2013 Touring

[ken2122]

Purchased new 2013 Touring model. Previously owned 2007 Pilot with 153K miles of which was an excellent vehicle.

Here are issues with my 2013:

1. When driving 55-65 mph and cruising in automatic overdrive gear I hear a low rumbling sound. If I accelerate it goes away. Notice this is starting to happen when cruising at a slower speeds.
2. My Galaxy S III phone will does not always connect with blue tooth. When connected calls go in and out. Phone can not make a call hands free. Terrible blue tooth system. I installed a hands free blue tooth system (Parrot) and it worked much better than factory system in 2013 model.
3. Hope 17 - 21 gas mileage improves with vehicle.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Overall not as good a vehicle new as my 07 Pilot was.

[SAHM]

Originally Posted by ken2122

Purchased new 2013 Touring model. Previously owned 2007 Pilot with 153K miles of which was an excellent vehicle.

Here are issues with my 2013:

1. When driving 55-65 mph and cruising in automatic overdrive gear I hear a low rumbling sound. If I accelerate it goes away. Notice this is starting to happen when cruising at a slower speeds.
2. My Galaxy S III phone will does not always connect with blue tooth. When connected calls go in and out. Phone can not make a call hands free. Terrible blue tooth system. I installed a hands free blue tooth system (Parrot) and it worked much better than factory system in 2013 model.
3. Hope 17 - 21 gas mileage improves with vehicle.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Overall not as good a vehicle new as my 07 Pilot was.

hi.
1. i dont have that problem but it could be something as simple as a tire not balanced. going from the 09 and its 17 inch tires to the 12 and the 18 inch tires i did notice a different sound.
2. i havent used my GS3 in the vehicle since i upgraded it to Jelly Bean. it worked fine for me when i had Ice Cream Sandwich.
3. i have noticed that the gas mileage went down a smidge. BUT you cannot have a heavy foot with this vehicle. when my DH drives it my mileage SUCKS! when i drive it and pay attention to the ECO i get awesome mileage.

GL!

[Yahooligan]

1 - VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) kicking in, this is what shuts off 2-3 cylinders for better fuel economy. 65mph constant cruise on level ground is where I notice it the most.
2 - My GS3 works fine in our 2012, no connectivity issues
3 - The best we get is about 22-23mpg freeway with the 4WD, average fuel economy (city/highway, but mostly city/parkway) is usually 18-19mpg.

[dr bob]

First post to the group. (!)

We just bought the same car a week ago, a 'used' AHM program car with 3k on it. Haven't driven it enough at freeway speeds to notice the rumble noises but will listen more carefully. I did read more than a few reviews of the car where owners were hearing similar noises though. Many of them seemed to do with AC compressor running at lower engine speeds and idle though. For me, in our dry climate, I keep the compressor off unless it's needed for cooling. You might try that and see if it helps both with the noise and with the fuel consumption. Try to decide whether the noise is related more to vehicle speed or engine speed, as that will help focus on engine vs suspension/driveline.

On the bluetooth pairing: Mine works flawlessly with my iPhone 4S. The symptoms you describe are typical to a situation where other bluetooth devices are operating in near proximity. Did you by chance have a separate hands-free headset, or perhaps another phone with bluetooth turned on, in the car with you when you experienced the problem?

[Pilot Driver]

It is fascinating to me how many people purchase something as expensive as an automobile and evidently spend no time with it -- driving or otherwise -- before plunking down the money. Then they come here to complain about the car. Again, it's fascinating to me.

For the original poster, do you think spending 30 minutes to an hour in the car prior to buying it would have told you it was inferior to your '07?

I suspect that this forum, for whatever strange reason, is home to a lot of internet trolls and similar. When I first joined there was this lunatic jena-blondie or something. Now others seem to have taken her / his place, but they try to remain calmer to keep their cover.

As an actual Pilot owner ('12 Touring) I can tell folks that overall we are very happy with ours. There are a couple of improvements I would make, but none of them are the things you see here:

1. Finish the dashboard underneath the driver's side, above the pedals.
2. Use heavier quality plastics throughout the interior, particularly on the lower 1/3 of the inside. This has been a Honda issue since we had our '98 Prelude.
3. Use nicer floormats. This is a $40k truck. The mats are garbage. Then again, so were the ones in our MB E class, which is a lot more expensive.
4. Re-install the storage drawer under the passenger side front seat. It's pretty obvious it's meant to have one.
5. Use a heavier plastic or less spring pressure on the glass hatch hinges. The current set-up is prone to distortion. I had Honda change the trim on ours to make a point, but it will happen again.
6. Make the third row seat optional. When you have an AWD vehicle that has ground clearance, the third row requires that the storage area in the rear will have an incline. The vans don't have this issue because they don't have the AWD system like the Pilot. Give the customer the option of a third row or flat floor. Right now, we'd take the third row, but at a different stage of our life I would want the flat floor.

