Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear your Pilot is starting to fall apart. If you’re near West Virginia contact fellow Piloteer @ImBroke when you’re ready to get rid of it. He resurrects old Pilots.
2007 Pilot EXL
Hi everyone. We bought this car used in 2013 for my son, with around 80k miles on it. He drove it a lot. In 2018, I took the car back from my son in a swap for my 2015 CRV. He was driving a lot more than I was, and needed a reliable car. It had 155k miles on it. So now I own this Pilot with roughly 163K miles, and old age is setting in. I have driven it very lightly in that time; thank you COVID; like 2K per year.
But every time I get within the vicinity of my Honda dealer, it's another 2 to 3 thousand for necessary repairs. I'm starting to think euthanasia is in order, even though it runs great and looks great. I hope I can lean on the experience of other owners of old Pilots, so thank you all in advance.
At this point, they're telling me that my oil pump is leaking, and well, as long as we're there, do the timing belt again (done last at 100k). Also, rear shocks leaking. They replaced them three years ago. And the spare tire could not be lowered, so they cut the cable for me, and it's now in the back of the car. Replacing the winch is another big bill. My current thinking is just drive it, don't do any of these repairs, and buy something else in a year or so. This is why I'm thinking euthanasia.
But every time I get within the vicinity of my Honda dealer, it's another 2 to 3 thousand for necessary repairs. I'm starting to think euthanasia is in order, even though it runs great and looks great. I hope I can lean on the experience of other owners of old Pilots, so thank you all in advance.
At this point, they're telling me that my oil pump is leaking, and well, as long as we're there, do the timing belt again (done last at 100k). Also, rear shocks leaking. They replaced them three years ago. And the spare tire could not be lowered, so they cut the cable for me, and it's now in the back of the car. Replacing the winch is another big bill. My current thinking is just drive it, don't do any of these repairs, and buy something else in a year or so. This is why I'm thinking euthanasia.
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Are you experiencing issues or are they just telling you these things need to be fixed?
My philosophy with older high mileage vehicles is I focus on safety and reliability but other things get deferred like comfort or cosmetic.
something else I’d consider based on your location is rust. Being in the south I have no experience with it, but these Pilots seem susceptible to it and if it’s bad it’ll likely total the vehicle.
My philosophy with older high mileage vehicles is I focus on safety and reliability but other things get deferred like comfort or cosmetic.
something else I’d consider based on your location is rust. Being in the south I have no experience with it, but these Pilots seem susceptible to it and if it’s bad it’ll likely total the vehicle.
Thanks for the shoutout Steve. @ReallyOldPilot , what is your approximate location? I'm down to three Pilots.If you’re near Virginia contact fellow Piloteer @ImBroke when you’re ready to get rid of it. He resurrects old Pilots.
Thanks, I'm not actually experiencing issues. I'm not losing oil, and I am not dripping oil in the garage. As far as I know, I don't need to do the timing belt again until I hit 200k, which at the rate I'm driving it will be long after it rusts out. There is some rust especially right by the rear bumper, but otherwise not too bad. It was just in to the same dealer two months ago for an oil change, and they didn't say anything about the oil pump leaking at that time (nor the shocks).Are you experiencing issues or are they just telling you these things need to be fixed?
My philosophy with older high mileage vehicles is I focus on safety and reliability but other things get deferred like comfort or cosmetic.
something else I’d consider based on your location is rust. Being in the south I have no experience with it, but these Pilots seem susceptible to it and if it’s bad it’ll likely total the vehicle.
I can't figure out how to get a good look at the oil pump itself. Is it on the left side of the engine at the bottom? Service rep showed me a photo that the mechanic took, but it was not obviously oily to me.
Would appreciate any thoughts. Car is running well, no rust on the exterior, interior is still very good, electronics all work well, no oil burning. But I don't want to put in another $3K plus.
Thanks.
Hi, ImBroke, I'm afraid I'm far away; up in New England.Thanks for the shoutout Steve. @ReallyOldPilot , what is your approximate location? I'm down to three Pilots.
Still want to ask the experts, is the oil pump likely to fail at my mileage? How could I verify for myself? Thanks, everyone.Thanks, I'm not actually experiencing issues. I'm not losing oil, and I am not dripping oil in the garage. As far as I know, I don't need to do the timing belt again until I hit 200k, which at the rate I'm driving it will be long after it rusts out. There is some rust especially right by the rear bumper, but otherwise not too bad. It was just in to the same dealer two months ago for an oil change, and they didn't say anything about the oil pump leaking at that time (nor the shocks).
I can't figure out how to get a good look at the oil pump itself. Is it on the left side of the engine at the bottom? Service rep showed me a photo that the mechanic took, but it was not obviously oily to me.
Would appreciate any thoughts. Car is running well, no rust on the exterior, interior is still very good, electronics all work well, no oil burning. But I don't want to put in another $3K plus.
Thanks.
