2025 Honda Pilot Fuel system Problems

Auto Idle Stop (AIS) system failed to restart engine after automatic shutdown at high elevation (~10,000 ft), following a long sustained incline. Vehicle had been driven through extreme heat (100°F+) in foothills prior to the climb, then ascended into cooler mountain air (~70°F). Coolant temperature gauge read normal (under half) at time of incident. At a stop, AIS shut off the engine as designed. Engine did not start when I released the brake pedal. I have tried to turn off the car completely and start it again. Engine would not restart via the ENGINE START/STOP button afterward. Cranking was strong and fast, but engine did not catch/start. Vehicle was inoperable for approximately 5 minutes, after which it started normally with no further intervention (no jump start, no mechanical repair). After restart, Auto Start/Stop was manually disabled for the remainder of the trip. Vehicle then completed a 1-hour drive home with no further starting or performance issues, suggesting the AIS restart logic, not an unrelated mechanical or electrical fault, was the cause.

NHTSA ID

11752932

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

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

NHTSA ID

11737321

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11725274

Incident

Mar 16, 2026

While driving multiple lights came on the dash board showing all driver assistance systems flashing. Vehicle unable to accelerate. Had to parking on the side of the highway turn off vehicle then turn back on to clear. Dealership unable to repeat, no issues found.

NHTSA ID

11724569

Incident

Mar 14, 2026

Vehicle: 2025 Honda Pilot VIN: 5FNYG1H44SB075283 Mileage: ~6,328 miles Summary of Safety Defect: Serious acceleration failure combined with existing safety recalls (brake pedal pivot pin defect and improperly routed third-row seat belt). Vehicle hesitates, fails to accelerate when needed, and creates dangerous crossing and merging conditions. Detailed Description: I own a 2025 Honda Pilot that is currently subject to multiple safety recalls, including the brake pedal pivot pin recall and the third-row seat belt routing defect. In addition to these known defects, the vehicle has a severe and unpredictable acceleration failure that creates a significant safety hazard. On December 10, 2025, I attempted to turn left onto a main road from a complete stop. When I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle failed to accelerate quickly enough to clear oncoming traffic. The throttle response was delayed, sluggish, and unresponsive for several seconds. An oncoming driver had to brake hard to avoid hitting my vehicle. This was a near-collision and placed me and others in immediate danger. This hesitation and lack of power has occurred multiple times when: Turning left across traffic Merging onto highways Changing lanes at speed Attempting to accelerate from a stop The vehicle does not respond appropriately or consistently when pressing the accelerator. This is especially dangerous in situations requiring timely throttle response to avoid collisions. Combined with the existing factory safety recalls, this creates a serious and ongoing safety risk. A new vehicle should not fail to accelerate when entering or crossing traffic. I have already notified Honda in writing. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate this issue, as I believe this is a defect affecting the safe operation of the vehicle, particularly in situations requiring quick acceleration. This defect is significant enough that I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11704530

Incident

Dec 10, 2025

The evap canister keeps tripping the engine light. I've had it repaired multiple times, but the code keeps triggering saying there's a leak in the EVAP canister. With the engine light triggering, it reduces power to the vehicle, and cause it to bog down slightly which is a big safety concern while traveling. I brought it to Ocean Honda of Brockton, MA multiple times and nothing has worked. The code/engine light continues to trigger. No other symptoms occurred prior to the issues. This has been ongoing for about 6 months.

NHTSA ID

11703186

Incident

Jul 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH up a ramp with an incline in the rain and merging onto the freeway, the accelerator pedal was depressed down to the floorboard, but the vehicle hesitated while responding and slowly accelerated. It was unknown whether a warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that it felt like the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,435.

NHTSA ID

11695867

Incident

Oct 25, 2025

Mileage

8,435 mi

The MPG is advertised at 19-26 and after 3,000 miles I am getting 15-19.

NHTSA ID

11692128

Incident

Oct 8, 2025

Multiply communication failures with the CAN Communication failures found across ECM/PCM/TCM and sensor issues with ADAS components. The vehicle had a surge acceleration after a stop sign and when the auto start stop engaged the vehicle surged forward and, in an effort, to control the vehicle side swiped another vehicle before crashing into a home. Engine was still surging after multiple efforts to stop the engine surge. The engine stopped the surge after hitting the park button multiple times. NO warning lights or sounds and no air bags deployed. The vehicle has been repaired by a body shop and inspected by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ID

11687659

Incident

Jul 11, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to detect the odor. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the Forward Collision Avoidance feature independently activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. During the failure, the message "Reduce Speed" was displayed, but no other vehicles or objects were nearby. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11663407

Incident

Mar 28, 2025

Mileage

18,000 mi

Random misfires in engine cylinders, excessive jerking

NHTSA ID

11662969

Incident

May 24, 2025

Every time I fill my car up with gas and I set the nozzle to shut off automatically when it is full of gas, gas spits out all over my car and on the pavement. I called the dealership and they said this is normal. I do not feel that it should be. Also, whenever I drive my car it acts as if it has no power and it almost feels like it’s missing or not getting enough gas or something.

NHTSA ID

11649245

Incident

Mar 17, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power in the middle of the road. The contact stated that after opening and closing the door, the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) required a software update. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V031000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Electrical System); the VIN was included, but the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,000.

NHTSA ID

11648965

Incident

Mar 18, 2025

Mileage

16,000 mi

- Had initially reported this problem to dealer at ~1590 miles on the vehicle. After ~2,200 miles gasoline smell is still there and severe. - The smell is obnoxious to driver if driving with Windows rolled up and is a safety concern. - Issue is more pronounced, severe when driving at the beginning of the day after overnight parking. - Took it to same dealer twice, they did diagnosis and informed it’s because of the plastic stuck to the exhaust which is the cause. They want to wait out till it’s fully burnt and the smell should go away. - Have raised a case with the manufacturer too and they’re looking.

NHTSA ID

11624927

Incident

Nov 11, 2024

- Extremely strong gasoline smell inside the vehicle while driving. Didn’t matter AC on or off, smell was terrible but more evident with AC/Fan on. Had to lower all the 4 windows to let out the air. - With a toddler in car it was terrifying with the nauseating smell and/or the risk of fire if at all. - Problem not reproduced by dealer and was mentioned it’s a sticky plastic in exhaust, will go away. - First appeared only on 23rd Oct 2024 with around 1,590 miles on it and not until then. No other related symptoms. - Fuel was almost 3/4th full and had been more than 8 days since last filled. Never filled to the brim ever or overflowed.

NHTSA ID

11621856

Incident

Oct 23, 2024