Steering/Suspension - Vehicle Drifts/Pulls To The Right
10-029April 20, 2012
Applies To:
2009 Pilot - ALL
2010 Pilot 2WD - From VIN 5FNYF3...AB000001 thru 5FNYF3...AB015647
2010 Pilot 4WD - From VIN 5FNYF4...AB000001 thru 5FNYF4...AB023050
Vehicle Pulls/Drifts Right or Pulls Right While Accelerating
(Supersedes 10-029, dated June 25, 2010, to revise the information marked by the black bars and asterisks)
*REVISION SUMMARY
Under REPAIR PROCEDURE B, Steps 16-17, the torque value for the damper shaft nut was increased.*
IMPORTANT REMINDER
This service bulletin applies only if an affected vehicle could not be corrected using the repair procedures in Service Bulletin 06-068, Vehicle Pulls or Drifts, and/or Steering Wheel Is Off-Center.
SYMPTOMS
^ While driving on a straight road, the vehicle pulls or drifts to the right.
^ While accelerating on a straight road, the vehicle pulls to the right.
PROBABLE CAUSE
Various forces in front end geometry combine to create a drift/pull or torque steer to the right.
CORRECTIVE ACTION
For 2009 Pilot 2WD, VINs thru 5FNYF3...9B023485:
Replace the left rear damper spring and the front
damper springs, then check the front wheel alignment.
For the following vehicles:
^ 2009 Pilot 2WD, all VINs after 5FNYF3...9B023485
^ 2009 Pilot 4WD, all VINs
^ 2010 Pilot, all VINs in the "Applies To" section
Replace the front damper springs, then check the front wheel alignment.
PARTS INFORMATION
Left Front Damper Spring: P/N 51406-SZA-A04
Right Front Damper Spring: P/N 51401-SZA-A04
Damper Pinch Bolt, 18 x 1.5 mm (four required):
P/N 90119-SJC-A00
Damper Flange Nut, 10 mm (six required):
P/N 90307-STX-A01
Damper Flange Nut, 18 mm (four required):
P/N 90381-SJC-A00
Self-Locking Nut, 12 mm (two required):
P/N 90213-SJ6-004
Stabilizer Link Flange Nut, 12 mm (two required):
P/N 90362-SZA-A00
The parts listed below are used only on 2009 Pilot
2WD vehicles thru VIN 5FNYF3...9B023485:
Left Rear Damper Spring: P/N 52441-STX-A03
Damper Flange Bolt, 12 x 1.25 mm:
P/N 90172-STX-A00
Knuckle Flange Bolt 14 x 1.5 mm:
P/N 90170-STX-A01
Flange Nut, 10 mm: P/N 90002-STX-A00
TOOL INFORMATION
KTC Trim Tool Set: T/N SOJATP2014
WARRANTY CLAIM INFORMATION
The normal warranty applies.
Failed Part: P/N 51406-SZA-A03
Defect Code: 00401
Symptom Code: 09770
Skill Level: Repair Technician
DIAGNOSIS
Do the recommended repair procedure(s) in Service
Bulletin 06-068, Vehicle Pulls or Drifts, and/or Steering
Wheel Is Off-Center.
Does the vehicle still pull or drift to the right after doing the recommended repair procedure(s) in S/B 06-068?
Yes - Go to REPAIR PROCEDURE A (2009 Pilot
2WD thru VIN 5FNYF3...9B023485), or to REPAIR
PROCEDURE B (all other affected vehicles).
No - This service bulletin does not apply.
REPAIR PROCEDURE A
NOTE:
For 2009 Pilot 2WD vehicles thru VIN 5FNYF3...9B023485, do REPAIR PROCEDURE A and REPAIR PROCEDURE B. For all other affected
vehicles, do REPAIR PROCEDURE B only.
1. Raise the rear of the vehicle, and support it with safety stands in the proper locations.
2. Remove the left rear wheel.
3. Disconnect the muffler from the muffler hangers.
4. Hold the joint pin with a hex wrench, and remove the flange nut, then disconnect the stabilizer link from lower arm B. The flange nut will not be reused.
5. Position a floor jack under lower arm B. Raise the floor jack until the suspension begins to compress.
6. Remove the damper flange bolt and the knuckle flange bolt. These bolts will not be reused.
7. Gradually lower the floor jack, then remove the spring and the lower spring seat. The spring will not be reused. The lower spring seat will be reused.
8. Install a new spring with the original lower spring seat. Align the bottom of the spring with the stepped part of the lower spring seat and lower arm B as shown.
9. Position the floor jack under lower arm B, then raise the jack until the hole in lower arm B aligns with the hole in the damper.
