Honda Pilot Complaints

9,418 consumer complaints on file.

#11695590October 25, 2025
ENGINE
The start/stop function caused the engine to shut off. At times we have to shake the battery to get the engine to go back on. We have replaced the battery and that didnt fix the issue. The dealership said they couldn't recreate the problem. The issue hasn't been inspected by anyone but the dealership and there were no warning messages or lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695585October 25, 2025
ENGINE
While stopped at a traffic light the “Auto Stop” engine shut off feature engaged. When releasing the brake, the vehicle completely shut down, all dash lights came on as did the transmission mode lights. Upon trying to restart with the start button, prompts came up to place the vehicle in park. Trans select button did not work. Pressed the Start button several more times. At one time all dash lights went off, except for the battery light. Brake pedal went all the way down to the floor. Opened the drivers door and then tried the start button one more time with the AutoStart button switched off after dash lights returned. Vehicle started after that. Blocked traffic for one traffic light sequence. Occurred on Route 30 and Schoolhouse Road; New Lenox IL on 10/25/25. Attempted to restart several times afterward and vehicle restarted. Trying to drive with “autostart” feature manually turned off from now on, if I remember. Scheduled checkup @ dealer 10/29/25. Honda of Joliet Vehicle has slightly over 40k miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695419October 24, 2025
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The contact owns a 2005 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that shortly after refueling, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, causing the speed to increase to approximately 45 MPH while approaching stopped traffic. While pressing the brake pedal to avoid a collision, the vehicle continued to accelerate and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. During the air bag deployment, the air was deflated, causing the driver's head to contact the steering wheel. Also, the contact indicated that metal fragments were present during the air bag deployment. The contact sustained a lacerated left wrist and lacerations to the chest area. The driver also sustained contusions and bruised to the head, ankles, and legs, along with neck and back stiffness, which will all require medical treatment. No other injuries were known regarding the second vehicle occupants. A Police Report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11695301October 23, 2025
ENGINE
Started hearing rattling sound on acceleration yesterday. Today heard it again. Engine light came on and a lot of other safety lights came on and noted less power with hitting accelerator. Took it to dealer. They are investigating but say it is the connecting rod bearing failure that so many Hondas have. My car currently is not in the recall list by Honda. It is a 2016 Pilot, 105,000 miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695284October 23, 2025
ENGINE
Per the mechanic the rod bearing broke into the engine and caused sudden engine failure. I was on a highway when this occured, thankfully I was already in the right lane and right before an exit to which I took and secured the vehicle in a safe location. It was extremely dangerous location for this to occur and thankfully no one was right behind me. There were no warnings or messages prior to the incident. It was just routinely serviced within the past month. I heard a loud clank, the engine light started flashing, and the car started to slow down, there was knocking sounds in the engine. We had it towed to D and M service center then moved to Gillman Honda service center. It was confirmed by two different shops, D and M service center at 1029 Pat Booker Rd, Universal City, TX 78148 and Gillman Honda dealership at 16044 I-35 N Selma, TX 78154 that the rod bearing cracked into the engine and metal shavings were identified in the engine oil.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695104October 22, 2025
ENGINE
My 2016 Honda Pilot with 81,000 miles has very definite pinging in the engine that increases with RPM increase. It has had an engine ping for over a year but was told that the noise is "just something Honda's are doing". Since pinging has gotten louder, I had an independent mechanic try to find the problem. He checked the cam shaft, rocker arm and push rods for wear and all were normal. He then stopped the ignition to one cylinder at a time. When number 5 was isolated the pinging stopped. His conclusion is that it is likely the connecting rod bearing on cylinder 5 and I should take the car to my Honda dealer. Took the car to dealer and their preliminary diagnosis was: "Found a noise coming from bottom end of engine." Since my VIN is not covered by the earlier engine recall the repair costs are mine. It will cost $875 to get an indepth evaluation and then pay the additional costs for parts or engine replacement. I contacted the Honda Service Center and was told the VIN is not covered but they "might" beable to help on the repair costs. So: Is it safe to drive? Do I keep the pilot and hope that my VIN will be included in a future recall? Will Honda help in the repair? Unsure what I will do, but the quality of 2016 Honda engine is definitely in question and hope that Honda will acknowledge their engine problem and expand the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694899October 22, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
