2017 Honda Pilot

Over the past couple of months the the vehicle has been "throwing" misfiring cylinder errors, particularly cylinder 4 (P0304) and every once in a while cylinder 1 (P0301), and a catalytic converter bank 2 error (P0430). Last week, I filled up with premium fuel and added a catalytic cleaner. This eliminated the P0430 error and reduced the frequency of the P0304 error. Yesterday ([XXX]) we were driving from Casper, WY to Gillette, WY for a volleyball tournament. About 35 miles into the trip, we were travelling at a speed of 72 mph when the tires squealed, accompanied by metal clanging and extreme vibration in the engine; the car nearly came to a complete stop. I was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pull off to the side of the road. I looked down at the console display and noticed that the check engine light was blinking. I connected an OBDII scanner and observed a P0304 error. I then tried to pull forward slowly and the car barely moved and the engine clanging and vibration persisted. At that point I turned off the engine and called a tow truck; I also called my son to pick up my daughter and take her to her volleyball tournament. While waiting for the two truck, I attempted to start the car so I could run the OBDII scanner again. The car would not start. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine failure at 77,000 miles. Regular oil changes and maintenance were performed on this vehicle. While driving driver started hearing a banging noise from engine and a subsequent stall while driving. Vehicle towed to local Honda dealer. Complete engine replacement required due to low oil (3.5 quarts) and metal shreddings in oil when emptied. Repair cost was quoted at over $14,000. Cost to have engine taken apart was quoted at $1000. Honda corporate was contacted and offered to cover some of the repair but did not admit any fault or that there was a prior recall on other 2017 Pilots. Owner could not afford repairs and had to finance a new Honda Passport. Person who sold the new vehicle approved financing for owner with no current employment and put $10,000 towards new purchase as a trade in. The 2017 Pilot was owned outright by driver. The cost of this engine failure was extremely detrimental to my financial situation. The new Passport was repossessed by Honda last November as I was unable to afford the $1100 a month finance charges and insurance premiums. I went from having no car payment and a $150 insurance premium to $1100 a month due to Honda’s negligence. My credit is destroyed. My financial situation is in shambles. I had no debt when my engine failed in December 2023. I’m now drowning in it.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 25 MPH unintendedly. While driving at a reduced speed, the vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the camshaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The camshaft, camshaft thrust cover, and camshaft sensor were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that VIN was not eligible for the extended warranty coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000.

The issue appears to involve the vehicle’s electrical control system responsible for power management and system activation while the vehicle is off, possibly including the Smart Power Control Module and related components. It may be arranged for the vehicle to be inspected. The vehicle behaved as though it had been remote started, initiating engine cranking without any user input while turned off. If this occurs while parked in a garage or enclosed space, it could lead to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup and pose a serious risk to occupants. Unintended engine activation also presents a risk to nearby people or property. The unintended engine cranking event occurred once and was directly witnessed while I was seated inside the vehicle observing other electrical oddities. The issue has not been reproducible on demand. However, related symptoms including the alarm activating on its own and unexplained electrical activity while the vehicle is off have occurred multiple times. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for this issue by a dealership, manufacturer, or third party. No police or insurance reports have been filed. I plan to take it to the dealership tomorrow (4/4/2026). There were no warning lights or messages before or during the event. Prior symptoms include intermittent alarm activation, display flashing, clicking fuses, and electrical activity while off, beginning before the engine cranking incident.

