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2011Pilot EX - Shuts off while driving. 83,000 miles

11K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  2012CoPilot 
#1 · (Edited)
2011 Honda Pilot EX
Purchased with 80,000 miles on it- Private Party

Ran great for the first 3,000 miles. Currently has 83,253 miles
Problem description;
When driving between 20 – 55 mph engine shuts off and looses electrical to instrument panel for a split second and then power / instrument lights come back on. Place it in Neutral, turn key back one click and then restarts.

Happened the first time while driving for approximately 1 hour. Going up a slight incline at 45mph.

After this drove it two different days for 2 hours each time and it was fine. Then it started doing it every time I drive. It happens sporadically.... 10, 20, 30 minute intervals between occurrences.

I live in a hilly area and with some rough roads.


Regular Maintenance performed since I purchased and before the problem started.

9/18/19 New Battery. Previous battery was 3 years old and died after kids left interior lights on repeatedly.

10/12/19 New spark plugs ( Honda OEM )

10/12/19 Transmission 3.4 qt drain and fill ( Honda ATF-DW-1)

10/16/19 oil and filter change ( Amsoil 0w20) & Wix oil filter 57356xp

* 10/17/19 * first shut off occurrence, with the following codes.

CODES-

No transmission codes.

Engine codes;

P062F- Internal control module EEPROM error.

P060A- Internal Control Module monitoring processor performance.

P2610- ECM/PCM internal engine off timer performance.

U0029 – Vehicle communication Bus A performance.

U0155- Lost communication with instrument panel cluster (ipc) control module.

P2118- Throttle actuator control motor current range / performance



Flashing D on the Gear selection instrument panel blinks 5 times ( Transmission is smooth, no vibrations, no hard shifting)


NO green blinking key on instrument panel



Before taking to Mechanic I have tried the following things.
  • Cleaned battery terminals.
  • Checked wiring grounds to vehicle. ( 3 locations)
  • Checked battery voltage. (12.75 engine off.)
  • Tested all relays for resistance, function and draw with a multi meter, jumper wires and draw light. All relays tested good.
  • Checked all fuses. ( good)

Local Honda certified mechanic- ( not Honda dealership)

Determined that it needed a new PCM/ECM ( computer). He called a friend and Mechanic at Honda who also agreed that it was the computer. Honda said that those codes render the computer useless and cannot be rebuilt. So $900 for a new one.

The New computer was programmed for my Pilot and – SAME problem persists. Awesome mechanic says he will not charge me for the computer, since that is not the problem.

Currently he is looking for electrical / wiring problems.

Honda tells him, bring it to the Honda stealership and let them play with it.


PROBLEM SOLVED -
Honda dealership had gaped 5 of the 6 spark plugs incorrectly.
New mechanic (not Honda) took it for a drive and figured it was a spark issue, since it was stalling under load when switching from 6 to 3/4 cylinder mode.

The improper gap ruined the plugs.
Replaced the 6 spark plugs with new ones and gaped them correctly.

Have now driven 6,000 miles with no problems.

Hope that helps -
 
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#2 ·
Last time I had an issue with the car dying and coming back on again intermittently was a bad ignition switch on my old prelude. Try turning on the car and wiggling the key while its in the switch, hopefully it turns off so it'll mean that's the issue. If not its going to be a hassle to diagnose. Its obvious you have an electrical issue. I would start from the battery and check all the wiring to the fuse boxes and to the computer. It could be anything really, bad connector, wiring, bad ground. Electrical issues can be a massive hassle to diagnose. One good thing is that it drives fine when its working, meaning you probably don't have any issues with computers, fuses, relays etc. , its most likely a connection issue somewhere.
 
#4 ·
I tried wiggling the key with it in the switch while its running. It keeps running. so it seems that is not the problem. Great suggestion.
It looks like i will start down the battery and electrical road.
Someone else mentioned that occasionally a battery post cracks inside the battery and can give issues like this. Maybe ill try a different battery first.

Thanks again
 
#8 ·
Update -
I think it could possibly be the 3rd Clutch Pressure switch/sensor.

Why?

I took it out to see if i could find the sweet spot that makes it shut off.
Sure enough it shuts off right at 2,000 rpm and between 50-55 mph when it up shifts from 3rd to 4th gear or when it down shifts from 4th to 3rd gear. Place in neutral, shut key off and it will restart and i could repeat it every time.

