2018 Honda Pilot

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline.  The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013).  It was determined that these engine failures are outside the scope of Honda Recall 23V-751. Further, evidence gathered in conjunction with RQ24013 does not suggest this failure is caused by the same crankshaft manufacturing defect that is addressed by Honda in Recall 23V-751.  Based on analysis of data from RQ24013, NHTSA has closed that investigation. The significant number of reports of engine failure in vehicles outside the scope of RQ24013 presents a potential safety risk that warrants further investigation.  ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to further evaluate the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues.  To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016–2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a crankshaft manufacturing defect that caused premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure. While the out-of-scope failures involved in these complaints appear to have a very similar failure mechanism as the recalled engines, a thorough analysis of all available data from Honda has not indicated that the same manufacturing defect exists in the out-of-scope engines as the engines recalled by 23V-751. Based on this analysis ODI has determined that Honda has properly defined the scope of recall 23V-751. Consequently, ODI will close this RQ investigation.  NHTSA will continue to investigate these complaints of engine failure as part of a new Preliminary Evaluation Investigation (PE25008). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.

On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis, EA25004, to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope for the Engineering Analysis to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaigns. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

When I press down on the gas, the car is delayed in responding. This has gotten increasingly worse, at times resulting in near collisions with on-coming traffic. I've reported this to my local dealership (Priority Honda in Chesapeake, Virginia) but they continue to tell me there are no diagnostic codes that allude to there being an issue and will not review it further. When I took a technician for a test drive and was able to replicate it, the technician said that it was normal that the gas was not immediately responsive. The unresponsiveness happens when I'm trying to get initial momentum (starting at a full stop), when I'm changing from reversing to moving forward, and when I'm already in motion and trying to advance speed.

NHTSA ID

11756203

Incident

Aug 11, 2026

Vehicle was being driven on the interstate going 70-77 mph. First noticed faint knocking sound and loss of ability to accelerate followed by check engine light and multiple system failure notifications. Pulled over on the highway between exits and turned vehicle off to call for assistance. Turned vehicle back on after 10-15 minutes to test, all warnings remained and acceleration was limited but possible. Drove vehicle on side of i70 until reaching an exit and parking for help to arrive. Two children and myself the driver were in the car. Vehicle was inspected and codes ran, but ultimately towed to our local Honda dealership. This event took place on July 18, 2026 causing us to miss a family wedding. The vehicle has been sitting at Penske Honda since then waiting for diagnostic tests to be run, scheduled for August 6.

NHTSA ID

11754624

Incident

Jul 18, 2026

We were driving from [XXX], to [XXX], on XXX. That morning we'd taken the Honda Pilot in to Xpresso Lube and got an oil change and all fluids checked out. Eight hours into the drive we heard a little clanking and started to pull off the freeway. As we did so, a Low Oil Pressure light came on for a few seconds and then we heard a loud bang and then very loud, rhythmic, clanking noises in the engine as it was losing power. The first mechanic shop we had it towed to diagnosed engine failure, so we had it towed to a Honda Service shop 30 miles away. They said it was a rod bearing and the entire engine needed replacing. Our mileage at the time it entered the Honda shop was 72, 275K. We have done regular, consistent oil changes and maintenance on this car that we bought new in 2019 (a 2018 model). We at first wondered if the wrong oil was put in or if it was a faulty oil filter, but Honda said there was plenty of oil in the engine. We did get a sample of the oil that came out. The filter will be sent in to the manufacturer for quality assessment. Our safety was at risk to some degree, but we were able to pull off the road. The Honda dealership is holding the engine for me and could be inspected.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11754555

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

-the transmission too hot message came up on my dashboard. yes it is available for inspection upon request -we could not continue to drive to our destination -they could not find any issue when i brought it to Honda Service center, they did recommend ATF cooler which i had it installed -there are no other warning messages, it first appeared in 2023 going to california, it happened again in 2024. and happened again last month.

