Our honda pilot shuts down while being operated, typically while attempting to resume driving after having been stopped at intersections, making turns, red lights, etc. All electrical components become unresponsive, including starter, shift controller, hazard lights, etc. Typically takes to 5 minutes to restart, leaving us stranded in traffic; an incredibly dangerous situation. This has occurred (5 times so far) with the "auto engine idle stop" engaged and is suspect. 1st attempt by dealer to diagnose & repair involved replacing the battery despite testing "good". Shutdowns continued; the last occurred in a 5-lane highway with my wife and 3-year old child on board. 2nd attempt to diagnose & repair, took 4 weeks and a suggested repair of replacing the battery (previous battery less than a year old) and a new starter @ $1,600; even though the technician stated both were "good". Conversations with the dealership/technicians acknowledge the suspected problem electrical/computer based but the on-board computer does not record these events. The dealership/technicians state they reported and researched this issue via their in-house tech site but we were told this issue is unknown and isolated to our car. Our solution being a mutually acknowledge, unnecessary repair. I debated their $1,600 "solution" and questioned warranty coverage and was informed if not done, would be recorded as "customer refuses repair". When I asked if the $1,600 would be refunded when the issue resumed (since well agreed the suggested repair was not the solution), I was informed "no". We have not done the repair. A simple internet search shows this is not an isolated problem as we were told and is even recorded here on the federal safety agency website numerous times, verbatim to our experience.
2016 Honda Pilot engine complaints
Page 27 of 29: complaints 761 to 790 of 828, newest first, as owners wrote them.
When driving in eco mode the car shuts partially down at red lights and other stops as is expected, but lights, radio, AC., etc still function. Every 5 or 6th time my car now shuts off completely and requires me to restart it.
Car turns off completely while driving, does not respond to attempts to restart right away
The honda pilot has a feature called auto engine idle stop. To meet emission standards, this feature puts the engine into a stop/off mode when you brake for more than 3 seconds. However, this feature sometimes causes the car battery to fail and the car to stall. This could happen when stopped at a traffic light or on a highway stopped in traffic. If the battery hasn't had enough time to recharge, the car might stall and need to be completely shutdown, wait a while and maybe will restart. We bought our car in late 2015. The issue presented itself by 2016/2017, mostly as brief blips and the car would restart. In summer 2018, after repeated visits to honda and numerous times of the car completely stalling at traffic lights, we chose to replace the battery. Our honda service centers kept telling us that the battery tests showed it was fine and that the feature isn't suppose to engage if the battery doesn't have "enough juice" to restart. But clearly, that doesn't work, because my car would indeed completely stall and need to try to restart. I once had to wait five minutes stuck at a light in the middle of a 3 lane road, and my car finally restarted. But once we paid to replace the battery (that supposedly was fine), the car didn't blip or stall. But one year later, it started happening again. Sometimes the car will just blip, where all the lights, radio and air conditioning will briefly cut out and then come back on as the feature re-engages the engine. But sometimes, it just won't restart. There is a button you can hit to disable the auto engine idle stop feature. But you must remember to hit every time you start the car. If you forget, all it takes is stopping at one traffic light and the car could stall. There are numerous online reports of similar issues with this feature.
Seeing an issue with fuel injectors associated with this and I think there should be a recall issued for it.
When engine auto idle is engaged, instead of re-engaging when foot removed from brake, the car stalls in one of three ways. Grade 1, the fan and radio shut off but the engine engages once gas is applied. Grade 2, the fan, radio and engine shut off but restart once gas is applied. Various warning lights then appear on the dash. Grade 3, everything shuts off and the car will not restart until you shift into park and press the start button several times. This is very dangerous as it happens at intersections when cars expect you to be moving and you're stalled out. I have video of these incidents and have provided them to the honda dealer.
