2017 Honda Pilot with 3.5 l V6 (DI engine).
We started having issues in 11/2024 around 78,000mi with the transmission warning light coming on while cruising on the interstate under light acceleration. Stopping the car and cycling the engine on and off would reset the sensors and allowed the car to drive normally for a period. This would happen often enough I could tell the transmission error would pop up because the vehicle would have sluggish performance and it would hold gears longer than usual.
After some internet research, it seemed this was a torque converter issue caused by the cylinder shut off management sending shockwaves through the transmission each time it would cycle between 3 and 6 cylinders, or so says the message boards. In response to this I bought a VCM muzzler. This did limit the transmission error from occurring as often, but not totally.
Fast forward a year and I receive a TSB 23-078 (DTX 0741 Trans Error Stored) notification from Honda stating there is an extended warranty for cars experiencing transmission issues. The TSB extends the trans drivetrain warranty, but I almost missed the window. I was able to find details on the TSB here on Carcomplaints.com because I lost a letter.
I brought in our vehicle to our local Honda dealer explaining the issues and stating I was aware of this TSB. Initially they were going to charge me $100 to diagnose if this issue existed, which I knew for certain it did. I was able to negotiate with the service manager and he waved the fee for me. They indeed were able to find the stored transmission error 0741, and we're able to replace the entire torque converter kit under an extended factory warranty (I did not purchase an extended warranty for this CPO vehicle).
The big moral of this story if going to a dealer for TSB or extended warranty work, know your issue and know the Honda recall information. Make nice conversation with the service manager, but let them know you are an informed customer. If I had not known this and provided the exact TSB to the service manager I would have had to pay upwards of $5,000 to have the torque converter replaced in our Pilot! Honda will not offer up a free fix to you out of generosity.
If you are experiencing this issue now in 2026, take your car in immediately before the extended service period expires!
2017 Honda Pilot with 3.5 l V6 (DI engine). We started having issues in 11/2024 around 78,000mi with the transmission warning light coming on while cruising on the interstate under light acceleration. Stopping the car and cycling the engine on and off would reset the sensors and allowed the car to drive normally for a period. This would happen often enough I could tell the transmission error would pop up because the vehicle would have sluggish performance and it would hold gears longer than usual.
After some internet research, it seemed this was a torque converter issue caused by the cylinder shut off management sending shockwaves through the transmission each time it would cycle between 3 and 6 cylinders, or so says the message boards. In response to this I bought a VCM muzzler. This did limit the transmission error from occurring as often, but not totally.
Fast forward a year and I receive a TSB 23-078 (DTX 0741 Trans Error Stored) notification from Honda stating there is an extended warranty for cars experiencing transmission issues. The TSB extends the trans drivetrain warranty, but I almost missed the window. I was able to find details on the TSB here on Carcomplaints.com because I lost a letter.
I brought in our vehicle to our local Honda dealer explaining the issues and stating I was aware of this TSB. Initially they were going to charge me $100 to diagnose if this issue existed, which I knew for certain it did. I was able to negotiate with the service manager and he waved the fee for me. They indeed were able to find the stored transmission error 0741, and we're able to replace the entire torque converter kit under an extended factory warranty (I did not purchase an extended warranty for this CPO vehicle).
The big moral of this story if going to a dealer for TSB or extended warranty work, know your issue and know the Honda recall information. Make nice conversation with the service manager, but let them know you are an informed customer. If I had not known this and provided the exact TSB to the service manager I would have had to pay upwards of $5,000 to have the torque converter replaced in our Pilot! Honda will not offer up a free fix to you out of generosity.
If you are experiencing this issue now in 2026, take your car in immediately before the extended service period expires!
- bwd25, Huntersville, US