Problems · by component

2004 Honda Pilot power train problems

142 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Honda Pilot cite power train, 26% of all 544 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
142
26% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the transmission was shifted into drive(D) and the vehicle shuddered. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V176000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the transmission fluid was flushed 3 times; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle is shifted into drive(D) and D3. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2023Power trainODI 11511628
“I was approaching a stop sign and slowing down to < 10 miles and the engine continued to slow down and the car started to push forward while I was totally pressing on the brake - it did not want to stop and kept pushing forward. I wasn't sure what was happening and quickly put it in neutral. My daughter who drives the car to school was sitting in the passenger seat and was completely shocked. I have been driving for 30+ years and at that moment felt things were totally out of my control. Extremely off to see a car keep going when you are trying to stop. I could 100% have hit someone if there was a car in front of me as I went two car lengths before realizing what was happening. I turned the car off. Started again and it was fine. This happened on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. I have not taken the car to the dealer. There were no lights or anything indicating any warning.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2022Power trainODI 11458734
“Transmission locked up while driving and wont drive after I stored the vehicle Iam glad no one was behind me on the freeway there is a extremely huge problem with this transmissions the government needs to get this kind of vehicles checked out at Honda before someone loses his life”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2021Power trainODI 11431284
“WAS ON HIGHWAY AND STARTED JERKING REAL HARD WHERE I ALMOST HIT A CAR HEAD ON WAS GOING 55 FOR SURE SCARED ME TO DEAD AND PULLED OVER AND CALLED MY BOYFRIEND HE CAME TO ME AND GOT IN IT AND IT WOULDN'T GO FORWARDS BACKWARDS NOTHING SO HE WENT AND GOT TRAILER AND HAULED TO HIS HOUSE COULD OF BEEN MY LIFE ALONG WITH MY KIDS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 28, 2020Power trainODI 11385169
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING SOUND AND THE RPM'S FELL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION THE CONTACT HAD ASSOCIATED RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000(POWER TRAIN) WITH THE VEHICLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 203,300.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2020Power trainODI 11302352
“I WAS DRIVING WIT MY FAMILY IN THE CAR POOL LANE WHEN WITHOUT WARNING MY VEHICLE STARTED BRAKING HARD AND ACCELERATING, BACK AND FORTH, LUCKILY THERE WASN'T TOO MUCH TRAFFIC OR MOST LIKELY THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE CREATED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT . I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND NOTICE THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE STUCK IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. I DOUBT MY HONDA PILOT IS AN ANOMALY, SINCE THERE'RE LOT OF VIDEOS ONLINE ABOUT THIS VEHICLES TRANSMISSION ISSUES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2019Power trainODI 11229650

Showing 6 of 142 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

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.

Power trainReported Apr 15, 2004NHTSA 04V176000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.