2012-2014 Pilot Control Arm

5491 Views 11 Replies 9 Participants Last post by dr bob, 14 d ago

pilot25

Discussion Starter · Mar 26, 2014

Hello,
I am getting ready buy either an used 2012/2013 Pilot or a new one.

With the Honda Odyssey I used to own, the dealer would often point out that the rubber lower control arm bushings were cracked and would offer to replace for $700. After doing some research I had declined.

Also, we had to replace engine mounts a few times.

Never had these issues with any of the other makes I had owned.

I was curious if the 2012-14 Pilot owners have faced similar issues?

Thanks
Dan

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larryziegler

· #2 · Mar 27, 2014

It's most likely too early to tell as most Pilots of this age will be under 40,000 miles of usage.

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JasonS

· #3 · Mar 28, 2014

I just replaced a motor mount on my wife's 07 Odyssey. Side motor mount that has to be removed anyway for belt change so dealer charged me only for parts. But yes Honda's are worse than others about this particular item.

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dr bob

· #4 · Mar 28, 2014 (Edited)

Control arm bushings are wear items, suffer from heat and from oil exposure as well as age. They absorb/twist with every bit of suspension motion. That said, I can instantly ruin bushings in most cars by installing them with suspension extended, tightening them there, then lowering the car to normal ride position. They crack if you do that. Once they do, the rubber-on-rubber movement quickly adds clearance and suddenly the car handles poorly and is hard to keep aligned. You can inspect for cracking quite easily. If they are cracked, it's time to replace them simple as that.

New complete lower control arm assembly for my 2013, with bushings and ball joint (everything that wears) is under $250/side. Inspect/replace when you do shocks at 75-100k, and you'll be golden. Add tie rods and ends, and suspension will be new again. What's that, a penny a mile all in? I'm budgeting now for it, just in case.

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AVC

· #5 · Jul 6, 2015 (Edited)

Yeah, shot bushings and motor mounts on my '12 at ~50k miles is inexcusable. Honda has chronically under-designed these parts on their bigger vehicles since 2003. My '03 went through THREE radiator side motor mounts in 100k miles.

My '12 has had the driver side compliance bushing changed (new bracket design) sometime in the last 25k miles I'm guessing. It's got surface cracks already.

I just replaced the passenger side compliance bushing (old bracket design) as it was almost totally separated from the shell all the way around. I decided to try the Febest bushing that a few other's on this forum used. Details at: http://www.piloteers.org/forums/70-2009-2011-pilot/32448-leaking-lower-control-arm-bushing-10.html

While replacing the passenger side bushing I discovered a bad (really bad) outer tie rod end.

And then yesterday, while checking washer fluid, my flashlight caught that the passenger side motor mount has a 1/16" fissure running 180 degrees around the top. Nice.

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Stylinhonda

· #6 · Jul 7, 2015

Could it be because of the VCM vibration?

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AVC

· #7 · Jul 7, 2015

VCM vibration might accelerate wear and tear on the motor mounts, but Honda had an issues with early mount failure in non-VCM Pilots, MDX's and Odessey's.

Can't tie VCM to the control arm bushing or tie rod ends.

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XavierBork

· #8 · Jan 13, 2018

Where?

I have to ask, where are you getting the complete lower arm assembly for $250 a side? Thanks!

dr bob said:
Control arm bushings are wear items, suffer from heat and from oil exposure as well as age. They absorb/twist with every bit of suspension motion. That said, I can instantly ruin bushings in most cars by installing them with suspension extended, tightening them there, then lowering the car to normal ride position. They crack if you do that. Once they do, the rubber-on-rubber movement quickly adds clearance and suddenly the car handles poorly and is hard to keep aligned. You can inspect for cracking quite easily. If they are cracked, it's time to replace them simple as that.

New complete lower control arm assembly for my 2013, with bushings and ball joint (everything that wears) is under $250/side. Inspect/replace when you do shocks at 75-100k, and you'll be golden. Add tie rods and ends, and suspension will be new again. What's that, a penny a mile all in? I'm budgeting now for it, just in case.

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dr bob

· #9 · Jan 14, 2018

At the time that was written a few years ago, the gen-2 was still in regular production. The assembly was available from online Honda Dealer parts departments at that time. Once the cars went out of production and the manufacturing process stopped the flow of lots of new pieces into the factory, prices rise to reflect the additional new costs of holding and managing the parts as spares. Sorry!

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soccerref

· #10 · Jan 15, 2018

XavierBork said:
I have to ask, where are you getting the complete lower arm assembly for $250 a side? Thanks!

RockAuto.com

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jjmmrph

· #11 · 14 d ago

dr bob said:
Control arm bushings are wear items, suffer from heat and from oil exposure as well as age. They absorb/twist with every bit of suspension motion. That said, I can instantly ruin bushings in most cars by installing them with suspension extended, tightening them there, then lowering the car to normal ride position. They crack if you do that. Once they do, the rubber-on-rubber movement quickly adds clearance and suddenly the car handles poorly and is hard to keep aligned. You can inspect for cracking quite easily. If they are cracked, it's time to replace them simple as that.

New complete lower control arm assembly for my 2013, with bushings and ball joint (everything that wears) is under $250/side. Inspect/replace when you do shocks at 75-100k, and you'll be golden. Add tie rods and ends, and suspension will be new again. What's that, a penny a mile all in? I'm budgeting now for it, just in case.

What brand control arm assembly did you buy?
Thanks

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dr bob

· #12 · 14 d ago

I haven't needed to purchase control arms yet. I did recently suffer a compliance bushing failure (leakage) on one side, and replaced both sides with genuine Honda pieces. The cost of the compliance bushings and related hardware in 2023 is about the same as the cost of a pair of control arms back when the series was still in production. The bushing failure is with about 55k miles and age at about 10.7 years. Not enough miles to deserve control arm replacement to get the new ball joints and front bushings.

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