2016 HONDA PILOT Engine Problems

The connecting rod bearing seized up. Connecting rod broke and puncture through the engine housing. No recall notice was received from manufacturer about the issue. I was driving on the highway when my car made a sudden stop and smoke came from the hood along with a slight metal sound. There have been no professional inspector yet. My brother in law is a car mechanic and found the problem for us. When the car came to a stop there was no indicating of any signs. I did try to start the car again and that is when all the lights came one.

2016 Honda Pilot AWD EX-L Vin: [XXX] Mileage: 72,475 Connecting Rod Bearings failing on 3.5 liter, V-6 engines, leading to complete engine failure. Affected Model Years: 2016 through 2020 The engine in my vehicle is the Honda J35, V-6 which was the subject of a NHTSA mandated recall of approximately 250,000 Honda and Acura vehicles in 2023. I have observed a pronounced engine knock when the vehicle is at idle, that intensifies when the car is driven. I brought the car to a Honda dealership (DCH Honda of Nanuet) where it was confirmed that the connecting rod bearing problem was the cause. The dealership advised that a bearing replacement would not be feasible, and that an engine replacement would be necessary (see attached). I contacted American Honda and advised them of the same and a case was opened for me. (Case # [XXX]) But I was advised that there was...

In 2021, while driving on a highway all vehicle warning lights came on. Engine ran at high rpm and low speed. Honda said is was a software update. Charged for update. This seemed to resolve issues. Car is regularly maintained and transmission fluid changed 2/1/2024. In 2024, the vehicle warning lights (in multiple & varying groups) began coming on and off at various intervals. The car stalled while at a red light on at least two occasions. When I was not near home I would stop at AutoZone for computer readings; misfiring of cylinder 2, random multiple misfire detected, system too rich bank 2. Car was at Honda for 2nd software update and lights were off at pickup. Lights started again. The mechanic found the vehicle was sending upwards of 100 codes. Repairs were made (and paid for) at local shop 2 separate times. Car is now at Honda diagnosed...

This vehicle was recently recalled for the START / STOP in 2023 after complaining about it since 2017. The vehicle was repaired which resulted in starter and all related components associated with the recall. I questioned the repair as if you can't duplicate the failure (turn it on and turn it off) how do you know you have it fixed. They assured me they replaced all the associated components. Guess what the same problem is happening again. Start/Stop system is not working properly again post recall and software update. The US Government should go after Honda on this as it is truly a safety issue when your car dies at a stop and go light and then you have cares approaching you from behind at 55mph.

My Auntie was on her way to a sports game driving about 70 MPH when she heard a loud bang then sounded like metal in a blender and chirping. After that the engine had no power what so ever luckily she was going down hill carrying enough speed to safely move to the shoulder cause before hand she was going over an under pass and there’s nothing but the barrier so she couldn’t move over till the top of the hill. If that engine had locked up completely she could have been killed at worst. The thing is that we took the vehicle to Honda 2 weeks prior to see if the vehicle was affected by the bearing recall and they said no the best they could do is give me honda corporate phone number to make a complaint which we did. I’ve also read online about fellow honda owners...

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who detected an engine knocking sound and determined that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

the car had developed a light ticking sound intermittently for the last three that seemed to go away randomly then the engine stalled and won't start due to seized engine

While driving a 2016 Honda Pilot, the vehicle began to lurch, and engine failed by what appears to be rod(s) failing within the engine, penetrating the engine casing leaving a large hole in the casing. The RPMs went fully to the right before the engine seized. The hood smoked significantly, likely due to oil through the hole in engine. Luckily the driver was in the right lane of a 3-lane interstate, and was able to pull over to the shoulder and exited the vehicle on foot as the cabin began to fill with smoke. The Pilot was towed to a Honda dealership that night and repairs were assessed in the morning. The technician took photos and a video of his findings. He noticed oil leaking from the engine block and ran a scope up and he observed and documented a very large hole in the engine casing with metal appearing...

Was driving on the highway when I heard a loud, banging, crashing noise coming from the engine, followed by clunking repeating noise. I managed to safely pull off and get the car towed to the repair shop. The repair shop said that the engine was completely damaged and not repairable as per the invoice. There is already a recall for this issue for the same year make and model of the car but honda said it does not include my particular VIN number in the recall. The mechanic said that in their opinion, it is the same issue. I am kindly requesting that you review this and extend the recall to include other Vin numbers that are currently not included for this make model and year of car.

