| wcarm |
Hello all,
Ever since my last service on my 2007 Pilot (it currently has 16k miles) my tranny has been shifting poorly.
The easiest way to describe it is that it can't decide what it wants to do. The actual shifts are pretty quick and crisp; it just seems to be doing it a lot more shifting. Also, when coasting, it seems to do "odd" things, it seems like it hangs up in gears. It’s hard to explain.
One other thing it does is it gets really confused in a go-stop-go...(Example: Light turns green, but then somebody turns in front of you, so you have to let off the gas, maybe brake some, and then go again once the car is out of the way.)
It has been doing it since my last service, and the heat of summer seems to be bringing it out more...the fluid looks/smells fine, its color is fine.
I have a hypothesis I wanted to bounce off of the forum. Do the computers in the Pilot ever get software updates or "patches?" The timing of the issues has left me wondering. Also, I installed a tranny cooler right when it got hot; would the computer need reprogrammed for the cooler? I could conceivably see how that could change the behavior of the fluid, and therefore the tranny. |
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| sblvro |
| :rolleyes: is it aftermarket cooler or oem honda tranny cooler? that can be the culprit. Maybe it was installed wrongly or restrictive to say the least. |
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| wcarm |
| It is a Honda cooler (I installed a tow package), and I triple checked my routing, as I was worried about making sure I got it right. None of the lines are bound up twisted or kinked... |
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| ericsgr |
| You did add fluid after that cooler install yes? As I recall mine took a substantial amount of fluid after having installed my cooler. Has to be enough to fill the cooler plus replace any that you lost during the install. |
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| wcarm |
| I did add fluid, and it is Honda fluid, bought from the dealership. I clamped off what lines I could per the recommendation of my dealer, so I did not lose much fluid at all. So I mostly had to add fluid for the added volume of the cooler. I initially suspected the fluid level, but I have checked the level several times...it is actually pretty hard to find a flat spot where I live but I am confident I at least have it between the dots on the dipstick. |
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| krygny |
| You say it's been happening since your last service. Did you have the transmission serviced at that time? It sounds like a control / processor issue. I'd go back and have it wrung out by Honda. |
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| wcarm |
To follow up...I took it in, and I did confirm that they do occasionally do updates to the computer software, but none were done last service.
I took it out for a test drive with a mechanic, and he said that Honda automatics tend to be more noticable when they shift (compared to Toyotas, etc).
He also said that Hondas seem to be pretty sensitive about the age of the fluid, with 15k miles being about the threhold. He said most of the mechanics don't like to go more than 15k miles on transmission fluid, despite the factory recommendation. I am at 16k miles (my Pilot is almost 2 years old), and I live in an extremely hilly area. When I added fluid after installing my tranny cooler, there was a distinct difference of the color of the fluid in the transmission vs. the fluid I added.
Honestly, it is probably not as bad as it seemed to me to me, but I have not had many automatics, and the ones I have had have been nothing but trouble, so I guess I am just really paranoid.
I know there have been complaints about the "stealerships" trying to get people to do work they probably don't need, but I will say in this situation, I asked for the transmission to be serviced, and they tried to convince me that it was really not necessary (yet). But when I explained my paranoia and past experience, they quit trying to change my mind.
I could notice a pretty distinct difference afterwards. I did not think the shifts had changed, but in hindsight I can see where they were starting to get "soft." We are taking off for Eastern Washington soon, so I will be curious to see how it does on the freeway, and going over the pass. |
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| youbetcha |
| I wonder if a computer wasn't "reset" and had to "relearn" your engine and transmission parameters. |
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| panamamike |
quote:
Originally posted by wcarm
To follow up...I took it in, and I did confirm that they do occasionally do updates to the computer software, but none were done last service.
I took it out for a test drive with a mechanic, and he said that Honda automatics tend to be more noticable when they shift (compared to Toyotas, etc).
He also said that Hondas seem to be pretty sensitive about the age of the fluid, with 15k miles being about the threhold. He said most of the mechanics don't like to go more than 15k miles on transmission fluid, despite the factory recommendation. I am at 16k miles (my Pilot is almost 2 years old), and I live in an extremely hilly area. When I added fluid after installing my tranny cooler, there was a distinct difference of the color of the fluid in the transmission vs. the fluid I added.
Honestly, it is probably not as bad as it seemed to me to me, but I have not had many automatics, and the ones I have had have been nothing but trouble, so I guess I am just really paranoid.
I know there have been complaints about the "stealerships" trying to get people to do work they probably don't need, but I will say in this situation, I asked for the transmission to be serviced, and they tried to convince me that it was really not necessary (yet). But when I explained my paranoia and past experience, they quit trying to change my mind.
I could notice a pretty distinct difference afterwards. I did not think the shifts had changed, but in hindsight I can see where they were starting to get "soft." We are taking off for Eastern Washington soon, so I will be curious to see how it does on the freeway, and going over the pass.
When does maintenance minder suggest tranny fluid replacement? I thought it should go much longer than 15k miles.
Mike |
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