Purchased a 2004 honda pilot used at 136k miles. Within a week of driving the check engine light came on. Engine codes p0700, p0705, p0740 were all present, which are all in relation to the automatic transmission. The transmission shop confirmed that this is a common issue across honda & acura vehicles in the '03-'04 range (see 2003-2004 acura mdx service bulletin 06-003). A design flaw in the torque converter causes it to break down & shed metal fragments, which compromises the rest of the transmission. The only real fix is to rebuild or replace the transmission. Honda americas customer service refused to review my case any further, even under goodwill consideration.
2004 Honda Pilot: complete transmission failure
24 of the 544 complaints about the 2004 Honda Pilot describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 24
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,450
- typical mileage
- 130,000
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 29 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
Transmission failure. Will not change gears or accelerate.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 honda pilot. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle shook and shuttered without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the torque converter was worn out. The technician advised the contact to continue driving the vehicle, but to be prepared to replace the transmission when a warning indicator illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The failure was not remedied. The failure mileage was approximately 132,500.
Transmission failure on the highway. Engine began to rev to high rpms with no power
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 honda pilot. While driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle started to vibrate and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact noticed transmission fluid leaking from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
When I started the car and began driving I noticed that the gear change lever was gliding through r, n, d, etc. Rather than being firm in each position. Luckily, the car did not fall out of gear. I have since learned from the shop that the only thing holding it in gear as I drove was this very loose lever. This was extremely unsafe to drive! The determination is that the shift selector assembly inside the transmission is broken and a new transmission is required. I am dismayed to see how many hondas require new transmissions, and am upset that despite the obvious safety issue, and the number of problems experienced, no recall has occurred.
Our pilot drive light started flashing one day, we pulled over, shut off the vehicle, then restarted it and the light went out. This has happened about 5 times over the past 3 years. Now our engine light came on and we found out that we need a new transmission! We have less than 100,000 mi. Also, our gas pedal sticks, to accelerate we take off extremely fast from a dead stop. I am afraid that this will cause an accident!!! It started out a little sticky and is now very bad.
My 2004 pilot ex-res started a faint whining noise around 73k miles. The noise became progressively more pronounced with time/miles. The noise is only audible when pressing on the gas pedal and in third gear. As soon as the gas pedal is depressed the noise disappears. I have 93k miles on the odometer as of may 2013 and the noise is now a high pitched whining noise; it is very annoying and easily audible inside the cabin even with the windows closed. I took it to the honda dealership to diagnose this noise and they told me it is the torque converter and that it will eventually fail with the transmission; they advised me not to do anything at this time since the fluid and transmission pressure lines all checked out good. I was surprised to hear this recommendation from the service adviser. I take immaculate care of my car with on the spot oil/filter/transmission/vtm-4 fluid changes using honda oem parts and quality motor oil. I am concerned one day my pilot will leave me and my family stranded on the road with a huge bill to replace the transmission and torque converter. I have 2 small kids and this is the last thing I need to worry about; my vehicle was not part of the recall to install the oil jet kit. I believe honda should fuss up about this issue and issue a proper fix to all affected owners, otherwise lots of people will look elsewhere for their next vehicle.
The transmission failed on my 2004 honda pilot with only 157,000 miles on it. Thankfully, it was in a parking garage and did not cause any injuries or blocked roadways other than a busy parking garage.
Complete transmission failure at 60 MPH. No warning, no blinking lights, sounds, shuddering etc. I was able to coast off the freeway without collision! I had my car towed to the dealership and was told $5000-$5500 for a transmission replacement. My VIN was not included in the transmission recall of 2004. This is dangerous! I am so grateful that my children were not with me and that there was no collision.
There is a growl/grind/shudder between 30-40 MPH specifically at 1,500 rpms. The noise appears to be coming from the transmission or very close to the transmission. This issue is very hard to diagnose, however I already replaced the transmission once and the issue came back. Could I have purchased two faulty honda transmissions?
Premature automatic transmission failure after recall work (04v176000) oil jet kit installation on 2004 pilot. Honda should be responsible for replacing all transmissions on all affected vehicles. How could honda possibly determine that no damage had occurred to the transmission prior to the oil jet kit installation that vehicles with less than 15k received as a "fix". Another example of how the end consumer gets the shaft if their fortunate enough to have survived the results of the faulty part.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Case v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 424169 (Third Clutch Transmission Settlement
- Noise and judder from the rear when turning
- Pilot- knowngood PCM swap with sidewinder key
- Replacing a canon A75 digital camera to take inspection photos for s/b 04-021, safety recall: a/t 2ND gear...
- Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) leaks
- Hissing between 30 and 50 mph
- Safety recall: automatic transmission second gear inspection
- Buzzing or clicking noise on hard acceleration
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
- Risk
- Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or acura at 1‑800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 04V176000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2004 Honda Pilot transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2004 Honda Pilot?
24 of 544 owner complaints about the 2004 Honda Pilot (4%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2003.
How much does it cost to fix complete transmission failure on the 2004 Honda Pilot?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,450 (median of 9 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2004 Honda Pilot?
There is 1 recall and 29 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2004 Honda Pilot
Shudder 41Airbag light 27Check engine light 14Fire or smoke 13Slipping 12Grinding brakes 10Headlights 10Door locks 9Jerking 9Harsh shifting 8Stalling 8Water leak 7No deployment 5Seat belt 5Sudden acceleration 5Won't start 5
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