2007 Honda Pilot Alternator Replacement

[@bobbysuebobman2032]

This was great and convinced me to repair my wife's 07 MDX myself vs. having to tow it in to Acura. After buying a re-man alternator from AA with a coupon I found online, the DIY saved me a total of around $550. Wow, it was a very tight job without any room to work, but the video helped a lot. Looked up the torque specs online, it is 33 ft/lbs for the lower bolt and 17 for the top tow bolts. Advice to others, be very slow and careful, the space is so tight it is easy to damage something. Thanks for taking the time to make this.

[@txsag09]

Great! Glad it went well. Thank you for posting the torque specs.

[@saturnknts]

Bobby Sue Bobman thank you for saving me the trouble of looking up the torques :)

[@justinestermann6813]

Thanks very much for the detailed video. I replaced the alternator on my 2007 Pilot today, with my father in-law's help. He and I had both watched your video about a week ago, so we both were familiar with the steps (and they were spot on). One thing that took us a little longer than expected was due to the clearance on the stationary arm; the replacement Denso alternator we bought from Rock Auto wouldn't quite fit between the two ears. While the alternator was still down in the install location we tried pushing the bushing in, that's in the bracket, to move it away from the opening, but it wouldn't move. We pulled the alternator back out and found the bushing in the alternator had enough play in it that we could knock it inward, and that provided enough clearance for the alternator to fit between the ears of the stationary arm. Thank you, again, for your great video!

[@txsag09]

So glad that it went well for you! Thank you so much for the additional comments regarding your experience. I'm sure they will be of help to others that might encounter the same issue.

[@DavidHernandez-ue4fz]

How long did you take to replace it?

[@juniormm23]

Great video, just a little detail. The new alternator won't fit if you don't clamp back the lower mount. This is a very important step. I used pliers, but a 2'' clamp might work better

[@saturnknts]

Just finished doing mine after watching the video. Thank you very much for the video! A few notes. 1. I used my floor jack handle as a breaker on my socket wrench to work the serpentine. my engine did not have the 19 mm bolt, I just threw a 14 mm socket on the top small pulley of the tensioner and pushed towards the rear of the car. :) 2. I removed the bracket you left on, I felt it would give me more room to get it out. 3. Rotating the alternator pulley side down seemed to work best to getting it in and out. 4. I sprayed the slip sleeve that is on the engine where the bottom of the alternator fits with some pb blaster. Slipped a large Cresent wrench over the sleeve, tightened it, then was able to hammer the sleeve left (towards the pulleys). When you tighten the bottom alternator bolt the sleeve will tighten back to the right! (One other step I did before the Cresent wrench but I hate to suggest it before you try the Cresent wrench..... is I put the long alternator bolt in and tightened it which loosened the sleeve forcing it in towards the engine. In retrospect I would probably try the Cresent wrench idea first so as to not possibly break the break the arm the sleeve is in...)

[@txsag09]

saturnknts Awesome! Appreciate the feedback!

[@straighttalk3741]

Ty ty ty

[@billdavey6864]

Thanks. I've had to replace my alternator twice in the last three months. First one, an Ultima from O'Reilly, only lasted three months. At least it had a 100% free replacement warranty for life. The only issue I had was the belt tensioner stripping out, so I JB welded a half inch 3/4" socket to the head. Thanks again, the video helped out more than you will ever imagine!!! (But hopefully I'll never have to watch it again)

[@kdeltatube]

Bill Davey I've been advised by a friend of mine who is a mechanic to only use Denso electrics for Hondas and Toyotas, he says the others will fail repeatedly even if life time warranty. Your post reminded me of that.

[@txsag09]

Thanks! Happy that it helped! Same here with the tensioner. If you look close in the video, you can see that mine has started to do the same.

[@johnshreve3498]

Thank you for this video. It just helped me replace the alternator in my 2007 Honda Pilot. I went through the same steps you did. My pilot started whining, which I thought sounded like a power steering pump. It then started having trouble shifting, which I thought was the transmission, then my battery died. After replacing the battery, The shifting problem went away and I started thinking "alternator". Found your video and the whine your recorded was exactly like mine. Replaced the alternator using your video for support and it's all fixed. Once again, thank you!!! You have no idea how much you helped.