My Honda Pilot started having a jerky-hesitation-lack of power at certain RPMs and make a loud clicking noise during acceleration. I had my mechanic look at it when I took it in for inspection. He said that the rod bearings were causing the noise and that the engine needs to be replaced. He advised me to check for any Honda Pilot recalls that might apply because he said rod bearings should not be an issue. Although there is a recall from some 2016 Honda Pilots for rod bearings, but my VIN number is not within the recall numbers. I called Honda and they said that the recall only applied to cars on the assembly line at a certain time. They recommended getting a diagnoses from a certified Honda service center, and maybe I could get what they call a "good faith" repair. The Honda service center would only say they...

My vehicles engine will stop running sometimes while the car is at a complete stop and sometimes while it's in motion. Sometimes the vehicle restarts immediately and sometimes it struggles to restart. The problem happens sporadically sometimes going weeks between occurrences. This has caused me to be stalled in busy traffic and has also caused more dangerous situations where the vehicle loses power while in motion. I have taken the vehicle to a dealer and a local repair shop and neither were able to reproduce or confirm the problem. They each performed what they thought could be helpful maintenance procedures but these did not seem to work. Other than the local repair shop and the dealer nobody else has inspected the vehicle.

Around October 1, 2024 we were driving home and our entire dashboard lit up. The car still drove but lost all power. Concerned we would cause an accident as we were in a busy section of town, we immediately turned around and limped it to our independent mechanic. Upon inspection by the mechanic the following day, we were sent a list of codes. The mechanic also sent a video of the engine, explaining it sounded like a blown engine. He advised replacing the engine. The mechanic, who was previously a Honda technician, said he had rarely seen a Honda engine blow with so few miles. Given his experience and expertise, we moved forward with replacing the engine on October 9, 2024.

Car keeps hesitating to accelerate, stalled a few times & is burning through gas extremely quickly. Error code "engine emissions problem" came up, believe this is part of the recall

Engine started to make noise at around 130,000- difficult to get diagnosed- engine noise went away - engine started to run rough at around 147,000: changed plugs and coils along with air filter- engine power returned momentarily but then the engine started to get noisy - diagnosis was engine failure due to possible rod bearing letting go. Vehicle ran so rough- it was parked. 151,000 miles - regular maintenance and oil changes.

When I am at a complete stop all the sudden when I want to accelerate my engine shuts off and all the warnings come up, this is very dangerous as it has happened to me a few times when I have cars behind me and my cars slows down and does not accelerate. I have to turn off the car and restart like 2 or 3 times to go back to normal. Could be the auto restart, I have tried turning it off when I get in the car but since this can only be done once you turn it on not permanently if you forget then this could happen. Is unknown when it happens but definitely a safety issue.

Engine stall out while driving in highway was able to cruse to safety. Check engine light on and was unable to restart. Was told by local mechanic that the engine jump timing and damage the valves. Vehicle is not operational.No warning lights just happened. VIN was not in range with Hondas engine recall.

On Sept 29, my vehicle’s engine light came on while driving on a hwy. I have kept the vehicle serviced, and have all maintenance records. Due to minimal shoulder space, I continued to the nearest turnoff, and before approaching the turnoff the engine shut off entirely, creating a dangerous situation (no power, no power steering or power brakes), and I was forced to cross the highway by coasting. My vehicle was undriveable and towed to a Honda dealership, where I was told the engine was finished. I found a recall linked to engine failure, but Honda claims my VIN isn’t included, though it likely came off the assembly line during the affected period (May-June 2016) and the symptoms are indicative of the recall. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2024/INOA-RQ24013-27484.pdf

My engine failed at 133,000 miles and had to be replaced. I have owned Hondas for many years and found them to be very reliable vehicles. No accident was involved but I was very surprised that the engine failed so early with no apparent causes. I understand that there have been many issues with engines with 2016 Pilots so I wanted to report my problem in case there is a manufacturing issue that needs to be corrected for safety issues.

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that valve timing needed to be completed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the engine had since started making an abnormal knocking sound. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine connecting rod bearings were failing and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 (Engine). The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

My 2016 Honda Pilot started making a terrible clacking sound when I was driving it a few weeks ago. I brought it into my local auto mechanic and he told me the sound was coming from the engine and that it would probably have to be replaced but that he did not do that work. He told me it would be dangerous to drive, and that I should have it towed to another repair shop that does engine work to confirm his opinion. I did, and they did confirm that it would need a new engine. I then had it towed to a Honda dealership for a final opinion, in hopes that they could give me a break on putting in a new engine since my car was out of warranty but only had less than 75,000 miles on it, relatively low for engine problems. They did confirm that I...