El carro tiene fallas con el sistema eléctrico de frenos y no arranca.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694704October 21, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car is slow to start or doesn't start at all, particularly after frequent engine stops/starts or when engine has idled for a period of time. Battery has been replaced. Symptom comes and goes, but seems to get worse with frequent engine stops/starts (i.e., driving to different locations with short stays at each, or with the automatic engine shut off)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694497October 20, 2025
ENGINE
I took my car in for a safety recall and was not provided a loaner vehicle. Both the dealer and Honda have refused to provide me a rental and now I will be picking my vehicle up and driving it while it’s unsafe with children in the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694511October 20, 2025
ENGINE
My Honda which has 120,000 miles is experiencing rod bearing issues. Honda refuses to help cover costs. I know there is an ongoing investigation with this year and similar mileage issues with Honda pilots so I am submitting this as proof of another case this is happening.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694526October 20, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The car keeps getting a 219a error code intermittently. The dealer states it is the fuel injectors needing replacement. There is a service bulletin for my model of 2019 Pilot , with a warranty extension to 10 years or 150,000 miles but Honda is saying my VIN is exclusionary and want affected. Except, my fuel injectors are bad with the same code and issues as covered by the warranty extension. It seems quite clear that my vehicle and so many other pilot owners with them from this generation are having the same fuel injector issue but being told their VIN is not effected. One needs only to do a quick search online to see that this is bogus and a more widespread problem than honda is taking responsibility for.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694581October 20, 2025
ENGINE
While driving, the vehicle just stopped. Tried to navigate to get to side of the road, but ended up stuck in the middle of the lane, in the middle of the road. My pilot also has some sort of lock, so I could not put it in neutral to be pushed out of oncoming traffic. Tried to jump start but the battery was fine. Road side assistance took 3 hours to come and tow us. Once at a dealership, diagnostics was run, starter was checked. But turns out the engine had ceased. The vehicle had randomly not started back up when the eco shut the car off when the brakes were pushed down, but this was extreme! Very dangerous! I regularly change my oil, only use synthetic oil and have my car serviced, fluids topped off. I have been on the wait list for the fuel recall, but Honda on Gilbert, in Gilbert, AZ does not answer calls, call back, or offer rentals for recalls. But this situation was scary and unacceptable. There is other recalls for the 2018 Honda Pilot for engines ceasing up. This is poor workmanship for Honda. Yes, this has been confirmed. My vehicle is currently had Honda Superstition Springs in Mesa, AZ, because I did not trust to go back to Honda Gilbert to timely correct the issues or communicate. Yes, You can inspect the vehicle. Engine ceasing while driving put my self and others at risk. No warnings.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694600October 20, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Honda issued Service Bulletin 20-117 regarding a Warranty Extension for the 2016–2017 Pilot and 2017 Ridgeline addressing a Keyless Start System Error with DTC B12C5. Following an NHTSA investigation, Honda extended warranty coverage to 9 years or 125,000 miles under this bulletin. My 2016 Honda Pilot currently has 107,000 miles and is only six months past the nine-year time limit. Earlier this year, the Keyless Start System warning indicator began appearing intermittently—illuminating for a few seconds before disappearing for days or weeks. Recently, the warning began to stay on continuously. Per Honda’s initial guidance, I replaced the key fob battery and even swapped fobs with my wife, but the issue persisted. On October 16th, I brought the vehicle to Honda of Chantilly, where technicians diagnosed a faulty start/stop button requiring replacement. I then opened case #15920037 with Honda, but they declined to cover or reimburse the repair, despite it being a known defect covered under the extended warranty for others. I respectfully request that the NHTSA assist in having Honda honor the warranty extension for this documented issue, given the close proximity to the coverage limit and the long-standing nature of the defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694471October 20, 2025
ENGINE