Part of the problem with any older vehicle is things can wear out from age, abuse or use etc. If you’re up to it replacing the rear shocks and spare tire cable are not too difficult. Otherwise secure that spare tire on the cargo area from becoming a projectile during sudden braking or emergency maneuver. IMO those two items fit in a category of if you can remove them you should be able to install them. On the other hand timing belt replacement is routine maintenance at 105k/7 yr +\-. Get a second opinion on the “oil leak” and post a pic or two of the wet spot area.Hi everyone. We bought this car used in 2013 for my son, with around 80k miles on it. He drove it a lot. In 2018, I took the car back from my son in a swap for my 2015 CRV. He was driving a lot more than I was, and needed a reliable car. It had 155k miles on it. So now I own this Pilot with roughly 163K miles, and old age is setting in. I have driven it very lightly in that time; thank you COVID; like 2K per year.
But every time I get within the vicinity of my Honda dealer, it's another 2 to 3 thousand for necessary repairs. I'm starting to think euthanasia is in order, even though it runs great and looks great. I hope I can lean on the experience of other owners of old Pilots, so thank you all in advance.
At this point, they're telling me that my oil pump is leaking, and well, as long as we're there, do the timing belt again (done last at 100k). Also, rear shocks leaking. They replaced them three years ago. And the spare tire could not be lowered, so they cut the cable for me, and it's now in the back of the car. Replacing the winch is another big bill. My current thinking is just drive it, don't do any of these repairs, and buy something else in a year or so. This is why I'm thinking euthanasia.
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking the same thing about the shocks and the spare tire cable. And I had them cut the cable so that the spare tire won't become a projectile - it's in the back now.Part of the problem with any older vehicle is things can wear out from age, abuse or use etc. If you’re up to it replacing the rear shocks and spare tire cable are not too difficult. Otherwise secure that spare tire on the cargo area from becoming a projectile during sudden braking or emergency maneuver. IMO those two items fit in a category of if you can remove them you should be able to install them. On the other hand timing belt replacement is routine maintenance at 105k/7 yr +\-. Get a second opinion on the “oil leak” and post a pic or two of the wet spot area.
About the timing belt replacement, I'm at 163K, and it was last done at 100K, but it was almost 9 years ago. I'm thinking, if I'm only driving the vehicle for a year more (or less) I should put that off.
And I have to admit I can't figure out where the oil pump is! I think it's on the left side of the engine (looking from the front of the car under the hood), but all the way at the bottom. Is that right? So in such case, I can't see it very well from the top, and I can't see it from underneath unless I remove a big cover? It was a lot easier on my '68 Valiant! Had room for two small suitcases and a lunchbox under the hood!
Good idea to get a second opinion.
Appreciate your help!
@ReallyOldPilot Welcome to the Forum. I just walked in the door myself.
I also own a 2007 EXL. It's in Taffeta White with a name of "The Argonaut"
I also had the spare tire cable issue. I was looking online and folks suggested applying some wd40 or some sort of lubricant every once in a while to keep the mechanism working. I ended up doing the same thing, and putting the spare tire in the rear, which as @aggrex said, did become a safety issue. I've owned cars previously where this was an issue so I decided to get it fixed. I ordered a replacement cable mechanism from RockAuto.com for $101.05 with shipping and removed and replaced the part myself. It took about an hour or so and I needed to metal hand saw for a part of the job.
A lot of the issues I have with my Pilot I take to a local guy who has Honda knowledge. Everytime I take the Pilot to the dealer its about $200 just to look at the problem, which to me is ridiculous. My conspiracy theory is that they are trying to get me to purchase one of their new Passports everytime I go in there.
Lastly I am having an oil leak issue as well. It is likely different than yours though, because mine has to do with a seal around the manifold, I've got the new gasket, but I just haven't found the time to go out and replace it.
Good luck with your issues, I hope to keep up with your story since our rigs are similiar.
Best,
I also own a 2007 EXL. It's in Taffeta White with a name of "The Argonaut"
I also had the spare tire cable issue. I was looking online and folks suggested applying some wd40 or some sort of lubricant every once in a while to keep the mechanism working. I ended up doing the same thing, and putting the spare tire in the rear, which as @aggrex said, did become a safety issue. I've owned cars previously where this was an issue so I decided to get it fixed. I ordered a replacement cable mechanism from RockAuto.com for $101.05 with shipping and removed and replaced the part myself. It took about an hour or so and I needed to metal hand saw for a part of the job.
A lot of the issues I have with my Pilot I take to a local guy who has Honda knowledge. Everytime I take the Pilot to the dealer its about $200 just to look at the problem, which to me is ridiculous. My conspiracy theory is that they are trying to get me to purchase one of their new Passports everytime I go in there.
Lastly I am having an oil leak issue as well. It is likely different than yours though, because mine has to do with a seal around the manifold, I've got the new gasket, but I just haven't found the time to go out and replace it.
Good luck with your issues, I hope to keep up with your story since our rigs are similiar.