While driving a knocking sound started progressively getting worse. I took it into the Honda dealership. They said I had the same engine rod problem as covered by the recall, but my VIN wasn't covered. I was told driving it was dangerous and it could lose power at anytime.

The vehicle was not functioning properly and was running badly on Friday 10/25/2024. The SUV was dropped off at Reeves Honda on 10/26/2024. Vehicle was picked up from the Honda dealership on 10/28/2024. The dealership service department reported a transmission code and the transmission and , torque converter would need to be replaced. Additionally, a failing AC compressor was noted and spark plugs needed to be changed at 100,000 miles. The vehicle currently has approximately 87,100 miles. On 11/3/2024 the spark plugs were replaced by myself. The car was test, drove and appeared to be running fine. However, the engine continues to have a mild knocking sound. They did not appear to be any issue with the Transmission/gear-shifting and appeared to be smooth. On 11/7/2024 while my son was driving to school suddenly stopped at the intersection of Davis and precinct line. A tow truck was required to tow the...

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. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the same diagnostic result was provided to the contact. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 78,500.

driving on highway engine made a large bang and lunged froward and started to rattle and driver panel lite up with codes and check engine lights . towed to repair shop .. quoted need a new engine . known failure rod issue .... had the vehicle towed to nearest dealership and was told the engine needed to be replaced and contacted Honda America for assistance and said since I did not do all of the repairs at a dealership my product loyalty was not good enough for repair .. this is my third honda . had the engine replaced at 175k total cost of repair was $6,200.00

I am writing to report a serious issue with my 2016 Honda Pilot. After taking it to 3 mechanics ,the vehicle has been diagnosed with premature rod bearing failure, which I believe could be a safety concern for other owners as well. Despite regular maintenance and care, the rod bearings failed unexpectedly, causing significant engine damage and posing a potential safety risk. I am concerned that this may be a widespread issue affecting other vehicles of the same make and model. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter to determine if there is a manufacturing defect that needs to be addressed. Ensuring the safety and reliability of vehicles on the road is crucial, and I believe this issue warrants attention. Thank you for your time and consideration.

While driving vehicle on freeway heard a loud knocking sound from engine, took vehicle to Honda dealership . Dealership said it was a rod bearing…

Engine suddenly seized. Had to spend $3800 to have another engine installed

On Jan. 11, 2022 my engine was replaced at Schlossmann's Honda due to connecting rod failure as stated in the dealer's service receipt. Yet my VIN is NOT included in the recall for this issue for reimbursement. How do I get Honda to reimburse me for this failure?

Driving our well-maintained 2016 Honda Pilot with 133K with cruise control set at 65 on [XXX] in Kingman, AZ in October 2024, when the "check engine" light came on. I pulled off as soon as I could on the exit ramp 1.5 miles later. By that time, the engine was ticking and clicking loudly and all of the various system errors were flashing on the dash. The engine then started vibrating and sounded like a box of marbles being shaken violently. At that point, the engine had 10% of less of the normal acceleration. The local shop in Kingman, that I managed to limp to, said the engine had blown. I had it towed to the Honda dealer in Kingman (Anderson Honda) and they confirmed that a new or rebuilt engine and quoted me approximately $19K or $13.5K, respectively. They made no mention of the existing recall for three weeks...

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle regained power, and the contact drove to the residence. The vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH while driving. The emission warning light was illuminated after the failure. The contact researched the failure and determined that it was related to NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

I have a 2016 Honda pilot it has about 104,000 miles And has had all its maintenance. One day, three weeks ago, the engine started making a banging sound, and the oil light turned on. We brought the car to a mechanics who diagnosed engine failure and said that there were tiny metal shards seen in the oil. I have been meticulous about oil changes throughout the life of the vehicle. I brought my car to the service center at the Honda dealership and was told that my car had the exact same problem with the engine that the 2016 engines were being recalled for, but that my VIN number was not included in the recall and that I would have to pay for a new engine. Personnel at the service center said that there were three other Honda Pilot vehicles of the same and similar year with similar mileages...

