2019 Honda Pilot Engine Problems
Owners have filed 235 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2019 Honda Pilot, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 44,298 miles. The words owners use most often: “start stop” (20% of reports).
- 235engine complaints
- 44,298median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $5,750typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Start stop: mentioned in 46 of 235 complaints (20%)
- Auto idle: mentioned in 21 of 235 complaints (9%)
- Off brake: mentioned in 15 of 235 complaints (6%)
- Stopped traffic: mentioned in 13 of 235 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2019 Honda Pilot at $5,750, and half of them between $1,700 and $9,250.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2023–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 235 complaints, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Honda Pilot engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pilot | 33 | 16% | 4,298 |
| 2024 Pilot | 11 | 9% | — |
| 2023 Pilot | 13 | 9% | 36,000 |
| 2022 Pilot | 34 | 21% | 71,551 |
| 2021 Pilot | 108 | 24% | 30,000 |
| 2020 Pilot | 101 | 21% | 11,650 |
| 2019 Pilot | 235 | 26% | 44,298 |
| 2018 Pilot | 157 | 36% | 80,873 |
| 2017 Pilot | 474 | 51% | 43,434 |
| 2016 Pilot | 771 | 45% | 61,700 |
| 2015 Pilot | 22 | 20% | 51,000 |
| 2014 Pilot | 31 | 27% | 27,000 |
| 2013 Pilot | 79 | 29% | 5,500 |
| 2012 Pilot | 35 | 20% | 22,650 |
| 2011 Pilot | 31 | 11% | 66,924 |
| 2010 Pilot | 28 | 25% | 87,500 |
| 2009 Pilot | 35 | 26% | 104,500 |
| 2008 Pilot | 10 | 8% | 99,889 |
| 2007 Pilot | 14 | 7% | 133,532 |
| 2006 Pilot | 22 | 8% | 112,000 |
| 2005 Pilot | 48 | 7% | 107,000 |
| 2004 Pilot | 22 | 4% | 106,650 |
| 2003 Pilot | 25 | 3% | 145,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The motor is misfiring on cylinder 5 due to faulty engine components. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. My safety and childrenâs are at risk as the cabin fills up with raw fuel fumes and makes you feel dizzy. It is also a huge safety risk that I have a failed motor and not one…
Nhtsa action # pe25008 2019 honda pilot awd experiencing loud ticking noises from egine bay 3,ooo mile oil changes at dealer since bought new ruling out neglegt valves recently adjustedand timing componentsreplaced at 60,ooo miles including leaking idler arm
The car stalled in an intersection. The auto idle function had engaged when the car came to a full stop, but when i took my foot off the break it did not restart. It took a couple of tries to get it to restart, leaving my car in the intersection. This problem has been happening on and off since I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2019 Honda Pilots have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 235 owner complaints about engine for the 2019 Honda Pilot (26% of the 912 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2019 Honda Pilot engine?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 44,298 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,750 (half paid between $1,700 and $9,250), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
The most frequent phrase is “start stop”, in 46 of 235 complaints, followed by “auto idle” (21).
Other 2019 Honda Pilot problems
See all 2019 Honda Pilot problems or engine problems across all Pilot years.