As far as the VCM complaints, or AC "humming" or what-not, bear in mind that with respect to VCM all of the automakers are under tremendous pressure to meet the higher CAFE standards. They are looking under any rock for fuel savings and VCM is a good way to achieve such savings. It's sure as heck better than stop/start that a lot of the Euro cars are using. Unless you are overly sensitive VCM kicking in feels no different than a transmission locking up the torque converter. As far AC humming, bear in mind that the Pilot is a truck and it has heavy duty cooling fans. Anything that is heavy duty -- in this case that means the ability to move a lot of air under very slow driving speeds -- is going to be noisier than a lighter duty unity. There is no way around that. Can it be annoying? Sure, especially if you are in stop and go traffic in the summer. But at the same time, it's not any worse than any of other cars where the fan clutches "lock-up" in the heat and you can hear quite a airflow ruckus under the hood. And alot of these things -- particularly the noiser dual electric fans of the type the Pilot uses, are being driven by fuel economy concerns -- electric accessories are more efficient than driving them all the time directly off the motor.

So really, enough whining from people who are foolish enough to spend a great deal of money on a new truck and then come here to complain about it pointlessly. Or if they are trolls, go find a productive hobby. For the "owners", go trade or sell the car and go somewhere else. If you want to discuss the car, that's something else entirely.

[dr bob]

Originally Posted by Pilot Driver

It is fascinating to me how many people purchase something as expensive as an automobile and evidently spend no time with it -- driving or otherwise -- before plunking down the money. Then they come here to complain about the car. Again, it's fascinating to me.

<<rest snipped>>

All good and all true!


But... I may be one of those people, but will try to do my best with the group here.

I bought the car without even sitting in one , based on online reviews and recommendations, along with Honda's reputation in the market. I was/am pleasantly rewarded by the decision, although this generation of Pilot seems a lot bigger than I remember the last one I drove. We had a loaner Odyssey a couple years ago for several months, which reinforced my opinion of the cars.

-----

OP's problem with bluetooth pairing sounds like something that showed up after he has had the car a while, as does the rumble he mentioned. Since neither was an infancy issue, he's fine with asking the experiences of others IMO. It's kind of what user groups and forums are all about. I co-started and moderated a usenet support group for early Ford Explorers (rec.auto.makers.ford.explorer) way back before vBulletin software was available, so have a tiny bit of experience with online support groups.

[Yahooligan]

Originally Posted by Pilot Driver

Unless you are overly sensitive VCM kicking in feels no different than a transmission locking up the torque converter.

There may be different VCM states that people feel more or are complaining about.

There's the part-throttle "stumble" as you go to accelerate slightly or go up a hill and then there's the constant low-frequency rumble/vibration which happens at 65mph for me. The stumble is infrequent, but I can induce the 65mph VCM vibration whenever I want. It doesn't bother me and it isn't a violent vibration, but it is noticeable.

[EP307]

Originally Posted by ken2122

3. Hope 17 - 21 gas mileage improves with vehicle.

Unless you're doing a significant amount of highway mileage (long commutes), I don't think you'll see much of an improvement (check out my Fuelly badge and the other '09-'12 Pilots on Fuelly)...17-20 is par for the course. I will say that we are getting almost 2mpg better than with our '07.

Originally Posted by ken2122

Overall not as good a vehicle new as my 07 Pilot was.

Having owned both an '03 and '07 Pilot previously, I would agree that the I initially noticed some "cheapening" of the interior (dash, door panels and the sun visors), but overall with 7,500 miles+ on our '12 Touring, we are very happy with it and don't miss the '07 at all.

[xGS]

Originally Posted by dr bob

I bought the car without even sitting in one...

Which is something I would never do, if only because many car seats seem to have been designed by people who have never bothered to sit in them, either.

[dr bob]

Originally Posted by xGS

Which is something I would never do, if only because many car seats seem to have been designed by people who have never bothered to sit in them, either.

I had sat in Pilot seats a year prior to purchase, just not in the one I bought. For reasons beyond this thread, we were able to buy the car at a favorable enough deal that I can sell it in a year and recover all the costs. So if my bit*h list gets excessive I can get out with no risk at all. So far I like the car and will probably drive it until the wheels fall off. I sold the Explorer with several hundred K on it to an employee who needed it for his growing family. Looked and drove pretty much as new, with comprehensive care and PM all its life. The Pilot will enjoy that same love and care.

Most 'regular' cars get a few rentals as test-drive periods before purchase. I rented a few Ford Explorers before I bought my first one, and had a list of must-haves including seating before I approached a dealer to actually buy one. Did the whole deal on paper with a calculator, didn't see or sit in the car until everything was done and settled. Threw the salesman for a loop, since they usually try to leverage the "I want it now!" factor that folks get when they drive one. Sorry, business is business.