[@txsag09]

Glad it helped!

[@arrosconpollo1]

My 2007 Honda Pilot has had a high pitched whine for about 3 days. Today picked up kids from school and it was sluggish to shift gears once in “drive”. Made it home and had to wait 1/2 hour to get it to turn over. I’m going to order an alternator tonight and attempt this. Thank you and everyone who posted helpful hints!! Great post and thank you!

[@txsag09]

Hope the change out went smoothly.

[@ericbruch]

thanks for the video. just replaced my alternator on 2007 Pilot. battery light was on the dash and tested no voltage output from the unit. picked up a reman unit from advance and put it in today. charging action is back ! also note that after several miles of driving with the battery light on the VTM4 light did come on steady and the vehicle was having trouble driving. removing the coolant reservoir is shifting the power steering reservoir over is a must to remove the alternator!

[@txsag09]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@JoshuaRusso]

I had motion sickness when it was done, but aside from that great video, lol. Seriously, though, not easy to film and work at the same time, and the up close views are gold. Thank you for all the detail, FSM images, and the unpublished real-life tips! I know it's only a 4-step process in the FSM, but those steps you added will probably save me an hour. Also helped me diagnose. We've been having intermittent starting trouble, but last time I checked there was OK voltage from the alternator. Today my wife came home complaining of power loss (probably slipping clutch), weird dash lights, and a new whine. I thought she was hearing the PS Pump (I need to replace that o-ring), but she was right. Sure enough, I hear the same extra whine you recorded. That, plus less than 10V idling at the batt terminals tells me it's alternator time.

[@txsag09]

Glad it went well. Sorry about the motion sickness. ;-)

[@danulmer2124]

Thanks, it was helpful in my 2008 Pilot alternator replacement. I also went with the Denso reman, but found Amazon Prime to deliver the part faster (& I know/trust them). I used the 'bolt through the socket with nut on end of bolt' clamping method to squeeze the bushing back in on the bottom bolt area... worked great and alt went right in. I rented (for free after return) a torque wrench & belt tension release tool from autozone which made the process smoother. I too follow and respect the piloteers forum... they are very helpful.

[@txsag09]

Awesome! Thank you for your comments. Absolutely right about the Piloteers Forum. Good folks there who are always willing to offer constructive suggestions.

[@gabe1377]

Thank you for taking the time to point out all the small stuff that could complicate the replacement. Time to give it a try!

[@txsag09]

No problem. Good luck! Let me know if you hit a snag.

[@gabe1377]

Will do. Thank you. I will keep you posted for sure.

[@antoniocl75]

Aggie Fan hello like how long is take to replace the alternator?

[@txsag09]

Antonio Castaneda If all goes well, no more than an hour and a half to two hours.

[@antoniocl75]

Aggie Fan thanks a lot.

[@freddydbz]

Thank you so much i just replaced my 2008 honda pilot alternator and decided to change the belt at the same time. So much help it only took me 1hr and 20 min from start to finish loved the fact that you mentioned every socket needed to do the job ( 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 19mm, ) Again thank you so much...

[@txsag09]

My pleasure. Glad it went well!

[@justinbeckstrom3874]

Is the belt tensioner in the same place on the 08’ pilot as it is in the video?

[@69ztang]

yes

[@CoryPavicich]

Can I suggest that you add a tip jar to your Patreon page? I don't think I need a monthly subscription, but I would love to drop the cost of a thank-you six-pack into a tip jar. :-) We were stranded 150 miles from our regular shop two days before Christmas when our alternator died and your video made it possible for us to have Christmas with our family! You saved Christmas!

[@txsag09]

So glad it was helpful!! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[@bwilliams880]

Thanks for the help! This video had all the info I needed except for the routing of the serpentine belt. I should have paid closer attention before pulling it off. Great video!

[@txsag09]

Glad it went well. There was a screen capture of the serpentine diagram at the end of the video.

[@panamacz98]

Great video! Thanks. I also ordered the alternator from rockauto way cheaper than local shops.

[@joshfell1202]

So helpful, thank you! I had the same exact thing going on, and replacing the alternator as you showed solved the issue. Thanks!

[@txsag09]

Glad it worked well for you!

