general problems of the 2017 Honda Pilot - part 1

2026-08-06 ~7:50am check engine light came on/flashed while entering freeway, car generally ran as normal though felt as if cylinder was not firing (two weeks prior had regular maintanance and all spark plugs were replaced, assumed this was related to that). Dropped daughter off at camp turned off vehicle. 2026-08-06 ~8:05am restarted vehicle, check engine light did not come on. Engine ran as normal, proceeded to drive towards dealership. 2026-08-06 ~8:25am entered freeway, check engine light and many other warnings came on (rolling display of errors), engine limited to low rpms and ~30mph. 2026-08-06 ~8:30am called Honda dealership to let them know I was coming in. 2026-08-06 ~8:40am service manager utilized obd port which provided initial code of misfire on cylinder 5. 2026-08-06 dealership subsequently determined the engine had "spun a rod bearing". Honda recommended service "replace short block".

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while idling at a red light and then attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle shut unexpectedly. The contact was assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed it with connecting rod bearing failure. The mechanic informed the contact that it was a known issue and that there was a previous recall for the issue. Upon research, the contact became aware of NHTSA id number: pe25008 (engine). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who confirmed the failure and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer located a used engine, but the vehicle was not repaired because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The manufacturer was informed of the issue and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

My son was driving the car and the engine started knocking and engine shut off.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 to 60 mph, the emission warning light illuminated. The contact was concerned about the vehicle stalling while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel injector, torque converter, and front and rear catalytic converters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted and offered goodwill assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Driving home from church Sunday June 28th downslope of a small hill smelled hot metal; wasn't sure if the odor was from us, the large truck that just passed us or environmental; sudden "pop" was heard accompanied by a "jerk" in the vehicle; loss of steering and brakes; dash was lit and showed rpm/mph/etc then battery light came on smoke billowing from engine followed quickly by complete fire from enginge; all 4 passengers eventually got out; police and fire dispatched; complete loss; traumatic to say the least; only light previous was service soon as oil life was at 15%; believe to be a known issue with 2017 Pilots rods bend and break but now warning (researched after the fire).

There is a loud metallic knocking sound coming from my engine. I have lack of acceleration power, and the check engine light came on. You are more than welcome to come inspect the car. My safety was placed at risk as my engine can blow up, and/or I lose acceleration while driving and cause an accident. The sound is continuous and will be until the rod bearing is fixed so it’s easily reproducible. Yes it’s been looked at by a mechanic.

All of a sudden, the car began to make a ticking noise (it sounded like a playing card was in the spoke of a bicycle). I brought the car home and took it to the Honda dealership in poway, CA. They diagnosed the car with pitting in the rod bearings in cylinder 4. They told us that this can cause engine failure (do not drive the car) and that the engine needed to be replaced. There were no error messages or warning lights. This could have been extremely dangerous for those around us had the engine failed while my daughter and I were driving, or if the car had stopped suddenly. The three options given were to replace the engine with one with 20,000+ more miles than the original engine, replace the short block and associated gaskets with a new one, or $2500 (as-is) for the car. We replaced the short block and associated gaskets at a cost of approximately $ 8,500. As my husband was doing his research, he found that there had been a recall for the 2016 and 2018-2020 Honda Pilots for the same issue. Please be aware that this has happened to our car too, and it is very dangerous and expensive to repair. Honda should be held responsible for ensuring that all Pilot engines are safe and that the defective rods are replaced free of charge to owners under a recall.

Engine idle at stop light or start & stop at traffic stop light doesn't work. It does stop completely; however, it didn't start after releasing the brake. You have to put the vehicle back in the parking gear, put the brake to restart the engine. This has happened three times in the last week.

While driving on the highway at approx 60mph my car completely lost power. I had no warning lights on the dashboard and the only warning I got was an alarm sound right as all the power to the vehicle cut off. I had to use my e-brake to help me stop and coast to the brake down lane. I couldn't get my car completely off the highway lane and had no way of getting out of the vehicle. I was towed off the highway and contacted my dealership. Prior to this the car was idling a little rough in the morning.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a red light, the vehicle stalled; the contact restarted the vehicle for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the failure cause was unidentifiable. The contact did research and was made aware of an unknown NHTSA campaign number however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 60-65 mph, the check engine light was blinking. The vehicle began to jerk. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with faulty fuel injectors. The injectors were replaced. After further evaluation, it was determined that the engine and knock sensor needed to be replaced additionally the rod bearing was blown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but declined the repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