----

So my next duty is getting everything on the 'new' car perfect for long-term ownership. So far it's been cleaned and sealed pretty well inside and out, top and bottom. The steering (lots of assist) and brakes (lots of pedal travel) will take a little getting used to, as will the extra exterior inches. All manageable. The Good News: the Pilot seats are just fine. Even after lounging in Porsche Recaros for ten years or so in between.

[Scungi]

Originally Posted by Pilot Driver

5. Use a heavier plastic or less spring pressure on the glass hatch hinges. The current set-up is prone to distortion. I had Honda change the trim on ours to make a point, but it will happen again.

What trim, on the hinge?

I am a new Honda Pilot Touring owner (new to me 2012).

This forum/BB has a ton of whining on it, so I do agree. I was hoping for a better, informative board. Coming from a Nissan Xterra that had a ton of great resources on forums/bb's I am disappointed thus far.

As for the VCM (most likely the rumbling you are feeling or hearing to the OP) complaints, drive any new 2012+ car that has something to the effect/comparable, it will be there and noticeable. Honda Pilot VCM is much better then my wife's VW Tiguans. They both drive me nuts, but with hitting their MPG goals, they will be here to stay.

[EP307]

Originally Posted by Scungi

What trim, on the hinge?

Large Gap Near Rear Window Hinges

[Scungi]

Originally Posted by ep307

Large Gap Near Rear Window Hinges

thanks!

[touring2013]

Hi, I just bought a 2013 Pilot Touring and my phone was not connecting, not downloading contacts, not letting me use my speech to talk on texts, etc. First, download the app Bluetooth Phonebook (recommended by Honda tech) and contacts and phone works fine. Second, in your phone, under Bluetooth, there are PAIRED DEVICES, click on the settings circle by the Handsfree Link (it will be there if you have paired your phone) and there are PROFILES listed. Make sure you unchecked CALL AUDIO and MEDIA AUDIO. For some reason this interferes with using our phone functions. Got all this help from Honda techs.

[Filipilot]

[QUOTE=Pilot Driver;413464]It is fascinating to me how many people purchase something as expensive as an automobile and evidently spend no time with it -- driving or otherwise -- before plunking down the money. Then they come here to complain about the car. Again, it's fascinating to me.

For the original poster, do you think spending 30 minutes to an hour in the car prior to buying it would have told you it was inferior to your '07?

I suspect that this forum, for whatever strange reason, is home to a lot of internet trolls and similar. When I first joined there was this lunatic jena-blondie or something. Now others seem to have taken her / his place, but they try to remain calmer to keep their cover.



As far as the VCM complaints, or AC "humming" or what-not, bear in mind that with respect to VCM all of the automakers are under tremendous pressure to meet the higher CAFE standards. They are looking under any rock for fuel savings and VCM is a good way to achieve such savings. It's sure as heck better than stop/start that a lot of the Euro cars are using. Unless you are overly sensitive VCM kicking in feels no different than a transmission locking up the torque converter. As far AC humming, bear in mind that the Pilot is a truck and it has heavy duty cooling fans. Anything that is heavy duty -- in this case that means the ability to move a lot of air under very slow driving speeds -- is going to be noisier than a lighter duty unity. There is no way around that. Can it be annoying? Sure, especially if you are in stop and go traffic in the summer. But at the same time, it's not any worse than any of other cars where the fan clutches "lock-up" in the heat and you can hear quite a airflow ruckus under the hood. And alot of these things -- particularly the noiser dual electric fans of the type the Pilot uses, are being driven by fuel economy concerns -- electric accessories are more efficient than driving them all the time directly off the motor.

So really, enough whining from people who are foolish enough to spend a great deal of money on a new truck and then come here to complain about it pointlessly. Or if they are trolls, go find a productive hobby. For the "owners", go trade or sell the car and go somewhere else. If you want to discuss the car, that's something else entirely.[/QUOTE

Calm down men, if some of us are having issues, let them vent coz sometimes it makes them feel a little better and theres no other way to ask for help except to post our concerns. If your not having issues with your pilot then you should be glad and keep on praying that you won't have any issues in the future. Don't automatically call them Internet trolls and foolish , these issues are true and theyre not just making them up. You seem to be very knowledgeable about cars, are you a car tech ? But Please be honest to yourself, vibrations when VCM kicks in and out is not the same as tranny just locking up the T.C.( very different my friend,drive another honda with no VCM and tell me its the same) if its not annoying to you then good for you. I don't think ken2122 ask you to read his post anyway,if you can't say anything supportive then I guess you should learn how to ignore some posts or bite your lip sometimes. ( did you realize how long your post was just because of some concerns from a new owner?) we are not kids here so try not to scold us.Thank you..