[@revvvdup]

Thanks for the great video. I just finished replacing my alternator with no issues.

[@txsag09]

Glad it helped!

[@vladmedvedev3954]

I could not find the instructions like yours in my country so thank you. it is very helpful.

[@txsag09]

Glad it helped!

[@120chaplainward]

I had the whining alternator going out on my new (to me) 2007 Honda Pilot - your video helped me get it replaced in an afternoon! Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@stan_senior]

Great video, I just replaced the alternator in my 2008 Pilot using this video as a reference.

[@txsag09]

Glad it went well! Happy New Year!

[@caddiman9834]

Thanx brother, u were extremely helpful. Watched others and they sucked.🤙🏼

[@txsag09]

Glad it worked out for you!

[@YouKnighted5953]

What way did you unscrew the bolt? Is it towards the grill or the windshield?

[@leroyhyson8107]

Thank you for making this video. I will be putting my alternator on tomorrow.

[@txsag09]

No worries! Reach out if you run into any problems.

[@deadinside4907]

you don't know it but buddy me you and my laptop just changed my alternator lol thanks

[@txsag09]

Glad it went well!

[@mxbolt24]

Thanks a lot. Helped me replace my 08’s. Appreciate you posting this!

[@txsag09]

No worries. Glad it went well.

[@kynhan9863]

Thanks for including a screenshot of bolt torque spec!

[@Astralpilot2050]

GREAT ! GREAT! VIDEO! Very detailed and to the point now im changing mine. Thank you.

[@txsag09]

Appreciate the feedback.

[@joeys24]

Brother, I want to thank you. Good video. Very helpful. I replaced mine yesterday. I have a a few of things that I encountered that may help folks: First, the tensioner placement to me was little confusing (on other peopl0'es videos as well). I thought you were placing the breaker bar/socket wrench on the actual center nut of the tensioner pulley; but, on my 2007 Pilot, the breaker bar/socket wrench actually goes next to the tensioner pulley. It looks like a nut (or bolt head) but it is not (its in front of the tensioner pulley -- towards the radiator). Mine took a 19mm Socket too. I used a socket wrench with an metal extender tube (for leverage). [Note: The metal tube was actually one of the handles of my long garden cutters -- adapt and overcome...Right?]. Next, Like another gentleman (Justin Estermann) stated, I had trouble getting the bushing on the replacement alternator to fit between the two "ears" (bolt holes). Unlike him, i was unable to adjust my bushing by tapping in down. Here's what I did: I got a flat file and slowly and methodically filed the flat surface of the bushing down until it fit. It took two attempts to get it filed down so it would fit and boy does that Alternator barley fit in the spot -- but don't over file. I'm pretty sure you still want a snug fit between the bolt ears. [Note: As a precaution, if you file it down, be sure to blow the filings away and the wipe the alternator down. Also, not sure if filing the bushing voids the warranty or not -- so file at your own risk. It may not matter but why take a chance of getting metal dust in the alternator.] Finally, be sure to locate the radio's anti-theft code. Because when you disconnect and then reconnect the battery cable, the radio will not work until you enter the code. One more thing... By the way, a few weeks ago, I noticed a whistling, almost siren like noise coming from the passenger side of the engine. As I pressed the accelerator, the sound pitch increased. It did it in any gear including neutral. I guess that was the warning sound that my alternator was going bad. If anyone wants to hear what it sounds like, i made a video last week of the sound -- i will upload it if you want. I searched and searched the web but I never found anyone with that same sound. It sounded like a police siren from those old sixties cop TV shows -- just not quite as loud. The radio/CD player was the only thing that could mask that annoying sound. The sound is now gone. My battery light is gone. I'm out the price of the Alternator but hey at least I did not have to pay someone else a whole lot more money. Thanks Mr, Aggie Fan.

[@txsag09]

Thank you for commenting on your experience. The more information the better. Glad things worked out!

[@croninjaus]

Thank you! Your instructions were very clear. This helped me out a lot!

[@txsag09]

No worries! Glad it went well.

[@mikehall4583]

Thanks, got my alternator done with your excellent video.

[@txsag09]

Awesome! Glad it went well!

