The 2019 Honda Pilot with the 3.5L V6 is caught in Honda's catastrophic engine failure epidemic—piston ring defects and oil consumption lead to spun bearings and grenaded motors, often before 100,000 miles. Otherwise a solid platform, but that engine issue is a ticking time bomb that overshadows everything else.
Catastrophic Engine Failure - Piston Ring / Oil Consumption
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (1+ quart every 1,000 miles), Blue smoke from exhaust on cold start or acceleration, Knocking/ticking noise from lower end (spun bearings), Check engine light with misfire codes, Complete engine seizure if oil starvation occurs
Fix: Honda issued recalls and extended warranty for some VINs, but many fall outside coverage. Requires complete engine rebuild or replacement—pistons, rings, bearings, sometimes full short block. 20-30 labor hours for rebuild, 15-20 for used engine swap.
Estimated cost: $6,000-12,000
9-Speed Automatic Transmission Shudder/Judder
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 30,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Vibration or shuddering during low-speed acceleration (15-35 mph), Harsh or delayed shifts between gears, Transmission feels like it's slipping momentarily, Worse when transmission is cold or in stop-and-go traffic
Fix: Honda's 9-speed has known torque converter clutch issues. TSB calls for fluid flush with Honda DW-1 fluid (3-4 times in some cases), torque converter replacement if that fails, or complete transmission overhaul in severe cases. Fluid service is 2 hours, torque converter 8-10 hours, full rebuild 12-16 hours.
Estimated cost: $400-5,500
Fuel Pump Failure
Occasional · high severity
Symptoms: Engine stalling while driving, especially after warm-up, Rough idle or hesitation under load, Difficulty starting or no-start condition, Check engine light with fuel system codes (P0087, P0230)
Fix: Affected by NHTSA recall for defective low-pressure fuel pump (impeller can swell). Even post-recall, some replacements fail. Pump is in-tank, requires dropping fuel tank. 3-4 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) Fouling
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Rough idle when engine drops to 3-cylinder mode, Excessive carbon buildup on intake valves, Loss of power or hesitation during acceleration, Check engine light with misfire codes on cylinders 1, 4, or 6
Fix: Honda's VCM system (cylinder deactivation) causes oil dilution and carbon buildup. VCM disable devices help prevent further damage. Cleaning intake valves requires walnut blasting (4-6 hours) or intake manifold removal and manual cleaning (6-8 hours). Some techs recommend VCM tuner to disable system entirely.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Rear Entertainment System Failure
Occasional · low severity
Symptoms: Screen goes black or displays 'no signal', HDMI input stops working, System reboots randomly, Audio cutting in and out
Fix: Software bugs and failing LCD panels plague the rear entertainment unit. Software updates help some, but screen replacement is common. Unit is integrated into headliner—2-3 labor hours for R&R.
Estimated cost: $800-1,800
Backup Camera Failure/Image Quality Issues
Occasional · low severity
Symptoms: Camera displays distorted, blurry, or pixelated image, Guidelines misaligned or disappearing, Intermittent black screen when shifting to reverse, Water intrusion causing foggy lens
Fix: Recalled for camera wiring harness issues, but cameras themselves fail from moisture intrusion and connector corrosion. Camera replacement is 1.5 hours (tailgate trim removal), but check connectors first—cleaning/dielectric grease sometimes fixes it for $0.
Estimated cost: $300-600
Owner tips
Check oil level EVERY fill-up—these engines can burn oil rapidly and destroy themselves without warning
Run full synthetic 0W-20 and change every 5,000 miles max to combat VCM-related oil dilution
Get pre-purchase inspection focusing on compression test and oil consumption history—ask for service records proving regular oil top-offs
Consider aftermarket VCM disabler (VCMuzzler, S-VCM) to prevent cylinder deactivation damage—$200 investment that may save the engine
If buying used, verify VIN is covered under Honda's powertrain warranty extension for engine issues (settlement case 3:20-cv-01041)
Avoid unless you can confirm the specific VIN had the engine replaced under warranty or has bulletproof oil consumption records—the engine failure risk makes this otherwise competent SUV a gamble I wouldn't take with my own money.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL · 23V751000
2023-11-13
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.
Consequence: 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.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION · 23V431000
2023-06-15
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EEL, ZEM, and SFC.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD · 21V932000
2021-11-29
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
Consequence: A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-314.
TIRES · 21V165000
2021-03-11
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Consequence: Overcured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation, which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tires and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2021. Owners may contact American Honda Motor Co. customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UA2.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · 20V439000
2020-07-28
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence: Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 20V440000
2020-07-28
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence: A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners that updated software is available. Owners have the option to either follow the mailed instructions to download and update the software for free, or visit a dealer to have the software update performed, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is Y7Y.
STRUCTURE:BODY · 19V784000
2019-10-31
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Pilot and 2019 Passport vehicles. The front frame left and right side upper members may not have been welded completely to the unibody. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 219, "Windshield Zone Intrusion."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, incomplete body welding may provide inadequate protection to occupants, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing welds, free of charge. If the vehicle is identified as missing welds, the dealer will offer to repurchase the vehicle or provide a similar replacement vehicle. Owner notification began November 6 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X6J.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS · 19V298000
2019-04-12
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.
Consequence: 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS · 18V848000
2018-11-28
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Ridgeline and Pilot vehicles. The mounting holes for the clip that secures the right center pillar trim panel may be larger than intended. In the event of a crash necessitating right side curtain air bag deployment, the clip may not hold the center pillar trim panel in position and it may potentially interfere with the curtain air bag deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection," and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the curtain air bag does not deploy as intended, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a bracket on the right center pillar that will securely hold the center pillar trim clip, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is D3D.
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