My friend drove my car and on the freeway the oil started leaking and the engine caught on fire and the car came to a complete halt. It has to be towed to the nearest Honda dealer and upon inspection found the following: DURING VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND HOLE ON THE BACK SIDE OF ENGINE BLOCK DUE TO CONNECTING ROD FAILURE CAN NOT DETERMINE CAUSE TILL FULL ENGINE TEAR DOWN UPON FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND COMPLETE INTERNAL DAMAGE AND METAL CIRCULATION OF OIL SYSTEM REC TO REPLACE COMPLETE LONG BLOCK ASSEMBLY Diamond Honda I looked online and saw the 2016 Honda Pilot had recalls on thai specific issue and called the headquarters. They said they don’t have any recalls test on this vehicle becuase not enough people reported a problem. It was very serious that the engine stopped in the middle of e freeway and caught on fire. I asked the rep...

The engine failed and was diagnosed to be connecting rod bearings on cylinder 6. Honda Care refused to cover the issue and I had to get a engine replacement. I filed a BBB complaint but Honda refused to respond: Ref#[XXX] My Contract Number for Honda Care is: [XXX] Following warning was diagnosed when the failure happened: P0306(00) Raw code: 030600 ECU: OBD-II Status: Pending OBDII: Cylinder 6 - misfire detected Honda: No. 6 Cylinder Misfire I have shared all my oil service history with Honda and oil change service has been performed on time. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I had to have the engine replaced on my 2016 Honda Pilot for the same problem covered by the 2023 connecting rod bearing recall. The Honda dealer said the engine was not covered under the bearing rod recall since it was out of the date range, but advised full engine replacement with only 99K miles on it. The diagnosis service was performed on about 12-12-23 for a clanking noise in the engine. The dealer called it a mechanical failure and described it as a "rod bearing knock" in the repair estimate. I filed a complaint with Honda Customer Service on 12-13-23 requesting reimbursement for a new engine, which received a case number but they rejected my complaint. Specifically on 12-12-2023 I sent an e-mail stating: "Attached repair estimate from [dealer]. 10K to replace engine for rod problem diagnosed as rod bearing knock and bearing failure. This Honda is only 7...

motor started knocking that sounded like spark knock. found out that the connecting rod was knocking had to replace the engine. still have old engine on a stand in my garage.

I own a 2016 Honda Pilot which had an unexpected and unexplainable engine failure related to an engine bearing in February of 2022 with only approximately 69,000 miles. Fox Honda, in Grand Rapids, MI could not identify the cause of my engine failure beyond a failed bearing, and I paid over $7,000 related to a replacement engine. I attempted calling Honda, and was told that my vehicle was not within the reported VIN’s. For the current recall. I find the sudden unexplainable failure of an engine bearing in my vehicle and the subsequent recall related to an engine bearing failure in vehicles of the same make, model and year to not be coincidence.

Purchased a used 2016 Honda Pilot Elite in "great condition" from the Honda dealership 2.12.24 @ 99,745 mi. Car performed awesome, minus the need for new battery and continued to perform well until recently 10.15.24. The car was a bit low on oil so I topped it off thinking that this new clicking sound from the central part of the engine would mellow. I gave the engine a day or two to allow the engine to hopefully settle. Still heard the clicking. Took it in to the shop 10.21.24, thinking that it may be the timing belt tensioner beginning to go, (I'm @ 107,000 now. I took it to the shop before 105,000 6.21.24) and my mechanic confirmed the belt is still good and has much life left) and was told my engine is on the verge of seizing up. The noise I'm hearing is related to the Cam Rod/connecting...

**2016 Honda Pilot with Rod Bearing wear** as acknowledged by Honda America and NHTSA. The problem was also diagnosed by a certified Honda technician (see attached) at the dealership. Honda needs to expand their recall because more and more people are experiencing this issue. My pilot was manufactured in June of 2016 and Honda says the "recall" only runs up onto June 3rd. Sounds to me like the Pilot is eligible for the recall. I have called Honda America multiple times and they consistently deny anything and wont help fix the car due to their manufacturing defect. on the crankshaft. NHTSA PLEASE HELP!!!!!

I recently had to have a short block engine replacement due to the known connecting rod bearing issue with 2016 and 2018-2019 Honda Pilots (service bulletin 24-001). I had to pay for the repairs in full since Honda Corporate said my vehicle is not yet part of the recall. I think it is obvious that my vehicle as well as numerous other vehicles [XXX] ) that experienced the exact same issue need to be included in this recall and reimbursed for our hefty expenses. Honda needs to be pushed to expand the VIN range that is included in this recall. It is no coincidence that we are all experiencing the same exact issue that is mentioned in the recall especially when Honda is known for manufacturing vehicles in a quality manner that usually do not exhibit this sort of major malfunction. Please have someone investigate this further as there are...

