Asinine

I really feel like I'm getting screwed by the dealer, and would like to get some input from some folks who know the Pilot well.

The car is a 2009 Pilot Touring 4WD that had an after-market ("Pursuit" brand) remote start installed by the dealership when we bought it.

When the car was about 6 months old, the memory seats stopped working. They fixed it, saying it was just a blown fuse. A month later, they stopped working again, but it resolved itself within a week (lose fuse perhaps?) A couple of months ago the car wouldn't start and needed to be jumped. Then shortly thereafter the passenger side interior light (by the rear view mirror) stopped working. Those bulbs are supposed to last forever, so I suspect it's something other than the bulb. Then the 4WD-low indicator light came on and wouldn't turn off (normally on/off with the button) until after the car was restarted. On Sunday morning it wouldn't start using the remote start or the key. There was none of the typical clicking you might hear with a dead battery. I tried for 30 seconds and it barely made any sound at all. Then not five minutes later my wife tries her remote start and it fires right up. For the rest of the morning it seemed to be starting and running just fine.

Seeing as my wife is in her third trimester and we really need a car that will start on command, we took it in to the dealer for them to take a look at it. The service guy (desk, not tech) at the dealership said that if the bulb is just burnt out, but the light is still "on", it would drain the battery and this could cause the issues. I find this claim to be very suspect for several reasons. 1) The car was running 12 hours before it wouldn't start, so even an interior light being on isn't going to drain the battery. 2) I'm not sure a burnt out bulb would draw current anyway if the filament is broken. 3) If it drained the battery to the point where is wasn't even enough to get the starter to click, how did it start the car five minutes later?

Anyway, on to the real meat of the situation...

They took the car back to look at it without a tech talking to me first about what the electrical problems were. They tell me that the starter/solenoid are bad because of contamination of transmission fluid, and that there's transmission fluid all over the engine bay (which I know to be false since not 24 hours earlier I opened the hood to check the battery terminals
when it wouldn't start). They blame the "Jiffy Lube" or whoever changed my oil last for not replacing the transmission fluid dipstick when they checked the fluid. I responded that I changed the oil, and never touched the dipstick. The lady I was speaking to then more or less stated that they wouldn't have checked the transmission fluid on such a new car either (which I also knew to be false).

The next day I went in and spoke to the service manager face to face, who waved a Honda bulletin in my face warning of transmission fluid contamination to the starter, so they are vigilant on the issue. They refuse to entertain the possibility that either A) they left the dipstick loose, B) the dipstick came loose in some other fashion, or C) that the problems are in any way related to the other electrical problems (which they haven't even attempted to diagnose yet) or the remote-starter that they installed... actually, sub-contracted to a local shop. In fact, they haven't even shown definitively that the starter/solenoid is bad, or if it is, that it was caused by transmission fluid. Basically, their position is "after-market oil filter... whatever it is must be your fault. Sorry."

The case is currently being worked on by American Honda's customer care center, but my case manager (as helpful as she is trying to be) is indicating that their hands may be tied if it's not a "manufacturer's defect." At one point the service manager actually had the gall to tell the Honda care rep not to be surprised if the electrical issues were from rodents, which wouldn't be covered under warranty. You can't make this stuff up.

So at this point we're spending good money on a rental car so that my pregnant wife in her third trimester isn't without a car, and the dealership is stonewalling. They're sticking to their diagnosis. Other uncontrollable events have made it necessary to get the car fixed ASAP, so I've authorized them to do the work.

Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on the issue?

TypRice

You should have went to another dealership... and got a second opinion.
Did you have an extended warrenty?

Asinine

Other circumstances are making it very difficult to take it to another dealership, but I'm going to see if I can't take the old starter somewhere for a second opinion.

The car is only 14 months old, so it's still fully under warranty, but yes we did get the uber-warranty. Doesn't matter according to the dealer, though, because they are denying any culpability at all.

redej878

As a Honda technician I will say that I have repaired several of these pilots that get atf on the starter. You will be lucky if warranty pays for it.

Asinine

How does this happen? Is it a "loose dipstick" in every case? I frankly find it hard to believe that people are leaving dipsticks all *****-nilly all over the place. (Not to mention I know that I never touched the dipstick). On another note, my brother (master AES) and another Honda tech both told me that they think the diagnosis and the dealership's handling of the case is complete bull--not that I'm questioning what you're saying. But sadly, our car is being held hostage by the dealership and they wont give it back to us to get a second opinion at another dealership because they already ordered a "non-returnable part."

redej878

well if there is transmission fluid on the starter than it needs to be replaced, or it will cause intermittent starter failure or complete starter failure. It probably didn't get placed back in right when the car went through the PDI (pre delivery inspection) process. But do trust me
they are not making it up transmission fluid will do this. Sounds like the dealer isn't handling this well, makes the good dealers look bad.