Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Honda Pilot - part 1

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

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The 3. 5l v6 engine in this vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic internal mechanical failure due to premature connecting rod bearing wear. The engine stalling occurred abruptly while actively driving, which created an immediate safety risk as the vehicle lost propulsion, power steering assistance, and power braking assistance. This forced a dangerous emergency maneuver to navigate through moving traffic to get to the side of the road. Prior to the engine failure, there were no persistent dashboard warning lights or clear messages indicating an imminent mechanical failure. The first distinct symptom was a brief, sudden metallic knocking sound from the engine bay immediately before the vehicle lost all power and stalled. An authorized dealership has since inspected the vehicle and dropped the oil pan, physically confirming a massive accumulation of metal shavings and bearing debris inside the block. The dealership verified that the complete destruction of the engine block is identical in nature, symptom, and cause to the manufacturing defects described in NHTSA recall campaign 23v-751. However, this vehicle's specific VIN was excluded from that original recall parameter. This catastrophic failure directly corresponds to the ongoing office of defects investigation probe pe25008 regarding extensive v6 engine rod bearing failures. The failed engine block remains fully intact at the service center and is available for regulatory inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2016 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While driving at night, the 2016 Pilot, it started making a loud rattling noise then just died in the middle of the road and failed to start. There were no service or check engine lights on at the time of failure or at any point prior to the failure. We were stranded in the middle of the road at risk of getting hit by other cars. The electronic transmission would not go into neutral and we had no way of even pushing the car to the safety of shoulder. We had to tow the vehicle. The tow driver also had a very difficult time of getting the car into neutral, necessary to tow it. Having the vehicle towed to a local mechanic, they reported it being very difficult to start and when it did, it had a sever engine skip with a loud rattling noise which is indicative of a connecting rod/bearing failure. The car has 140000 miles at time of failure. We had all required maintenance performed as they were scheduled. Approximately 95% was performed by Honda dealers. In fact we had a Honda dealer perform an oil change and inspection a week before the engine failure. We have had some local shops perform several required oil changes and the timing belt / plug service. We have all receipts. We contacted Honda dealership who quoted $18,225 for an engine replacement. We contacted Honda customer support who refused to offer any assistance, goodwill or other forms of reimbursement.

Engine auto off/ on when stopped for signal light. Routinely, when stopped at a light, the engine will fail to turn back on and the car will go off but will not turn itself completely off. This leads to a delay for the engine clicks into neutral and in order to restart, I must turn the vehicle completely off and then restart. This issue occurs when I release the brake to begin my acceleration after the light turns green. And the vehicle stalls so that the traffic behind me which was prepared to move forward is stuck. The amount of time it takes to get the vehicle turned completely off and back on generally takes much of the light change time.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While driving my 2016 Honda Pilot (VIN: [xxx], approximately 125k miles) on the freeway at 65 mph, the engine seized and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. The check engine light began flashing, the oil pressure light came on, and the vehicle began making loud grinding noises. After pulling over safely, the vehicle was no longer drivable and required towing. Upon inspection by northampton car care (6115 root road, spring, TX), it was determined that the engine failure is consistent with the connecting rod bearing failure and crankshaft defect described in NHTSA recall 23v-751. My VIN does not currently appear in the recall database; however, given that my vehicle experienced the exact failure mode described in the recall, I am requesting this complaint be considered under both recall 23v-751 and NHTSA investigation rq24-013. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine failure , has been confirmed by a shop. It is available for inspection upon request. No previous problems or warning lights. Stalled and put myself and my children at risk of serious injury.

See all problems of the 2018 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 mph, there was a loud bang coming from the engine compartment, followed by a clunking sound. The contact stated that the engine started running rough and the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure, with unknown messages displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was coasted into a nearby parking lot and manually pushed into a parking space. The vehicle was towed from the parking lot to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with complete engine failure. The vehicle was then towed to a Honda dealer for further inspection. The dealer disassembled the engine and informed the contact that the engine had thrown a connecting rod. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was informed that the manufacturer would do a follow-up with the dealer; however, no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,800.

Was driving vehicle and experienced complete loss of engine power. No warning signs until after the failure. Vehicle was immediately pulled over and limped into a parking lot where it was shut off and then towed to mechanics shop. Upon further inspection, mechanic stated a complete engine failure as it "threw a rod". He stated engine had a complete failure and needs to be replaced.

