2016 HONDA PILOT Engine Problems

I have 130k miles on my 2016 Honda Pilot and I recently noticed a knocking sound under the hood. I took it to a local mechanic who let me know it is likely a rod knock and that I will need a new engine replaced for an estimated $8k. I am concerned that if the connecting rod bearing seizes, the engine can be damaged and run improperly, stall, stop while driving and/or not start, increasing the risk of a fire, crash or injury. When I called Honda and had them run my VIN, they said my vehicle is not listed in the 2016, 2018 or 2019 vehicles that were included in the list of vehicles for the connecting rod recall. I am concerned for my safety and I am wondering why my 2016 is not included with other 2016s with the same issue. I am taking my vehicle to a...

Fuel pumps has gone bad twice, transmission slips gear makes clunking noise

My wife was driving down a busy two lane main road when the vehicle stopped with no prior warning symptoms or dash lights. The vehicle would not jump or go into any gear. It was towed to Honda East in Cincinnati. They said it was showing multiple misfire codes. After a complete engine teardown at a cost of almost $1K, it was determined that it had two bent valves in cylinder #2. The timing belt components were intact and the mechanic had no explanation as to why the valves were bent. I suggested it could be the rod bearing failure that others had experienced and of which a recall had already been issued for some VIN's of the same year. But the mechanic didn't seem to think so. They said it was unrepairable and their solution was to install a used donor engine. Because I was not ready to part...

Was driving car on 3/3/25 with 91,635 miles and lights started flashed saying "Emission System Problem" and "Transmission System Problem." Car slowed down and wouldn't shift gears putting me in danger of being stranded on the street. Screen showing drive mode went blank and wouldn't show if car was in drive or reverse. Luckily was able to get car back to home a few hundreds of feet away but car was very sluggish. Error message on car said engine system problem and not to drive the car and get it to dealer. Ran machine and found DTC code of P0717 Input/Turbine Speed Sensor A Circuit No Signal. On 3/4/25, car was towed to Right Honda dealer. Tow truck driver barely got car on bed since gears were not shifting. Dealer found at drop off that the car was smoking from exhaust. Tech at dealer diagnosed and found input shaft sensor...

The ATF Warmer failed. This allowed engine coolant and transmission fluid to mix. This caused the engine and transmission to overheat. No warning messages appeared up until the transmission overheated. A warning appeared about the transmission, but not about the engine. Honda says that they do not think my VIN was impacted by this known issue. And, yet, my car has a textbook defective ATF warmer with 100% overlap in symptoms with a known service bulletin issue (17-035 from April 7, 2018).

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact observed a loud banging sound coming from the same area and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the connecting rod had gone through the oil pan, and the engine was blown. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My 2016 Honda Pilot engine had a rod knock and eventually was replaced by Acura of LibertyVille. When I reported this problem to libertyville Honda (IL) they said vehicle not on any recall list, but now I'm hearing that 2016 and newer Pilots have same issues as my car, when I called customer relations at honda, they are still telling me there are no recalls for your VIN, even though my vehicle 2016 Pilot. I believe that somehow something is missing and more VINs were impacted, according to what I read online.

My Transmission went out on my 2016 Honda Pilot I bought it on 8/25/24 with 68,000 miles on it, six months later I have 81,000 miles on it and I’ve been quoted $9222 to install a rebuilt transmission at the dealership. 3 mechanics & transmission specialist do NOT even work or offer to replace transmissions on this model of honda pilot due to its known issues in the 6 cylinder V6 3.5 L. My car was in excellent condition, low miles, always well maintained. 2/21 It started rough/delayed shifting, during gear changes, hesitation when accelerating, unusual noise like quiet whining, on 2/22 the check engine & emissions & transmissions system lights came on I immediately took it to the Honda dealership/service on 2/22/25 I dropped it off and left it after hours (weekend Mon. 2/23 they diagnostic performed $200 transmission fluid flush and software update $500 it did not fix...

While driving my Pilots RPM suddenly dropped and started to go up and down. My car started to lose power and the car suddenly slowed down as if it wanted to turn off. I was stopped in the middle of the road and turned off the engine. Waited 2 minutes to turn on again and was able to get home. I checked for a code and it gave me P0369 a CAMSHAFT SENSOR problem. So I research the issue and it turns out Honda has known about this issue enough to make a bulletin for it to their techs. The remedy for this code? REPLACE THE CAMSHAFTS AND PLATE! If they have to put a bulletin out then it's happened often. Also why am I paying to put the same type of Camshaft back in with nothing to help that this won't happen again in "X" amount of miles.

