The manufacturer’s defective fuel delivery system (faulty fuel injectors covered under Honda TSB #19-056) causes severe engine cylinder misfires, dropping the vehicle into an immediate, unpredictable, and sluggish 'limp mode' while driving at highway speeds. This sudden loss of power and acceleration creates a severe traffic hazard, preventing the vehicle from keeping pace with traffic or safely merging. The primary fueling malfunction has also led to cascading damage, sequentially melting and destroying both catalytic converters and prematurely destroying brand-new spark plugs in under 5,300 miles due to raw fuel dumping into the exhaust stream.
Honda Pilot misfire problems
156 of the 9,458 owner complaints about the Honda Pilot describe misfire or rough idle, most of them for the 2016 model year.
- owner complaints
- 156
- worst model year
- 2016
- typical repair cost reported
- $3,500
- typical mileage
- 89,109
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 80Engine failure 26Knocking 23Stalling 22Loss of power 19Hesitation 10Oil consumption 9Jerking 7
Trouble codes mentioned
P0301 10P0304 9P219A 7P0303 7P0430 6P0302 5P219B 4P0306 4P0420 3P0305 3
What owners say
Connecting rod spun a bearing/ rod knock Verified le customer's concern regarding an abnormal engine knockır oise. Conducted a diagnostic inspection and confirmed pronounced metallic knocking noise originating from the ower engine assembly. Used a mechanic's stethoscope tr isolate the noise to the crankshaft/connecting rod area technician verified a catastrophic lower-end engine failure. Specifically, the diagnostic notes state: "Connecting rod spun a bearing / rod knock Verified" "Pronounced metallic knocking noise originating from the lower engine assembly" "Testing indicated that the knocking noise was most prominent at cylinder #2, consistent with excessive connecting rod bearing clearance and a spun connecting rod bearing." Furthermore, the computer scan sheet shows zero codes for low oil pressure, engine overheating, or vehicle neglect. The temporary misfire codes listed occurred solely because the technician intentionally disconnected individual ignition coils to isolate the mechanical knocking sound. This precise diagnosis—a spun connecting rod bearing at cylinder #2 due to improper clearance—is the textbook definition of the inherent manufacturing defect that triggered the major the federal safety agency Action regarding Honda 3.5L V6 engines. Because my vehicle was manufactured at the Lincoln, Alabama plant and has been maintained perfectly by Honda its entire life, this failure is undeniably due to a factory structural defect rather than normal wear and tear or owner oversight.
Took Pilot to Reilly's for FREE diagnostic reading. Showed misfires in cylinders 4 & 5 & random misfires. Then took to Son's Honda and PAID for the same diagnostic readings which were the same. The Pilot drives in a "limp mode" due to the issue. This issue is a known Honda issue for this year and make model. They have granted some Pilots an extended warranty to resolve the known issues. They say mine doesn't qualify even though it is the exact same issue. Defects with their fuel injector system. A secondary issue is the Transmission. We were traveling 2 hours away on the highway when we got a warning to pull over. Our Transmission fluid was too hot. This is another issue I have found to be a common problem with the 2019 Honda Pilot's and their redesign transmission system.
This is the description from my wife, who was driving the vehicle at the time. I was driving and the check engine light came on and the car started to violently shake. I lost the ability to accelerate. Fortunately, I was able to steer the car to safety and use the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. I called the nearest dealership and they told me to turn it off and if they engine warning light came back on, to contact honda to tow it. The light did not come back on so they suggested that I drive it to them, which was only 7 miles away. Within 1/5 of a mile, they same thing happened- check engine light came on, I lost the ability to accelerate and all warning lights came on including brake system failed. I was again able to pull over safely and stop the vehicle. Honda corp. had it towed to the dealership. It was there for 5 days. It was an engine problem. I have uploaded detailed reports for you. After honda shipped the car back to me, the gas pedal was acting strange. There was a grinding/vibrating sensation upon acceleration. Sometimes it does hesitate to accelerate. I brought it to the dealership closest to me. They kept it for 5 days. They told me that the engine misfired but that could be from anything. They were in contact with honda corp. No codes happened even when they drove it 115 miles. I was told to pick it up and return the rental they provided. My concern is for my safety. The cause of the engine issue initially has not been identified to me and I do not feel safe driving this car. Fortunately, both times I could not accelerate there were no other vehicles behind me and I was able to get to safety very quickly and stop the vehicle. However, this was engine failure and should not have happened on a brand new car. We do have a case # with honda corporation and have not heard back from them. They are only reimbursing us for car rental and hotel.
