held accountable for the aftermath of a known faulty part and the cost of replacing the transmission when there should have been no need.

My pilot 2005, 45000 mls. is running very good but from 3 month ago the engine light is on and the vtm-4 is on at the same time some times in off and always back. this happen when the engine start and stay on, sometimes on the road is off back again on engine light and vtm-4.

The powertrain has a very irritating vibration when accelerating through or holding it at 35 - 40 mph. the vibration lasts about 5 seconds and has a very odd noise that happens at the exact same time. kind of like deep base. all info i can find points to the torque converter and my mechanic says all his information points to the torque converter also.

Vehicle in motion, stopped in traffic when automatic transmission failed. engine was running perfectly but vehicle would not move. mechanic found radiator had failed, allowing transmission fluid to mix with engine coolant. transmission had to be rebuilt and radiator replaced. cost of repair approximately $5,000. contacted honda and they refused to do anything. receipts for repair and communication to honda are available.

Car shudders occasionally around speeds 30 while accelerating, the shudder lasts few seconds and stops. this could happen only once or several times if you continue to drive around speeds 30 mph. from honda forums it looks like a common problem with same year honda pilots and accura rdx. driving with such an condition shakes the driver for an unknown vehicular behaviour that may cause an accident/ fatality. it is suggested honda corp may be asked to put a recall for all vehicles in this manuafcture year.

Traction control system (vsa) light came on. took to mechanic, who advised me of recall and that i should take to dealer. i took vehicle to dealer, who tells me that the car is not under the march, 2013 recall, even though my vehicle issues are the same as the issues which led to the 2013 recall.

When i am going in a speed range about 35 mph i get like shudder/grinding sound coming out of the bottom of the pilot. i am getting very concern because i've driven other pilots and they all do the same and they shouldn't be doing this noise. *js

My wife was driving to work when suddenly she heard like a whirring sound and the car just suddenly shut down. she pulled on the side and noticed fluid was leaking underneath the front side of engine. we have the vehicle towed to dealership. talking to the agent, they told us that transmission fluid leaked into radiator and radiator coolant/trans fluid leaked into transmission. cost of repairs: $1130 to flush out the fluids and 5000 to fix transmission. my problem is that we're upto date with the service check-up and upset that this was not prevented from happening. *tr

This is a 2005 honda pilot we bought in 2009. the dealer called me to say that the radiator burst and the antifreeze got mixed in with the transmission fluid causing the transmission to fail. he is now quoting a $5,000 bill to replace the radiator and the transmission. *tr

Heard a weird noise while driving home from work. when i pulled over to see what it was, tranny fluid was bubbling out of the radiator overflow. had the transmission and radiator replaced by aul, the extended warranty co. they sent a used tranny and within a week it was shaking the whole car on the downshift at 35-40 and 60mph. another used tranny was sent. on day one, began noticing the whole car shakes at 40-45 and 60-65mph on the upshift. i am waiting for my mechanic to be available to diagnose and request another tranny. this will be number three in three months. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 honda pilot. the contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed and failed to respond without warning. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic where it was diagnosed that the radiator and the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the failure mileage was 137000.

When i slow down from going higher then 40 miles per hour my pilot shudders between 35 and 40. it quits at about 35 but it started happening a year ago and does it every time i drive now. i have read on line of other pilots doing the same thing. seems tome this is a recall issue as well as a safety one if my transmission quits because of defective torque converter as a dealer once told me. i don't want to pay the costs of a new transmission when it sounds like a defect. i am getting airbag recall fixed this week i plan to ask about this problem. thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Vehicle shudders at 40-45 mph. causes severe shaking that could hinder driving ability especially in slippery conditions. lots of complaints on internet related to torque converter and motor mounts. threats of class action suit against honda for multiple people complaining of this ongoing problem. *tr

Transmission shudder between 35-40 mph. this is a well known problem that is caused by a failing torque converter. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 honda pilot. while driving approximately 45 mph, the front end of the vehicle vibrated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 124,000.

