2017 Honda Pilot — Known Issues & Recalls

Your engine suddenly lost power while driving through a busy intersection — even with the gas pedal fully pressed, the car barely moved until it suddenly lurched forward. You noticed a knocking sound coming from the engine when RPM exceeded 2000-2500, and a check engine light appeared (though it later turned off). Your dealer diagnosed a bad piston rod, which typically requires a complete engine replacement or rebuild.

Your engine suddenly died while driving on the highway with no warning signs—no check engine light or unusual noises. Your mechanic believes the crankshaft rod bearings failed, causing the engine to seize even though there was adequate oil in the car. The engine shutdown created a dangerous situation requiring emergency services to stop traffic, and the car couldn't be shifted into neutral, making towing difficult and risky. The issue may involve internal engine bearing failure that requires engine replacement or complete overhaul.

Your oil warning light came on and your engine shut off while driving on a busy 3-lane road, creating a dangerous situation. The owner notes the vehicle had 167,000 miles, a full oil level, and no visible leaks, yet suspects rod bearing failure—something they say shouldn't happen at this mileage with proper maintenance. This appears to be a potential engine defect affecting multiple Honda models that use the same J32 engine, though Honda has only recalled certain years.

While driving on the highway, your engine lost power and multiple warning lights came on (check engine, emissions, power steering, hill start assist, and traction control). Your engine struggled to stay running and made a loud knocking sound that got worse when you pressed the gas pedal, forcing you to pull over and have the vehicle towed. This knocking typically indicates internal engine damage that requires professional diagnosis and likely engine repair or replacement.

Your engine is making a knocking sound that may indicate internal engine damage, specifically a problem with the connecting rods. This is a known issue affecting 2016-2022 Honda Pilots, and Honda is currently diagnosing your vehicle. This type of problem typically requires engine repair or replacement.

knocking noise from engine, oil light, blinking CEL, no acceleration, vehicle stalled. Brought to mechanic, from noise he said it sounds like a rod knocking and advised to contact Honda because on known issues.

Your 2017 Pilot lost engine power and stalled three times while driving, forcing you to coast to a stop. The dealership replaced the fuel pump after diagnosing low fuel rail pressure, but the stalling continued even after the $1,694 repair and the dealer couldn't reproduce the problem. Your car won't restart for 10-15 minutes after each stall, which creates a serious safety hazard if you can't safely pull over. This issue may require further fuel system diagnostics or component replacement to identify the root cause of the repeated stalling.

While driving at highway speeds (70 mph), your engine suddenly cuts out and loses all power, with RPMs dropping to zero and no acceleration possible until the engine restarts after you pull over. No warning lights appear before this happens, and it has occurred multiple times. This creates a serious safety hazard for you, your passengers, and other drivers. The issue likely involves your fuel system or engine control components and will require diagnostic testing to identify the root cause.

At 134,000 miles, your engine suddenly made a knocking sound followed by a loud boom—the engine had thrown a rod and damaged the engine block, causing smoke to pour from the engine. Honda had issued a safety recall for rod issues on some Pilot models, but your front-wheel-drive model wasn't included even though it experienced the same failure. Additionally, you received transmission system warnings that the dealer was unable to resolve beyond resetting the error code. Engine repair or replacement will likely be necessary, along with investigation into the transmission warning issue.

Your engine has experienced major internal damage to the rod bearings at 140,000 miles, primarily highway driving. The Honda dealer estimates you'll need a complete short block replacement along with new camshafts and cylinder heads, with repair costs between $11,000–$15,000. This repair will involve a complete engine rebuild or replacement to restore proper engine function.

Your car loses acceleration when you press the gas pedal at highway speeds (65+ mph), forcing you to coast across multiple lanes to pull over safely. The engine also dies at traffic lights if you don't hold the accelerator down while starting. While the issue sometimes resolves on its own after 20-30 seconds, the unpredictable power loss creates a serious safety risk during highway driving. Diagnosis will likely involve checking the fuel system, ignition system, and engine computer for sensor or fuel delivery problems.

Your camshaft may have excessive front-to-back movement due to a manufacturing defect in the thrust cover's surface finish. This can cause the camshaft to shift out of alignment, potentially damaging the camshaft position sensor. The repair involves replacing the camshaft, camshaft position sensor, thrust plate, and timing cover plate.

Your transmission has been shifting harshly and hesitating since you bought the car, and a dealership software update only temporarily helped. You're experiencing a squeaking noise between 23-30 mph, and your transmission warning light has come on multiple times. Most concerning, your car has twice lost power during acceleration on the highway, forcing you to slow down unexpectedly—a serious safety issue. The transmission may need a complete diagnostic check or replacement to resolve the underlying problem.

Your engine started making an abnormal tapping sound while driving, and the car wouldn't accelerate properly when you pressed the gas pedal. Multiple warning lights came on, so you pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer found that the rod bearings inside the engine had failed, which means the entire engine needed to be replaced. This happened at around 100,280 miles. The repair typically involves either replacing the engine with a new or rebuilt unit, or potentially a complete engine overhaul.

Your Pilot's engine stalls at traffic lights and won't restart immediately when the Auto Idle Stop/Start feature engages unexpectedly. Multiple dashboard warning lights come on when this happens, leaving you stuck while traffic backs up behind you. This has occurred several times despite having a new quality battery and two official Honda software recalls performed. The issue appears to persist even after these recalls, suggesting a deeper problem with the Auto Idle Stop/Start system itself.

While stopped at a traffic light, your vehicle suddenly lunged forward and displayed a check engine warning light along with an "Emission System" error message. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as fuel pump failure, which would need to be replaced to restore normal operation.

Your transmission failed at 107,593 miles due to a defective torque converter that caused internal damage to the valve body and oil pump. The inspection report confirmed this was a manufacturing defect, not caused by maintenance issues. You previously had a fuel injector replaced under warranty at 87,000 miles, and the transmission failed about 20,000 miles later. Fixing this problem required a complete transmission overhaul, and Honda has declined to investigate your case despite multiple contacts.

While driving at low speeds with your foot on the gas pedal, your transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral, and several warning lights came on. This happened after you had the fuel injectors replaced at a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a faulty fuel pump and catalytic converter that need replacement. This issue may be related to a known Honda recall affecting the fuel system.

Your car frequently displays warning messages saying "keyless start system problem" and "brake system problem," which prevents the car from starting. You've owned the vehicle for about a year, and this issue occurs intermittently. The problem likely involves the keyless entry system or brake sensor needing diagnosis and repair.

I was driving back from my daughter's tournament in [XXX] and while driving, I heard a loud Crack. It sounded like It came from the top of the car. When we got home I hit the button for the moonroof slide and noticed that the moorroof had cracked.