Driving to work on the highway and the Honda Pilot suddenly slowed and stopped accelerating, started riding rough and making a loud whistling blowing noise. Check engine light was suddenly flashing. I was able to pull over into a lane split zone before being hit by all the traffic going around and bumping horns at me. I was terrified but thankful to be alive. I want in a good spot though, cars and big trucks were still speeding by pretty close to me. I started inside and called aaa. I tried turning on the car but it just made a fast tapping noise. Aaa worked to safely get me out and tow the car to the mechanic my wife and I chose. The mechanic ran a diagnostic report that says p0306 misfire in cylinder 6, and tear in inlet air boot. They said there is an engine problem that they don't service. We towed it to the Honda dealership. Late the next day the mechanic at Honda says we have an engine problem that is not due to the codes on the diagnostic report and is not covered under warranty and costs $7000 for labor and with a rebuilt engine, about 11k to $15k total. He says the engine was seized. He said it initially had no power, then they jumped and put a battery and the engine just made a thud sound. He said he could not generate another diagnostic report because he couldn't get the engine to turn on. We told him we saw that the engine problem was a known issue and that Honda was extending warrantees to 150k and 10yr and could he see if we were haven't that same problem. He said that problem was minor and only covered a few new parts, not the whole engine. I asked why was pep boys able to get a diagnostic and he could not. He said he doesn't know why the engine seized between pep boys and being checked at Honda. He said maybe the previous mechanic did something wrong. Now we have no car and have already purchased a 3rd Honda not even knowing we were driving around a death trap. The Honda dealership that sold us the accord didn't even warn us. We could have died.

The car began making a knocking noise when it was turned on and began moving. The noise continued every time the car was started until the engine light turned on and began blinking. We pulled the car over immediately. After turning the engine off and letting the car rest, we tried starting the car again and the light was off. Roughly 20 minutes later, the engine light began to blink again, followed by all the lights on the dashboard blinking. We had the car towed to a local Honda dealer. After being inspected, the dealer said the car needed new fuel injectors and an "engine rebuild/replace: the engine rod knocking during start up and shutdown, drained oil sample and found excessive mental particles suspended in oil. ".

On Thursday may 7th, while driving the 2017 Honda Pilot elite it lost power and all the dash lights started to come on. Once we limped it to our home, and the code information was obtained, it revealed number 3-cylinder misfire. After replacing all the spark plugs, I started the car to make sure all the codes were cleared and heard a "knocking noise". After further investigation noted the following, I found the following information via a google search, is there a recall for 2017 Honda Pilot knocking noise. Found that NHTSA is doing a major investigation on the 2017 Honda Pilot for a connecting rod and knocking noise. Honda did a recall in 2023 for the year model 2016, 2018-2019. This is the same engine that was in the recall for doing the same thing. Nhtsa is currently investigating a potential recall of 1. 4 million Honda and Acura vehicles, including 2017 Honda Pilots, over engine failures linked to connecting rod bearing defects that can cause knocking, stalling, or complete engine failure. Credit autoblog+2. Scope of the investigation models affected: 2016–2020 Honda Pilot, 2017–2019 Honda ridgeline, 2018–2020 Honda odyssey, 2018–2020 Acura tlx and mdx Honda-tech+1. Engine type: Honda’s 3. 5?liter j35y v6, which has been under scrutiny for rod bearing wear leading to catastrophic engine damage Honda-tech+1. Failure symptoms: knocking noises, sudden stalling, loss of power, and in some cases, fires or crashes autoblog+2. Reports: over 400 incidents of engine failure, with at least four involving crashes or fires; Honda has logged more than 2,500 warranty claims for the iss the oil had been changed at the correct intervals, no oil is leaking from the car, the timing chain and water pump were replaced at 100,000 miles with no issues. No metallic shavings are noted on the oil dip stick, and it has 50% oil life remaining as of 05-09-2026. I have it scheduled for a diagnostic service with flow Honda in winston salem, nc tomorrow, may 12th at 0800.

The engine failed. The car stopped completely with no warning. The same issue that other models are being recalled for turned out to be the problem with this engine. We had to have the engine replaced.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was pushed over to the side of the road. The contact exited the vehicle and inspected the oil, transmission fluid, and antifreeze, but found no failure. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.