10. Loosely install a new damper flange bolt and a new knuckle flange bolt.
11. Reconnect the stabilizer link to lower arm B, then install a new flange nut. While holding the joint pin with a hex wrench, torque the flange nut to 49 N.m (36 lb-ft).
12. Raise the rear suspension with the floor jack to load the suspension with the vehicle's weight.
13. With the suspension loaded, torque the damper flange bolt to 64 N.m (47 lb-ft); torque the knuckle flange bolt to 113 N.m (83 lb-ft).
14. Reconnect the muffler to the muffler hangers.
15. Clean the mating surfaces of the brake disc/drum and the inside of the wheel.
16. Reinstall the left rear wheel, and torque the wheel nuts to 127 N.m (94 lb-ft).
17. Go to REPAIR PROCEDURE B.
REPAIR PROCEDURE B
1. Raise the vehicle on a lift, and make sure it is securely supported.
2. Remove the front wheels.
3. Remove the wheel speed sensor harness bolt and the brake hose bolt from the damper. Do not disconnect the wheel speed sensor connector.
4. Hold the joint pin with a hex wrench, and remove the flange nut, then disconnect the stabilizer link from the damper. The flange nut will not be reused.
5. Remove the damper pinch bolts and the flange nuts from the damper. The pinch bolts and the flange nuts will not be reused.
NOTE:
Don't let the knuckle rotate too far outward. If you do, the driveshaft inboard joint may come apart.
6. Using the appropriate tool from the KTC Trim Tool Set, remove the cowl top side cover, then remove the flange nuts from the top of the damper. The flange nuts will not be reused.
NOTE:
Do not let the damper assembly drop down under its own weight.
7. Remove the damper assembly.
NOTE:
Be careful not to damage the body when you remove the damper assembly.
8. Compress the damper spring with a commercially available strut spring compressor, according to the manufacturer's instructions (Branick model MST-580A, model 7200, or equivalent). Then remove the self-locking nut while holding the damper shaft with a hex wrench. Don't compress the damper spring more than needed to remove the self-locking nut.
9. Release the damper spring from the spring compressor, then disassemble the damper assembly. All parts shown below (except the
damper spring and the self-locking nut) will be reused.
10. Install the new damper spring on the dust cover by aligning the upper end of the damper spring with the ledge portion of the dust cover.
11. Install the lower spring cushion on the damper spring.
12. Install all the parts except the damper mounting washer and the new self-locking nut onto the damper unit. Refer to the illustration in step 9.
13. Compress the damper spring with the strut spring compressor. Do not compress the spring excessively.
14. Align the raised portion of the lower spring cushion with the hole in the lower spring seat on the damper unit.
NOTE:
After reassembling the damper assembly, reinstall the dust cover into the damper unit as shown.
15. Align the angle of the stud on the damper mounting base and the damper bracket so the stamp points toward the front.
*16. Install the damper mounting washer and a new self-locking nut.*
17. While holding the damper shaft with a hex wrench, torque the self-locking nut to 57 N.m (42 lb-ft).*
18. Remove the damper assembly from the strut spring
compressor.
19. Position the FR mark on the damper mounting base as shown, then reinstall the damper assembly onto the frame.
NOTE:
Be careful not to damage the body when you reinstall the damper assembly.
20. Loosely install new flange nuts to the top of the damper.
21. Loosely install new damper pinch bolts and new flange nuts to the damper.
22. Connect the stabilizer link to the damper, and loosely install a new flange nut.
23. While holding the joint pin with a hex wrench, torque the flange nut to 78 N.m (58 lb-ft).
24. Place a floor jack under the lower arm, and raise the suspension to load it with the vehicle's weight.
NOTE:
Do not place the jack on the lower arm ball joint.
25. Torque the flange nuts on the top of the damper to 59 N.m (43 lb-ft), then reinstall the cowl top side cover.
26. Torque the damper pinch bolts and flange nuts to 211 N.m (156 lb-ft).
27. Reinstall the wheel speed sensor harness and the brake hose to the damper. Torque the wheel speed sensor harness bolt to 9.8 N.m (7 lb-ft). Torque the brake hose bolt to 22 N.m (16 lb-ft).
28. Repeat steps 3 thru 27 to replace the opposite side front damper spring.
29. Clean the mating surfaces of the brake discs and the inside of the wheels.
30. Reinstall the front wheels, and torque the wheel nuts to 127 N.m (94 lb-ft).
31. Check the wheel alignment, and adjust it if needed.
NOTE:
^ For "pulls right on acceleration" complaints, set the camber as close to 0 degrees as possible, with a split of +0.1 degrees biased left.
^ For "pulls/drifts right" complaints, set the camber on 2WDs with a split of +0.3 degrees biased left, and 4WDs with a split of +0.5 degrees biased left.
32. Test-drive the vehicle to make sure the pull/drift is
gone.
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