My car would rev without increasing speed and would jerk with braking and acceleration. The honda technician diagnosed a transmission problem called a slip flare and the transmission is being replaced under warranty at 28k miles. I do not believe this caused a safety issue because I caught it early but it took the dealership a couple days to reproduce the issue. There were no warning lights or error codes alerting an issue.
Honda Pilot slipping problems
103 of the 9,442 owner complaints about the Honda Pilot describe transmission slipping, most of them for the 2003 model year.
- owner complaints
- 103
- worst model year
- 2003
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,100
- typical mileage
- 114,546
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 18Jerking 15Check engine light 9Harsh shifting 7Stalling 4Hesitation 4Grinding brakes 4Won't shift 3
Trouble codes mentioned
P0730 2P0780 1P0471 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the transmission was slipping. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after the vehicle had been driven for two to three hours. In addition, the contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera screen flashed on and off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The transmission fluids were flushed. The contact stated that the transmission fluids had been flushed and refilled four times within the year. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair for the rear-view camera; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
2018 Honda Pilot Transmission Failed at Only 34,726 Miles I want to share my experience so other Honda owners are aware of a very premature transmission failure. I am the original owner of a 2018 Honda Pilot with only 34,726 miles. My family has trusted Honda for many years, and my wife also drives a Honda HR-V. We believed Honda vehicles were reliable. While driving, my Pilot suddenly showed a “Transmission System Problem” warning. The vehicle became very slow and later was unable to engage into gear. I had to tow it to Capital Honda in San Jose. Capital Honda diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring a full replacement. The repair cost was about $11,800. I appreciate that American Honda provided goodwill assistance and covered a large portion of the repair. With that assistance, my out-of-pocket cost was reduced to $3,500. However, I am frustrated and disappointed that a Honda transmission could fail completely at only 34,726 miles. This is unacceptable for such a low-mileage vehicle, especially from a company known for engineering quality and reliability. All maintenance was completed on time at Honda dealerships. About six months before the failure, the transmission fluid service was also performed at a Honda dealer. I did not neglect this vehicle. Because of the low mileage, I asked American Honda to review my case for additional goodwill assistance. Unfortunately, that request was declined. Again, I appreciate the assistance already provided, but as a loyal Honda customer, I am deeply disappointed that I still have to pay $3,500 for a major transmission failure that happened far too early. I am sharing this so other Honda Pilot owners can watch for warning signs such as warning messages, delayed engagement, slipping, jerking, or abnormal shifting. Please keep your service records and report serious issues if they occur. Honda built its reputation on reliability, but this experience has made me question that reputation.
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at slow and moderate speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle lurched and jerked. The failure was more evident while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the torque converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and exceeding 40 MPH, the hood was flapping. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V932000 (Structure, Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
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.
Transmission slipping and motor making a grind sound since like 120k and dash problems and paint chips every were paint is coming off on its own. I did not about that i can do a complete here.
transmission slipping
Transmission shift from 2nd to 3rd gear is extremely violent and inconsistent. This is not a normal "transmission slip" but rather a miscalculation of how much RPM to input post shift. This causes the car to "jump" or slow drastically while driving through city. Typically felt between 25 and 35 mph. When I took car in for diagnostic, the dealership said "oh, that's just how these cars a made. I hear about this many times with now problems." There are no engine lights on as a result of the shifting, but the reported concern has been present on car since first owner.
Transmission seems to be slipping the truck in getting louder when I switch gears it takes a min to take off
Fuel pumps has gone bad twice, transmission slips gear makes clunking noise
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
- Risk
- Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1‑800‑999‑1009 or acura at 1‑800‑382‑2238.
Recall number 04V176000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda Pilot slipping
Which Honda Pilot years have transmission slipping problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2003 (46 complaints), 2016 (13 complaints) and 2004 (12 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix transmission slipping on the Honda Pilot?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,100 (median of 17 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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