Over the past couple of months the the vehicle has been "throwing" misfiring cylinder errors, particularly cylinder 4 (p0304) and every once in a while cylinder 1 (p0301), and a catalytic converter bank 2 error (p0430). Last week, I filled up with premium fuel and added a catalytic cleaner. This eliminated the p0430 error and reduced the frequency of the p0304 error. Yesterday ([xxx]) we were driving from casper, wy to gillette, wy for a volleyball tournament. About 35 miles into the trip, we were travelling at a speed of 72 mph when the tires squealed, accompanied by metal clanging and extreme vibration in the engine; the car nearly came to a complete stop. I was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pull off to the side of the road. I looked down at the console display and noticed that the check engine light was blinking. I connected an obdii scanner and observed a p0304 error. I then tried to pull forward slowly and the car barely moved and the engine clanging and vibration persisted. At that point I turned off the engine and called a tow truck; I also called my son to pick up my daughter and take her to her volleyball tournament. While waiting for the two truck, I attempted to start the car so I could run the obdii scanner again. The car would not start. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 25 mph unintendedly. While driving at a reduced speed, the vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the camshaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The camshaft, camshaft thrust cover, and camshaft sensor were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that VIN was not eligible for the extended warranty coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward with the check engine warning light illuminated, and the “emission system” error message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with fuel pump failure. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000.

So our family of four, two adults and two kids driving down buford dr in GA on March 29 2026 apparently at 11am found ourselves in a dangerous situation. The oil light on our Honda Pilot came on and the vehicle shut off in the middle of a 3 lane extremely busy road. This is not safe and I am a experience automotive technician for more then 20 years of experience and have not yet found a rod bearing to go bad at 167k with full oil and no oil leaks this is unacceptable for Honda to only recall only some year models knowing the used the same j32 in most of there vehicles.

While driving on the interstate I was trying to pass a vehicle and the vehicle all systems but the brake system issue. Check engine, emissions, power steering, hill start assist, traction assist. The vehicle would not accelerate. When I got on the shoulder the engine was struggling to stay on and had a loud knocking sound. Had the vehicle towed to nearest exit and had someone come pick me up with a trailer to take back home 5 hours away. The engine knocking got louder if you press on the gas.

I was driving, and my engine died in the middle of highway 40 about 5 miles outside of [xxx] . It was extremely dangerous, and colorado state troopers and colorado division of transportation workers had to stop traffic. The car could not be put into neutral, and towing to a safe location was very difficult and dangerous. The car has less than 76k, and there was absolutely no warning before the car died. No engine lights, no noise. Just died. I have read about rod bearing failures and believe my car is part of this problem. I have had frequent service, and my mechanic has said there was oil in the car, and the engine just seized. The mechanic believes it is a crankshaft rod bearing issue. I could have been hit and was traveling alone in an area that often does not have cell phone service available. This needs to be addressed, and engines should be recalled without delay. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Premature and unexpected internal engine failure. Single owner with 82k miles - rod bearing came apart and spread metal shavings everywhere in the engine causing irreversible damage. Honda dealer confirmed engine failure. Our safety was at risk with the potential of unexpected engine failure while driving with a loud knock from the engine potentially leaving all passengers in dangerous situations without power to respond. Dealer has provided documentation of internal engine failure and suggested we stop driving it immediately. No warning lamps at all, only knocking sound while engine running.

I was taking my kids to school and then suddenly a knocking sound started and then a boom. I found out that at 134,000 miles my engine threw a rod and punched a hole in my block. My [xxx] old was freaking out because there was smoke coming from the engine and her sisters said the car was going to catch fire. The [xxx] old was stuck in her seatbelt and couldn't get out. Then as I was calling a tow truck my [xxx] old almost walked out into traffic because she wanted to see what I was looking at. After getting another family member to get my kids to school I was able to get to a repair shop where I was informed that Honda had a safety recall for rod issues and was advised to see if my car was covered. I check and it looked like only the all wheel drive cars were covered but mine was front wheel drive so it didn't fall under the recall. I want to issue a formal complaint to expand the recall on Honda Pilots for rod issues because mine obviously had an issue with the rod and should have been recalled. American Honda refuses to give any good will because I didn't get my oil changes with them, even though it is an hour drive to get to the closest dealership. Engines shouldn't throw rods at 134,000 miles. A car is a big investment and it died after 9 years. I had all my maintenance done as scheduled, this never should have happened. Currently my car is at carson Honda in carson city nv. Also, another issue. I would get transmission system warnings. I did take it to the Honda dealer because I was told there was an injector issue and they looked at the car, reset the code and said there was nothing more they could do. I don't know if the two were connected in any way but wanted to throw that out there. They need to be investigated for crappy parts and scamming customers. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Echoing exacly what other Pilot owners are commenting. Engine completely gave out on the highway.

