The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,118.
2003 Honda Pilot engine problems
62 complaints (9% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 100,000. 4 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 62
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical mileage
- 100,000
- crashes
- 4
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Engine7
- Engine: gasoline3
- Exhaust system: emission control: gas recirculation valve (EGR valve)2
- Engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys2
- Exhaust system: emission control: catalytic convertor1
- Cooling system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Honda Pilot engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Honda Pilot engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Check engine light 40Stalling 13Won't start 11Loss of power 9Engine failure 5
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 02V226000 · Recall details
What 2003 Honda Pilot owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owned a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated she was informed by her daughter that the inside passenger side of the vehicle was on fire. The contact extinguished the fire with water. The fire department arrived afterward and informed that the electronic software was the cause of the fire. The contact was unsure if a fire report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no injuries or medical treatments needed. The contact notified a local mechanic regarding the failure and was informed of the same information which the fire department provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the catalytic convertor was replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
I notice you guys had other 2003 Honda Pilot transmissions recalls. I checked mine with the vin # and my car happens to not be included on that recall. To be honest everything stated on that recall is what exactly is happening on my car Can you please help thanks my car would get high rpms or jerk while driving or just rev and not move it changes all the time seems that also the colder the car is or not ran till the next day seems to drive normal but after car worms up it’s starts to drive then rpm’s jump high I got to let go of the gas in order for it to get its 2 nd shift and randomly it’ll like hard jerk while driving like a hard stop then countinues at speed
Transmission slips engine light does not come on was told transmission is separate so itdoes not show up because the light does not come it does not show up on the computer does not happen all the time so it can and does when driving it goes into neutrol
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda pilot. Upon starting the vehicle and shifting into drive, it failed to move. In addition, while the vehicle was at a stop light or while making turns, the vehicle continued idling. The check engine indicator was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to jeff wyler honda of colerain (8950 colerain ave, cincinnati, oh 45251, 513‑741‑3700) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle misfired and the transmission and gasket needed to be cleaned and replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 284,469.
Vehicle will stall while driving and then fail to start unless left off from 15 to 30 minutes vehicle will periodically fail to start. This happened driving on the expressway and was able to drift over to shoulder while avoiding being run into. The last instance a police officer kindly helped push the vehicle off a busy city street as so I could wait for a tow to the dealership again. They continue to say they cannot replicate the problem and have replaced multiple and expensive parts but to no avail.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda pilot. While driving various speeds, the engine emitted a loud unidentifiable sound that startled the driver. The dealer (capitol honda, 745 capitol expressway auto mall, san jose, california 95136) was made aware of the failure and was provided with video/recordings of the failure, but could not determine the source of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000. *tt
The cars transmission is not working adequately the gears won't go while in 2nd and third or reverse
The truck hesitates in order to get it to move you have to take foot off the gas pedal.happens a lot when driving.sometimes it stalls....driver side rear body mount is rusted out
Questions about the 2003 Honda Pilot engine
Does the 2003 Honda Pilot have engine problems?
Owners have filed 62 complaints about the engine of the 2003 Honda Pilot, 9% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Pilot engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 100,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2003 Honda Pilot engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 02V226000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2003 Honda Pilot problems
Transmission 224Electrical 129Airbags 115Body 47Seats 40Lights 32Steering 32Suspension 32Brakes 25Acceleration 20Fuel system 16Visibility 15Tires 10Seat belts 9Locks 8Driver assistance 5Wheels 2
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2003 Honda Pilot?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history