maintainance minder

[piggy]

Hi! I just had my Pilot this Feb and I have around 11K on it. I have already done 2 oil changes, 2 tire rotations and 1 VMT-4 oil change. I checked on the internet and found the first oil change should be around 7500, tire rotation should be 7500 and VTM should be 15k. So WHY do I need to do that so way early? The tech only told us that whatever the computer said, they will do it, and they charged me $190 FOR ALL OF THOSE... What a rip off? Does anybody has similar experience in Burns Honda? Is there anyone cheaper? Or that is the NORMAL price?

Thank you very much for all your help in advance.

[ThePilotster]

Originally posted by piggy
Hi! I just had my Pilot this Feb and I have around 11K on it. I have already done 2 oil changes, 2 tire rotations and 1 VMT-4 oil change. I checked on the internet and found the first oil change should be around 7500, tire rotation should be 7500 and VTM should be 15k. So WHY do I need to do that so way early? The tech only told us that whatever the computer said, they will do it, and they charged me $190 FOR ALL OF THOSE... What a rip off? Does anybody has similar experience in Burns Honda? Is there anyone cheaper? Or that is the NORMAL price?

Thank you very much for all your help in advance.

Oil change is whacked... I have 2 books that unless you read them closely, the say 2 things.. difference is severe duty or normal duty.
I would go to the service manager and tell them they should refund your money, or give you a written, signed IOU for future service

[whizmo]

Originally posted by piggy
Hi! I just had my Pilot this Feb and I have around 11K on it. I have already done 2 oil changes, 2 tire rotations and 1 VMT-4 oil change. I checked on the internet and found the first oil change should be around 7500, tire rotation should be 7500 and VTM should be 15k. So WHY do I need to do that so way early?

The problem is the "I checked on the internet" part. Forums like this are like a crowded bar - don't believe everything you hear.

The 7.5K/15K intervals you're seeing are for the older cars without the maintenance reminder systems. They're the longest intervals possible and Honda says you should basically halve these intervals for severe service. The MRS takes all this into account and makes it's recommendations based on your car and driving conditions. So the MRS is recommending more often servicing. (Not sure about the tire rotation part though - this may be something the dealer is doing just as a matter of course and does seem more often than you probably need.)

If in doubt, follow Honda's recommendations, not the dealer and not the internet.

- Mark

[ictvuser]

Originally posted by piggy
Hi! I just had my Pilot this Feb and I have around 11K on it. I have already done 2 oil changes, 2 tire rotations and 1 VMT-4 oil change. I checked on the internet and found the first oil change should be around 7500, tire rotation should be 7500 and VTM should be 15k. So WHY do I need to do that so way early? The tech only told us that whatever the computer said, they will do it, and they charged me $190 FOR ALL OF THOSE... What a rip off? Does anybody has similar experience in Burns Honda? Is there anyone cheaper? Or that is the NORMAL price?

Thank you very much for all your help in advance.

If the Maintenance Minder recommended both oil changes and the VTM, I would probably do it to keep the warranty in effect.

What was the oil life % was on the Engine Oil Life Indicator before the two oil changes? I think the light first goes on at 15% so if you change it then you are probably changing the oil every 6400 miles.

With respect to the VTM, do you remember if the maintenance code A 6 was displayed? Under normal use, the first change should have been around 15K miles. Changing it at 7.5K is only recommended if you drive offroad, tow or carry heavy loads frequently.

[deezee123]

Originally posted by whizmo

If in doubt, follow Honda's recommendations, not the dealer and not the internet.

- Mark

The problem is, just what DOES Honda recommend for the Pilot? I have read my manuals from front to back and there is not even a guideline for oil or other fluid changes - just the recommendation to follow the maintenence minder. That would be fine except that I like to plan in advance. What if the maintanence minder pops up to recommend an oil change at 5000 miles and I'm not able to get it in for service for another 2-3 weeks because of scheduling issues (my own and the dealer's).

This is frustrating to me. I asked the dealer for some kind of booklet or something to document service as nothing came with the Pilot when I bought it. I realize I haven't purchased a vehicle in many years, but I have always received something to document service, as well as a guideline for recommended service intervals. It seems that I have to just go along with the maintenance minder - regardless what it says or does.

I'm very curious what it's going to tell me. I am a conservative driver, averaging 800-1000 miles a month normally and live in southern New Jersey, which is completely flat. We don't have too much dramatic weather here, so the 4WD will probably very rarely be activated.

Anyone have thoughts as to what my service intervals might be, given this information?

Thanks!

[ictvuser]

Originally posted by deezee123
What if the maintanence minder pops up to recommend an oil change at 5000 miles and I'm not able to get it in for service for another 2-3 weeks because of scheduling issues (my own and the dealer's).