Vehicle randomly does not automatically restart after auto idle stop engages when in stop-go traffic on freeway or when stopped at intersection, resulting in a stalled vehicle in the middle of freeway or intersection. Attempts to manually restart the vehicle generally successful after frantically (or slowly!) pushing the start-stop button several times. Video documenting issue available at https://1drv.ms/v/s!aqy6pdpsaknnnn5fxrz2ngstmnd0cg (additional videos available). Issue ongoing since ~ october 2018. Dealer has replaced battery & engine start-stop button to no avail.
I bought this vehicle as a "certified pre owned by honda" and four days after the purchase the car was parked in my driveway, in "park" when I hit the start/stop engine button and the vehicle didn't start. Alarms started to go off so I assumed it was the key was still inside the house. As I went inside to check, maybe a few seconds, when I went back outside the vehicle was gone. I found it in my front yard. It had rolled off while in park without engine on. After getting it towed to honda, days later I was informed that there was a problem with the start/stop engine system and that it also needed the entire A/C system replaced. Attached you will find the photo I took of the vehicle still in park when I found it in my front yard.
It engine is idle all the time when the AC is on
While stopped at a traffic light the car put itself into park without my (the driver) knowledge. When the light turned green I attempted to accelerate however the car was in park. I attempted to shift the car into drive and it would not do so. I had to turn the car off and then back on in order to place the car into drive and proceed through the intersection.
Car shuts down and stalls when idle stop engages very frequently over the past year in the middle of the intersection or highway. Have taken in to honda dealers multiple times but they cannot recreate the problem and say the battery tests ok yet recommend changing the battery?!
While idol at red light, the automatic idol kicked in for power save yet jerked and all red light indicators turned on, including parking breaks, and car seized up. No power, no ability put car in park or drive. On/off switch no reaction to turn car on or off. No brake function. I sat in an unresponsive vehicle at very busy intercetion. Luckily the vehicle behind me was stopped and only laid on their horn for 2 red light cycles rather than hitting me. I activated my emergency flashers yet other driver did not respond. I repetitively kept pushing power button in effort for car to respond and restart, eventually did and was able to drive off. Have appt with dealership in am.
Car won't start. Keyless start system problem
When my car stops while applying the break paddle completely, the car may start 'idle stop' which turns off the engine. The engine may restart either by releasing the break paddle or when AC or battery needs the engine to turn back on. We have had multiple occurrences where the car will completely reset the electrical system shutting down all the lights, displays, radio and engine, and it may or may not restart the engine. Sometimes, it requires multiple presses of the engine start button which may take multiple seconds at a stop. This creates a safety hazard where cars behind may rear end us while we try to restart. Today, it happened to my wife in motion after the engine restarted and she was in the middle of an intersection. I wonder if this could even happen on a railway... We reported it twice and tried fixing it at a honda shop (1st texas honda @ austin, tx), they made multiple claims including bad battery that required replacing it (issue still reoccurred), blaming it on a power cable that goes to an optional trailer hitch connection that is not in use, but have not tried tried replacing the faulty idle start/engine module. Searching thru the internet, there are multiple reports of the same issue. Https://www.carcomplaints.com/honda/pilot/2016/engine/auto_idle_stop_does_not_work.shtml there is no recall or a root cause analysis reported by honda trying to resolve the issue for the owners. Needless to say, trying to take a video/photo when it happens is not simple, largely, because we don't hold our phones while driving the car and secondly, it's random event when it happens... The issue repeats multiple times a week, but not on every stop. Worse at hot temperatures.
Several times while stopped in traffic or at a traffic light the engine stop feature has not worked properly. The engine turns off completely and does not automatically restart. The SUV has to be placed in park and restarted manually. I plan on bringing it in next week to have them look into it.
The engine idle stop feature not working properly. When the vehicle is at a stop the engine turns off like intended. Sometimes the radio turns off and restarts immediately. Randomly when you take you foot off the gas the entire vehicle and all functions turn off. In order to turn the vehicle you need to press the ignition button and set the vehicle in park. This is very dangerous in stop and go traffic. The most recent time it happened was on the freeway at a crest. Took it to dealer and they could not replicate.