Knocking noise from engine, oil light, blinking cel, no acceleration, vehicle stalled. Brought to mechanic, from noise he said it sounds like a rod knocking and advised to contact Honda because on known issues.

I was stopped at a traffic light, and my vehicle would not re-start when the traffic light turned green. It stalled because the auto idle stop/start (ais) function did not work as intended. The dashboard cluster lights were all on (or many of them, at least). I had to collect myself, put the car in park, and wait a couple of minutes to try to restart the vehicle, all while I had a line of vehicles behind me honking. This isn't the first instance. It has happened several times before, and I am familiar with what the Honda service reps say when I have taken the vehicle in for repair, so I'll cut through the nonsense they have told me. I recently replaced my battery with a quality name brand battery, so it's not an issue with the battery. I have had the pgm-fi idle stop software update recall service performed twice, one in response to a March 2023 recall notice, and again from a may 2024 recall notice. There is something seriously and obviously wrong with this ais feature. I have looked on many forums and this is a frequently recurring problem. This shouldn't happen simply because I (or my family member) forget to hit the ais-disengage button. There should be a permanent fix for this feature if it frequently fails.

The car had a piston rod failure and is available for inspection at the springfield Honda dealership. The car was traveling at 63 mph when the check engine light started flashing along with 6 system errors including the power steering. I had to make an emergency stop on the side of the road. The dealership has confirmed and recommended an engine replacement. They have a video recorded of the sound and error codes. The only person to have inspected the car is the dealership. We were told that it wouldnt be covered because our VIN didnt fall with in the affected vehicles for the piston rod recall. The car was driving normal and had no service lights on prior to the check engine light coming on during the incident.

Internal engine damage was determined by a folsom Honda dealer in California. The damage is originating from the primary rod bearings; replacement of the short block is necessary. Folsom Honda also stated the vehicle will need cams and heads of the engine replace. Needless to say, this a major engine failure. The vehicle only has 140k miles mainly freeway. Dealer estimated it will cost from 11k to 15k to repair the problem. We aware of savannah messenger v. American Honda motor CO. Inc lawsuit. We need help from you guys on this…. . Please advice francisco talavera [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

This vehicle is facing the common "rod knock" issue known with the 2016-2022 Honda Pilots diagnosis by Honda pending but symptoms present.

The rods on my engine seized while I was driving on [xxx] in south dakota. The car came to rest on [xxx] . The vehicle died on the most-traveled road in brookings. Right off the exit ramp. We had to wait 20 minutes for a patrol officer to park behind us, and we then waited another 20 minutes for the tow truck to take us to a nearby parking lot. The problem was confirmed by an independent service center. There were no warning lamps or symptoms prior to the engine seizing. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine was making a loud grinding noise and when my fiance got home from work it completely died out and will not turn over.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 65 mph on the freeway, the vehicle stalled due to battery failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced. After restarting the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal knocking sound consistent with a rod knock. Additionally, the trunk handle paint had chipped and was rusted. The local dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

Component/system failed: engine – excessive oil consumption (piston rings / internal engine components). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Description of the problem: the engine is experiencing excessive oil consumption. During a monitored oil consumption test, approximately 0. 9 quarts of oil were consumed over about 1,006 miles, which equals a consumption rate of approximately 1 quart per 1,118 miles. This rate is abnormally high and indicates an internal engine defect, likely related to piston rings and/or sealant failure. Safety risk: excessive oil consumption creates a significant safety risk. If the oil level drops too low between oil changes, it can lead to engine failure, sudden loss of power while driving, engine seizure, or stalling. This could place the driver and others at risk, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. There was no visible oil leak. The oil is being burned internally. Inspection / confirmation: the issue has been monitored through an oil consumption test. Dealer diagnosis indicates internal engine repair is required (piston and seal-related repair). Estimated repair cost is approximately $6,000. Warning lamps or prior symptoms: no external oil leak was present. Oil level dropped significantly between checks. (if applicable, add: “oil warning light did/did not illuminate. ” if unsure, write: unknown. ) manufacturer / other inspections: vehicle has been inspected by dealership service department. (if Honda corporate has been contacted, add that here. ) additional information: the repair cost is excessive for a defect involving internal engine components and appears to be a known oil consumption issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the engine made a knocking sound while being started and while driving. The knocking sound became louder while driving to the residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the timing belt, timing belt tensioner, idler pulley, and water pump, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the connecting rod bearing had failed and the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA action number: pe25008 (engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,908.