Leaking lower control arm bushing

[thecaptain]

Quoted $528 to replace the front lower control arm bushings on our 2010 Pilot of 48K miles.

Read some comments here and its COMPLETE BULL**** that Honda is a) not taking care of it as its out of warranty and
b) its a common issue.

Someone quote TSB 09-077 What exactly does a TSB dictate? Shouldnt it be covered?


SEriously may have bought my first and last Honda. This nickel and diming over quality is wearing thin..

Bought a HOnda thinking an extended warranty was unnecessary. Now I dont know....

[I Want An Si]

Call Honda customer service...

From my industry experience with them, every request of this sort either has to go to the field rep for that dealer or the District manager...

Be honest with them that you have owned X numbers of Hondas, own X hondas currently, go to XXX Honda dealer for all of you services...

See if you could get the dealer to go to bat for you... take in the printed out TSB..

[rjackal]

Wow, $528 is a deal. My dealership wanted $778 + $90 alignment for the same issue, same 2010 with 44k miles. I took it back to the dealership I bought it from a week later and had them fix it for free.
I agree it's BS for Honda not to take care of this.

[rocky]

Originally Posted by thecaptain

Quoted $528 to replace the front lower control arm bushings on our 2010 Pilot of 48K miles.

Read some comments here and its COMPLETE BULL**** that Honda is a) not taking care of it as its out of warranty and
b) its a common issue.

Someone quote TSB 09-077 What exactly does a TSB dictate? Shouldnt it be covered?


SEriously may have bought my first and last Honda. This nickel and diming over quality is wearing thin..

Bought a HOnda thinking an extended warranty was unnecessary. Now I dont know....

..

The only BS is that given to you by the dealer. Bushings rarely need changing. Most people don't even touch them for the life of the car.

[rjackal]

Originally Posted by rocky

..

The only BS is that given to you by the dealer. Bushings rarely need changing. Most people don't even touch them for the life of the car.

So it's completely normal for hydraulic bushings to have cracked rubber and fluid leaking out of them? Pics attached. One is from my Pilot, one is from another thread

One poster in that thread said their dealership said the bushing problem "is so common that they check all Pilots when they come in."

[rocky]

How does rubber leak?
Is this the latest dealer scam?


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[rjackal]

There is fluid inside the rubber 'boot'. (I think? What else would leak out?)
Maybe it's a huge Honda scam. I don't know what to believe anymore.
Here are a bunch of Accord complaints.
Front Compliance Bushings May Crack : Honda Accord Common Suspension & Steering Problems

[thecaptain]

Originally Posted by I Want An Si

Call Honda customer service...

From my industry experience with them, every request of this sort either has to go to the field rep for that dealer or the District manager...

Be honest with them that you have owned X numbers of Hondas, own X hondas currently, go to XXX Honda dealer for all of you services...

See if you could get the dealer to go to bat for you... take in the printed out TSB..

I appreciate your reply. But my last issue resulted in my contacting the District Manager who didnt even have the good sense to talk to us but blew us off; Then Contacted Honda Corp to resolve that issue.

The DM is horrible. Ive only owned one Honda but have had 3 neighbors buy new Pilots upon our reviews. That is the sole clout I have.

I may resort to Facebook....The Dealers are all in or the $$ I feel.

Originally Posted by rocky

..

The only BS is that given to you by the dealer. Bushings rarely need changing. Most people don't even touch them for the life of the car.

I hope you are correct but as the other poster shows, they do leak. Now sure what to believe.

incidentally, a few hours ago, one of my patients happened to be in the office and works at one of the dealers. He's a young kid of early 20s so I ran it by him. He also said it was an issue he'd seen but not to worry as I would barely notice it. But then he did say that if I changed the bushings I would note a change in driving. Then he ended up saying if I ever wanted to do it, let him know ( I assume he'd want to do the job on the side and have all the pay go to him.)

Rocky, have you got a Pilot? Have you checked your bushings? I want to believe you and not worry but Im just not sure....

Also how can I get a hold of that TSB? I've only seen references to its # 09-077 IIRC online.


Thanks and have a good evening

[1YESfan]

Originally Posted by rocky

..

The only BS is that given to you by the dealer. Bushings rarely need changing. Most people don't even touch them for the life of the car.

Maybe true in most cases but what I have read here and been told by others including the gentleman from New York who was formerly a high end badge mechanic who I had to wait for my spare while the bushings were replaced under warranty with the stock wheels back on only after he pointed the leakage out to the guy working on his vehicle, the only major issue ( unlike many of the 12 models which have had numerous major and minor complaints) has indeed been control arm or leaking bushings as a common issue. It does indeed seem premature but something I will go back to the dealership ( who I prefer not to service my 11) before my three year warranty runs out. I take it very easy on my Pilot ( it's not built to be rough and tough despite it's size- which may be too big/heavy for some of it's components) and we have lower miles than most but it's something every 9-11 Pilot owner should have checked out.

[11B2P]

[QUOTE=rocky;408163]How does rubber leak?
Is this the latest dealer scam?

I wish it was a scam but it is true. Those bushings can leak and cause front end vibration. I had just over 37,000 miles on my 2009 when I discovered the tell-tale leaking black fluid.

Straight from Honda Press website describing features of the 2009 Pilot:

Front Suspension

"... A new hydraulic bushing, often referred to as a hydrobushing, replaces one of the conventional rubber bushings on each of the geometrically-optimized lower control arms. The hydrobushing uses fluid to damp vibrations for improved resistance to shimmy and brake judder. Additionally, the L-shaped lower arm allows a very tight steering angle resulting in good low-speed maneuverability."

Link to Honda website:

Honda Media Newsroom - Press Kit - 2009 Honda Pilot: Chassis

The dealer I went to wanted over 1,200 dollars to replace the whole lower contol arms to "replace" the compliance bushings. Contacted Honda Customer Service with a written letter. Honda Customer Service did nothing at all.

This WILL be our last Honda.... and our family has owned three. We have never had to make any major repairs until this Pilot.

[pilot45]

Can these be replaced with non-fluid filled bushings? I'd hope that Honda came up with a solution to this problem that doesn't involve repeated, expensive fixes.

[11B2P]

Originally Posted by pilot45

Can these be replaced with non-fluid filled bushings? I'd hope that Honda came up with a solution to this problem that doesn't involve repeated, expensive fixes.

Supposedly Honda redesigned the part. The redesigned part has replaced the old compliance bushing. If you get yours replaced you will get the redesigned part.

I guess only time will tell if the redesign works.

[rocky]

Someone somewhere is making a replacement control arm with rubber bushings.
Honda clearly hasn't learnt from its engine mount failures.


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[rjackal]

Originally Posted by 11B2P

I wish it was a scam but it is true. Those bushings can leak and cause front end vibration. I had just over 37,000 miles on my 2009 when I discovered the tell-tale leaking black fluid.
Straight from Honda Press website describing features of the 2009 Pilot:
Front Suspension
"... A new hydraulic bushing, often referred to as a hydrobushing, replaces one of the conventional rubber bushings on each of the geometrically-optimized lower control arms.

Thanks 11B2P for posting the description straight from Honda! We are not crazy; there is fluid in there that should not be leaking out, but it is.

[bblueser]

Honda's a good company and will replace leaking compliance bushings for no charge. Be persistent and they will step up and do what's right.

Be polite but make clear that the bushings failed prematurely and Honda obviously knows this, which is why they redesigned the part.