Driver fumes as new Honda breaks down in 3 hours – she was sold car with ‘faulty’ part & dealership said ‘deal with it’

A HONDA driver had a critical engine part fail on their brand-new SUV only three hours into ownership – the dealership’s manager turned her away.

The manager told her to “deal with it,” and that issues would be covered under warranty.

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Getty

Lorena Toro, a mortgage lender in San Diego, California, bought a 2025 Honda Pilot from her local dealership.

She’d been happy to get a brand-new SUV for her growing family .

However, her euphoria would quickly turn into anxiety not long after she drove it off the lot.

“I had a horrible experience when I purchased a brand-new 2025 Honda Pilot. The car broke down within three hours of having it,” Toro wrote on her Facebook .

“We had to tow it back to the dealership the next morning.”

When she got there, she wrote she was not greeted with kindness.

Instead, she learned something shady about the vehicle’s history .

“[The dealership] informed us that the car was already serviced because of a faulty sensor, which was never disclosed to us before the purchase,” she continued.

If the Honda Pilot Toro bought has a V6 engine, it has what Honda called a Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system that can shut two cylinders down at a time to increase gas mileage.

Since the 2012 model year, those systems have been prone to failure, causing a terrible shudder or loss of power.

Many Pilot owners have adapted by using an aftermarket kit to disable the system, employing all six cylinders at all times.

This is likely the “sensor” Toro is referring to.

At the dealership, Toro said a technician inspected the vehicle and replaced a few parts under warranty.

“When they finished with the inspection, they told us that they replaced the circuit board and had to reset the security system because it was faulty,” she wrote.

Frustrated, she asked to speak to the dealership manager, who didn’t react kindly.

Dealership Tips

Here are some expert tips when purchasing a car from a dealership lot:

• 1. Set your price: Ensure you’ve calculated your monthly budget before going to the lot. You should include the car’s loan payment, insurance costs, fuel, and regular maintenance.
• 2. Research: Make sure you know which cars you’re interested in test driving before you reach the dealership.
• 3. Pre-approval: Secure financing before you go to the dealership. Dealerships may give you a better interest rate if they are competing with an outside bank.
• 4. Test away: Get behind the wheel before making any payments. A car purchase will be worth thousands of dollars – drivers should ensure they like the drivetrain, steering feel, and comfort of the car before taking it off the lot
• 5. Haggle: Drivers should always try to negotiate the price. There are so many good cars on the American market – buyers have a strong hand when negotiating price.

Source: Kelley Blue Book

“We asked to speak to the manager, and he told us that we just had to deal with it because we already signed the paperwork and that he was not going to do anything to resolve the situation,” wrote Toro.

“He kept saying we had a warranty and that those issues will be covered.”

She recommended to her friends and family to avoid the dealership.

While her Pilot was under warranty, she was ultimately unhappy with how she was treated.

Toro was also keen to notice a plethora of drivers waiting for service.

“This explains all the people that were waiting in the service area,” she said.