[@northernmick911]

Saturday I removed the Alternator from my 07 Pilot. I purchased a replacement from the slot Autozone. The Alternator bushing for the bottom bolt was out wide and the alternator would not fit into the slot on the block as its too wide. No technical advice was available on the weekends and they would not try to tap the bushing in and said if I damaged case no refund. I went to NAPA today "Sunday" bushing is in the alternator case further this almost fits in the slot, but not quite. Can the bushing be hit in with a hammer to fit in the slot ? the original alternator the bushings on both sides of the case were flush reducing the thickness. or does the Denso come with the bushings flush with the case so the alternator fits back into the slot?

[@txsag09]

Yikes! I'm sorry you are having such a rough time with this. All I can speak to is the Denso and it fit perfectly with no issues. You may want to check out the Piloteers forum linked above and do a search to see if anyone else has had the same problem. Good information there.

[@northernmick911]

Thanks. I think I will be returning the napa now and ordering the Denso on rock...

[@txsag09]

@@northernmick911 Let us know how it turns out. I know others would also appreciate the information.

[@northernmick911]

As a follow up to the Alternator that would not fit....it turns out Denso has two part numbers my alternator had a different part number than the one that fits most pilots. An experienced manager at my local NAPA picked this up and Voila provided an Alternator that fit... there is like zero tolerance, it fit exactly... he measured with calipers against my original to ensure I was getting the right one. So match the part number and measure with calipers to save 3 trips to three chain stores.. Even RockAuto does not note this. Nor do they provide customer service number any longer

[@northernmick911]

And I don’t have a special fuel efficient engine with the firing control.. just a std

[@billybobjojackmacoy8903]

I have wrenchers Tourette's so I usually just pay for any work on my pilot. I took it to a local shop I've never used before, the last shop strung me along for an obscene amount of money for repairs on my Malibu when it was a $200 part and a $100 install fee that was the initial problem. So I'm using a new shop to replace my alternator on the pilot, they had it over the weekend, no problem, I drove it to work once and it started screaming and the power steering went out, I was pretty sure it was slipshod work so I called the shop, they paid for the tow and had my pilot for over a week claiming the part was hard to get, then telling me the wrencher that put in my alternator put in a bolt (the lower hard to get to one) wrong and they had to drill it out and helicoil it, the alternator was blitzed but luckily the warranty paid for a new one, they had fired the wrencher too, they didn't say why. I finally get it back and two days later the A/C quits blowing cold air, I put a gauge on it and yep, it's low. I got a can of refrigerant, checked the outdoor temp, put the A/C on lowest cold and highest blow for about 7 or 8 minutes, rechecked the pressure and it was still low. I triggered the refrigerant and brought it up to the green zone, it still wasn't the right pressure but it was blowing cold and that was fine with me. On the way to work it quits blowing cold so I shut it down and called the shop. Into the shop the third time. They told me that both the upper and lower hoses for the A/C had pinholes at the crimped clamp and needed to be replaced. WHATEVER, just fix the damned thing! Six days later I finally get it back, four days later I find a small, half dollar sized puddle of greenish oil under it, that was two days ago. After reviewing this video I saw that: 1-If the wrencher was pissed off that day he wouldn't be trying to put that lower bolt in the alternator correctly, he'd have just put a thread or two in and air wrenched it the rest of the way hence the cross threaded bolt that had to be helicoiled. 2- I saw that you undid the clamp holding the upper A/C hose. If someone were, I don't know, pissed off they might get rough pulling the alternator out and damage that hose and possibly the lower hose at the same time. 3-I saw that you undid the clamp holding the power steering fluid reservoir. If that same wrencher that botched the alternator job was rough getting the alternator out he might have also damaged the power steering fluid reservoir. I need to check that in the morning, you might have saved me from another shop visit so they could repair something else they probably fkd up. Oh, and on the front of the shop...big bold marquis that says Good Year.

[@txsag09]

Experiences like the one you described are what pushed me to become a DIY mechanic. If something gets screwed up, at least I know what happened and who did it. Hope it worked out for you.

[@robertanello7649]

Super video - would have loved to see you pull the alternator out and put in the serpentine. How long has the Denso lasted?

[@txsag09]

Still going strong at 211,000. Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidhamm5725]

Thanks man went smoothly.

[@txsag09]

David Hamm Great! Glad to hear that.