I was stopped at a traffic light, and my vehicle would not re-start when the traffic light turned green. It stalled because the Auto Idle Stop/Start (AIS) function did not work as intended. The dashboard cluster lights were all on (or many of them, at least). I had to collect myself, put the car in park, and wait a couple of minutes to try to restart the vehicle, all while I had a line of vehicles behind me honking. This isn't the first instance. It has happened several times before, and I am familiar with what the Honda service reps say when I have taken the vehicle in for repair, so I'll cut through the nonsense they have told me. I recently replaced my battery with a quality name brand battery, so it's not an issue with the battery. I have had the PGM-FI Idle Stop Software Update recall service performed twice, one in response to a March 2023 recall notice, and again from a May 2024 recall notice. There is something seriously and obviously wrong with this AIS feature. I have looked on many forums and this is a frequently recurring problem. This shouldn't happen simply because I (or my family member) forget to hit the AIS-disengage button. There should be a permanent fix for this feature if it frequently fails.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward with the check engine warning light illuminated, and the “Emission System” error message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with fuel pump failure. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000.

Engine lost power. I put the gas pedal to the floor and it would barely go. Finally, after barely moving out of the intersection, the car lurched forward and I managed to drive it home. I was stuck in a very busy intersection with a car that would not go. All I wanted to do was get out of the intersection because it is a very busy street and I was afraid I was going to get hit. I noticed that there was a knocking sound when the RPM got above about 2000-2500. I took it to the dealer and they said that I had a bad piston rod and that I needed a new engine. There was a check engine light that came on, but it later went away.

I am submitting additional documentation related to NHTSA complaint #11723932 for my 2017 Honda Pilot. I have obtained a transmission inspection report confirming that the failure was caused by a defective torque converter, resulting in internal transmission damage including the valve body and transmission oil pump. The report also indicates that the failure was not related to maintenance and represents a defect in the component. This required a full transmission overhaul at approximately 107,593 miles. I am providing this update to ensure the complaint accurately reflects the cause of the failure. I have contacted Honda several times and they are not willingvto look into my case. I had to get my fuel injector replaced at 87,000 miles when it was under warranty then the transmission goes 20k miles later.

Transmission issues began to occur shortly after purchase in 2017. The Honda dealership finally did a software update after several complaint. This temporarily fixed the issue. The car shifts low gears harshly and with hesitation. The transmission system failure/problem light came on and the car lost power. The car makes a squeaking noise between 23-30mph. Most recently we were traveling on an interstate at 75mph and had to slow down quickly (~55mph) once we began to accelerate the car went limp. This incident happened twice within a weeks time. This put the occupants in the car in danger because the car would not accelerate. It did finally begin to accelerate.

it is unfortunately the camshaft end play issue that we see with these engines from time to time. Honda identified that the surface roughness of the camshaft thrust cover on these engines was manufactured out of specification. This poor surface finish creates excessive friction and wear, allowing the camshaft to develop excess fore-and-aft movement (end play). As the camshaft shifts physically out of its correct alignment, it begins to scrape against the thrust cover or cause the reluctor wheel to physically strike and damage the Camshaft Position (CMP) sensor. So you have to replace the camshaft, the camshaft sensor, the thrust plate, and timing cover plate. In this picture you can see where the reluctor wheel has been scraping on the cam sensor. This was sent to me not only by one mechanic but multiple. Honda needs to replace this and a recall needs to be made!!!

While driving, the vehicle lost engine power on three separate occasions (3/6/26, 3/10/26, 3/20/26) and had to coast to a stop on the road. One of the codes that appeared was P0087; the Honda dealership replaced the fuel pump kit (part # 06161-RLV-305) due to the fuel rail pressure being too low, but the vehicle continued to stall upon replacement after being picked up from the dealership. When it was brought back to them, they could not find a problem or replicate the stalling. This is a safety risk because the car is stalling for an unknown reason and will not start back up for 10-15 minutes. This is a safety risk to the driver and others because stalling could cause an accident or fatalities if the driver is unable to safely pull over. Fuel pumps are a known problem in 2017 Pilots and this vehicle was not included in the recall (SB 24-010). I paid $1694 for the repair from the Honda dealership and the problem is still occurring. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. Honda should reimburse me for this cost, but they denied responsibility for the cost despite Service Bulletin 24-010. These vehicles are unsafe and should not be on the road at all.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to neutral(N) while the accelerator pedal was depressed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for a fuel injector replacement. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.