The brakes have been repaired and replaced repeatedly. The vehicle locked down yesterday 2/25/25 when the driver was headed to school to pick up the children. The car came to a complete halt and was a danger to others with a "transmission engine" warning light on the dash. This vehicle has numerous repairs in addition to being too dangerous to drive down a two lane road due to the severity of the following issues: •Abrupt jerking or 'juddering' while accelerating, which can cause sudden unintended movement. •Noticeable hesitation when pressing the gas pedal, impacting the vehicle's response time. •Unusual clunking noises or hard downshifting, indicating potential internal damage.

Failure of the connecting rod bearing similar to the recall. Current recall does not apply to the vin.

While driving on the highway, I heard an unusual noise coming from the engine. Shortly after, the check engine light began blinking, and the vehicle’s performance worsened. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, who suggested that the issue might be related to the engine rod bearing. This issue posed a serious safety risk as the sudden performance deterioration on the highway could have led to an accident or left me stranded. The problem has been confirmed by an independent mechanic but has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or a dealership. Prior to the failure, there was a noticeable engine noise, and the check engine light began blinking while driving. After researching, I found that certain 2016 Honda Pilot vehicles were recalled for this same issue, but my vehicle was not included. Additionally, reports indicate that NHTSA is investigating similar problems in Honda vehicles. I am reporting...

I just got on the freeway and traveled about two miles into driving without any warning engine begin to lose power than stalled. I immediately pulled over checked out all fluid levels were good. There were no leakage present and no codes came up on instrumental panel,and still unable to start car.We had my pilot towed to a mechanic shop 20 miles from where incident happened. When mechanic looked over my engine he noticed a crack and mentioned that something was protruding out from the engine block he took a picture and than text it to me stating that the engine was damaged. We had another certified mechanic take a look at problem area that's when he also concluded that the motors extension rod broke thru causing engine failure admitting that engine is damaged and would need to be replaced. We thought this might be part of a recall we...

Subject: VIN [XXX] My Honda Pilot has been diagnosed with engine failure by Bobby Rahal Honda in Mechanicsburg, PA despite having been cared for quite well. This failure occurred well before reaching the expected life of the vehicle, yet outside the warranty window and having NO symptoms before the sudden failure. After doing some research on Pilot owner online forums, as well as, the NHTSA website, it seems similar complaints have been well reported and a recall has been issued for some vehicles in the same year and model under NHTSA campaign number 23V75100. This relates to Honda manufacturer recall XG1 and Honda recall GG0. The failures of my engine should be considered in the NHTSA Campaign number 23V751000. Honda recall number XG1, Honda recall GG0. In addition, my claim should be considered as part of NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013. This is a current investigation as to why the NHTSA...

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH from a complete stop, the vehicle stalled temporarily. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. A message advising that the vehicle needed oil was displayed. The contact started to pull over to the side of the road and the vehicle stalled. The contact's husband met the contact on the side of the road and added oil to the engine. The contact was able to drive to the destination; however, the contact stated that the failure recurred while driving from a complete stop. The message "Oil Empty" was displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where unknown engine parts were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related...

Connecting rod bearing issues

Connecting rod bearing failure. Took the car to an independent mechanic to investigate a knocking sound in the engine and mechanic pinpointed which cylinder contained the issue and advised that the car was not safe to drive. He also stated that he has seen this issue in other Hondas and that the estimated necessary repair would be $8000.

The engine shuts off while driving and attempting to accelerate, happens frequently.

the engine has Rod knocking sound engine failure can cause an accident Had dealership verify and recommended a new motor No warning lights or messages about anything wrong

The engine failed and has to be replaced. Mechanic said rod bearing caused engine failure. Daughter was stranded on side of the road due to sudden failure. There was no warning and the vehicle only has 120,000 miles on it with all oil changes done as required.

I took my car to my mechanic because I heard a noise in the engine area. My mechanic told me that it was the rear engine bearings. I maintain my car regularly with Firestone Auto Care Center and I only 102,000 on my 2016 Honda Pilot. I feel that a engine with regular maintenance should fail like this. I see there is a recall for 2016 Honda Pilot but my VIN is part of this recall. It seems to me that my engine has the same problem as this other recall and my VIN should be covered. Also I feel this is safety issue because the engine could fail and the driver could lose control of vehicle causing an accident.

Our 2016 Honda Pilot Elite sputtered as we tried to accelerate and then the engine died. It is available for inspection upon request. The engine stop unexpectedly while driving limiting control of the vehicle. The problem has been reproduced for an independent service center. The Honda service center, and two independent service centers are unable to determine the cause from the vehicle codes. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms prior to the engine dying.

