Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Honda Pilot - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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).

My vehicle was recently serviced at the local Honda dealership within the last 6 weeks for an oil leak at the oil filter. We had the work done and everything seemed fine until 3 days ago when the check engine light started flashing and the car couldn’t accelerate properly. I drove the car to the same dealership and after inspection they notified me that the car needed a new engine because a rod bearing had failed and was causing the engine to seize. We were quoted a price of approximately $10,000 to fix. Upon researching online for a cheaper engine/option I found that Honda had issued a recall for the same issue, but when I checked my VIN it said 0 recalls for my vehicle. Is there anything that I can do to have them honor the recall on my vehicle?.

See all problems of the 2016 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While driving on the highway, the vehicle experienced sudden engine failure at highway speeds, putting the safety of our son and others drivers at risk. The engine completely lost power. The diagnosing dealership confirmed failure of a connecting rod and bearings and internal engine damage with metal present throughout the engine, requiring full engine replacement at an estimated cost of over $17,000. The car is still at the south pointe Honda dealership in tulsa, ok. The diagnostic was also confirmed by a Honda certified mechanic at another independent shop. No others have inspected the vehicle. This appears consistent with reported issues involving connecting rod bearing failures in Honda v6 engines of similar model years. The failure occurred prematurely and without warning, raising concerns about reliability and potential safety risks if loss of power occurs during operation. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of a problem prior to failure. The vehicle has been properly maintained and was not subject to abnormal use. I am submitting this complaint due to the severity of the failure, the high repair cost, and concern that similar failures may pose a safety risk to other drivers.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While driving on the expressway at speeds above 60 mph and while attempting to pass another vehicle the vehicle shuts down with no acceleration. The vehicle will then after several seconds regain acceleration. Several times it has sounded like the vehicles starter engaged. This is a random occurrence and has happened approximately 10 times. There are no error codes and the dealership states that they can not recreate the issue so there is nothing wrong.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Pilot 🔎.

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

On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda roadside assistance would not arrive for an estimated 60-90 minutes. It was brought to the local dealership. After an hour from incident to inspection at the local Honda dealership, the vehicle powered on normally of which no codes showed and the vehicle started with no issues. The manufacturer and dealer state they cannot replicate the problem and found no historical or pending diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs). Despite the lack of codes, these symptoms are a direct match for nhsta recall campaign 25v-031 (Honda recall al0) which was officially announced to address torque control failures caused by the fi-ecu software. According to Honda’s safety report, improper programming in the fuel injection unit causes the engine to stall during "sudden changes in throttle opening"—which is exactly what I experienced. As of now, my VIN has not been identified on the current recall list. This loss of power during acceleration creates an immediate safety risk of rear-end collisions and leaves the driver stranded in active traffic.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Vehicle caught fire and completely burned up. It had no problems, had been serviced and recently inspected for emissions and safety in virginia.

When my Pilot is stopped and the engine idles off, you should be able to take your foot off the brake and it start back up. My engine continuously shuts down completely when I take my foot off of the gas and multiple alert lights on the dash come on. About 70% of the time, I can shut the car off completely, breathe a second and then press the ignition button and the car will restart. Now, increasingly it stalls completely and will not crank for several minutes. I have had this happen more than once at busy intersections and once while stopped in traffic on an interstate. I had to put my hazard lights on so cars would go around me. I have taken it to the Honda dealer a couple of times just for this and they say there is nothing showing to be fixed and there is nothing they can do to fix it. They only told me to remember to press the button to turn the feature off. Yes, I know that’s possible but I’m a busy mom and I often forget. What is the point of having the feature if it continuously stalls out? I have searched this problem on the internet and I’ve seen other Pilot owners have had the same problem. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

The engine stopped working while driving. Honda needs to replace the engine due to a known defect. I live in [xxx] and temperatures get very cold. What if we had been on a trip. This is crazy! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle: 2026 Honda Pilot – mileage 20,847 issue: engine failure, oil leaks, wheel alignment, air conditioning, major gas leaks from the engine, safety electronics alerts on front dash display are saying the vehicle is not safe to drive. History of issues: 03-11-2026: car broke down while driving in [xxx] . 03-12-2026: received call from ira Honda service and was told they needed to replace the engine. 04-04-2026: I was told the vehicle was ready to be picked up. I started driving home and found the vehicle was all over the road. I returned to ira Honda and once again was given a loaner. Also, the engine was leaking oil. 04-09-2026: ira Honda called and said one of the engine gaskets was defective and they needed to replace it. They said that now the alignment was back in spec. I was told that the 3 yr engine warranty begins anew. When I got home I looked more closely at the alignment document and saw that the alignment was still slightly out of spec. I called and was told that it was the best they could do. 04-10-2026: air conditioning not working and asked for them to fix the alignment. 04-13-2026: I again brought the vehicle in for service. But was told there were no loaners available. I arrived at 9:30am and at 1:00pm. The a/c was fixed and determined the frame was not set correctly when they replaced the engine. This was the reason the alignment was off by so much. So the alignment was fixed. 04-14-2026: leaking oil. So again, I had to return to ira Honda. No loaner was available. 04-18-2024: Saturday morning and we smelled gas in the garage. Started the car and it took about a minute to start. Asked if it was safe to drive, ira service said yes. 04-20-2026: started the vehicle up and same issue occurred. However, this time gas was leaking out. It leaked in our garage, on our driveway and all over the street. Again fixed. 04-29-2026: car again failed to start. During startup the car leaked a large amount of gas. It is still at the dealership. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information.