This has happened several times and honda has been unable to replicate. It has happened on the freeway and on city streets. The car is in drive and my car has an engine idle so that when traffic comes to a halt the engine cuts out to conserve gas. On many a occasion it will not just automatically start but will instead kick the vehicle into park. It is extremely scary as it will then not start as if the battery is dead but the battery if fine and has been replaced as honda thought that would resolve it. They also replaced all the fuel injectors and this also has not stopped the problem. I feel I am going to be killed in this car. I have case # 08783155 with honda and after having just spoke to them they advised me to film problem!! Yes they expect me to get my phone out and film while my vehicle has come to a halt in moving traffic!
2016 honda pilot , 68441 miles on it. Emissions system problem displayed on dash. Service advises it needs a software update and that there will be a charge for it. Complaint filed with honda. Customer should not be charged for software updates that the manufacturer failed to get right. Imagine if you had to pay for every update that microsoft issues? Software update did not correct problem and will not be refunding money spent. If anything, it should be covered under warranty.
Car was engaged in "idle-stop" at a traffic light. Following driver's lifting of foot off of the brake pedal, car shut off completely. All dashboard lights lit up, and car was not able to be turned back on for 1-2 minutes. Car was in the middle of a busy street, and a large vehicle nearly rear-ended the dead car. Driver was thereafter able to follow on-screen instructions for restarting vehicle, but was unsuccessful in several initial attempts. (in other words, car was not starting despite driver's complying with instructions. Prior to this incident, car had in some instances very momentarily "cut out" following an "idle-start." driver noticed a "popping" at this time. But the problem, which the manufacturer and dealer claim to know nothing about and are "unable to replicate" during service, is clearly becoming worse and more dangerous over time. The best the honda dealership service department appears to be able to do in diagnosing the problem is to suggest battery recharge or replacement, which has not been an issue for our car and is apparently a common suggestion from dealerships. This is an apparently bigger issue than honda has been willing to admit.
Car will stall when stopped with the auto-engine idle engaged. First started with radio cutting out when engine was restarting. Progressed to stalling when engine idle is engaged and foot is taken off the brake - car will jolt and then stall. It switched to neutral and must be put back in park and the start button pressed multiple times to get it to restart - can take a few minutes. Very dangerous at busy intersections. Car was checked by dealer and found no problems. Next day the collision mitigation system problem light came on permanently and car stalled at lights twice more. Car is back at the dealer now but they still can't find anything wrong.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 honda pilot. While driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power when the brake pedal was depressed. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to drive home. The failure did not occur while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was taken to galpin honda (11151 laurel canyon blvd, san fernando, ca 91340) to be diagnosed, but no failure was found. The failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a case number. The manufacturer advised the contact to work with the dealer. The failure mileage was 27,817.
Auto idle stop doesn't restart. It stalls often depending on the length of the idle. It has been slowing progressing to unreliable. It stops entirely, often in traffic and then you have to put car in park, restart engine and then put in drive and go again. By this time traffic is already moving around you. Very dangerous and scary on freeway and at intersections. Had the battery checked at auto store, take in for regular maintenance - it tested strong but needed a "charge" should be recharging when running and on freeway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 honda pilot. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward and the contact smelled fumes. Also, the vehicle stalled while driving various speeds. The contact pulled over and it took numerous attempts to restart the vehicle. While driving various speeds, a piece of the fender on the front driver and passenger sides fractured and struck a person in the head. All the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired by multiple unknown dealers and independent mechanics and the catalytic converter was replaced four times and two injectors were installed; however, the failures continued. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 83,000. The VIN was invalid.