NHTSA ID

11754476

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

If the auto engine shut off is activated the engine shuts off randomly and it does not restart the engine. The battery needs to be unplugged to reset the electrical system. This happens daily.

NHTSA ID

11754464

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

2018 Honda Pilot Transmission Failed at Only 34,726 Miles I want to share my experience so other Honda owners are aware of a very premature transmission failure. I am the original owner of a 2018 Honda Pilot with only 34,726 miles. My family has trusted Honda for many years, and my wife also drives a Honda HR-V. We believed Honda vehicles were reliable. While driving, my Pilot suddenly showed a “Transmission System Problem” warning. The vehicle became very slow and later was unable to engage into gear. I had to tow it to Capital Honda in San Jose. Capital Honda diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring a full replacement. The repair cost was about $11,800. I appreciate that American Honda provided goodwill assistance and covered a large portion of the repair. With that assistance, my out-of-pocket cost was reduced to $3,500. However, I am frustrated and disappointed that a Honda transmission could fail completely at only 34,726 miles. This is unacceptable for such a low-mileage vehicle, especially from a company known for engineering quality and reliability. All maintenance was completed on time at Honda dealerships. About six months before the failure, the transmission fluid service was also performed at a Honda dealer. I did not neglect this vehicle. Because of the low mileage, I asked American Honda to review my case for additional goodwill assistance. Unfortunately, that request was declined. Again, I appreciate the assistance already provided, but as a loyal Honda customer, I am deeply disappointed that I still have to pay $3,500 for a major transmission failure that happened far too early. I am sharing this so other Honda Pilot owners can watch for warning signs such as warning messages, delayed engagement, slipping, jerking, or abnormal shifting. Please keep your service records and report serious issues if they occur. Honda built its reputation on reliability, but this experience has made me question that reputation.

NHTSA ID

11753017

Incident

Jul 5, 2026

2018 Honda Pilot – Engine Failed to Restart During Auto Idle Stop I own a 2018 Honda Pilot that has experienced an intermittent Auto Idle Stop restart failure. Approximately 18 months ago, my Honda dealer performed the Honda service bulletin repair related to the Auto Idle Stop restart issue, including replacement of the starter. More recently, I began experiencing intermittent hard starts after driving the vehicle and allowing it to sit for approximately 10–15 minutes. The battery is new and has tested good multiple times, and no diagnostic trouble codes or check engine light were present. Based on the starting symptoms, the EVAP purge solenoid was replaced. Immediately after that repair, the Auto Idle Stop system began functioning normally again. However, two days later, while stopped at a traffic light, the Auto Idle Stop system shut the engine off as designed. When the vehicle attempted to automatically restart, the engine failed to restart and the vehicle remained disabled in the traffic lane. I had to shift the vehicle into Park and manually restart the engine using the Start button. The engine then started immediately and operated normally. Since that event, the vehicle has continued to exhibit intermittent hot-start hesitation after short drives, although it runs normally once started. This is a significant safety concern because a failure of the Auto Idle Stop system to restart the engine can leave the vehicle disabled in an active traffic lane or intersection, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other crash. I am submitting this complaint because the vehicle experienced an Auto Idle Stop restart failure despite having previously received Honda’s repair for this issue, and I believe the condition warrants further investigation.

NHTSA ID

11752912

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

As I was driving I had a transmission system error come up. Took it to a mechanic and code P0741 came up related to the torque converter problem. A service bulletin for 17-18 Pilots is out but does not include mine. I feel like this should be covered as I had to fork out $3000 for a known issue.

NHTSA ID

11751350

Incident

Feb 17, 2026

Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the customer can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.

Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Performance or Stuck OFF.

Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Performance or Stuck OFF.

Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set the DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Performance or Stuck OFF.

Dealer Message - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the MIL not illuminating. “D” flashes and “Transmission Overheat” message appears setting DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF.

Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear differential pump motor connector area that corrodes the terminals.