2018 Honda Pilot: sudden loss of power

Filed Aug 3, 2026 · Engine · OR

We were driving from [XXX], to [XXX], on XXX. That morning we'd taken the Honda Pilot in to Xpresso Lube and got an oil change and all fluids checked out. Eight hours into the drive we heard a little clanking and started to pull off the freeway. As we did so, a Low Oil Pressure light came on for a few seconds and then we heard a loud bang and then very loud, rhythmic, clanking noises in the engine as it was losing power. The first mechanic shop we had it towed to diagnosed engine failure, so we had it towed to a Honda Service shop 30 miles away. They said it was a rod bearing and the entire engine needed replacing. Our mileage at the time it entered the Honda shop was 72, 275K. We have done regular, consistent oil changes and maintenance on this car that we bought new in 2019 (a 2018 model). We at first wondered if the wrong oil was put in or if it was a faulty oil filter, but Honda said there was plenty of oil in the engine. We did get a sample of the oil that came out. The filter will be sent in to the manufacturer for quality assessment. Our safety was at risk to some degree, but we were able to pull off the road. The Honda dealership is holding the engine for me and could be inspected.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 4, 2026 · Fuel system · TX

While driving down a freeway, my car shuddered and my engine suddenly lost power and was put into limp mode. Mechanic determined it was the high pressure fuel pump that failed. This vehicle was part of the recall for the low pressure fuel pump that was completed. It also had to have fuel injectors replaced under Honda’s extended warranty over faulty injectors.

Filed Mar 24, 2026 · Transmission · NJ

HONDA PILOT 2018 87K MILES DIAGNOSED WITH DTC P0741 TORQUE CONVERTER Vehicle has experienced severe and recurring drivability issues on more than one occasion during normal driving conditions. While attempting to change lanes, the vehicle exhibited delayed acceleration and loss of power. When accelerating from a stop sign, the vehicle bucked and lagged, followed by sudden and unintended forward propulsion. These events occurred without any warning lights or alerts. The unpredictable behavior of the vehicle has resulted in near‑miss accidents and required sudden braking and evasive actions to avoid potential collisions. This erratic behavior occurred without warning, reduced my ability to safely control the vehicle, and created a dangerous situation for my family, surrounding traffic and me. I opened a case with American Honda Motors (#16231734)and they stated that the federal safety agency is responsible for identifying the VINs that need to be part of the recall and/or Service Bulletin 23-078. I called the federal safety agency and the federal safety agency denied such claims.

Filed Mar 16, 2026 · Fuel system · MA

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle’s high-pressure fuel pump failed approximately one year after the low-pressure fuel pump was replaced under a manufacturer recall. The low-pressure pump had been identified as defective and replaced accordingly. Because the low-pressure pump is responsible for supplying fuel to the high-pressure pump, it is reasonable to believe the defective component may have placed abnormal stress on the high-pressure fuel pump prior to its replacement, potentially leading to premature failure. The failed high-pressure fuel pump is still in the vehicle. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Failure of the high-pressure fuel pump can result in a sudden loss of fuel pressure to the engine, causing hesitation, loss of power, or engine stalling while the vehicle is in operation. This created a significant safety hazard, particularly as it occurred during highway driving, where sudden loss of propulsion occurred. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by a service center as a failed high-pressure fuel pump. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle was inspected by my personal mechanic who indicated fuel pump issues and noted recall then a Honda dealer during diagnosis but recall was for previously replaced low pressure pump and not the High pressure pump the issue has yet to be repaired. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Prior to the failure, the vehicle began experiencing noticeable fuel system performance issues, including reduced engine performance loss of MPG and drivability concerns. No lamps

Filed Mar 15, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · GA

Engine failure due to connecting rod bearing manufacturing defect (the federal safety agency PE25008). Component: engine; available for inspection upon request (replaced; documentation available). WARNING SYMPTOMS: At 94,000 miles during routine maintenance while under warranty, I reported engine knocking to the dealer. The advisor dismissed it as "normal valve noise" and did not document the complaint. Knocking progressively worsened over thousands of miles. FAILURE: At 100,750 miles the engine required immediate replacement. Dealer diagnosed rod bearing failure; bearing was worn and failing. Engine was replaced before catastrophic seizure. I had just returned from a family trip — seizure at highway speed would have caused loss of power, power steering, and braking assistance, creating serious crash risk. CONFIRMED: Dealer diagnosed and performed engine replacement. Honda provided partial goodwill coverage but refused to disclose the percentage or provide written documentation. When I formally requested full coverage for this defect under federal investigation, Honda stated the case was closed and refused to put the decision in writing. Honda recall 23V‑751 addresses this defect but excluded this vehicle despite identical failure. Vehicle was maintained per Honda Maintenance Minder at dealerships.

