Honda Pilot Complaints
9,418 consumer complaints on file.
- #11468426June 9, 2022ENGINE
There have been two instances of the vehicle failing to restart after a complete stop at a stop light. In these situations, the vehicle's auto stop-start system engages and turns the engine off. When the brake peddle is disengaged and the engine is supposed to start, the engine fails to restart. There are some errors on the dashboard but nothing was captured on the vehicle computer when I took it into the dealership. When the engine won't restart it takes a minute or two of blocking traffic before the engine will start up.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468438June 9, 2022ENGINE
I would like to formally report an issue with my 2017 Honda Pilot Touring's auto stop/start feature. I have had several scary incidents where my Honda would not restart at an intersection or on the highway due to high traffic and needed to stop. This is very scary and it is not easy to restart with the fear of getting rear ended by vehicles approaching. With the push button start feature it can be very difficult under stress to re-start your vehicle when the auto stop/start features stalls and needs to be restarted. My wife refuses to drive my car and the inability to permanently turn off the feature creates risk if you don't manually turn it off after starting the vehicle each time.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468444June 9, 2022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The vehicle’s Auto Stop/Start feature routinely fails to restart the engine when releasing the brake, turning the steering wheel, or selecting Park. In order to start the vehicle, it must be placed into Park, turned off, and then turned back on by holding the Start button. This has worked on most occasions (approx 90% of occasions thus far); other times a jump start was required. Attempts to resolve from Honda have required several purchases of a new battery and denial of there being a larger issue. There is no indication or warning that the feature has failed until attempting to resume driving (or the vehicle attempts to restart itself based on the vehicle’s self-monitored parameters). The failure to start leaves the vehicle stuck in traffic risking collision and/or personal injury as a result.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468447June 9, 2022ENGINE
I just read an article which says the FEDS are investigating Honda Pilot SUV engine failures. The compliant being that the fuel-saving stop-start system on some Honda Pilot SUVs can fail to restart. I personally have experienced this issue at least three or four times in my Honda Pilot. For this reason, I do not use the fuel-saving stop-start system anymore. However, when I did experience the issue it was exactly as described in the article. I was at a stop light. I took my foot off the brake and the engine did not restart. I was fumbling pushing buttons trying to get the car to start. I would turn on my emergency blinkers to let cars know I was experiencing a problem. I think eventually I turned the engine start button on and off and the car started. I had complained and expressed my frustration with the Honda repair people when I took my car in for regular servicing. They were either not really aware of the issue or not concerned. After reading the article, I wanted to let you know that I have experienced the issue. I think if other people were aware there was an investigation they might come forward to. I didn't want you to think it was only 221 people that had experienced it as stated in the article, because perhaps the problem is more wide spread that we are aware of. Honestly, it is a very uncomfortable feeling to be stuck a stop light with a car that won't move and you have no idea why.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468449June 9, 2022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I own a 2017 Honda Pilot Elite, with 65000 miles, that was purchased new. The vehicle has repeatedly stalled at various point of operation. Upon stalling, every light appears to activate on the dashboard. The vehicle remains stalled until the computer "recycles." I can usually restart the vehicle within 2+ minutes. The dealer, located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, has identified the vehicle’s stop-start as the problem. The dealer suggested to turn off the stop-start while driving the vehicle but that is problematic as this needs to be done each time the vehicle engine is turned off and then restarted. The dealer, upon inspection, found some errors in the ECU, but none that would create this problem. The dealer is unable to recreate the problem and admitted that many Honda Pilots have this issue. To possibly fix the problem, the dealer suggested a valve replacement at a cost of $1000+ and a new battery, even though the battery has been tested and is fine. These vehicles are dangerous, and Honda has done nothing to correct the problem.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468456June 9, 2022POWER TRAIN
We were at a Sheetz gas station last month and the auto-start/stop cut the engine off and it would not restart. We had to place the car in park and manually restart it. We have had this issue happen on another occasion and we purchased the car in April.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468460June 9, 2022ENGINE
The auto-stop and -start function is not working correctly. When I am stopped at a light or in traffic and the auto-stop engages, the engine sometimes refuses to start back up when I take my foot off the brake and put it on the gas. It has been dangerous when the light turns green and my engine won't start. I've had to tell other cars to go around me. Usually I have had to turn off my SUV and try to re-start it several times before the engine finally turns on again. This started happening about a year or two after I got the 2017 model year SUV (new in May of 2018). When I first told Honda about it, my service tech told me he thought it was the battery, and he had it replaced. That solved the problem temporarily (for many months maybe close to a year). The issue started happening again and I went to Honda asking for another battery based on what happened the last time. They tested the battery and said it was fine. They could not explain why the auto-stop -start function wasn't working properly, but suggested I may be hitting the gas too soon (which I disagree with because I didn't change my driving habits after the battery was replaced the first time and the problem went away for a short while). The problem keeps happening, so I have to remember to turn off the auto-stop and -start manually every time before I drive to prevent it.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468475June 9, 2022POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission had erroneously shifted from the drive position to the select position causing the vehicle to hesitate and sputter. After turning the vehicle off and restarting the engine the failure had self-corrected. On one occasion while parked with the engine idling, as contact was exiting the vehicle the transmission erroneously shifted out of the park position and began to drive forward knocking the contact to the ground and driving over the legs. During the incident, the driver sustained injuries to both legs and a fractured arm. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who reprogrammed the transmission. No further information was available. Later while operating the vehicle warning messages began to be displayed including the service engine, power train, and the warning message "danger pull over immediately". The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 52,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468547June 9, 2022FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Forward Collision Warning system has many times flashed the large ‘BRAKE’ and loud beeping warning when collision was not imminent. It never actually applied the brakes but worries us that it could slam on the brakes unnecessarily and cause an accident by getting rear ended or causeing the car to lose control and skid cross lanes. Most of the time this happens on an undivided road, sometimes on a curve, when the car may think the oncoming traffic may be coming at us.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468546June 9, 2022ENGINE