While driving, there was a loud noise came from the engine. I immediately pulled over onto the shoulder as I was unable to continue driving. Every time I accelerated, the car with jerk forward and posed an extreme danger for both the the passengers and others on the road. There were numerous error messages appearing on my dashboard, and the loud noise persisted. The local dealer found that there was an issue with the engine and needs engine replacement. I contacted manufacturer Honda and they not willing to help me as my 6. 3 year vehicle is out of 5 year warranty.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Crankshaft problem. Loud metallic knocking in engine.

I am submitting this complaint regarding a fuel injector failure and emissions system malfunction in my 2019 Honda Pilot. At the time of the failure, the vehicle had approximately 94,693 miles and had been routinely maintained. On [xxx], while traveling from ohio to pennsylvania with my family, the vehicle displayed an "emission system problem" warning and illuminated the check engine light. The vehicle was diagnosed by faulkner Honda in harrisburg, pennsylvania. The dealership found dtc p0430 (catalyst system efficiency below threshold) and performed an air/fuel ratio test. According to the dealership, four of the six cylinders were running rich due to excessive fuel delivery. The dealership recommended replacement of the fuel injectors, and all six fuel injectors were replaced. The injector repair cost approximately $1,100. The dealership advised that possible causes included internal fuel injector failure or carbon buildup but could not provide a definitive explanation for the failure. Neither the dealership nor Honda could explain why my vehicle was excluded from Honda's fuel injector warranty extension despite exhibiting the same symptoms and requiring the same repair associated with that program. I was advised that the warranty extension applies only to certain vins produced during specific manufacturing periods and facilities. However, my vehicle experienced the same failure pattern, including a rich-running condition, emissions-system warning, catalyst-efficiency diagnostic code, and replacement of the fuel injectors. While researching the issue, I reviewed NHTSA complaints involving 2019 Honda Pilot vehicles. Numerous complaints describe similar fuel injector failures, emissions-system warnings, catalyst-efficiency codes, and injector replacements. Based on the number of similar complaints, the affected vehicle population may extend beyond the VIN range currently covered by Honda's warranty extension. I request that NHTSA review whether additi information redacted pursuant to the freedom of infor.

Summary of issue the vehicle developed an engine/emission warning light and failed mechanically without any crash or impact. The car drove fine until about one week ago. I have driven the vehicle normally and performed regular maintenance. Events and observations a warning light appeared indicating engine and emission problems. I took the vehicle to two separate mechanics: mechanic a diagnosed engine damage and catalytic converter issues. Mechanic b diagnosed engine damage and a possible fuel pump problem. I am not a mechanic and cannot independently interpret technical findings, but both inspections indicate serious engine-related failures. The vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles and was purchased for more than $20,000 less than two years ago. No collisions, impacts, or abuse occurred that could explain the failure. I believe this is a potential manufacturing defect. I contacted a Honda dealer about the problem; they stated it is not a manufacturing defect and declined to accept responsibility for repair. I believe the dealer is avoiding responsibility. Requested action I request NHTSA open an investigation (or add my report to any existing investigation) into this vehicle’s engine and related components to determine whether a safety defect or noncompliance exists. I request guidance on next steps and that this complaint be considered in any recall evaluation.

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.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine stalls out and shuts the car down. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? while driving down the road, if the engine shuts off, myself, passengers, and other vehicles could cause a fatal crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? not yet has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? I have brought this in several times to try and fix this issue. The fuel pump has been replaced and the auto idle recall has been take care of. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? the check engine light comes on occasionally when it happens; sometimes when it does not. Other details: several times now my car has randomly shut off especially when driving down the road. I wasn't sure what happened, but I finally figured out a way to replicate it. Basically if you drive it after about an hour of non-stop driving / engine being turned on, the engine overheats causing the car to stall out and eventually turn off. I timed this at 10:15am to 11:25am and my suspicions were correct. At 11:25am, the car stalled and shut off while I was parked in my driveway.

