NHTSA Complaint #11635481 — 2016 HONDA PILOT

Wife was driving kids to school on the highway when the vehicle bucked repeatedly and started making a loud ticking noise. When checked using a scan tool, it showed that a backfire had occurred on cylinder 5. Vehicle only has 120,850 miles on it and has always been serviced as required at a Honda dealership. There were no previous warnings or indicator lamps to foreshadow the engine problems with the vehicle. Vehicle was taken to the Honda dealership and they stated that it needed a new engine. When asked as to why, they stated they just knew it did. After researching the problem online, the connecting rod bearing recall for 2016 Honda Pilots was found. The symptoms were exactly the same as what others had when having that same failure. Vehicle taken to another repair shop who came to the same conclusion that the vehicle needed a new engine. Honda of America was contacted about the issue and they stated that the vehicle was not covered under the recall as it is outside the stated manufacturing window even though the engine is having exactly the same connecting rod failure as is stated in the recall. Honda refused to provide any assistance or help in resolving the problem. The dealership wants over $10,000 to install a USED replacement engine. Honda is obviously misrepresenting the problem to limit their liability even though they are fully aware there is a bigger problem with these engines. Quite a few other people online in groups/boards are stating they have the same engine failure and Honda is refusing to take accountability for it. Fortunately, it did not fully throw a rod at highway speeds with my wife and children in the vehicle as a much more life threatening situation may have occurred. We have little confidence if they replace the engine with a used, lower mileage engine that this situation that this issue will not reoccur.