ENGINE HAS MALFUNCTIONED TWICE SINCE OWNING. AS OF 10/16 VEHICLE HAS BEEN AS COGGINS HONDA IN ST AUGUSTINE. DEALER TOLD US VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED BY HONDA CORPORATION TECHNICIAN. OTPTION INCLUDE HONDA BUYING VEHICLE BACK IF NO ONE CAN DETERMINE ENGINE FAILURE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694460October 20, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving through a construction zone on Route 81 at 55mph the car suddenly braked extremely hard to 30mph. It was very sudden and slammed me so my seatbelt activated. Fortunately no one was behind me. There was no one in front of me. Concrete lane barriers were on my left side. I have gone through this construction zone many times before and have never had this happen. If this had happened during a week day with traffic it would have caused a severe accident. The collision warning signal came on when the brakes suddenly engaged. I am scheduling an appointment with dealer to see what the cause was.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694253October 18, 2025
ENGINE
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a safety issue with my 2016 Honda Pilot. While driving and attempting to turn into my local Walmart, my vehicle suddenly came to a complete stop without any warning. A vehicle traveling behind me had to swerve abruptly to avoid a collision, which could have resulted in a serious accident. After having my vehicle inspected by a local certified mechanic, I was informed that the engine had failed and that the estimated cost of repair would be approximately $9,000. Upon reviewing existing recall information for the 2016 Honda Pilot, I discovered that my vehicle is not currently included in the active recall related to engine failure. However, I have found numerous consumer reports describing the same issue with the 2016 Honda Pilot that were also not covered under the existing recall. I understand that as of August 2025, the NHTSA and Honda were reportedly reviewing the possibility of expanding the recall to include additional affected vehicles. Given the safety risks involved and the clear pattern of similar failures, I am respectfully requesting that my vehicle be considered for inclusion in the recall and that the engine repair costs be covered accordingly. Please let me know if additional documentation, such as repair estimates or VIN information, is needed to support this claim. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety matter. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694255October 18, 2025
ENGINE
My 2017 Honda Pilot has been diagnosed with engine failure by John Hinderer Honda Heath, OH despite having been cared for quite well. This failure occurred well before reaching the expected life of the vehicle at 106,515 miles, 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. I have reported my claim to Honda but received no resolution as of yet. My Manufacturer Claim Number with Honda Corp is 15916252. The failures of my engine should be considered in the NHTSA Campaign number 23V751000. Honda recall number XG1, Honda recall GG0. In addition, my claim should be considered as part of NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013. This is a current investigation as to why the NHTSA Campaign Number 23V751000 was limited to 249K vehicles while so many cars continue to have the same issue but fall out of the scope of the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694291October 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
Unknown
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694332October 18, 2025
SUSPENSION
The 2007 Honda Pilots rear subframe suspension mounting points and the driver side rear sping and shock support rusted away so bad that the driver side wheel collapsed, fortunately it was discovered just in time before there was an major accident, had this happened at full highway speeds it would have been a disaster, this unfortunately seems to be a common problem on the 2003-2008 Honda Pilots according to online forums. Everything else on the Pilot was working great at the time, was quoted $5000 to fix from a local body shop which is way too much so the vehical needed to be sent to the salvage yard at a great financial loss. Like most people I did not think to look under the vehical when I purchased it used in 2022, everything seemed solid, just had a rusty look like a lot of older MN vehicals so it gave a false sence of safety, I feel that the 2003 to 2008 Honda Pilot needs to be recalled or provide a manufacturer buyback and taken off the roads ASAP if they are in any of the salt belt states.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694333October 18, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Rear differential unit failed at about 66,000 miles without warning. During normal driving, the dashboard warning light came on indicating AWD warning. It was raining at the time the warning came on. The Pilot onboard computer did disable the AWD and place the vehicle in front wheel drive only mode. The next morning again the AWD warning came on when put into drive and was raining again. Driving again in the afternoon the AWD warning did not come on and there was no rain. I could not see any physical signs of an issue. The Pilot was just in for two recalls: one for backup camera wiring harness on 8/27/2025 and fuel pump on 9/8/2025. About two weeks later on 9/24/2025 was when the first warning came on. The Pilot was taken to the dealer and was reported that the differential pump, sub harness, and differential all needed to be replaced. I informed the dealer that the two recalls were performed and the warning coming on during wet weather. The dealer stated the failure was not caused by the recalls. In order to make to Pilot safe to drive again, I had the dealer replace the parts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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