Driving home late Tuesday night October 13, 2026 the car made a severe noise, pulled to side of the road turned car off. The car would not start, the car was towed the next day to the Honda Dealership it was bought from. The car had just been in the Honda shop for routine maintenance. There was no warning lights. The safety concerns being on the side of a busy road. My wife and 2 children had to wake up and come and get me. This Pilot is our primary car the other one is not safe enough and is used for in town driving. According to the dealership it was towed to it was a P0304: cylinder 4 misfire misfire with a brand-new plug and a healthy timing belt, together with a loud engine noise, points to mechanical damage inside the engine. That fits a rod bearing failure.
The motor is misfiring on cylinder 5 due to faulty engine components. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. My safety and children’s are at risk as the cabin fills up with raw fuel fumes and makes you feel dizzy. It is also a huge safety risk that I have a failed motor and not one sensor or computer component came up to warn on the dashboard(aka engine light). The problem was brought to two different Honda dealers and the second one confirmed all this is true and faulty due to the manufacturers. No it hasn’t been inspected because we can’t get corporate to take us seriously or call us back in the right department. There were no warning lights on and it first appeared since the injectors were replaced.
Our pilot is experiencing similar issues found online with catastrophic engine failure due to a misfire caused by a knocking rod. Honda so far has not responded to our claim despite it being a known issue around the same time ours was manufactured.
A critical failure in the direct fuel injection system caused severe engine misfiring, sudden loss of drive power, and a cascade failure that disabled safety systems during vehicle operation. Diagnostic scan confirmed DTCs P0172 (fuel system rich) and P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire). In response to the misfire, the vehicle's computer automatically disabled the Electronic Power Steering (EPS), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), and SH-AWD systems (diagnostic codes U0401-68, U0416-68). This is a known manufacturing defect involving internal injector wear and high-pressure fuel pump debris (detailed in Honda TSB 20-100). The sudden loss of engine responsiveness paired with the simultaneous disengagement of traction and steering assists while driving creates an immediate crash hazard. Because Honda currently limits this repair to a 10-year warranty extension rather than a mandatory safety recall, vehicles with low mileage are experiencing sudden safety-assist shutdowns on the road without manufacturer remedy.
On Friday August 21,2026 at approximately 10:00am I departed my house. Approximately 4 minutes later while traveling the engine lost power and began misfiring. Steering and braking capabilities were both reduced. Numerous system failure lights were flashing. The vehicle is currently at the dealership awaiting Honda repair plan.
Was driving vehicle and all of a sudden engine light pops up with no driver codes and the left side of engine starts knocking. I pull into the closest shop. They test a vehicle misfire in cylinder 5 and propose vehicle gets towed to dealership to look at codes. I tow vehicle to dealership for them to tell me rod bearings, crankshaft are bad and need a new engine. Engine was 99k and well maintained with every service record included. I asked about Honda goodwill which they denied me due to vehicle not getting serviced at Honda for oil changes. The rod bearings were recalled on previous Honda models and there is currently an open investigation on 2021 models but no official recall.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- Risk
- A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Recall number 23V751000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
- Risk
- Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.
Recall number 19V298000 · Recall details
Engine
- What is wrong
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear.
- Risk
- A worn piston may suddenly fail, causing the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009. Honda's recall numbers are JB4 (Honda Odyssey) and JB5 (Honda Pilot).
Recall number 13V382000 · Recall details
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
Questions about the Honda Pilot misfire
Which Honda Pilot years have misfire or rough idle problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2016 (39 complaints), 2014 (17 complaints) and 2017 (15 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix misfire or rough idle on the Honda Pilot?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $3,500 (median of 23 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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