VEHICLE: 2019 Honda Pilot EX VIN: [XXX] CURRENT MILEAGE: 77,000 miles COMPLAINT DESCRIPTION: I am filing a critical safety complaint regarding a catastrophic transmission failure that actively disables my vehicle's advanced driver-assist and automated safety systems while driving, creating a severe crash hazard. At approximately 36,085 miles, the vehicle experienced a severe torque converter judder. The dealership performed an 11-quart transmission fluid service. Immediately following this service, the vehicle began suffering from unpredictable, cascading dashboard warning lights that completely disable the vehicle's automated safety braking, forward-facing camera suites, and vehicle stability systems. The dealership repeatedly misdiagnosed this powertrain fault as a camera/sensor issue, charging me out-of-pocket for a front multipurpose camera replacement that did not resolve the issue. At 77,000 miles, the transmission suffered a complete failure. A diagnostic tear-down confirmed a stuck solenoid valve and destructive metal shards circulating throughout the transmission and fluid lines. The primary safety hazard is that the mechanical failure of the powertrain and torque converter actively sends erratic data to the vehicle's central computer, instantly shutting down the automatic emergency braking system, lane-keep assist, and forward collision warnings while the vehicle is in motion on public roads. This forces the driver to operate without critical automated safety features unexpectedly. Honda has issued an extended warranty for transmission judder on certain 2019 Pilots ([XXX]), but claims my specific VIN is excluded despite experiencing the exact same catastrophic mechanical and electronic safety failure. I request an investigation into this safety-disabling defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2019 Honda Pilot: complete transmission failure
6 of the 929 complaints about the 2019 Honda Pilot describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
I own a 2019 Honda Pilot. The transmission failed and was replaced under warranty in October 2023. In March 2026, the same transmission problem occurred again and the vehicle is now not drivable. The dealership diagnosed the issue and estimated the repair cost to exceed $19,000. The manufacturer, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., opened and then closed my case (#16240409) without explanation and has not responded to repeated requests for assistance. The vehicle remains at the dealership awaiting authorization from American Honda Motor Co., Inc whether to repair the vehicle or not.
Needed a steering rack. Needed a new transmission due to a torque converter failure. Now AWD is intermittently faulty needing fuel injectors. All within 1 year
Transmission failure. Began with noticeable reduction in acceleration, then issues getting into reverse. Warning lights then went on - transmission system problem, blind spot info system problem, emission system problem. On 6/19/25 we had the fuel pump motor recall addressed. The transmission failure was on 7/18/25.
2019 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD; approximately 76k miles; all routine maintenance performed as scheduled Power Train (Jun-2023)-- had to replace both seals on on transmission / transfer case within the same month as case was leaking transmission fluid. Problem has been confirmed and repaired by two service centers (one seal each) with one at dealer and one at independent service center. No warning lights or indicators, just fluid leaking. Results could have been catastrophic transmission failure. Also replaced "burned" transmission fluid. Fuel / Propulsion System (Jun-2023) -- per service technician at dealer, loose / failing spring in high pressure fuel pump / fuel joint pipe. Per independent service center, if / when pump fails, fuel will spill into the engine. No warning lights or indicators, just noise when starting and accelerating. Trying to schedule service to address this but service centers and dealers are booked and part seems to be hard to come by taking 1-2 weeks to obtain. Neither of these issues should be happening at 75k miles and certainly not on a Honda.
My 2019 honda randomly brakes while I'm driving almost causing someone to rear end me, and other times almost causing me to be in accidents. In addition, at 19k miles my transmission went out (started catching, making a grinding noise) while I was driving on the interstate and caused the vehicle to decelerate. I pulled off the road turned the vehicle off, once restarted it decelerated and the transmission light, emissions light and blind spot light came on the dash board.
Service bulletins that may apply
- The vehicle's transmission temperature can become too hot due to automatic transmission fluid...
- The transmission has intermittent harsh or jerky upshifts with steady acceleration.
- The transmission has intermittent harsh or jerky upshifts with steady acceleration, or the MIL comes on...
- Tech line summary article
- The transmission end cover leaks on vehicles with a 9-speed A/T. During assembly, the transmission end...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2019 Honda Pilot transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
6 of 929 owner complaints about the 2019 Honda Pilot (1%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2003.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
There are 0 recalls and 6 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2019 Honda Pilot
Backup camera 103Stalling 96Start-stop 70Collision warning 66Fuel pump 61Adaptive cruise 59Lane assist 54Check engine light 53Won't start 49Screen failure 38Headlights 36Hesitation 32Knocking 30Engine failure 27Jerking 24Warning lights 21Loss of power 15Misfire 13Shudder 11Battery drain 10Won't shift 10Phantom braking 7Sudden acceleration 6Harsh shifting 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2019 Honda Pilot?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history