2015 Honda Pilot Engine Problems

Your 2015 Pilot has experienced complete engine failure after a period of oil burning and multiple spark plug replacements. You received misfire error codes (like P0304) before the failure occurred, and the engine died while you were driving without warning lights—you narrowly avoided a crash. The repair will likely require a full engine replacement or rebuild, and you may want to check if Honda's VCM Warranty Extension applies to your vehicle.

Your engine is making a loud ticking or knocking noise at startup that goes away once you reach about 2,500 RPM. Two independent mechanics found that the connecting rod bearings in cylinders 2 and 5 are failing, with metal shavings and a piece of rod found in the oil pan. Your engine will need to be rebuilt or replaced, as continuing to drive it risks the engine seizing up completely.

Your engine has sputtered and lost power multiple times while driving, with the check engine light flashing on the dashboard. This has happened three times since October 2023, and each time oil was found in the spark plug chamber — the first two times required spark plug and coil pack replacement, and the second occurrence also needed piston ring replacement and major engine work. Honda sent you a notice in July 2025 acknowledging this as a known defect and offering a repair under an extended 10-year/150,000-mile warranty, but your original 10-year warranty had already expired; the third failure occurred just 15 days after you requested inspection at your dealership, which refused service because no warning light was active at that moment. The repair will likely involve inspecting and replacing spark plugs, coil packs, piston rings, and gaskets to stop oil from entering the spark plug chambers.

Your check engine light came on while driving, with a message telling you to pull over immediately. The dealer diagnosed the problem as failed piston rings in cylinder #1, causing engine misfires. The piston rings will need to be replaced to fix the issue.

Your engine's valve cover gasket is leaking oil, which is dripping onto the alternator and causing it to fail. This is a known issue affecting 2009-2015 Pilots according to Honda's service bulletin 20-023. Honda has declined warranty coverage, citing your VIN and expired warranty status.

Your engine suddenly lost power while driving, limiting your speed to 35 mph, and the check engine light came on with no warning. Your spark plugs burned out much faster than normal, and a mechanic diagnosed problems in cylinder 2 that require valve repairs, gasket replacement, water pump, timing belt tensioner, power steering pump, bushings, and VTEC spool valve replacement. The repair will likely involve a major engine overhaul to address the failing cylinder and related components.

Your 2015 Pilot's rod bearing connector has failed, causing a serious engine problem. This is the same issue reported in later model years with the 3.5L V6 engine, and your vehicle has the same engine type despite being an older model year. Fixing this will likely require engine repair or replacement of the rod bearing connector.

After five years of ownership, your engine's cylinder head cracked and required a $6,000 repair at the dealership. Now you're experiencing a problem with the fuel injection control module, and you've found that there's a recall for this part — but your dealer says your vehicle's VIN isn't included in that recall. The fuel injection control module may need to be replaced or reprogrammed to restore proper fuel delivery.

See attached document for complaint.

DEAR SIR, I HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH ENGINE LIGHT COMING UP ALONG WITH SHAKING OF MY VEHICLE, THIS ALSO TURNS ON MY TRACTION LIGHT ON MY PANEL. THIS FIRST HAPPENED IN JUNE 2019 IN SAN ANTONIO. I HAD WARRANTY AT THE TIME. I TOOK MY CAR TO HILL COUNTRY HONDA FOR EVALUATION, THE TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A COIL AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT. THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAS HAPPENED AGAIN REPEATEDLY. IT HAPPENED AGAIN 6 MONTHS LATER AFTER I LEFT SAN ANTONIO, I NOW LIVE IN HOUSTON. I HAVE MET WITH MANY MECHANICS, ONE MASTER MECHANIC TOLD ME HE WAS SURE IT A WAS A DEFECTIVE PISTON RING . MOST MECHANICS HAVE JUST BEEN CHANGING THE COIL AND SPARK PLUGS. HE TOLD ME THIS WAS WASTE OF MY MONEY SINCE IT IS NOT THE REAL ISSUE. UP ON HIS RECOMMENDATION, I SOUGHT A SECOND OPINION AT AT HONDA DEALERSHIP SINCE I FELT IT WAS STRANGE FOR A PISTON RING NEEDING TO BE CHANGED. WITHOUT ME SAYING ANYTHING DESCRIPTIVE ABOUT VEHICLE, THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME, ITS THE PISTONS, WE CAN CHANGE THEM (6) FOR 4000. DID NOT TELL ME WHY OR WHAT CAUSED THIS UNUSUAL DEFECT. UPON RESEARCHING I FOUND HONDA PILOTS 2008-2013 MODELS HAVE SAME EXACT ISSUE AND WERE PART OF A RECALL TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. THE SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING TO ME. WHAT IS REALLY UNLAWFUL IS THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PISTONS IN HONDA PILOTS AND INSTEAD ISSUED A TEMPORARY FIX. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE. I DESPERATELY NEED HELP IN FIXING THIS DEFECT, I STILL OWE VEHICLE AND HAVE TAKE A GREAT FINANCIAL TOLL ON ME AND MY FAMILY. THANK YOU.

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT CYLINDER 2 WAS MISFIRING. MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS STYLE OF PILOT AND HE RECOMMENDED TAKING IT TO A HONDA DEALER. THERE WAS A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 2009-2013 PILOTS TO COVER THIS PROBLEM SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS EXTENSION WOULDN'T COVER 2015 PILOTS SINCE THEY ARE THE SAME GENERATION VEHICLE. I REACHED OUT VIA PHONE AND EMAIL TO AT LEAT 4 HONDA INDIVDUALS AND NEVER HEARD BACK. SOUNDS LIKE THEY DONT WANT TO CALL OR EMAIL BACK SINCE THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM. LOCAL HONDA REPRESENTATIVE SAID HONDA WOULD COVER 70% BUT THEY SHOULD REALLY COVER 100% SINCE ITS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THIS GENERATION OF VEHICLE.