I was driving my honda rpm started going up and down vehicle started violently started to shake. i luckily made it home. the transmission fluid and coolant had mixed. i bought a new radiator, extensive transmission flush 15 qts. now 2 months later the vehicle is shifting hard, shaking at 35-40 mph and have been informed i need a new transmission. i have read numerous comments and reports of this honda should be notified and a recall put in place. *tr

I had been driving for about 15 minutes when car suddenly failed to maintain speed and slowed from 45 mph to 30-35 mph. i could not get car to accelerate, engine was audibly strained and smoke was shortly evident from under hood. i put on my emergency flashers and pulled off the road as soon as it was safe to do so. no warning lights were illuminated. smoke ceased when i turned the engine off. upon exiting the car i observed a heavy stream of brown oily liquid draining from hood and additional blue oily fluid following shortly thereafter. i checked the fluid levels to find totally depleted transmission fluid and rapidly diminishing engine coolant. i called my honda dealer service dept. and was advised not to drive the car and to have it towed to the service dept. which i did. it was determined that a hose had disconnected and the radiator would need replacement. he could offer no explanation as to what caused the problem stating it had not seen it before. total cost: $825.00. given the many internet complaints of this identical problem unreported to official agencies combined with those reported to honda corporate and nhtsa i am unconvinced that all honda dealerships are unaware of this issue. i am, however, totally convinced that serious injury or death would have resulted had i been driving on a crowded highway at 70 mph when this hose disconnected causing an instantaneous loss of speed with impending engine failure. i am equally convinced that honda corp. is negligent in not admitting this to be a manufacturing defect worthy of a voluntary recall and financial reimbursement to it's customers. nhtsa is negligent in it's lack of attention to the serious nature of this problem and failure to mandate a recall. *tr

Transmission overheated, over pressurized and sprayed out bleeder valve. *tr

I have been having problems with my transmission since i financed it in 2009. i was driving and the d would constantly flash. i took it back to the dealership and they informed me they put to much fluid in the transmission. a few months back i started hearing funny noises and when i go to make a u-turn the steering wheel will become locked and it will be hard to turn the wheel back. i thought i didn't have enough power steering fluid but once it was checked everything was full. two days ago i am driving my car and go to turn and the car wouldn't move with the gear in drive. i had to cut it off and back on then it moved and kept stopping until i was able to park it. once i went to go park it i put the gear in reverse and the car went forward now it don't move in any gear. *tr

The d light is flash. so there are something warning my transmission i think my transmission is going to be fail. we know that honda, pilot 2004 had recall for this. would you please have my 2005 recall transmission? i worry to drive it now, cause of safety reason and also the cost of repair. since this car only 58,485 miles. it doesn't make sense the d light is flash with this miles. please help! thankyou *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2005 honda pilot. the contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle over heated and stalled without warning. the vehicle did not restart. the vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. an independent mechanic stated that the transmission pushed water into the radiator and the transmission needs to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 honda pilot. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the vehicle exhibited a reduction in power. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the radiator and transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 125,000.updated 06/10/14 ma 07/24/17*cn

Transmission cooler line inside radiator failed combining fluids and causing the transmission to malfunction. loss of ability to drive/move vehicle with family in the vehicle. this is a common failure and requires a new radiator and replace / rebuild the transmission. a recommendation from honda to replace the radiator every 100,000 miles would have prevented having to replace / rebuild the transmission. subsequent to repair, oil remains in the coolant system and has caused failure of a coolant line due to over-pressurization. the vehicle, with multiple children in it, has been stranded two more times due to coolant system failure. *tr

Like so very many other honda pilot owners of the timeframe, i have experienced a transmission leak and failure from a radiator failure - and though honda had settled a class-action suit about these problems with a minor warranty extension... my failure, of course, happened shortly after that extension. i am out nearly $5,000 and nearly got killed when my car died because honda has failed to properly recall these transmissions. shame on honda - and shame on you for not holding them to task even after they settled a lawsuit (with such a lame and still unsafe response). *tr

Transmission cooler line inside radiator failed combining fluids and causing the transmission to malfunction. loss of ability to drive/move vehicle while on a rural road between cities during a snowstorm with my family in the vehicle. this is a common failure and requires a new radiator and replace / rebuild the transmission. a recommendation from honda to replace the radiator every 100,000 miles for a marginal fee(similar to the timing belt) would have prevented having to replace / rebuild the transmission. *tr

I bought a used 05 pilot 1 year ago for my wife and boys. vehicle started to shudder at around 30-40 mph. i remember my mother having this same thing happen to her acura mdx and she was told she needed a whole new transmission. i looked up what was happening to our pilot and have found hundreds of other complaints dealing with this same issue! acura even put out a service bulletin (06-003) addressing the problem of the torque converter in the transmission and stated that even if the vehicle was out of warranty owners may be eligible for a goodwill consideration to have the problem fixed free of charge. this shows that they are aware of the problem and expected to have many such complaints. honda pilot has the same engine/transmission as it is the same company and needs to issue a recall!!! if i am expected to pay $11,000 for a used 05 pilot with 130k miles on it i should not also be expected to pay an additional $4,000 to replace the transmission less than a year later!!! if honda is proud enough of their product to charge that high amount to begin with they need to back it up with quality that matches the price!! please issue a recall on this so people don't have to continue to throw money down the drain in this economy! *tr