While operating with the auto shut off enabled, vehicle stalled. Warning lights came on directing the driver to put into park. Vehicle would not turn off/on, could not take out of park. At the time, vehicle was in bumper to bumper traffic in a construction zone causing a very dangerous situation for the driver. Vehicle was towed and 10 minutes after the incident, the vehicle could be restarted. This is the second time this has happened in the last 9 months. Unfortunately the first was not reported. This is completely unacceptable. Honda knows this is an issue and refuses to address it.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Pilot 🔎.

I took my car in for an oil change into the dealership on 5/22. I was told that the timing belt would need to be replaced once I hit 100k miles. Two weeks later, I noticed my car rattling, I scheduled an appointment for Monday (the earliest I could get it into the dealer), on Saturday, the car wouldn't accelerate past 64mph, as I was getting on the highway, I pressed the gas and got it to 70mph. The engine light kicked on and the car started talking to me that the car was overheating and that I needed to pull over for 10-15 minutes. I did so and when I tried to start it, nothing happened. I then jumped it, got it started and it wouldn't accelerate past 12mph. I turned it off and had it towed to Honda. There, the mechanic told me that the rod had broken in the engine. I asked if it was the timing belt and he said "no, unfortunately, there is nothing you could've done to prevent this". To answer your questions: what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?- the engine how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?- yes, I was on the hwy with kids has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?- dealer has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?- I reached out to the manufacturer and was told they're not mechanics. It was towed to the Honda dealership where I bought it. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?- no. I noticed the rattling, scheduled and appointment and two days later the engine light came on as I previously stated.

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.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, while driving at an undisclosed speed, a knocking noise was heard coming from the engine, and the vehicle lost motive power with multiple warning lights illuminated, including the check engine, emissions system, and power steering warning lights. The contact stated that the vehicle could typically be restarted after approximately one hour; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that on several occasions, the vehicle had to be towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 181,563.

When at a complete stop, engine will stop running but ac and radio stay on (sometimes radio dies). I have to toggle between park or drive or neutral to get car to even power completely off, open door to kill electronics, and restart. This has happened in stop and go traffic and at stop lights. This week my car shifted into neutral while stopped at a light and I had to figure out how to power car off and restart, no idea what the magic combo ended up to be as I had a line of cars behind me trying to just get my car to go again.

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with failures of 4 of the 6 fuel injectors. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

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.

Vehicles auto stop/start turned the engine off while at a stop light. When I accelerated on the gas my car would not go. It said to take it was in neutral so it went into neutral on its own. The entire car appeared to have turned all the way off at this point and I was able to restart and drive.

I am having an issue with the start stop function on my 2021 Honda Pilot. When active, the start stop struggles to restart after it is engaged at a stop light. There have been two instances in the last two weeks where the vehicle did not restart on its own and needed to be restarted manually. Spoke to the dealer service team and they indicated there were no known recalls and it would be out of pocket for me to diagnose and repair.

The engine seized up and car will not start. Luckily, I was trying to start the car in my driveway when this happened, but it would have been dangerous had it happened while I was driving. All of the warning lamps and messages started when the issue begin. The vehicle was inspected and the problem has been reproduced by a service center and a Honda dealer. I have attached the invoice from the service center. After their diagnosis, I had the car towed to ourisman Honda in bethesda, MD because I was hoping to start the recall process with them, however they will not do it because, stangely, my VIN # is not included. There is a known recall for this issue (#23v-751) and the recall lists my exact car (2016 Honda Pilot) however, for some reason my VIN # is not showing as being included in the recall. The car is experiencing the exact issue that this recall covers, but the Honda dealer will not cover it because my specific VIN # isn't listed. This would be a significant expense that I am not able to cover out of pocket, and I have now been without my car for over a week. I am not sure why only certain VIN #'s are eligible when there are obviously many other 2016 Honda Pilots experiencing the issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after attempting to use the push-to-start to start the vehicle, an abnormal clicking sound was heard and the engine failed to turn over. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a seized engine that was possibly related to NHTSA campaign: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed at the consumer's expense as having a seized engine; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the VIN not being included in NHTSA campaign:23v751000(engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 78,962.

My vehicle has already had recalls on the fuel system and brake pin. Now I have an auto idle stop system problem. The indicator light is constantly flashing. Two days ago I was stopped at a red light on a two lane road in the city. When I pushed in the brake the car did not come out of idle. It just stalled. It took probably 30 seconds to a full minute before I could do anything. My option was to restart. It created a situation for myself and others.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Pilot 🔎.