Best,
Hey, great to hear from you, Argonaut! It's quite a luxury vehicle, isn't it? How many miles do you have on it?
You give me some confidence that I could fix the spare tire cable issue myself.
You're right about the dealership charges just to diagnose a problem. I was told I have a leak coming from my oil pump, but I don't have any dripping on the garage floor, and I'm not having to add oil. I'm planning to ignore it for a while, since I don't put very many miles on it. I only wish somebody here would tell me the best vantage for getting a view of the oil pump. From above? From below? Take off the cover under the engine? The dealer showed me a photo that he said indicated leaking, but I couldn't really see it on his phone. And it was only a few weeks after I had gotten the air conditioning fixed at the same dealership, and they didn't say anything about it then. Maybe because they wanted me to go through the air conditioning repair, which was very expensive. Maybe they see me as a good revenue source for now, and a future Pilot or Passport customer!
You give me some confidence that I could fix the spare tire cable issue myself.
You're right about the dealership charges just to diagnose a problem. I was told I have a leak coming from my oil pump, but I don't have any dripping on the garage floor, and I'm not having to add oil. I'm planning to ignore it for a while, since I don't put very many miles on it. I only wish somebody here would tell me the best vantage for getting a view of the oil pump. From above? From below? Take off the cover under the engine? The dealer showed me a photo that he said indicated leaking, but I couldn't really see it on his phone. And it was only a few weeks after I had gotten the air conditioning fixed at the same dealership, and they didn't say anything about it then. Maybe because they wanted me to go through the air conditioning repair, which was very expensive. Maybe they see me as a good revenue source for now, and a future Pilot or Passport customer!
@ReallyOldPilot,
I'm at 180k just crossed a couple days ago.
You absolutely can fix the spare tire issue.
As for the oil pump, I have a 2006 - 2008 Honda Service Manual on hand. Here are some pictures I took:
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I'm at 180k just crossed a couple days ago.
You absolutely can fix the spare tire issue.
As for the oil pump, I have a 2006 - 2008 Honda Service Manual on hand. Here are some pictures I took:
You are definitely due for another timing belt service based on time. I personally think going a year might be pushing it. If you are capable of wrenching, you'll get some more time out of your ride. I think it's time to let this Pilot go but if you like to gamble go for it!
Great help, everyone! I'm driving it so little, I'm going to wait a bit, but thanks for the pictures from the service manual. Maybe now I can finally find the oil pump to see for myself how much it is leaking! Got to admit, she's a very old lady who has kept all her promises. There have to be other problems lurking behind the oil pump, and the timing belt.
You might have a leak at the oil pump seal, and to get eyes on it, you will have to look behind the timing cover. Maybe there is dry oil showing around the bottom of the cover. If you aren't losing oil, and it isn't dripping oil, it is just seeping due to dried up seal. Get a bottle of ATP AT-205 from Advance Auto and put it into your engine oil. This will recondition all the seals. Put a little in your power steering fluid, and transmission fluid. This will recondition the rubber without swelling. It will not fixed cracked seals, but will fix dried up, which is what you are likely dealing with.
Sounds like you have kept up on your maintenance, and fixed many parts. You must have a real good vehicle, and will give you many more years and many thousands of more miles of use. It's probably in better condition then most. Find a reputable Honda Mechanic and save thousands over time. Do not under any circumstance go to anyone that doesn't specialize in Honda. This is almost a requirement for a long lasting Honda. Once you venture out from Honda is when you start to have issues. This includes the mechanic. They are easy to work on, and learn on, but there are things you must know before working on them. Basically only Honda fluids and parts. If you can remember that, it is the most important thing with them.
You can drive it as much as you want even when it is losing oil. Just make sure the oil is kept between the two lines. You would be surprised how many are driving around just fine under and over the marks. If your engine oil is between the two marks, you don't have to worry about where it is going. Just to put your mind at ease.
Sounds like you have kept up on your maintenance, and fixed many parts. You must have a real good vehicle, and will give you many more years and many thousands of more miles of use. It's probably in better condition then most. Find a reputable Honda Mechanic and save thousands over time. Do not under any circumstance go to anyone that doesn't specialize in Honda. This is almost a requirement for a long lasting Honda. Once you venture out from Honda is when you start to have issues. This includes the mechanic. They are easy to work on, and learn on, but there are things you must know before working on them. Basically only Honda fluids and parts. If you can remember that, it is the most important thing with them.
You can drive it as much as you want even when it is losing oil. Just make sure the oil is kept between the two lines. You would be surprised how many are driving around just fine under and over the marks. If your engine oil is between the two marks, you don't have to worry about where it is going. Just to put your mind at ease.
Thank you, royalbiggster, you have reassured me. My engine oil is staying between the two marks, and no marks on the garage floor. I do all the service at the Honda dealer. The engine still runs great, doesn't burn oil, and is still reliable. I will look into ATP AT-205.
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