Rolled into a parking lot and the car suddenly stalled right before I could get into the spot - electriconics were still working and what not. Turned the car off and on and pulled in and then proceeded to charge my portable jumper just in case. Came back a few hours later and drove it home - all sorts of sensors were going off but the car was still fine. Once I got home, I swapped the battery with one that I was charging. At this point there was light flickering and more sensors failing. I went to replace with a new battery and it drove fine for a day or two. On the last day, my girlfriend said it started happening again, and she turned around and came back home where it stalled out again. We are terrified to drive this vehicle and purchased a different one out of...

The engine seized on my 2016 Honda pilot with only 106,000 miles on it. It got regular maintainence and had oil in it when it seized. There was a clicking sound the day before but no warning lights to indicate an oncoming failure. The car just shut down while driving on the highway.

While driving on the local highway enroute to the expressway, a blinking MIL came on. I noticed that there was ‘no acceleration’ when I stepped on the gas pedal when merging. For fear of stopping in the expressway, I drove for approximately 10 miles to my destination. I restarted the car & attempted to drive but I heard like a loud squeak & the car just died. I had it towed to an independent mechanic. The engine got locked & needed an engine replacement.

- The idle engine function does not work. I turn it off in general because if it is on, when I stop the car dies and the dashboard and electric functions, malfunction. They turn on and off and I cannot automatically start the car; it takes several times for the car to restart. - Today, I went to a pharmacy and when I tried to restart my car to leave, it would not begin. The dashboard went on and off and it took 1 minute for it to restart properly. - My teenage son is now a driver but I will not let him drive the car because it will stall. We drive to school everyday 45-60 minutes there and back; we are in the car a lot. - When I went to the dealer 1 year ago, they were going to charge me $200 for a diagnostic and then...

The vehicle will delay driving with auto turn off enabled almost causing collisions. Then vehicle delays switching gears. Not daily The vehicle smells like gasoline occasionally after a fill up. O2 censor replaced twice. Electrical system issue

Our 2016 Honda Pilot stopped working at a busy intersection stoplight due to engine failure. Thank God no one plowed into the vehicle. If it was on the highway it could have been catastrophic. We had it towed to our local Honda dealer. They told us it would be $1000k in a diagnostic fee to take apart the engine to determine what was wrong. It was a connecting Rod bearing failure. There is a recall dated March 8th, 2024 for our 2016 Honda Pilot except our VIN number isn't included in the recall. It states "may have engines containing internal damage at the connecting rod bearings, possibly leading to engine failure." Our Honda dealer confirmed that this is what happened to our engine. On the [XXX] " website I found many others have had the same problem. They paid $8000 or $9000 to replace the engine. There is talk of...

Rod bearing went bad and caused internal damage to the engine beyond repair. Engine failed on a major highway with other cars speeding past, swerving to miss me. Engine was smoking by the time I pulled to the side and could have potentially caught fire.

My 2016 Honda Pilot’s started vibrating and making erratic noises coming from the engine. the vehicle stopped responding on acceleration and had to be towed to a Honda dealership.It was determined that the problem was a spun rod bearing which was indicated from Honda recall [XXX] ). Honda refuse to accept/approve and work with me and the dealership to get my engine replaced since they claimed my vehicle’s VIN came from a different factory. However, symptoms and diagnosis from an certified Honda technician and Honda dealership indicated that it was related. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Rod knock caused by a messed up rod bearing in a 2016 ex-l honda pilot with 70k miles on it. Dealership stated I need to replace the engine due to the issue. Seizing rod bearing will cause engine problems resulting in an accident, fire, etc. It is not safe to drive. Other 2016 honda pilots have been recalled for the same known issue. My pilot unfortunately is not listed as part of the recall.

Car started displaying "Keyless start system problem". I changed both batteries in the key fobs, but it continued. After about 2 weeks of this, the car would not start. Just clicking and flickering of lights and gauges. Would not jump off or anything, so I had to tow it home. After researching it and checking the brake light switch to make sure it was still operational, and after purchasing and installing a new start/stop button, I decided to get a new battery. I took the old battery in and they said it was good, but I still got another one and installed it. The car started up and has been working for about 4 weeks, but now the same message is popping up again. I am worried that my wife will drive it somewhere and get stranded. I have seen that there are recalls on this on some of the...

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal sound was coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective rod bearing. The contact stated that as a result of the failure, the crankshaft failed to rotate correctly, and the engine failed. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-097 (2016–19 Multi-Model Connecting Rod Bearing Stop Sale); however, the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.