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 engine autorestart causes all sorts of problems. We have repeatedly had the warning come on and the engine stop while at a light or paused in moving traffic. We have replaced the battery and other parts. The safety issue is that the car totally stops while in traffic and we have almost been hit multiple times as we try to restart the car. You have to put the car in park and restart the engine due to "compression issues" or something else. That has nothing to do with being a branded title and everything to do with a safety issue. The car just stops and won't autorestart. This has happened several times in the last week and then yesterday other warning lights came on resulting in the car then not accelerating beyond 25 mph initially and then 45 mph. Imagine this happening on a highway. This is really scary as it has happened on an interstate when traffic stopped and at a traffic light. I called Honda and they acknowledged it was safety issue but written up as a warranty extension so they refused to cover the repair of the vehicle. I am therefore escalating what I believe you are already investigating according to articles I have seen.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Hi, I have a 2020 Honda Pilot that showed signs of stalling. Autonation Honda thornton road checked (03/07/2026) and reported I need an injector kit replaced and sdc gdi -intake throttle body furl injector service. All warning lights were on intermittently (on all day then nothing for 2-3 days then on all day the following day. ) the vehicle vibrates and feels like it's loosing power. Honda's website stated risk as " if the fuel pump module is inoperative, the engine may not start or can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. " I have two small kids (18 month and 5 year old) that I commute to and from school every day. Honda's website shows the same issue for Honda Pilots 2016-2021 however, my VIN does not qualify me for the recall. Instead I received an estimate for said repairs for $3,345. 06. Please! I am asking you to intervein as it is unfair to single out some vehicle owner even though they are having the same issue as others. Thanks in advance.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Pilot 🔎.

While traveling at highway speeds, we experienced a check engine lights with loss of power. After carefully pulling off of the highway, we stopped at a gas station where the engine ultimately stalled. Upon attempting restart, the engine cranked twice and then stopped. Trying to start the engine again. All we heard was a click this time around and the engine is now fully seized. Thank goodness we were able to pull off the highway and the issue happened in a way that my family and I were safe.

I noticed the vehicle was making a noise while driving which was diagnosed by an independent Honda service center. They said this noise was because of a rod bearing breaking. This issue creates a situation where the vehicle could break down anytime, and is therefore not drivable. The Honda diagnosis confirmed this as well, and they said the vehicle needs a new engine. No warning lights or messages occurred at all to indicate there were any problems. This is the same make and model and year of vehicles that have been recalled, but Honda is saying that they have not extended the recall to include our VIN number.

I am submitting this complaint to report a catastrophic engine failure in my 2019 Honda Pilot elite that is consistent with the defect described in NHTSA safety recall 23v-751, and to request that my vehicle be included in the recall or that the scope of the recall be expanded. My vehicle, manufactured in July 2018, experienced a sudden onset of engine knocking accompanied by a flashing check engine light and a p0301 (cylinder 1 misfire) diagnostic code while driving at highway speeds. After safely returning home and attempting reasonable repairs, I brought the vehicle to a Honda dealership for inspection. The technician determined that: •the cylinder #1 connecting rod bearing had spun •there was extensive internal engine damage •metal shavings were present in the oil pan •the engine required replacement of the short block assembly the total cost of repair was $9,784. 94. This failure mode is identical to the defect described in recall 23v-751, which attributes rod bearing failure to manufacturing issues with the crankshaft. Despite this, my VIN is not currently included in the recall. Key concerns: •my vehicle falls within the same production timeframe as affected vehicles •the failure mode is identical to the recalled defect •the failure occurred under normal driving conditions •the vehicle was properly maintained and not abused this raises serious concerns that the defect extends beyond the currently defined recall population. I respectfully request that NHTSA: 1. Investigate this incident as part of the ongoing review of Honda 3. 5l v6 engine failures 2. Determine whether recall 23v-751 should be expanded to include additional vehicles 3. Consider my vehicle for inclusion in the recall due to identical failure characteristics this issue represents a significant safety concern, as sudden engine failure at highway speeds could lead to loss of control or increased risk of collision. Supporting documentation is attached.

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.

