# 2009 Honda Pilot rumbles when I ease off the gas **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** pilot, honda\ **Created:** [March 31, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773 "2018-03-31T15:45:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ErnestKillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ErnestKillip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ErnestKillip)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/1 "2018-03-31T15:45:07Z")
My 2009 Honda Pilot feels like it’s driving over rumbling strips when I take my foot off the gas. This problem is intermittent and happens more on lower speeds (30-60). What could be causing this? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/2 "2018-03-31T23:13:38Z")
When was the last time the transmission fluid was serviced? Because if you enter in your search engine, **Honda Pilot Rumbles** , you get a lot of hits. Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/3 "2018-04-01T01:44:47Z")
> [@ErnestKillip](#): > > What could be causing this? It might be something is amiss in the transmission’s torque converter lock-up function. When you are driving over 40 mph the torque converter is usually locked up, similar to how a manual transmission with a clutch works when driving at speed, done to improve mpg. But when you slow down it has to automatically unlock, otherwise the engine would stall out when you came to a stop at the next stoplight. There’s a fault mode it can go into where it locks and unlocks multiple times in a row, and that can feel like a rumble sensation. Usually the complaints here for that however are when accelerating from 25 mpg to 45 mph. But I suppose it could happen in either direction, accelerating, or decelerating. Good advice above to have the transmission serviced. ---
**Author:** ![ErnestKillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ErnestKillip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ErnestKillip)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/4 "2018-04-06T17:04:03Z")
Thank you very much for the advice. I will surely look into this and hopefully, this will solve the problem. Thank you again. ---
**Author:** ![steveng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@steveng](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steveng)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/5 "2018-04-06T18:21:15Z")
I had a 2009 and mine did it. At 128k I got rid of it. I think the problem was a worn out cam, which is what I was told. I traded mine in at that point. ---
**Author:** ![ErnestKillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ErnestKillip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ErnestKillip)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/6 "2018-04-06T18:34:06Z")
I actually changed my transmission fluid not too long ago, but before changing the fluid, it was not a “rumble” that seemed to be a problem. Instead it was like there seemed to be a bit of a strain in shifting gear which has disappeared after the fluid change. This “rumble” problem is something different but I suppose I could change again the fluid if it makes any difference. Thank you for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/7 "2018-04-06T18:50:17Z")
Did you use OEM transmission fluid? ---
**Author:** ![ErnestKillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ErnestKillip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ErnestKillip)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/8 "2018-04-06T18:59:03Z")
I bought the fluid from a Honda dealer. ---
**Author:** ![ErnestKillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@ErnestKillip](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ErnestKillip)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/9 "2018-05-03T22:05:36Z")
Update: Turned out the problem I had on the Pilot was a bad “inner tie-rod end”. It was by accident how I found out, but after replacing the part, I no longer feel the “rumble-like” problem even when I took it for a long drive out-of-state. Regardless, thank you all for the suggestions and all. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/10 "2018-05-04T00:48:51Z")
Worn out u-joints in a driveshaft will rumble on letting off the gas. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2009-honda-pilot-rumbles-when-i-ease-off-the-gas/114773/11 "2018-05-04T02:37:55Z")
Thanks for the interesting and surprising update OP. Inner tie rod play isn’t something I’d expect would cause that symptom. Good to know. Thanks again for posting.