[@txsag09]

I believe the engine configuration is the same on the 08, but just make sure the part number is correct. Definitely sounds like it is your alternator. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!

[@30215PAPE]

Yeah this motor is in alot of cars accords, odysseys,pilots and Ridgelines from like 03-10 I'm pretty sure most have a 4 cylinder option but this was V6 they used

[@30215PAPE]

I have a 07 pilot I'm tryna figure out what motor or line they used for the power steering also because where the line bolts to pump don't match and has small leak had truck for about 10 months and only had to refill fluid once so not big problem but one I'd like to fix after alternator and front valve cover gasket

[@Celexanomnom]

hmmmm i dont know if i trust and aggie with this. lol jk good video bro. i feel confident enough to try this myself after watching this

[@arrosconpollo1]

Help! How the hell did you guys get the bottom of the alternator to fit? Maybe it’s the rust in Illinois but I cannot get the bottom of alternator to fit

[@txsag09]

Hello! Are you talking about the bottom bolt?

[@arrosconpollo1]

@Aggie Fan: Sorry, yes the bottom bolt. I really appreciate this video. It was great. I had a couple of set backs that were unexpected: 1. My Denso alternator arrived to my house from Rock Auto with plastic connectors (where both wires connect) broken and smashed to helll. I had paid for next day shipping and this was a tremendous disappointment because it was wrapped in brown paper. No foam peanuts or styrofoam. Keep in mind I really need my car and good luck getting hold of s human being on phone at Rock Auto. 2. That bottom bolt is nothing short of a bear. Sliding the alternator into that bottom bracket was rediculously difficult. Only mentioning this so help people. Great post and great video. Dealership in Chicago suburbs wanted $400.00 plus for alternator and imagine what labor would of cost me. This video saved close to $850.00 to $1,000 bucks! Thank you! Do NOT underestimate how long it will take to seat the alternator in bottom fitting if you live in northern or midwestern climates. I clean my engine compartment every year but rust and oxidation are challenging issues at times . Thank you👍🏼

[@SleptOn]

Thanks for making this. I don't really work on cars but this same exact issue just happened and I think it looks easy enough to save a c opulent hundred $ to do it myself.

[@txsag09]

No problem. I hope it goes well for you. Drop me a note if you have any questions or problems. Happy to help.

[@northernmick911]

How can I look up the type of six cylinder engine in my 07 pilot to be sure I order the right alternator?

[@txsag09]

Hello, I believe all 2007 Pilots have the 3.5L V6. Just need to be sure you get the alternator that is designed to work with the economy feature, if your vehicle has that option. I noted the engine code at 10:40 in the video. Let me know if you have additional questions. Good luck!

[@helikyler]

Hey @aggiefan how did you get the alternator to set down into the slot again? Pulling it out was really snug, had to wiggle it back and forth to come out. But going down into the slot seems even harder. Any ideas?

[@txsag09]

Hello! I went back in the same way I pulled it out. I removed the power steering reservoir bracket and that gave me the wiggle room I needed to get it in and out.

[@helikyler]

@@txsag09 thanks for your reply! Yeah I've got it sitting in there but the bushings I think are what is keeping it from setting into the slot between the tabs where the lower bolt goes through. Wiggling it out of there was tough too. I may try pinching the bushings in with some channel lock pliers. Tapping it down didn't seem to help.

[@ericaiscarzy4u]

Any helpful tips on pulling out the alternator? I have removed the mounting bolts but I can't seem to get it to come out of its spot.

One question my battery light came on finally on my 2007 honda pilot so I drove it and almost got home, when I would rev up past I believe 2000 rpms the battery light would turn off, but when the rpm went back down the battery light would come back on then quickly lights dimmed then it died so I went bought a new battery it sparked dash light up Ben them wouldnt start so I had it jumped the dash likes came back on tried starting it and it acted the exact same way it did before I got the battery tested old one it was shit so I left the new on in there connected but still no lights sont crank or shift or anything I keep heating and coming across post and sites saying the same thing is it really just my alternator that could keep it from starting too even with a new battery, or is it both the starter and alternator now remember even with the new battery in I still dont get any lights or anything PLEASE HELLLP]PPP

[@txsag09]

Definitely sounds like the alternator. Starter would not have caused the initial problem you described. Belt might slipping. Is your belt tight? Any noise off the belt when it was running?