Vehicle failed to restart after stopping at a stop light while auto stop feature was on (defaults on). Vehicle was only 18 months old since purchase. Battery completely dead, only started after tow truck applied jumper for a long time. Had to be in busy six lane intersection for almost an hour. Car could not be shifted out of park into neutral to tow because push button transmission controls rely on battery power. Car is AWD. Vehicle is used mainly for 4 mile commute, often in stop and go traffic, to work and errands within that radius. I suspect the auto start feature drained the battery. The feature stops the engine anytime you come to a stop. It doesn’t seem to take into account how often it stops or how long the engine has been able to run and charge the battery.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468108June 8, 2022ENGINE
Auto start/stop has caused the engine to shut off multiple times. One particular incident occurred at a stop light and only turned back on after several attempts using the ignition button.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468110June 8, 2022ENGINE
The car auto stop/start feature is failing to restart the engine when coming to a complete stop, sometimes while in a turn lane turning left with oncoming traffic.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468111June 8, 2022ENGINE
Auto/start stop function causes car engine to shut down completely. Car will not be able to start again until battery is jump started again. Dashboard will display “engine fail” error message. Battery has been changed but still have this problem. This has happened multiple times over the years I have this car. Dealership has not been able to fix problem. I am afraid to get stranded so I will have to manually turn off auto start/stop every single time I start the engine.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468114June 8, 2022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Start / Stop and Engine failure. When I have the start/stop feature enabled there have been numerous occasions where the car has stalled and will not restart. This has happened in critical traffic situations and has almost caused multiple accidents and injury. In addition, the engine has cut off while driving through parking lots and stopping for pedestrians; during this time I need to reset the entire car to get it to start back up while stuck in the middle of the street. One other occasions the start stop has failed where the car does restart but the entire car resents and delays me from moving until this is finished. I have taken the vehicle back to the dealer to review and they say everything is working as designed.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468117June 8, 2022ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving with my granddaughter. When we were stopped at a light and my car shut down. I didn’t know what to do. I finally figured out how to get the vehicle to start again. The idel- stop is not working it continues to happen. So my husband and I have to remember everyone we start the car to turn it off and we tend to forget. Then here we are stuck in the middle of traffic. idle-stop feature Is not working correctly.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468118June 8, 2022ENGINE
Auto start stop - car turns off and will not restart via auto start/stop system at red lights and stop signs. This is extremely dangerous in a heavy traffic situation. The system, if doesn’t completely shut down is very delayed in responding to turn back on. I’ve had this issue since I purchased the car. Dealership had no idea how to fix. They replaced the fuel injectors, thinking it would solve issue, which didn’t help. I still own this car. 75,000 miles and this still happens.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468121June 8, 2022ENGINE
Many times over the past few years, my car has stalled out at a light or stop sign when the auto start-stop has been engaged. I noticed this happens more in the summer than winter. I have to disengage this function when driving, however, with no permanent way to shut off this feature, I often forget to shut it off every time I start the car. As a result, I frequently have to deal with the stalling. I have always been able to restart the car after a minute or so, but it's obviously a safety issue with cars stuck behind me. No warning lights come on before this happens, and I have no taken the car to a dealer or repair shop.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468122June 8, 2022UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The automatic start/stop killed the engine at a stop light, and took several tries to restart the engine. I always disengage this feature now to avoid being stranded.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468123June 8, 2022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Twice since purchasing the vehicle last year the automatic start/stop feature on the Honda has failed to restart the engine once we took our foot off the brake pedal. The first time was more than six months ago. We were at a light and the vehicle did not start after taking my foot off the brake when the light turned green. I tried putting it in park and then restarting the vehicle with the touch button but it didn't work. I tried with the remote start feature on the key and it would not start that way. At this point traffic was honking and going around us. I started pushing the park and neutral button to make sure it was in park, but nothing worked. I finally got the vehicle to restart by holding the start button on the dash for about 10-15 seconds. When I took it into the dealer a month or so later to have a recall taken care of I brought it up to the advisor and he asked if it has happened since then. I said no and he said it was probably something I did... The second time, was 5/11/2022 around 11 am. I was on the way to the Honda dealership to buy an oil filter and crush ring to change the oil. I had been driving for about a half an hour, stopped at a red light in front of the dealership and it happened again. Once again, traffic on the offramp started piling up, people were honking and going around on the shoulder. I tried the same procedure as before but it didn't work at first. I tried it a couple of times and the vehicle finally started. The vehicle has not been scanned with a scanner since the last time so there is probably a stored code if you need to verify this.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11468124June 8, 2022ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The engine in my vehicle fails to restart after coming to a complete stop. My car stalls out and can take several attempts to try to restart the car. This has been very dangerous. It can occur whether I'm stuck in traffic on a major highways or even just at a stop sign. It always occurs when the start/stop function is engaged. I have taken the car to the dealer multiple times to deal with this issue and even tried to get the start stop function removed. Unfortunately, they have never been able to fix the problem.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0