Connecting rod to piston broken of damaged. Loud rattle on engine startup and acceleration. Not shifting well. Engine cutting off at stops and not restarting without shifting to park and restarting

To whom it may concern, My name is [XXX] . I hope this message finds you well. I am writing this message with a heavy heart, to advise of our story that is ending with a tragic experience. On [XXX] my wife, [XXX] , and I, walked in a Honda dealership. We drove away confident about our new vehicle, a 2016 Honda Pilot. It was highly recommended by the salesman. Since then, we have maintained the vehicles services. Sadly, on Saturday, [XXX], the vehicle malfunctioned and engine stalled on the highway. The steering wheel locked, the vehicle would not accelerate, and the brakes failed. I managed to pull over, but we were terrified and stranded for over forty minutes. The vehicle was towed home, and we contacted the dealership, who agreed to inspect it. It was taken to the service center in early December and has remained there since. The...

Engine knocking at 70,000 miles with loss of power. Knocking gets worst on attempted acceleration.

2016 Honda Pilot engine failed due to connector rod failure, consistent with limited VIN recall for same model and year. Vehicle was inspected by Capital Honda in Okemos, MI and engine failure diagnosis via connector rod failure Incident was sudden without prior indication of issue

We were just told that the engine rod bearing on our 2016 Honda Pilot is going out. I see that the 2018 and other years have had recalls on this issue. I have read on different forums that owners of the 2016 are also having this problem. Can the 2016 please be included in the recall? Thank you, [XXX] and [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

We have always taken great care of our Pilot, regular oil changes, tire rotations, checking the fluid levels. Just before we went on vacation, our Pilot's check engine light came on and started blinking under normal driving conditions. When we hooked up the code reader, it was for a misfire in the second cylinder. Having changed the spark plugs about 30-40k before this incident, we tested the plugs and assumed it was the coil. We changed the coil. After returning from vacation, we drove the car minimally yet after about 40-50 miles, the code returned with knocking sound. We had the car towed to our residence...to find the same code. We inspected the plug and coil, no issues were present and the code was cleared. The next day, the code came back on and the engine was knocking very loud and had definite performance issues. I checked the Honda recall...

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...

I was driving down the highway when I started to hear a knocking sound at certain RPM. No check engine light and I was unable to safely pull over. As I continued driving looking for a safe place to park the vehicle, within a few minutes the noise in the engine got worse and then suddenly the vehicle completely lost power and would only drive in limp mode. Luckily I was able to pull off to an offramp and get the vehicle into a gas station parking lot. I called for a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership. At the dealership they inspected the vehicle and found that it was damaged similar to the Safety recall related to NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 and advised me to have it towed Calgary Honda. I called the Honda Dealership and they informed me that it did not qualify...

We were driving south on [XXX] near Ashland, Oh. We heard a knocking that got very loud and bad quickly. There was a loud metal on metal BANG. The entire dash lit up for a few seconds, I braked quickly pulling off the interstate as safely as I could. Shut the car off and called for a tow. We had it towed to Mikes Auto in Barberton, Oh. Thats where still is. The mechanic diagnosed the issue as GRENADING. The lower end of the engine blew up. It EXPLODED!!! No warning lites whatsoever before the explosion. How does that happen? Do you realize how bad that could've been? $300 tow and a $6700 bill for a new engine. I will have put $15000.00 In this PC O [XXX] in less than one year. We have been Honda owners since 1992. Now I know how a F O R D owner...

Unknown, I was driving on the Highway when all of a sudden my car came to a stop with the engine smoking up. I had it tow to my house and had my brother in law who is a car mechanic come check and he states that it is the connecting rod bearing. We see recalls on it for other same car model and year, but not for my VIN.

Engine failure consistent with recall 23V-751, and would like this included in NHTSA investigation RQ24013. Lost acceleration and check engine light came on. Pulled off of Interstate, turned off vehicle and restarted. Check engine light was off and vehicle accelerated normally for about 5 minutes. Then problem repeated with increased engine noise. Was able to limp the vehicle at no faster than 40mph to Honda dealer in Napleton, IL. River Oaks Honda of Napleton is able to verify the problem. Safety of occupants was put at risk due to large volume of traffic on [XXX] during holiday season and inability of the vehicle to maintain required minimum speed. Symptoms of this problem did appear in May 2024 and was diagnosed as P0369. Front bank camshaft was replaced by Hendrick Honda of Sarasota. Symptoms appeared again in October 2024 and vehicle was brought to John Hinderer Honda of Newark, OH. They...

Crankshaft froze. Engine totaled.

Unknown, I was driving on the Highway when all of a sudden my car came to a stop with the engine smoking up. I had it tow to my house and had my brother in law who is a car mechanic come check and he states that it is the rod bearing. We see recalls on it for other same car model and year, but not for my VIN.

There is a current recall for the engine rods, my vin is not included in this recall but I have an engine that needs to be replaced due to this @126,000 miles

Sudden Engine Failure. Possibly connecting rod related

Honda service determined there is a failure of the number 5 cylinder connecting rod bearing. This could pose a safety issue if it had continued to be driven. We have also seen through news and online forums that this is a known, systemic issue.