Usually not a problem. The maintenance reminder first lights up when there is about 15% oil life left. Also when the remaining engine oil life is between 15-6%, the oil life indicator is displayed each time you turned the ignition on. Under normal driving condition this should give you more than 1000 miles (or 3-4 weeks assuming 12K miles annually) before you must change the oil.

Originally posted by deezee123
Anyone have thoughts as to what my service intervals might be, given this information?

Thanks!

You can try to use the 2005 recommendations as a guideline. However, to keep your warranty in effect, you should always follow your maintenance reminder and maintenance recommendations in your owner's manual.

Check out the manual for the 2005 Pilot. Page 192

http://hondapilot.bkwon.net/manual/2005/

Oil: Every 7.5K
Tranny: 1st at 45K, 30K intervals afterwards
VTM: 1st at 15K, 2nd at 30K, 30K intervals afterwards
Coolant: 1st at 120K or 10yrs, 60K or 5yrs intervals afterwards
Brake fluid: Every 3 yrs

I have read that many Pilot owners do the 1st tranny change at 30K since only about 1/3 of the fluid is replaced.

[whizmo]

Originally posted by deezee123
What if the maintanence minder pops up to recommend an oil change at 5000 miles and I'm not able to get it in for service for another 2-3 weeks because of scheduling issues (my own and the dealer's).

This is frustrating to me. I asked the dealer for some kind of booklet or something to document service as nothing came with the Pilot when I bought it.

As previously mentioned, the reminder pops up with plenty of time to plan ahead in normal circumstances. And you can see how much oil life is left at anytime by simply pressing the button until the percentage is displayed. Do a tiny bit of math and you can extrapolate the service interval to as far ahead as you like.

Or simply ask people here what's typical. For me, it's saying I need about 5K oil changes. Others are getting a bit more. It's not really that critical that you do the service EXACTLY at the specified time - service is always a general tradeoff between the expense of service and the consequences of not doing it, so if you miss it by a few hundred (or even a thousand for that matter), it's unlikely to matter much. As I've said before, this is a common, everyday car we're dealing with here, not a Ferrari or Rolls Royce.

Honda should have given you a little book to record servicing in. If you don't have it, I'd ask the dealer to get it for you.

It sounds to me mostly like you just don't like this automated systems vs. the standard fixed intervals of the past. Fair enough, but give it a chance - they actually work very well and can provide more appropriate servicing intervals than fixed intervals.

- Mark

[deezee123]

Originally posted by ictvuser


Check out the manual for the 2005 Pilot. Page 192

http://hondapilot.bkwon.net/manual/2005/

Oil: Every 7.5K
Tranny: 1st at 45K, 30K intervals afterwards
VTM: 1st at 15K, 2nd at 30K, 30K intervals afterwards
Coolant: 1st at 120K or 10yrs, 60K or 5yrs intervals afterwards
Brake fluid: Every 3 yrs

I have read that many Pilot owners do the 1st tranny change at 30K since only about 1/3 of the fluid is replaced.

Thanks for your suggestions. It is very unfortunate that the manual for the 2006 Pilot doesn't have any suggested intervals. Absolutely nothing is listed other than to pay attention to the maintanence minder.

For people like myself who may not be proficient at or highly knowledgeable about vehicle maintenance and must rely on a service department, it's not a good thing! I would like to have a written guideline in addition to this new computer module, and I believe that Honda should document those things for new owners, regardless of the presence of the maintenance minder. I think it's a wonderful and helpful idea - and certainly more individualized than a strict schedule, but still.... Given that there were few changes between the 2005 and 2006, I will keep your recommendations for sevice intervals in mind, along with following the maintenance minder.

[deezee123]

Originally posted by whizmo


It sounds to me mostly like you just don't like this automated systems vs. the standard fixed intervals of the past. Fair enough, but give it a chance - they actually work very well and can provide more appropriate servicing intervals than fixed intervals.

- Mark

Actually, I do like it. I have no problem at all and thinks it's a rather neat gadget. My issue is that it would be both wise and helpful for Honda to list average and severe use guidelines in the manual so that people such as myself, have a general idea of when to expect service to be needed. Service needs have changed over the last few years and certainly since I bought my '97 Mercury Villager. The only list of recommended service I got was the one the dealer provided - and that one was saying I needed an oil change every 3500 miles!

I will, without a doubt, follow the service minder, but other than that, there is nothing in the 2006 manual to tell me what Honda actually requires to insure that the warranty, both original and extended, is kept in force. They should have something that says, "Follow the Maintenance Minder for all service but her is a general guideline of when you might expect service to be needed" - and then give a list of services needed and approximate mileage it might be required.