Filed Jan 17, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · CA

This 2018 Honda Pilot has been taken to mechanic after a number of check engine and other dash lights came on while trying to accelerate to merge with freeway traffic. Mechanic pulled a P0369 code and I paid for replacement of the cam shaft sensor. Problems continued shortly after work and mechanic conducted further inspections and determined the sensor had been worn by a walking camshaft. There are hundreds of these same complaints posted on the web by angry customers dating back over 5 years yet no recall. The car will unexpectedly lose power at any time and shudder and will not accelerate with difficulty steering when all the engine lights start flashing. With luck, you can pull over to side of road. Repair is over $3500 after spending a lot of money already replacing the camshaft sensor which didn't fix the problem.

Filed Oct 12, 2025 · Transmission · TX

While accelerating to merge onto the highway at 40-50 mph, the ~50K mile engine lost power and began to abruptly decelerate. All warning lights came on. The car was taken to the dealership where we were informed that the camshaft broke. Fortunately we were not struck or involved in an accident because of this but it was very dangerous and we were very lucky. There were not any warning indicators before this incident, but the car was taken to the dealership recently for a torque converter replacement per a recall. I am unsure if this repair contributed to excessive play that could have caused the camshaft failure.

Filed Sep 29, 2025 · Transmission · GA

I am filing this complaint because Honda has acknowledged a torque converter defect in Service Bulletin 23-078 (dated August 31, 2023), which applies to 2017–2019 Pilots and Ridgelines equipped with the 6-speed automatic transmission. The bulletin states that certain torque converters may have been manufactured outside proper specifications, causing cracks in the lock-up piston, pressure bleed-down, and eventual loss of clutch capacity. This failure is associated with diagnostic trouble code P0741 (“Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance / Stuck OFF”) and can result in shuddering, hesitation, loss of power during acceleration, or sudden and irregular transmission behavior — all of which create safety risks in traffic, merging, or highway conditions. My 2018 Honda Pilot meets all the published eligibility criteria: it is within 8 years of the original service date, has fewer than 150,000 miles, and has stored the DTC P0741. Despite this, both my dealership and Honda America have denied coverage, claiming my VIN “does not qualify.” While a goodwill request was filed on my behalf, I was informed that even if approved, I could still be expected to pay part of the repair. This denial is unacceptable given Honda’s recognition of the defect and effectively requires me to cover a repair of a faulty product that is necessary for safe operation of the vehicle. Because Honda has already issued a service bulletin acknowledging this defect and created a warranty extension for some vehicles, I urge the federal safety agency to investigate whether the defect is broader than Honda admits, and whether a recall or expanded coverage is warranted to ensure drivers like myself are not forced to operate unsafe vehicles due to VIN restrictions.

Filed Oct 30, 2024 · Fuel system · 92,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power. Additionally, on other occasions while stopped at stop signs and or red lights, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that either the fuel injector and or fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated because the independent mechanic had cleared the codes. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred several weeks later when the contact attempted to start the vehicle and the vehicle failed to start. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

Filed Aug 27, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · GA

Sitting stopped at a red light. These messages with the check engine light start scrolling on the dashboard: TSA, Emissions system problem, stability control, EPS, etc. it kept changing. When trying to go in drive to he engine had reduced power and I had to get out of the intersection quickly. The code to show up when scanned was P0369 camshaft sensor. Had the vehicle towed to Honda dealership to find out that other pilots in my same year model have this issue but my specific VIN was not included in the recall LVM or the service bulletin 19-045 even though the same year model is included.

Filed May 29, 2024 · Fuel system · MN

We continue to experience stalling while driving our Honda Pilot exactly as described in the Recall. We took our vehicle to Honda, but because they were unable to duplicate our problem and this problem does not generate an error code, they sent us home without any repair. Honda has said they have limited parts to make the replacement, so they are holding parts at their HQ and not allocating any to dealers. So, we, like most other Honda Pilot owners, continue to have to drive vehicles that may be unsafe. When driving in traffic, our vehicle has lost power for several seconds, which can be dangerous if we are in a passing mode or needing power to maneuver safely. We ask the Traffic Safety Administration to engage with Honda to accelerate their processes to effect required repairs before we or others are injured. Thank you.

Filed Mar 28, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · 115,000 miles · CO

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 40-45 MPH, the vehicle lost power and regained motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.