The engine fully stopped while driving on the hwy while driving almos got rear ended. I was moving tapped the break and the engine stopped ( like in idle) I quickly pushed on the gas and after seconds of no response it came back. On 9/2/2018 this happened when I was going tjru paying toll I touched the break trying to slow down it completly died, tried to push gas no response died and went in n. Had to turn it on amd drive again. At that time went to dealer amd they did not see an issue. It is happenening more now. It is frightening to be under the mercey of tje peraon behind u to slow down in time. This is horroble very scary and can kill a family!
I have a 2016 touring pilot with just over 38,000 miles. Since about 25,000 miles I have felt that there was an odd hesitation with the auto-off feature that I'd not noticed during the initial period of ownership. The issue escalated to the point which it would actually stall out at an intersection and the vehicle would not turn back on for a few minutes. The dealership replaced the battery and said that they could see the error and that there was an issue caused by the battery. A few months later the issue started to happen again and stalled for my wife again with our kids in the car at a busy intersection. The car went back into the dealership and they have now had it for close to 6 weeks with little to no update as to what is going on. This is a horribly unsafe issue and I know for a fact that many people are having the same issue as referenced in this blog: https://www.piloteers.org/forums/114-2016-third-generation-pilot/157005-elite-shuts-off-stop-light-5.html the fact that honda can not come up with a fix for the issue is a very scary thought. We as consumers need someone to help hold honda accountable to provide a safe driving experience for our families.
We have had multiple, ongoing problems with our 2016 honda pilot elite since early on in our ownership. When I try to go after coming to a stop, the car tries to stall and has stalled several times in the middle of the road. When it stalls, it has switched itself to neutral and for several minutes, it will not let me do anything to try to get the car going again such as change gears, start the car, etc. As I try to get it going, it will tell me that I need to start the engine to change the gear back to drive but will not do anything when I press the start button. Further, there are several issues with the infotainment system: the back up camera goes black, the entire system reboots while driving, the audio screen freezes and audio ceases while driving, the entire screen goes black except the time line on top while driving, and the navigation screen blacks out while driving. Despite providing video and photographic evidence of the issues, honda kept saying they couldn't replicate it and thus couldn't test it, but when I was able to bring it to them with the screen frozen, they said there were no tests they could run. They finally tried replacing the infotainment system, but the issues returned. These issues are on top of the fact that they replaced the dvd player because it was looping. We feel we have received a lemon and that these issues cause a hazard during what should be normal operation of our vehicle.
When trying to start vehicle you receive 'keyless start system problem'. Taken to the dealer twice and not able to diagnose the issue. Vehicle has 49000 miles today and have had this intermittent issue since 42000 miles. Fob batteries have both been replaced and supposedly reprogrammed. Still unable to resolve. Let me know if and how you were able to resolve the issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 honda pilot. While operating the vehicle and while at a stop light, the auto idle stop feature activated normally, but the vehicle would not immediately restart when the driver released the brake pedal and depressed the accelerator pedal. The failure occurred on several occasions. During the failure, several instructional prompts appeared, explaining how to restart the vehicle. On one occasion, the vehicle could not be restarted and was towed to sterling mccall honda (22575 hwy 59 north, kingwood, tx 77339). While at the dealer, the vehicle operated normally and the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
There is a gasoline smell inside the car and outside I dont see any leaking but the smell is making me worry
My vehicle has multiple system error messages that have come on and off when turning on the car and some have became much more frequent and remain on while driving. 1. Keyless starting system error- happens frequently when vehicle is turned on and remains on while driving. 2. Antilock brake system error- when vehicle is powered on and remains on for about 20 mins after driving vehicle and returns when car is powered on. 3. Charging system error- was coming on occasionally and as of today has came on every time the vehicle is powered on and remains on while driving. 4. Brake system problem- occasionally comes on when car is powered on and comes off after driving vehicle. Also, the most recent issues I've had was the driver seat does not warm up when seat warmer is turned on and while driving the vehicle at approximately 30mph vehicle begins to jerk as if it is struggling to drive. These problems have become much more frequent and have become a safety concern for me and my children.
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