I was driving up a hill when my vehicle started to lose power and high rpms upon acceleration. was not able to climb hill so i pulled over and turned the car off. restarted and made it a short distance before it stopped. i was fortunate to get out of harm's way prior to the car giving out completely.the vehicle had to be towed. a mechanic took a look at the vehicle and explained that transmission and radiator were both ruined and would both need to be replaced. he indicated that transmission fluid and radiator fluid mixed causing the malfunction and it also has caused the need for flushing of the engine. i have noticed that several other owners have made internet posts about the same problem. this issue should be under consideration for a recall by honda as it sounds like a common occurrence that is the result of a design flaw. it is potentially very dangerous as this happens with no warning and causes the vehicle to stop functioning. obviously, this would be very dangerous if it occurs at highway speeds. thank you in advance for your consideration. *tr

Radiator failed causing the transmission fluid to mix with the coolant. my wife was stranded with my four children. we had the radiator changed and coolant and transmission fluid flushed. the transmission has not functioned properly since the problem happened. *tr

Transmission shudders at 35-40 mph apparently due to faulty torque converters and transmissions installed in these vehicles. there are numerous instances of premature transmission failures documented on this vehicle. it can cause the vehicle to stop suddenly, and is a hazard. these torque converters and transmissions should be recalled. *tr

Transmission cooler line inside radiator failed commingled fluids and causing transmission to malfunction. loss of ability to drive/move vehicle while in middle of multi-lane highway. *tr

I was on a circular on-ramp to a highway. my vehicle started losing power upon acceleration so the engine revved but car slowed down. i made it off the ramp to the highway and was able to pull off to the shoulder. the car has an automatic transmission so i thought maybe it wasn't clicking into place properly but it was. i noticed a puddle of fluid. i had it towed to a mechanic who said that the transmission cooling line blew out & the radiator will have to be replaced along with the adapter because there are no threads left on the radiator to grab the connector. he said it was something that's not supposed to happen. it was a mechanical failure. i have read several posts on line on a number of web sites from owners with this same problem. most people have also replaced their transmissions because the radiator and transmission fluids ruin both when mixed together. my car is still at the mechanics, so i don't know about the transmission yet, but the posts indicate that the car is never the same. i was lucky that i had enough juice to pull over to safety. apparently there are no recalls from honda in spite of the numerous complaints that i've seen. repairs are expensive & this problem seems to occur mostly within the 100,000 mile range, give or take. if i get rid of the car before or after fixing it, it would only be a problem for the next consumer & that's not really fair. i feel that honda should reimburse current owners for transmissions and radiator replacements on those cars that have had the problem and recall/repair the parts on the ones that haven't. i feel that this is an important issue because my car could have come to a complete stop on the highway and caused a serious & potentially fatal accident. honda needs to take responsibility for this defect before someone gets hurt or killed. thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. *tr

Had a sudden failure of the transmission cooling portion of the radiator causing a loss of power to the rear wheels while driving on the highway at 70 mph. if this had happened on a busy freeway it would have been very dangerous. upon doing an internet search i see that hundreds of 2005 honda pilots have suffered the same sudden failure of the exact same part causing the same condition. this usually results in damaging the transmission and costing thousands to repair. this is absolutely a safety hazard. honda refuses to acknowledge that any problem exists. it is plainly evident that a manufacturing defect of this part exists. any engineer who examines the data of hundreds and hundreds of accounts posted on the internet must come to the same conclusion. this is defective! this is dangerous! owners should be partially compensated for the expense of repair. honda should be held accountable for a knowingly defective part. *tr

While driving along a rural 2 lane highway with no one behind me, the transmission appeared to slip and the engine rpm went way up. the truck slowed down. this lasted 3 or 4 seconds and then went back to normal. in a few minutes, i stopped at the light entering the village of saranac lake, ny. the 2005 honda pilot stopped running. i tried to restart and nothing happened at all. i put my flashers on and opened the hood. i saw a liquid that looked like chocolate milk leaking under the engine. after it was towed to a garage, the mechanic said he thought the radiator leaked and allowed the antifreeze to mix with the transmission fluid. the truck would need a new radiator and maybe a new trans and or engine. if someone had been behind me when this happened, it could have caused an accident because it caused the vehicle to slow down and the brake lights did not come on. i read that over 1 million 2003 and 2004 honda pilots were recalled for the same problem. *tr

Makes loud noise and rattling while accelerating. *tr

The honda has started shuddering when between 30 - 40 mph this is a known issue with this vehicle. the shuddering makes it very difficult to control the vehicle at times and should be considered a major safety hazard. *tr