Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Honda Pilot - part 1

Mechanic at lee street garage reported lower end noise issues with engine and told me they don't recommend fixing other issues until I have vehicle looked at by dealership (in case they can address potential engine failure issue linked below). I took vehicle to dealer and they reported $5000 in repairs (to fix other issues) - nothing about a potential recall - [xxx] for this issue. I understand this vehicle is not currently in any recall for this issue. I want to report as I do not want to pay for all the other repairs only to have the engine failure issue as noted above. I asked for trade-in value for vehicle and they said $2000 (blue book value, fair/lowest value estimate is - $6885) link to maintenance advised by Honda dealership. No mention of NHTSA article above nor any follow-up from Honda on the same as it is not in any current recall. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While driving vehicle downshifted with no warning and went into neutral. Was driving on a busy street. Was not able to shift back into drive. When car stops was not able to put it into park. No previous warning of anything wrong. No engine light, battery etc. Illuminated on the dash. Earlier that day did hear from time to time a tick or tap like noise that had not been heard before. Car had to be towed to auto shop. Upon inspection was told all components are in working order but the engine is not working and needs to be repaired. Given the engine only has 109,000 miles this was odd to them based on condition of the vehicle. There is a known issue with Honda engines similar to this vehicle and asked we check with Honda as to what could be done to diagnose further. This is very concerning as there was no warning. Driving on a busy street with unexpected downshift was almost rear ended.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Complete engine failure, threw rod through block. Oil was changed in October, still has 2000 miles before needing changing again.

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.

At 144,500 miles, the connecting rod broke and destroyed the engine. The connecting rod broke while driving on the highway at highway speeds. Honda has confirmed the connecting rod was the cause and will need a new engine to get the vehicle working again. I was having intermittent check engine lights and Honda could not find anything wrong with the vehicle prior to the failure. There are currently recalls on 2019 Honda Pilots for this issue, but does not cover my specific vehicle. This is a known issue in Honda Pilots.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Driving on the highway dash goes completely black. Can’t see speed. Cruise control shuts down. Have to pull off the highway shut the engine down and wait for a couple minutes then restart. I have had all recalls repaired at the dealership where purchased but this happens weekly. At 50,000 miles I noticed rough and abrupt transmission shifting and clunking with a lag in acceleration. This continues despite multiple transmission flushes. The problem continues to worsen and current mileage is at 71000.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The Honda Pilot completely lost power on my husband's way home from work in a snow storm. It would not start but it did yesterday. It sounds like clinking/clunking when started but stalls out if you try to put it in drive or reverse. It has a brand new battery. But otherwise it had to be towed and is now sitting. It didnt give any warning signs or lights on the dash until after it completely broke down. It has the engine light on when started. It has not be confirmed by a dealership as times are really rough right now with a new baby and not having the extra funds to have it looked at. And not to mention the closet dealership to look at it is almost an hour away. It seems that the rods/engine area are at fault.

We are being denied a repair that is exactly like the service recall service bulletin 24-001 safety recall: 2016 (&2018-19) Pilot connecting rod bearing. They found metal shavings in the oil that are identical to vehicles that are covered. The dealership said they received 4 other 2016 Honda Pilots this week where the VIN wasn't in the range but the same issue. Honda is trying to avoid a recall when it is clear that all 2016 Honda Pilots are affected.

My engine has been diagnosed as having connecting rod bearing knock, which is indicative of failing connecting rod bearings. I'm submitting this complaint as further evidence for the NHTSA investigation that Honda's Honda Pilot connecting rod bearing safety recall had an insufficient of covered vehicles. My vehicle has a fully complete oil change history documented by its carfax report when I purchased it and I have the receipts for the subsequent required oil changes under my ownership. At the time of purchase and as of today, my VIN is not part of Honda's recall, yet I have experienced connecting rod bearing failure, as have many others. I am now faced with paying $1000 in diagnostic fees to a dealership to just to see whether Honda will offer any help or not, and, if not, pay them another $1000 to reassemble my engine. Instead, I will be having my trusted Honda mechanic either replace the bearings or the short block of my engine at my own expense. My vehicle was diagnosed by a Honda/Acura-only repair shop. When I have the work done, I'm happy to request to keep the original bearings so they can be examined should that be necessary. The vehicle has only been inspected by my repair shop. I haven't involved insurance. There are no warning lights on. So far, my safety is not at risk, but I have two children, and this is our family vehicle. Should the engine fail, it's likely that wold cause an accident and injury or death. I originally had the vehicle diagnosed because I could hear the noise myself and it was not a normal noise. I will have an estimate for repair available in the next few days.