Pressed the 3rd gear switch on the shifter and drove for the next hour below 45 mph and no problems. I could drive around with it in 3rd and it is just fine. However when i shut off the 3rd gear switch and go the regular D it has the same problem.

So started looking on this forum for similar 3rd to 4th gear tranny problems

I found a previous thread posted on Piloteers.
1) http://www.piloteers.org/forums/70-...t-p0847-code-cautionary-tale.html#post1402858

2) https://www.piloteers.org/threads/p0847-transmission-oil-pressure-switch-fixed.146066/


Ordered a new 3rd clutch pressure switch. Honda part # 28610-R36-004-1174
Just replaced it this afternoon - 11/16/2019.

I will post soon with an update.
 
#9 ·
Update -
I think it could possibly be the 3rd Clutch Pressure switch/sensor.

Why?

I took it out to see if i could find the sweet spot that makes it shut off.
Sure enough it shuts off right at 2,000 rpm and between 50-55 mph when it up shifts from 3rd to 4th gear or when it down shifts from 4th to 3rd gear. Place in neutral, shut key off and it will restart and i could repeat it every time.

Pressed the 3rd gear switch on the shifter and drove for the next hour below 45 mph and no problems. I could drive around with it in 3rd and it is just fine. However when i shut off the 3rd gear switch and go the regular D it has the same problem.

So started looking on this forum for similar 3rd to 4th gear tranny problems

I found a previous thread posted on Piloteers.
1) http://www.piloteers.org/forums/70-...t-p0847-code-cautionary-tale.html#post1402858

2) https://www.piloteers.org/threads/p0847-transmission-oil-pressure-switch-fixed.146066/


Ordered a new 3rd clutch pressure switch. Honda part # 28610-R36-004-1174
Just replaced it this afternoon - 11/16/2019.

I will post soon with an update.
So I replaced the 3rd Clutch pressure switch -
And it helped - it stalled half as much.
So i replaced the 4th Clutch pressure switch and the problem vanished for 7 days.
Absolutely no problems for 7 days and suddenly today the problem is back with all the same exact codes.
 
#12 ·
Thank you, i checked all connections and they are all secure.

It seems that the problem has became worse.
I noticed the ECO (VCM) light was coming on and off before stalling.
So i tried one of the recommendations on this forum so that i can at least drive to the Honda dealership. Unplugged the oil pressure switches on bank 1 & 2. It now drives Perrrrrr-fect.
I will have Honda run a diagnostic and see if the computer needs an update.
Also will be installing a VCM controller no matter the outcome.
 
#17 ·
Thank you, i checked all connections and they are all secure.

It seems that the problem has became worse.
I noticed the ECO (VCM) light was coming on and off before stalling.
So i tried one of the recommendations on this forum so that i can at least drive to the Honda dealership. Unplugged the oil pressure switches on bank 1 & 2. It now drives Perrrrrr-fect.
I will have Honda run a diagnostic and see if the computer needs an update.
Also will be installing a VCM controller no matter the outcome.
Hello chief.. any updates? Having same issues too. Thank for your update. Regards
 
#14 ·
UPDATE: VEHICLE WOULD STALL ON EVERY TEST DRIVE AFTER THE PCM WAS REPLACED. PCM CODES P062F, P060A, P2610, Y0029, U0155, U0122, U1101, P2118 AND U0114 WOULD KEEP RETURNING. UPON READING 2 OTHER THREADS STATING THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND A GAP OF TWICE THE SPECIFICATION, I FOLLOWED THE SAME PATH AND FOUND THE SPARK PLUGS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE A SIMILAR EXCEEDED SPEC. GAP.
I REMOVED THE SPARK PLUGS AND REPLACED THEM. THEN WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE (2 DRIVE TRIPS TO BE EXACT). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED SINCE.
WILL UPDATE AGAIN IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.
 
#16 ·
Hello, did your problem resolve or continue? I just got a 2011 pilot from Carvana 4 days ago and on the way home from the lake about 70 miles from home the battery light came on followed by all lights coming on, then the dials all start spinning, engine sputters and dies. min still in the 7 day return period and Wary of keeping this car even though Igot the extended warranty. I’m now waiting alone at 8pm on a small shoulder of hwy for a tow truck
 
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