2025 Honda Pilot: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Transmission · OK

When I am driving my Honda sometimes will change gears "hard" or sometimes when I press the gas pedal it will hesitate and not go when I am trying to go around another car. I have had my car for less than a year and it has happened through out my ownership.

Filed Mar 22, 2026 · Transmission · RI

I contacted Honda America regarding a concern with my 2025 Pilot, which has just over 5,000 miles. The service light for the rear differential came on at the 5,000‑mile mark (I don't drive off-road, and my driving is 50/50 city/highway), even though the dealership indicated this service is not typically required until 10,000–15,000 miles. My goal was simple: confirm that there is no premature wear issue with the rear differential, and request that Honda cover the service if it is occurring earlier than expected. Instead, the experience was extremely disappointing. The representative repeatedly stated that he could not provide any technical information because he is a customer service agent. That raises an obvious question: if Honda’s own customer service cannot address technical concerns about a Honda vehicle, who exactly should a customer contact? He then informed me that he reached out to the dealership I use and spoke with the service manager, who said that “this could happen.” I already knew that from the dealer. Repeating the same vague statement does not add value, nor does it require involvement from a service manager or a manufacturer representative. It certainly does not address my actual concern about potential premature wear, nor does it justify the back‑and‑forth emails when no meaningful assistance was provided. To be clear, I am fully aware that dealerships profit from performing services—whether the vehicle truly needs them or not. That is precisely why I reached out to Honda America for clarification and support. Instead, I received no answers, no guidance, and no resolution. If additional information is needed, do not hesitate to contact me.

Filed Mar 18, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · RI

On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Assistance would not arrive for an estimated 60-90 minutes. It was brought to the local dealership. After an hour from incident to inspection at the local Honda dealership, the vehicle powered on normally of which no codes showed and the vehicle started with no issues. The manufacturer and dealer state they cannot replicate the problem and found no historical or pending diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). Despite the lack of codes, these symptoms are a direct match for NHSTA Recall Campaign 25V‑031 (Honda Recall AL0) which was officially announced to address Torque Control Failures caused by the FI-ECU software. According to Honda’s safety report, improper programming in the fuel injection unit causes the engine to stall during "sudden changes in throttle opening"—which is exactly what I experienced. As of now, my VIN has not been identified on the current recall list. This loss of power during acceleration creates an immediate safety risk of rear-end collisions and leaves the driver stranded in active traffic.

Filed Dec 11, 2025 · Fuel system · NC

Vehicle: 2025 Honda Pilot VIN: 5FNYG1H44SB075283 Mileage: ~6,328 miles Summary of Safety Defect: Serious acceleration failure combined with existing safety recalls (brake pedal pivot pin defect and improperly routed third-row seat belt). Vehicle hesitates, fails to accelerate when needed, and creates dangerous crossing and merging conditions. Detailed Description: I own a 2025 Honda Pilot that is currently subject to multiple safety recalls, including the brake pedal pivot pin recall and the third-row seat belt routing defect. In addition to these known defects, the vehicle has a severe and unpredictable acceleration failure that creates a significant safety hazard. On December 10, 2025, I attempted to turn left onto a main road from a complete stop. When I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle failed to accelerate quickly enough to clear oncoming traffic. The throttle response was delayed, sluggish, and unresponsive for several seconds. An oncoming driver had to brake hard to avoid hitting my vehicle. This was a near-collision and placed me and others in immediate danger. This hesitation and lack of power has occurred multiple times when: Turning left across traffic Merging onto highways Changing lanes at speed Attempting to accelerate from a stop The vehicle does not respond appropriately or consistently when pressing the accelerator. This is especially dangerous in situations requiring timely throttle response to avoid collisions. Combined with the existing factory safety recalls, this creates a serious and ongoing safety risk. A new vehicle should not fail to accelerate when entering or crossing traffic. I have already notified Honda in writing. I am requesting the federal safety agency to investigate this issue, as I believe this is a defect affecting the safe operation of the vehicle, particularly in situations requiring quick acceleration. This defect is significant enough that I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle.

Filed Oct 27, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · 8,435 miles · ID

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH up a ramp with an incline in the rain and merging onto the freeway, the accelerator pedal was depressed down to the floorboard, but the vehicle hesitated while responding and slowly accelerated. It was unknown whether a warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that it felt like the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,435.

Filed Jul 16, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · 22,000 miles · HI

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 12 MPH, the vehicle shifted into park independently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while restarting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to restart for 90-seconds and then the vehicle operated as intended. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where was it diagnosed and determined that the front camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the failure was not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.

Filed Jun 27, 2025 · Transmission · NC

Purchased vehicle 06-25-2025 with 6 miles on the odometer. Now has 78 miles. Whenever applying slight throttle pressure the vehicle lurges back and forth. As you applying accelerator pedal pressure the vehicle hesitates and then lurges forward.