After driving the vehicle for a few hours during a very cold day, as we got off an exit ramp. We then turned onto the next road in our travels and the check engine light went off and blinked. The vehicle went into limp mode. Pulled the vehicle over, turn the car off and then back on and everything worked just fine. Had an oil change already scheduled for 2 days later. Brought the vehicle in for it oil change and we told the Honda mechanic (dealership) what just happened. His response was: that is a common Honda problem. "you did what we would have told you to do. Turn the car off and then back on. When the engine compartment gets really warm when driving for long periods of time with the cold weather, something tells it to misfire and throws a check engine code. We tell people to do what you did and turn the car off and then back on". Meanwhile we had to go out of town again the following weekend. As soon as we got near our destination the same thing happened again. This time in an intersection! thankfully nobody was coming at the time of the limp mode to avoid a potential serious accident. I have put a lot of research into this and there are a lot of forums online that state this issue with no solution by Honda. I do not see how that is safe to have your car randomly throw a code and be forced to pull over immediately.

The fuel injector failed which cause safety issues such as reduced speed, failing safety issues, and the car is misfiring and not running safely. When driving the car started to misfire and was not running correctly. It then reduced speed and the safety features were disabled. Yes this issue was confirmed by ken vance Honda in eau claire WI. There was a flashing check engine light, hill start assist problem, emissions system problem, power steering system problem, trailer stability assist problem, and vehicle stability assistance problem lights that came on. This is a known safety issue with 2016 Honda Pilot as Honda America did an extended warranty to cover the expense to replace the injectors. Unfortunately, our car missed the deadline by a few months to get this covered. Since this was a known defective part from the factory this should have been taken care of by Honda as a full recall. There are many cars like this that are going to have safety issues and not realize what is happening.

My Honda Pilot has been diagnosed with engine failure by royalty auto in kingsland, GA despite having been cared for quite well. This failure occurred well before reaching the expected life of the vehicle, yet outside the warranty window and having no symptoms before the sudden failure. After doing some research on Pilot owner online forums, as well as, the NHTSA website, it seems similar complaints have been well reported and a recall has been issued for some vehicles in the same year and model under NHTSA campaign number 23v75100. This relates to Honda manufacturer recall xg1 and Honda recall gg0.

Most recently my engine started to have a clicking/knocking sound that was progressively getting worse. This happened within 1000 miles of replacing the timing belt. I now have a cylinder 2 failure and the dealer is recommending a $6000 plus complete used engine replacement with a warranty of only 12,000 miles. The knocking goes away if cylinder 2 plug is pulled. Car has had multiple problems, 9-speed transmission defect rough/delayed shifting, loud noises, harsh acceleration/deceleration, and sudden power loss, creating a safety risk. It has stopped at stoplights and failed to restart for 10-15 seconds. Auto idle stop (ais) system: claims that the engine doesn't always restart when the driver lifts their foot off the brake, a defect that has led to a class-action settlement.

According to my mechanic there is the low end bearing noise and bearing chirp that indicates it lost oil pressure due to internal components and a damaged engine. Recommends replacing the engine. He said because of the recall there are no remanufactured engines available. Computer diagnostics showed code p0303 #3 cylinder misfire. He believes this has to do with recall 23v-751or rq24-013. No repairs have been done.

While driving my 2017 Honda Pilot elite, the vehicle has experienced four separate incidents of sudden and complete loss of power, including while traveling at highway speeds and during rush-hour traffic. The engine shuts off without warning, causing the vehicle to stop in traffic. In multiple incidents, the vehicle would not restart for several minutes. These incidents occurred on u. S. 19 and interstate 275 in heavy traffic, creating an immediate risk of collision. In one incident, the vehicle died while traveling at highway speeds. In another, it shut off at a red light and blocked traffic during rush hour. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Honda dealership multiple times. Diagnostic testing initially found no issues. Later visits attributed the problem to the battery, despite the battery being recently replaced and the condition recurring after replacement. The symptoms exactly match Honda Pilot start/stop engine failure recalls affecting nearby model years. However, because my model year is not included, the dealership refused to repair the vehicle in accordance with the recall, even when I offered to pay for the repair. I believe this represents a safety-related defect involving sudden engine shutdown while driving. The vehicle is unreliable and unsafe to operate. Furthermore, given the repeated failure of this vehicle, the dealership’s inability to permanently repair the condition after multiple attempts, and the ongoing safety risk, I am concerned this matter may meet the criteria for a nonconformity under florida’s motor vehicle warranty enforcement act. I am hopeful Honda will resolve this matter cooperatively and without the need for further regulatory or legal action.

My engine has failed at ~104k miles after regular and consistent maintenance. The failure (rod bearing) matches recall 23v751 but my VIN was excluded.

