Preventative Maintenance on a 2003?

[Wolfman_matt]

I recently hit the 100k miles threshold and had all the routine/scheduled service done (plus battery). I continue to drive my Pilot long distances such as 700 miles for vacations and want to minimize my chances of getting stranded.

I was thinking of replacing high risk items such as the alternator and/or starter.

Has anyone had a failure on these and at what point?

Are these the most likely to fail and strand me or are their others?

Thanks in advance for helping me keep a family of 5 on the road without a car payment

Matt

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by Wolfman_matt
I recently hit the 100k miles threshold and had all the routine/scheduled service done (plus battery). I continue to drive my Pilot long distances such as 700 miles for vacations and want to minimize my chances of getting stranded.

I was thinking of replacing high risk items such as the alternator and/or starter.

Has anyone had a failure on these and at what point?

Are these the most likely to fail and strand me or are their others?

Thanks in advance for helping me keep a family of 5 on the road without a car payment

Matt

Don't worry until something gives you reason.

Noisy starters should be replaced, same with weak alternators, but I think the only one I would do preemptivly would be the water pump replaced when you do the timing belt.

[rocky]

Agree with N_jay

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by rocky
Agree with N_jay

I feel a great disturbance in the force.

[sblvro]

Originally posted by Wolfman_matt
I recently hit the 100k miles threshold and had all the routine/scheduled service done (plus battery). I continue to drive my Pilot long distances such as 700 miles for vacations and want to minimize my chances of getting stranded.

I was thinking of replacing high risk items such as the alternator and/or starter.

Has anyone had a failure on these and at what point?

Are these the most likely to fail and strand me or are their others?

Thanks in advance for helping me keep a family of 5 on the road without a car payment

Matt

I'm at 146,000 miles and going. aside from the soccer mom duty of the pilot, it has several round trips >2500 miles in a week going to CT, NY, and 6000 miles to SoCal, San Diego. parts replaced, timing belt at 110K miles, battery at 80K miles. the usual EGR replaced at 80K and the jet kit at 20K. oem pads every now and then. still on stock rotors. not bad for an aging vehicle and another trip to the CO rockies this X'mas then to Salt Lake, Sac, PCH to Socal then LV for 2009 eve

[rockman19762001]

110,000 miles on a 03 Pilot. So far a timing belt at 85,000 miles, early replacement do to Honda recommendation on Hot Weather climates. Replaced the water pump when they replaced the timing belt. Battery just last month at 109,000 miles, the alternator was still putting out some thing like 14.3 amps, so no problem there. New brake pads at 85,000 miles. Other then regular maintenance issues nothing else.

If your worried about the alternator go to Advance Auto, or O'Reily's they will check your battery and alternator for free. If the alternator is putting out better than 14.0 amps nothing so far is wrong internally with the alternator. Most starters I had to replaced over the years, started acting funny, slow starting, stalling etc, several weeks before they failed.

My opinion I would just replace the timing belt, water pump and serpentine belt. Change the Vtm-4, automatic transmission fluid, steering fluid and brake fluid if it has never been changed. An keep on motoring.

[youbetcha]

There are only two types of car maintenance. You have required maintenance, or you have a waste of $$.