Honda Pilot Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 249 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Pilot across 19 model years. The 2016 model year has the most (45). The words owners use most often: “engine cooling included” (9% of reports).
- 249engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $890typical repair cost reported by owners
- 42%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.
- Engine cooling included: mentioned in 22 of 249 complaints (9%)
- Motor mounts: mentioned in 19 of 249 complaints (8%)
- Connecting rod: mentioned in 14 of 249 complaints (6%)
- Knocking sound: mentioned in 13 of 249 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Honda Pilot at $890, and half of them between $760 and $2,300.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2013), 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 and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 230 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 249 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 3 an injury.
Honda Pilot engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Pilot | 1 | 1% | 28,000 |
| 2021 Pilot | 5 | 1% | 86,000 |
| 2020 Pilot | 3 | 1% | 91,000 |
| 2019 Pilot | 10 | 1% | 73,000 |
| 2018 Pilot | 8 | 2% | 116,744 |
| 2017 Pilot | 13 | 1% | 99,000 |
| 2016 Pilot | 45 | 3% | 118,003 |
| 2015 Pilot | 2 | 2% | 84,000 |
| 2014 Pilot | 3 | 3% | 31,000 |
| 2013 Pilot | 5 | 2% | 34 |
| 2012 Pilot | 10 | 6% | 400 |
| 2011 Pilot | 5 | 2% | 9,800 |
| 2009 Pilot | 4 | 3% | 1,353 |
| 2008 Pilot | 7 | 5% | 45,000 |
| 2007 Pilot | 10 | 5% | 27,500 |
| 2006 Pilot | 10 | 4% | 43,843 |
| 2005 Pilot | 43 | 6% | 88,500 |
| 2004 Pilot | 28 | 5% | 85,000 |
| 2003 Pilot | 37 | 5% | 84,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2016, 2018, 2019
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
Model years: 2018, 2019
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.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2003
Problem: On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be damaged and fail.
Risk: If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the water pump and if it is one of the defective pumps, the water pump and timing belt will be replaced. Owner notification began august 30, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle experienced an intermittent catalytic converter warning light that turned on and off on the instrument panel. The contact referenced Technical Service Bulletin: 21-010; however, the vehicle was not included in…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under Technical Service Bulletin: 23-008 (Product Update: PGM-FI Idle Stop Software Update); however, the failure occurred after the product update. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to…
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted the vehicle as a temporary fix. The message "Emission System Failure" was displayed. An…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with fuel injector failure. The contact was informed that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The fuel injectors were replaced…
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the engine failed to restart with the Auto START/STOP feature engaged, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was manually restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Honda Pilots have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 249 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Honda Pilot. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Honda Pilot engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Pilot?
Owners report a typical cost of $890 (half paid between $760 and $2,300), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Honda Pilot?
The most frequent phrase is “engine cooling included”, in 22 of 249 complaints, followed by “motor mounts” (19).
Other Honda Pilot problems
- Engine problems (2,339)
- Electrical System problems (2,051)
- Power Train problems (1,327)
- Air Bags problems (733)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (630)
- Service Brakes problems (533)
- Forward Collision Avoidance problems (511)
- Structure problems (417)
See all Honda Pilot problems.