10/27/2023 replaced all spark plugs 12/16/2/24 engine light and vtm-light and traction control light on, misfire in 1st cylinder, replaced spark plugs and ignition coil 1/9/25 engine light and vtm-light and traction control light on, misfire in 3rd cylinder. These issues are consistent with many complaints on this year, make and model of Honda Pilot.

See all problems of the 2014 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Car bought at 103,000 miles engine failed at 109,700 verified thru Honda dearler with metal shavings in number six (6) cylinder. Started . . . With check engine display and started missing.

While idling and driving into a parking garage, a new metallic knocking noise was audible from the engine. When I pulled up to the parking garage, I lowered my window to have the code scanned to enter the garage. The noise was present at that time, nothing previous to my commute to work this day. The noise was not audible while driving due to road/wind noise, music and conversation in the car. Driving down the garage ramp and into the parking area with the window still down, the noise was more pronounced (perhaps from the surrounding concrete walls). I eventually parked the vehicle after taking a video clip and sought help via phone and email from my work office. In this specific incident, safety was potentially at risk if the condition had worsened to the point of engine failure or other severe condition while driving on the roads. I was lucky in this instance. On 01/06/2026, video clip was sent to Honda dealer where purchased. I was instructed to not drive it and have the vehicle towed. Due to distance and expense to tow it close to home where purchased, it was towed to a local Honda dealer. Today they called and said internal components have failed and the engine needs to be replaced. On 01/07/2026 I've further engaged my local Honda dealer where purchased. This includes transferring it to them. At this time, the vehicle would be available for inspection upon request. No check engine light or other warnings of any sort were present. No invoice for diagnostics/repairs is available as of yet for upload as this is event is still in progress. There is only a video clip to hear the audible sound coming from inside the engine.

Engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a tra?c light or road intersection with the auto idle stop (ais) function engaged. When I release the brake pedal, the vehicle automatically goes into neutral, and when I try to put into drive, nothing happens, then it takes multiple attempts to turn the vehicle off. Once it turns off, it does turn back on, and I can continue driving. This behavior is hard to reproduce consistently, it's happening from time to time.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The Honda dealership diagnosed the connecting rod crankshaft engine failure with 67, 995 miles on the vehicle. All oil changes were completed as required and specified by Honda maintenance procedures.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While my husband was taking our daughter to school on 01/05/2026 around 6:00am, a warning message flashed on the radio screen: "emissions system problem: the engine is not operating properly. Avoid high speeds and visit your dealer as soon as possible. If the indicator is blinking, stop in a safe place where there are no flammable objects. Turn off the engine for 10 minutes or more to let it cool. Restart the engine. If the indicator continues to blink, immediately have your vehicle checked by the dealer. " this was a safety at risk for my husband, my child, and the public - anyone driving near the vehicle. My husband pulled over and called me to let me know what was happening. He called aaa to have the car towed to the dealer. And called the dealer to let them know we were having the vehicle towed to them. They diagnosed it with "a unit in need of engine replacement. " the car was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle in 12/2021. It is a 2021 Honda Pilot and had a few hundred miles over 8000 at the time of purchase. The dealer is not taking responsibility as the miles 62,007 are just over the 60,000 mile powertrain warranty. And over the 5 years by weeks - 11/2020 to 01/05/2026. I was advised to contact american Honda. They basically told me I was not eligible for a goodwill assist as because: 1. ) I was not the original owner 2. )I did not have my service done at Honda. However, I did have documents of all of the service that had been done and sent those receipts to the Honda dealer. The engine failed. The dealer confirmed engine failure. The vehicle did stall out - at a stop light and took several minutes to start back up around October or November 2025. There were also some engine noises, including loud noises while accelerating, especially in sport mode.

Serpentine belt tensioner bolt keeps snapping and or breaking has been replaced 3 times now. Research shows at least 10 years of part being defective.

See all problems of the 2009 Honda Pilot 🔎.

I was driving and went through an intersection when all of a sudden the car automatically shifted into neutral and lights started flashing and stalled. The engine ceased up. I checked to see if I had oil. I did. Prior to this event on multiple occasions while driving on the hwy and trying to accelerate the engine had problems getting into gear. This vehicle has made me feel unsafe multiple times while driving and shifting out of gear and now just stalling while driving. Honda has a huge problem with the engines.

While driving the check engine light started flashing and lost a lot of power. Pulled over and turned the car off. Turned the car back on and the light was gone and power seemed to be back. Trying to get home about 15 minutes later every light came on. Lane assist, check engine, blind spot, traction control, literally all warning lights. When these came on the car lost all power within a minute. Wouldn't turn over or even power on to use lights or the radio. Got the car towed to two separate garages both stating engine failure. Honda dealer provided documentation of a bearing failure which damaged cylinder 5.

