KnownCarProblems2019 Honda Pilot Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 914 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Honda Pilot, most often about the electrical (29% of complaints, typically around 6,000 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Pilot model year since 2000 and has 13 recalls.
Most common 2019 Honda Pilot problems
Electrical
266 complaints · 29%Half of these problems showed up before 6,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, software, starter assembly, 12v/24v/48v battery.
Recurrent problem. Started when vehicle was 2 months old. Taken car to dealer service department. No solution. When in motion (highways, city roads) speakers make a sparkling sound followed by the entertainment screen ( navigation, handheld phone, rear vision...) and the odometer screen (speed display, all the…
This issue has happened several times since buying the Pilot in 2019. While driving the car, the infotainment system freezes up and stops working. The use of the backup camera, radio, GPS, and any of the features on the screen are not usable. We notice this happens a lot when we take family trips. The only thing…
Engine
246 complaints · 27%Half of these problems showed up before 55,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission had erroneously shifted from the drive position to the select position causing the vehicle to hesitate and sputter. After turning the vehicle off and restarting the engine the failure had self-corrected. On one…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle had experienced jerking and vibrations and would not properly accelerate while pressing the accelerator pedal. Also, the vehicle would not immediately start and the fuel emissions light would remain illuminated.…
Fuel system
196 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 59,000 miles. Parts named most often: delivery, fuel injection system, kinetic.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle had experienced jerking and vibrations and would not properly accelerate while pressing the accelerator pedal. Also, the vehicle would not immediately start and the fuel emissions light would remain illuminated.…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a parts store where a handheld scanner retrieved dtc: p219b; which indicated a failure with the fuel injectors. The contact had scheduled an…
Other or unspecified
168 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 5,000 miles.
As I was slowly pulling into a parking space, with my foot covering the brake the car rpms shot up and it suddenly accelerated slamming into the vehicle in front of me. I was standing as hard as I could on brake and it would not stop the car. The car that was hit had someone standing behind it loading her groceries…
While driving during the daytime on a road without any other vehicle in front of me or behind me, my car's automatic emergency braking system engaged on its own without any reason. When I brought the car to the dealership, the service advisor told me he had been getting other complaints about the same problem for this…
Driver assistance
138 complaints · 15%Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, warnings, assist.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. While driving various speeds, the front driver side brake sensor activated and sounded a warning beeping. Erroneously, which signaled the contact to brake. In addition, the brake senor warning indicator illuminated. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the brake warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the…
Transmission
93 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 31,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The contact owned a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated forward violently and jumped a parking barrier. The contact stated she almost hit two nearby passengers; however was able to steer the vehicle to the side, and…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after stopping at a traffic light and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled and the transmission shifted into neutral. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed…
Brakes
42 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 5,000 miles.
Automatic braking (collision) mitigation activates erroneously. Upon slight right curve in road, detects opposing traffic as collision. Applies brakes. Even upon setting system to least sensitive, still exhibits condition. Continues to occur multiple times per week.
When applying the brakes, the brake pedal is low/soft. Also, when in stop-n-go traffic and applying the brakes, the brakes pedal goes lower and I have to press harder on the brakes. I took my car to stevens creek Honda in calif and they bled my brakes this helped a little but did not solve the problem. I called the…
Backup camera
42 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 51,500 miles. Parts named most often: rearview system braking, warnings, display function, camera system.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v431000 (back over prevention). The contact stated that the part to do the recall repair was available however, after contacting multiple dealers, the contact was informed that only one vehicle per day would be serviced…
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the coaxial cable was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2019 Honda Pilot recalls
Suspension: rear
Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed july 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are aou and aot. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning june 10, 2026.
Full defect summary
American honda motor company (honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 honda pilot, 2017-2023 ridgeline, 2019-2023 passport, and 2014-2020 acura mdx vehicles that were sold in connecticut, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, or wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Air bags: front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed july 7, 2026. Owners may contact honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are bol, wo9, ooa, wom, xoh, noc, pod, boe, uof, pob, eog, aoi, qo8, toj, do7, and sok. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24v064. Vehicle identification numbers (vins) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning may 29, 2026.
Full defect summary
Honda (american honda motor co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 acura tlx, 2019-2024 rdx, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 mdx, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 honda ridgeline, 2017-2022 pilot, 2019-2021 passport, 2018-2026 odyssey, 2019-2022 insight, 2019-2021 hr-v, 2018-2020 fit, 2020-2022 cr-v hybrid, 2017-2022 cr-v, 2017-2018, 2021 civic type r, 2017-2021 civic hatchback, 2016-2020 civic coupe, 2016-2022 civic, 2017-2022 accord hybrid, and 2016-2022 accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Fix: 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 let
Full defect summary
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.
Backup camera: display function
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Wheels and tires: tires
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Backup camera: camera
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Backup camera: camera
Risk: Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Body and structure: body
Risk: In the event of a crash, incomplete body welding may provide inadequate protection to occupants, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Engine: belts and associated pulleys
Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Body and structure: roof and pillars
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the curtain air bag does not deploy as intended, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine failure
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5l v6 engine used in the following vehicles: model years (my) 2018-2020 acura tlx, my2016-2020 acura mdx, my2016-2020 honda pilot, my2018-2020 honda odyssey, and my2017-2019 honda ridgeline.â the subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a recall query (rq24013).â it was determined that these engine failures are outside the scope of honda recall 23v-751. Further, evidence gathered in conjunction with rq24013 does not suggest this failure is caused by the same crankshaft manufacturing defect that is addressed by honda in recall 23v-751.â based on analysis of data from rq24013,
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Summary
On june 3, 2022, the oï¬ce of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe22005 after the agency received voqs and several ï¬eld reports concerning the auto idle stop (ais) feature on 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traï¬c light or road intersection with the ais function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5l engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On january 6, 2023, honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 acura tlx, 2016
Engine failure
Summary
On november 8, 2024, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened recall query rq24013 to assess the scope of honda recall 23v-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23v-751. In november 2023, honda recalled 248,999 various model year (my)2016â2020 honda and acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5l v6 engine. Honda recalled these vehicles due to a crankshaft manufacturing defect that caused premature connecting rod bearing wear and engine seizure. While the out-of-scope failures involved in these complaints appear to have a very similar failure mechanism as the recalled engines, a thorough analysis o
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Summary
On june 3, 2022, the oï¬ce of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe22005 after the agency received voqs and several ï¬eld reports concerning the auto idle stop (ais) feature on 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traï¬c light or road intersection with the ais function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5l engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On january 6, 2023, honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 acura tlx, 2016
Questions about the 2019 Honda Pilot
- What are the most common problems with the 2019 Honda Pilot?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (266 complaints, typically around 6,000 miles); engine (246 complaints, typically around 55,000 miles); fuel system (196 complaints, typically around 59,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2019 Honda Pilot have?
- 13 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 4, 2026 (suspension). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2019 a bad year for the Honda Pilot?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Pilot model year since 2000, with 914 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.