I set out to make a quick trip to the store after work and the car was hesitating and I looked at the dash and noticed the check engine light was on. I stopped was in the store about 10 minutes when I came out I restarted it and it sounded fine and then engine light was not on. I was about 2 miles in towards home when the braking system failure message came on, steering failure message came on and many other messages. The engine started sounding very loud and knocking. I immediately pulled over and called a tow truck. I had no previous messages come up and the vehicle was running fine before this incident. The auto repair shop that I had it towed to listened to the engine and thinks it sounds like a crank shaft failure.

My wife was driving our 2021 Honda Pilot with 102,000 on the interstate when the check engine light came on and the engine began to lose power. She was fearful of being hit by other traffic due to engine dying in middle of mutiple lanes of traffic. The engine began to have a knocking sound. We shut off engine and had it towed to southpoint Honda in durham nc. We were told it has a rod knock, the engine failed. It is about to seize and we need to replace the engine.

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.

My car has a knocking noise coming from the engine. It happened suddenly when I was driving. I took it to Honda dealer shop to check it out and they told me I need to replace the motor.

We had the engine serviced for recall on stop start issue on 12/4/25. On may 15, 2026 the engine failed. The dashboard came on with every warning light and a mechanic said the engine was knocking and had to be replaced. Honda denied any issue and said the timing belt had to be broken. The mechanic confirmed no issue with timing belt and said you can’t start the engine if the timing belt was broken. The mechanic said the engine was knocking and had to be replaced because the car could no longer be driven safely.

Vehicle: 2019 Honda Pilot VIN: [xxx] my 2019 Honda Pilot is experiencing an "emissions system problem" accompanied by diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p219a (air-fuel ratio imbalance). This defect causes engine hesitation, rough idling, and a severe risk of sudden loss of motive power or engine stalling while driving at highway speeds, presenting a significant safety hazard to myself and other motorists. American Honda is fully aware of this manufacturing defect. They issued service bulletins 20-100 and 21-010 extending the warranty to 10 years/150,000 miles for this exact code and symptom on 2017–2019 Honda Pilots due to defective fuel injectors and faulty pcm software. However, Honda has arbitrarily excluded my specific VIN from this extension (case number case # xxx). Honda corporate has officially denied assistance, forcing me to drive a vehicle with a known fuel system defect that threatens sudden vehicle failure in traffic. I request that the NHTSA investigate Honda’s arbitrary exclusion of affected vins for this acknowledged safety defect. Thank you information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The connecting rod is failing. Loud knocking is happening just as outlined in the recall on other 2016 Pilots. Poses a great safety risk as failure will result in total engine destruction.

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.

Please find the details regarding the sudden, dangerous failure of my vehicle below. The itemized findings are pulled directly from the dealership’s multi-point inspection and diagnostic report. When was the first time (approximate date) you noticed the issue? the issue culminated in an immediate, hazardous crisis on xxx when the vehicle completely shut down while in operation and refused to restart. How often does the issue happen within a time frame (e. G. , once a month)? this is a permanent, catastrophic mechanical failure. The engine is completely inoperable and the vehicle is entirely undriveable. What is the name & title of the person(s) assisting you at the dealer? I am being assisted by victoria dalessandro at Honda city long island in [xxx]. What is the reason/explanation provided by the dealer, as to what caused this issue? following a formal engine teardown, the dealership confirmed a severe internal failure: a lower engine knock originating from the front connecting rod bearing. This internal component defect completely seized the powertrain, causing the vehicle to shut down and rendering the engine unrepairable. What repairs/services have been completed (if any)? only the initial teardown and diagnostic inspection have been completed. No repairs will be authorized until american Honda motor company, inc. Assumes corporate financial responsibility for this premature powertrain failure. What repairs/services have been suggested? the dealership has stated that a complete engine replacement is required, suggesting a used engine swap ($7,609. 92). In conjunction with this catastrophic failure, they have itemized necessary peripheral parts and critical safety wear, including new spark plugs, a replacement drive belt, failed lower control arms ($1,704. 28), leaking front struts, degraded stabilizer links, and fluid exchanges. Costs estimated for the repair (if any?) the exact total remaining unapproved in the dealership-$10k information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C.