VEHICLE SHUDDERS (SHAKES) AT SPEEDS OF 40-45 MPH. HAD CONVERSATION WITH HONDA ADVISOR (3/18) WHO SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. NOT SURE, BUT WANT TO REPORT IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BE NORMAL. I'M STILL NOTICING THIS (2/2019). HOPEFULLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC.

ALL THE SADEN NO METER READ ANY HIGH TEMPERATURE, WHEN I RETURN FROM AIRPORT TO MY HOUSE (NO MORE THAN 50 KM)>> I HEARED THE STRONG SOUND OF ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ,, I STOPED THE CAR, AND OPEN THE COVER OF THE ENGINE ,,TO FIND SOMETHING LIKE MILK SPETING IN A FORM OF BURKANING LAVA...I TOW THE CAR TO THE AGENTS ASK THE CO. TO CHECK ,,THEY OPEN THE ENGINE TO SMALL PARTS AND NEVER GAVE ME ANY REPORT TILL TODAY>> INSTEAD HE REFUSE TO APPLY THE WARRENTY ??!! AND SAID THE ENGINE MIX WATER AND OIL,, BECOUSE THE RADIATER DAMEGED.!!??. IN SPITE THERE IS< AS I SAID< NO TEMPERATURE RISE AT THE TIME IN THE CAR METER AT ALL !!>> I COMPLAIN TO OUR MINISTRY OF COMMERESE.. AGAIN THEY DID NOTYHING.??..I TOOK THE CAR OUT SIDE THE AGENCY AND BOUGHT NEW ENGINE ( COSTE ME ALOT) AM USING THE CAR AGAIN WITH THE SAME ORIGINAL RADIATOR <WHICH OUT SIDE THE AGENCY THEY ASURE ME, ITS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT>>??..NOW ALMOST 6 MONTHS, SINCE 18-4-2018>>> WHICH AM USING THE CAR WITH THE SAME RADIATOR >>> TAKE INTO COSIDERATIONS I DID IN THE AGENCY THE 52932 KM, FULL MAINTANANCE THE 50000 KM MAINTANANCE (WITH CHANE OIL AND FILTER) AND AT 58119KM AGAIN CHANGE OIL AND OIL FILTER WITH STANDARD CHEKINGS OTHERS LIKE WATER >>ETC >>>THE ENGIN GIVE UP(MIX WATER +OIL) WITHOUT TEMP. INCRESE???!! AT 59909 KM.. WHERE THE WARRENTY IS 3 YEARS OR 60000 KM..PLEASE CHECK THESE CARS FROM SUCH A DENGEROUS ACT... IF I DID NOT HEAR THE NOISE AND STOP THE ENGINE MIGHT BE ON FIRE>> HONDA AGENCY ABDULLAH HASHIM CO.LTD, RIYADH, KSA.....THANK YOU

I PURCHASED A NEW TOP OF THE LINE HONDA PILOT EX-L BACK IN 2005. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR NINE YEARS AND TOOK IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. I STARTED DRIVING IT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE LEASED A 2013 CR-V FOR HER. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS MAKING THE THREE MILE JOURNEY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WAS NO LONGER WORKING. AFTER WORK, THE CAR HAD SOME TRANSMISSION SLIP WHEN LEAVING THE PARKING LOT. I STOPPED HOME BRIEFLY TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER. WE ALWAYS HAD IT SERVICED THERE ( MOSTLY OIL CHANGES, A SET OF BRAKE PADS, ETC. AS IT ONLY HAD 84,000 MI. ON IT). ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS FIVE MILES AWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING MORE AND MORE. THEN, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MASSIVELY OVERHEAT. I'M GLAD I WAS NOT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LONG STORY SHORT, AFTER THE TECHNICIAN EVALUATED IT, I HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXING WITH THE ANTIFREEZE. I NEEDED A HEAD GASKET FOR THE MOTOR DUE TO THE HEAT, A NEW RADIATOR THAT HAD AN INTERNAL DESIGN FAILURE, AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. A VEHICLE DOES NOT REQUIRE A MIXTURE OF ANTIFREEZE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID ANYWHERE, NOR AT ANY TIME IN THE HISTORY OF AUTOMOBILES. THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE COST NEARLY WHAT THE VALUE OF THE CAR WAS. I CALLED HONDA MOTOR CORP. AND WAS OFFERED NO HELP. THE VALUE OF THE CAR WAS ROUGHLY 10,000.00. I CHOSE NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE REPAIR, AS I FELT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FOOLISH DECISION. AFTER MY FAMILY HAS OWNED A HALF-DOZEN HONDA VEHICLES, WE WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE. I FEEL THAT HONDA OWES ME THE VALUE OF THE CAR DUE TO THEIR OVERLY ENGINEERED RADIATOR. WE SUGGESTED THAT THEY PUT THE VALUE OF THE PILOT AGAINST THE LEASE BALANCE ON THE CRV, THEY DENIED THAT SUGGESTION. THE MOMENT THE HEAT WENT OUT, I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY CAR WAS ALREADY A TOTAL LOSS. CAN YOU SAY RECALL?????????? *TR