NHTSA Complaint #10512042 — 2004 HONDA PILOT

MY 2004 PILOT EX-RES STARTED A FAINT WHINING NOISE AROUND 73K MILES. THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY MORE PRONOUNCED WITH TIME/MILES. THE NOISE IS ONLY AUDIBLE WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IN THIRD GEAR. AS SOON AS THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE NOISE DISAPPEARS. I HAVE 93K MILES ON THE ODOMETER AS OF MAY 2013 AND THE NOISE IS NOW A HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE; IT IS VERY ANNOYING AND EASILY AUDIBLE INSIDE THE CABIN EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THIS NOISE AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL WITH THE TRANSMISSION; THEY ADVISED ME NOT TO DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME SINCE THE FLUID AND TRANSMISSION PRESSURE LINES ALL CHECKED OUT GOOD. I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS RECOMMENDATION FROM THE SERVICE ADVISER. I TAKE IMMACULATE CARE OF MY CAR WITH ON THE SPOT OIL/FILTER/TRANSMISSION/VTM-4 FLUID CHANGES USING HONDA OEM PARTS AND QUALITY MOTOR OIL. I AM CONCERNED ONE DAY MY PILOT WILL LEAVE ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED ON THE ROAD WITH A HUGE BILL TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER. I HAVE 2 SMALL KIDS AND THIS IS THE LAST THING I NEED TO WORRY ABOUT; MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL TO INSTALL THE OIL JET KIT. I BELIEVE HONDA SHOULD FUSS UP ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE A PROPER FIX TO ALL AFFECTED OWNERS, OTHERWISE LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR THEIR NEXT VEHICLE. *TR