Our 2016 Honda Pilot suddenly lost power on [XXX] and simultaneously developed a loud knocking sound coming from the engine on Monday ([XXX]) evening sometime between 7 and 8 PM. My son who was driving the vehicle was lucky to avoid an accident because it was difficult to pull to the right side of the road as there were fast-moving cars merging onto [XXX] from the westbound lanes of [XXX] . He pulled onto the right shoulder of [XXX] at just about [XXX], [XXX] . My other son and I drove to him. I was able to start the car but the knocking sound was still there and the engine struggled to stay on. I drove 0.5 miles safely and slowly (20-25 mph) to Midas at 1410 S. Nevada Ave. Midas diagnosed the vehicle with "a bad engine rod knock and main bearing squeak" that they could not fix. We...

the engine had a rod fail while driving and destroyed the engine with no warning. This happened November 2023, about 2 weeks after the recall from Honda for some 249,000 vehicles for this exact issue. they told me it was not included in the recall. My son was driving home from a school activity when this happened. It just stopped working and slowing down. It was a dangerous situation for him. My mechanic inspected it confirming the rod failed. There were no warnings lamps or messages that ever appeared before it happened. I ended up selling the vehicle for scraps but want to hold Honda accountable now that I have seen what happened. I want them to make me whole for the FMV of my vehicle which i lost when this happened. Please help!

We have had consistent, non-stop, unknown and unresolved engine issues from the day we purchased this vehicle. The dealership has not been able to identify or resolve these issues, which include the Rocker Arm, Cam Shaft and Cam Shaft sensors, numerous electrical, fuse and sensor failures and more. The symptoms appear to be the same as those cited with the connecting rod bearing issues but for some reason our vehicle has not fallen under the recalls.

No precursors and vehicle always followed recommended maintenance. Started vehicle and began making knocking and screeching sound which grew increasingly louder, followed by the engine light flashing. Immediately pulled over and had vehicle towed. Gunn Honda ran diagnostics and determined engine failure originating in the lower engine.

Engine failure only at 80k miles

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while test driving the vehicle after the repair, the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was then towed to a transmission specialist. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The component that failed was the connector rod bearing in cylinder 4. It is not available for inspection. Our safety was put at risk because the connector rod bearing failed while my family and I were driving at 80mph (legal freeway speed) on the freeway. We lost power and the engine shuddered and the car shook while we navigated to the shoulder. The vehicle was inspected by the independent service center. There were no symptoms that I noticed prior to the failure. It was sudden, and occurred on my Pilot on just 112,546 miles. The problem was confirmed by an independent service center.

Connecting rod failure, needs complete engine rebuild. 102,0000 miles. I was able to exit the highway and get to the dealership so there wasn’t a safety issue for me. I saw that this issue was a recall but my vehicle was not on the list so I thought I would submit. Dealership said I need a new engine. I bought it in 2020 at a dealership as a certified used Honda. I have service history with the dealership. No explanation was given as to what caused this. Check engine light started flashing and lost some power on the highway.

Driving at highway speeds when I notice a light rattling noise from front of car. Soon, light rattling turns to loud rattling and the check engine light comes on blinking. Slowed down and exited freeway as soon as possible and stopped at nearest gas station (right off freeway). Had vehicle towed to nearest Honda dealership for investigation of the problem. Upon investigation, service tech reported connecting rod damage to the crankshaft - recommend replacement engine.

Been having engine issues for a while. All the way back to around 32,000 miles. The display says something about rods locker arms or something like that. I've also had an issue with throttle position sensor which was repaired however technician didn't tighten up a boat and I lost the oil pressure. The car was repaired at the end of 2017 in the beginning of 2018 but I've had the issue ever since so I typically don't drive the car too far since that incident. Some of the repairs should be in the Carfax however issue shows up from time to time on my display. I've also had to have some steering control module replaced in 2021. And I just got a transmission service to have the torque converter flush and reprogrammed because of constant jerking when accelerating.

Connecting rod bearings failed in cylinders 1 and 4 with 133000 miles on the vehicle.

Had a knocking noise coming from the engine of our 2016 Honda Pilot. My fear of "rod knock" was a reality. Piazza Honda of Pottstown, PA confirmed that it was likely a failed rod bearing(s). Honda of America (corporate) is supposedly giving some good will money to help offset the cost. The dealership initially said that it would cost around $9000.00 to repair it (that's without "good will"). They have had our Pilot for over 2 weeks now and the new estimate today is $17,280.00. It's all over the internet that these Honda/Acura J-Series V6 engines are having premature rod bearing issues.