I have a 2005 Pilot with 48,000 miles. I maintain it rigorously. It has the 5-speed automatic transmission (like the all do, I guess).

About six months ago, I began noticing a rough shift from 3-4. It happens on part throttle, and the symptom is that it feels like the truck is running over a rough, washboard road - vibrating like the wheels are bouncing on bad asphalt. When it began, this happened only in the AM when cold; now it occurs regularly when the engine is warmed up.

It seems like the trans is attempting to shift from 3-4 but can't make up its mind to do so. If I ease off the throttle, it will finally make the shift to 4th gear.

I've taken it to my local dealer and described the problem; of course they can never duplicate it, and the transmission's computer diagnostic system is not storing any error codes. Does this sound familiar to anyone here? Can you point me in the right direction to help my dealer's service people figure out where to look?

Many thanks,

Clark in San Diego

 

Cross your fingers, say a prayer and rub a rabbits foot. You may be able to change the fluid and fix it, but it's probably failing. It's going to get worse.

 

I had this same problem for 10,000+ miles. Since nothing really awful was happening, I ignored it. I figured it was a sympathetic vibration somewhere in the rear.
Prior to a recent 2500 mile trip, however, I bought an additive called Dr. Tranny or something like that for $6.95 at an auto parts store. It said it reduced "shudder". Figuring I had nothing to lose but a few dollars I added this to the transmission thru the dipstick tube (hard to find and hard to deal with).
I just got back from the trip and suddenly realized that the "shudder" never happened during the entire trip.
This stuff seems to work fine.
Changing your transmission fluid might do the trick as well. Mine has never been changed in the 60,000+ miles I've had the car (purchased used at 64K).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by capbli &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Mine has never been changed in the 60,000+ miles I've had the car (purchased used at 64K).</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's nothing to brag about considering it's due to be changed every 30K...

 

I have exactly the same problem with my Saturn VUE 2005 which uses the same engine/transmission as the Pilot. I brought my car to the dealer this morning. Everywhere I read about this problem leads me to the torque converter or the converter solenoids.

 

Waitjustamnutehere! Drivetrain sharing between Honda and Saturn? Besides sounding very heretical, I have a hard time believing that Honda would sell their powerplants to GM, or that GM would source them from Honda.

Thank you for the torque converter suggestion, though. I am sitting in my Honda dealer's service waiting room as I type this, waiting for a trans fluid change... we'll see what happens.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by showbizkid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Waitjustamnutehere! Drivetrain sharing between Honda and Saturn? Besides sounding very heretical, I have a hard time believing that Honda would sell their powerplants to GM, or that GM would source them from Honda.

Thank you for the torque converter suggestion, though. I am sitting in my Honda dealer's service waiting room as I type this, waiting for a trans fluid change... we'll see what happens.</TD></TR></TABLE>



I defy you to tell me that's not a Honda engine.


Modified by Ross 2.0 at 8:57 AM 9/19/2008

 

i know someone who has a saturn. GM could not find a good v6 to put in the vue. so they struck a deal with honda for there v6's.

 

Wow! Well, I learned something new! That's pretty sad, actually.

Update: after the trans fluid change (and the discovery of two broken engine mounts), the truck seems to be shifting smoothly once again. Let's hope it stays that way. I'll update with news if there is any.

Thanks to all for your help here.

 

The motor mounts might have been it. Those things break all the time.

 

yeah i remember reading a while back that GM and honda worked a deal that allowed HOnda to make a truck line, now the Ridgeline, I think the Vue is one and I think the engine used in the Malibu is the other.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slowsleeper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah i remember reading a while back that GM and honda worked a deal that allowed HOnda to make a truck line, now the Ridgeline, I think the Vue is one and I think the engine used in the Malibu is the other. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Honda gave GM the J35 engine (called the L66 in GM nomenclature) and transmission in return for a 1.7L 4-cylinder diesel engine (made by Isuzu) for use in the Civic in some Europen markets. GM had/has nothing to do with the Ridgeline.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DaiJekBok &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
GM had/has nothing to do with the Ridgeline.</TD></TR></TABLE>
It's just a beefed up pilot.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ross 2.0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
It's just a beefed up pilot.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Way more than a beefed up Pilot.

Sounds like the clutch packs were juddering a bit- usually caused by contaminated fluid.

I would recommend ATF changes every 15k

 

My 04 Pilot w/ 130k shakes around 25MPH. I am not sure if it's the trans fluid, the torque convertor, or the EGR. Can someone please help me diagnose? Thanks.