Check engine light came on during normal highway driving with cylinder 2 misfire as the readout. The vehicle was brought to local Honda dealer for troubleshooting and maintenance. Dealer maintained vehicle on schedule with 96,000 miles on it. Initially, informed us that this was due to the air filter housing being improperly placed and low power from the battery. Resolved both and then informed us it was an issue with the connecting rod/crankshaft and the engine would need to be replaced. During most recent fluids service about 2 months prior, had raised concerns about an intermittent shifting/low rpm jump and was told it was just debris but no real issue.

My car stalled at a red light due to auto idle-stop failure. It failed to restart, shifted itself to neutral/park, and the car was completely unresponsive for a minute. This is a huge safety hazard.

Driving the car the engine bearing went out and wrecked the engine which has caused the engine to be replaced.

There was a snap like sound under my hood while driving. Shortly after, the check engine light engaged and the vehicle lost all ability to accelerate. This happened while merging onto a fairly busy road, with rolling hills. If there were vehicles around there would have been potential for an accident. If this happened on the freeway in a middle lane, the vehicle would not have been able to successfully exit without causing extreme danger to the passengers and other vehicles. The vehicle stopped on the side of the road. When the ignition was briefly reengaged, there were rolling error codes, including vehicle stability, all wheel drive failure, etc. The engine was noticeably knocking. The vehicle was towed and inspected by an independent mechanic. The 3rd cylinder in the engine will no longer hold compression. I now need to get the vehicle to an engine specialist for further inspection and repair.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that when he had parked the vehicle at work, he had heard an abnormal clicking sound from the engine compartment, and the vehicle was idling roughly. The contact stated that as he drove the vehicle back to his residence at approximately 60 mph, the check engine warning started flashing on the instrument cluster. The contact drove the vehicle to an auto parts store, and the store employee used a handheld scanner and drew voltage and engine communication codes. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The dealer did not perform a detailed diagnosis, but when the contact picked the vehicle up, he was still hearing the abnormal clicking sound. The dealer had a mechanic try to evaluate the abnormal noise by listening and thought it sounded like a failing timing belt tensioner. The contact then drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rod bearings had failed and the crankshaft was scored. The mechanic recommended replacing the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact back to a dealer to run a diagnostic check to see if the contact qualified for a "goodwill assistance program. The contact stated that the manufacturer advised that the program was not guaranteed. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Engine failure: one of the engine rods blew through the longblock and seized the engine while driving on the highway. The car is regularly serviced from the dealership, well maintained, has low mileage, and is relatively new (2019). There is no recalls for the car, but this seems related to the ongoing investigation with Honda and Acura cars that have had engine failures.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that there was an abnormal engine knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There were recurring oil leaks and a misfire coming from the engine. The engine warning light was flashing. Additionally, the esc, hill start assist, vsa, eps, and steering low warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the codes. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The local dealer was not contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The vehicle experienced a sudden engine malfunction while being driven at highway speeds in the carpool lane under normal conditions. The engine began knocking and misfiring, followed by a significant loss of power. There were no warning lights, oil pressure alerts, or messages prior to the failure. The loss of power and engine knocking made it difficult to safely cross multiple highway lanes from the carpool lane to reach an exit, creating a serious safety hazard in active traffic. The driver exited the freeway as soon as safely possible, parked the vehicle, turned the engine off, and had it towed to prevent further damage or risk. The vehicle was towed home and then towed the following day to an authorized Honda dealership for inspection. The dealership confirmed the failure was caused by internal engine damage due to a connecting rod bearing failure, resulting in a misfire on cylinder 4. This diagnosis was confirmed by the dealership, and the vehicle remains available for inspection. The vehicle has been regularly maintained, including routine oil and filter changes. There was no indication of oil starvation, overheating, or neglect prior to the failure. The engine failure occurred suddenly and without warning. There is an existing recall and an active federal investigation related to connecting rod bearing failures in certain 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles. While this vehicle’s VIN has not been officially included, the failure mode, symptoms, and dealer-confirmed diagnosis in this incident appear consistent with the issues described in those actions. Sudden internal engine failure at highway speeds presents a serious safety risk due to unexpected loss of power in traffic. This complaint is submitted to document a similar internal engine failure with no warning and its associated safety implications.

Vehicle was driving normally when the engine failed and lost power. The vehicle following nearly rear ended ours. Pulled the car over into a side street and tried to restart with no success. Emission control problem warning displayed. Called road side assistance and had the vehicle towed to the dealer from where it was purchased. Dealer contacted us an told us that the engine had seized an would need a new motor. The vehicle was 7 days old and had 160 miles on it.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Pilot 🔎.