[@txsag09]

Glad you got it sorted out.

[@JacksonGuitars91]

Is the tensioner in the same location for an AWD?

[@JoshuaRusso]

All set - will add a couple things. My old alternator needed to be persuaded (prybar to the lower mount point) after the mounting bolts were out. The new part also seemed too wide to fit in that same lower space - 2mm wider than the tight original part. But a quick vice squeeze of the lower bolt hole seated the sleeve in about 2mm. It was enough to be able to work the new part into place. Measured output with a fully charged battery - it was 12.91V with the old alternator (effectively not charging) and 14.14 (perfect, near top end of range of 13.8-14.2V). Thanks again!

[@txsag09]

Appreciate your comments, Joshua! Very helpful to others that might be running into the same issues. Glad you got it done.

[@davidwood1923]

Thanks for Sharing the Video... I know that it will help me.

[@txsag09]

Hope it went well.

[@straighttalk3741]

Read thru comments found my answer thankyou

[@arthurfricchione6614]

Very helpful. At what mileage did it fail at?. Seems like the same items fail on every Honda. Wife has a low mileage 99 V6 accord an 57000 miles and the alternator failed.i have a 2007 odyssey and power steering makes noise sometimes. Right front wheel bearing failed and only have 60000 miles on it. The difficult part is trusting remanufactured parts. Some are really crap. Feel like when I take a trip I have to take a stash of parts with me.i bought a rebuild kit for the power steering pump and it might be cheaper to rebuild the alternator. Who knows. Great video thanks for posting

[@txsag09]

No worries. Mine was well over 100,000 when it failed. Hope it went well.

[@heatherheintz4806]

Is the replacement video close enough for an 08 pilot? I'm hearing that same high pitch whining noise and the new battery I installed isn't the problem. My battery light remains on.

[@heatherheintz4806]

Just finished putting on new alternator, thanks for video, very helpful......biggest trouble I had was with the damn lower bolt!!!!!!!! Pain in the ass to get it threaded but I finally got it and it runs like a charm....the only thing I did different was unhook the upper hose from power steering....made it a lot easier to maneuver old and new alternator in and out...

[@txsag09]

Awesome! Glad it went well. Appreciate the feedback and suggestion about the power steering hose.

[@wallacebowie9429]

That was excellent I did my alternator the same way you did your and it worked like a charm 😉 I saved so much money doing it this way thank you very much

[@txsag09]

Excellent! So glad it was helpful!

[@splitter55pimp]

Is the Honda Pilot similar to the Acura MDX 07

[@txsag09]

It is my understanding that, mechanically, they are nearly identical. The MDX has a bit more horsepower.

[@arrosconpollo1]

My understanding is that they have the same engine.

[@goldeneyewiionlineplayer1828]

Thx! Great video. Very useful!

[@txsag09]

Thanks!

[@EduardoMartinez-hx9yu]

So did the battery light came on when it started to make the noise?

[@txsag09]

I did not not get an indicator light with the noise.

[@EduardoMartinez-hx9yu]

ok , I did on my Honda pilot , it was the battery light but I knew it wasn't the battery , one more thing, it was hard to get it into place it fits very snug where the bottom bolt goes damn took me a while..

[@txsag09]

Eduardo Martinez It is definitely a tight fit. Glad you got it switched out.

[@EduardoMartinez-hx9yu]

took me a while and lots of scratches on my hands but yea got it... thanks

[@arrosconpollo1]

Mine turned right before things were getting bad. Believe it or not a bad alternator can affect essential function of transmission. I had no idea. If you hear sound/whine and it’s not power steering leak, suspect the alternator

[@Elborideny86]

thank you, your a good man !

[@Airmanmx1]

The bottom bolt spacer on my aftermarket alternator was too long. Fought me every micrometer of the way. Ended up grinding off part of the spacer to get it mounted. Should have gone OEM.

[@txsag09]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@MRRODOG408]

GREAT VIDEO !

[@txsag09]

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback.

[@AJ-ds9xq]

Thank you!

[@txsag09]

Glad it helped!

[@dukeswyers]

Nice job.

[@txsag09]

Thanks!