Pulled up to intersection and check engine light started flashing. Vehicle was approximately 2miles from home. Drove home and parked in driveway. Turned vehicle off. Restarted to see if problem happened again. Check engine light went off but rattle/knocking could be heard upon startup and pressing gas pedal. Code was pulled p0303. Cylinder 3 misfire. Did some research and this has been an issue with 2016 Honda Pilots. We have owned the vehicle for 10yrs4months. Purchased new. 160k miles. Self inspected with experienced mechanic present and diagnosed with a rod bearing issue.

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 contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the error message instructed the driver to pull over immediately. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with piston ring failures. In addition, dtc: p0301 (misfire in cylinder #1) was displayed. The contact was informed that the piston rings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Engine failure, left rear cylinder knocking.

Loud engine knock when starting and when running under light load around 2000 rpm.

The vehicle was had a lower engine knock. When I took the vehicle in I was informed that there is an open recall for Honda Pilots for engine knocking and failure but my VIN number was not included. Because of the knocking I was informed that I needed to replace the engine. The vehicle is approximately 2400 miles over the 100k power train warranty. The engine has been serviced regularly and has had all pm completed. The vehicle is currently in the repair shop waiting for a replacement engine to come in. Since Honda doesn't have rebuilt engines the shop is waiting on a used engine to arrive that has approximately 77k miles on it. Because the engine is still waiting to be replaced I do not have a repair bill yet.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to accelerate, and the rpm became elevated. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where a partial diagnosis was performed, and it was determined that there was a catastrophic failure in cylinder #3. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, a case was opened, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was knocking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with rod bearing failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the vehicle was skipping timing, and the timing chain or belt had slipped from correct alignment, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware of NHTSA campaign number: 23v751000 (engine and engine cooling); and associated the failure with the recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 148,850.

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).

I bought my 2015 Pilot in 2024 and since then my local mechanic has told me I am burning oil and I have had to replace several spark plugs. I have had error codes like p0304 come up in conjunction with the replacements. I now have a total engine failure. I looked online after my failure and saw the vcm warranty extension, but I was never notified about it. I saw where the codes could come up as "misfires" but might actually be the engine failing. Component failure - engine safety risk - I was driving when it died. If I had not come to a complete stop I would have hit a snow covered rocky hill. Inspections - awaiting insurance inspector, engine failure confirmed by mechanic. Warnning - no lights were on when it happened.

Currently showing dtc p219b (O2 sensor signal biased/stuck lean – bank 2 sensor 1) along with p0430 . For prior years thru 2019, Honda has issued service bulletins 19-072 and 20-100 covering dtcs p030x, p219a, and p219b, which may involve pcm software updates, a cylinder a/f test, and potential injector replacement. However, they have not issued bulletins for 2020. My car only has 58,000 miles.

The engine began sputtering and then shut off. I had it towed in to a third party mechanic we frequently use, and they confirmed that the engine had seized, and they could not ascertain the cause. It didn't seem to have anything to do with low oil. I wondered if it was an issue with the fuel pumps failing again, because they recently failed and we had to have them replaced. I checked our VIN number to see if there were any recalls for our 2016 Honda Pilot, and there weren't, but I did find recalls for 2016 Honda Pilots related to fuel pump failure (id# 23v858000) and engine damage from connecting rod bearing wear (id# 23v751000). I shared this information with the third party mechanic, and they suggested that this could very well be the cause of engine failure. I'm concerned that my Pilot has suffered related failures but was not included in the recall. I have reached out to the Honda hotline included in this site, and they asked me to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for a diagnostic, after which I can submit a goodwill request to Honda for them to consider covering expenses related to engine replacement, but again, my concern is these issues seem to be related to the relevant recalls that do not technically apply to my VIN number. If helpful, I can file a follow-up complaint once I have documentation from the diagnostic.

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).

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.

On Friday, January 30th, I took my car into bill pearce courtesy Honda in reno nv, to get a pretty big service done for $3400. Basically the 100k service with new timing belt, spark plugs, etc. I wanted to make sure that this car would last 3-5 more years. A week later, my [xxx] old daughter took my car to the ski mountain for work and on the way, the car started making a loud knocking sound and started losing power. She called me in fear so I talked her through pulling off on the next exit. I met her up at the mountain and called a tow truck and had them tow to the bill pearce courtesy Honda service department. The following day, which was Monday, I got a call from the service rep and he said they were going to figure out what was going on. At the end of the day I got a call stating that the computer diagnostics said the issue was there rod bearings and they were going to drop the oil pan the following day to see how bad the damage was. As it turns out, Honda said that the short block will need to be replaced. That’s the bottom half of the engine. This will cost more than the car is worth and I just spent thousands on maintenance. So, Honda is giving me a goodwill discount of 50%, but I still have to come up with $3800 for the fix. After doing much research, this is a known issue for other Hondas and Acura's, but my VIN wasn’t under the recall. I feel like this is a miss on Honda’s part and now I’m out of a vehicle and cash to get it fixed. The car hasn’t been fixed yet. They are waiting for the short block part to come in. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).