2018 Honda Pilot power train problems

“2018 Honda Pilot Transmission Failed at Only 34,726 Miles I want to share my experience so other Honda owners are aware of a very premature transmission failure. I am the original owner of a 2018 Honda Pilot with only 34,726 miles. My family has trusted Honda for many years, and my wife also drives a Honda HR-V. We believed Honda vehicles were reliable. While driving, my Pilot suddenly showed a “Transmission System Problem” warning. The vehicle became very slow and later was unable to engage into gear. I had to tow it to Capital Honda in San Jose. Capital Honda diagnosed a complete transmission failure requiring a full replacement. The repair cost was about $11,800. I appreciate that American Honda provided goodwill assistance and covered a large portion of the repair. With that assistance, my out-of-pocket cost was reduced to $3,500. However, I am frustrated and disappointed that a Honda transmission could fail completely at only 34,726 miles. This is unacceptable for such a low-mileage vehicle, especially from a company known for engineering quality and reliability. All maintenance was completed on time at Honda dealerships. About six months before the…”

“While operating my vehicle on a public roadway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of transmission hydraulic pressure and vehicle propulsion, accompanied by a dashboard warning light with a blinking "D". The vehicle completely stopped delivering power to the drive wheels while moving with traffic, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard for a rear-end collision on an active road. We pulled into the high school parking lot, stopped the car, then restarted it. It had the error on the dashboard, but we were able to get it safely home, where it was towed to the dealership later. ​The vehicle was towed to Dick Hannah Honda (the local authorized dealership). The service department scanned the onboard computer (from the parking lot, NO actual physical inspection done) and pulled internal transmission fault codes P0730 (Incorrect Gear Ratio) and P0746 (Pressure Control Solenoid "A" Performance/Stuck Off). Based solely on these electronic fault codes, the dealership stated that the internal mechanics of the ZF 9-speed transmission had completely failed. They stated the transmission is completely unrepairable and quoted a full replacement cost of…”

“HONDA PILOT 2018 87K MILES DIAGNOSED WITH DTC P0741 TORQUE CONVERTER Vehicle has experienced severe and recurring drivability issues on more than one occasion during normal driving conditions. While attempting to change lanes, the vehicle exhibited delayed acceleration and loss of power. When accelerating from a stop sign, the vehicle bucked and lagged, followed by sudden and unintended forward propulsion. These events occurred without any warning lights or alerts. The unpredictable behavior of the vehicle has resulted in near‑miss accidents and required sudden braking and evasive actions to avoid potential collisions. This erratic behavior occurred without warning, reduced my ability to safely control the vehicle, and created a dangerous situation for my family, surrounding traffic and me. I opened a case with American Honda Motors (#16231734)and they stated that NHTSA is responsible for identifying the VINs that need to be part of the recall and/or Service Bulletin 23-078. I called NHTSA and NHTSA denied such claims.”

“The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with torque converter failure. The contact was informed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact referenced a TSB; however, the VIN was not associated. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 87,443.”

“Engine failure due to connecting rod bearing manufacturing defect (NHTSA PE25008). Component: engine; available for inspection upon request (replaced; documentation available). WARNING SYMPTOMS: At 94,000 miles during routine maintenance while under warranty, I reported engine knocking to the dealer. The advisor dismissed it as "normal valve noise" and did not document the complaint. Knocking progressively worsened over thousands of miles. FAILURE: At 100,750 miles the engine required immediate replacement. Dealer diagnosed rod bearing failure; bearing was worn and failing. Engine was replaced before catastrophic seizure. I had just returned from a family trip — seizure at highway speed would have caused loss of power, power steering, and braking assistance, creating serious crash risk. CONFIRMED: Dealer diagnosed and performed engine replacement. Honda provided partial goodwill coverage but refused to disclose the percentage or provide written documentation. When I formally requested full coverage for this defect under federal investigation, Honda stated the case was closed and refused to put the decision in writing. Honda recall 23V-751 addresses this defect…”

“This 2018 Honda Pilot has been taken to mechanic after a number of check engine and other dash lights came on while trying to accelerate to merge with freeway traffic. Mechanic pulled a P0369 code and I paid for replacement of the cam shaft sensor. Problems continued shortly after work and mechanic conducted further inspections and determined the sensor had been worn by a walking camshaft. There are hundreds of these same complaints posted on the web by angry customers dating back over 5 years yet no recall. The car will unexpectedly lose power at any time and shudder and will not accelerate with difficulty steering when all the engine lights start flashing. With luck, you can pull over to side of road. Repair is over $3500 after spending a lot of money already replacing the camshaft sensor which didn't fix the problem.”