2021 Honda Pilot engine problems
96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2021 Honda Pilot — 23% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“When at a stop, the automatic idle stop shuts off the engine and doesn’t come back out of that to start back up. Have to put the car in park to restart. This is a major safety issue especially when vehicles are behind me beeping the horn. Happened on several occasions.”
filed Jul 27, 2026
“My current 2021 Honda Pilot (purchased used May 2024) is stalling out in live traffic - the most recent on XXX creating a massive safety hazard. (In addition, the engine is making the same exact clicking noise that the 2015 Honda VIN:[XXX] made right before the engine catastrophically seized on my…”
filed Jul 24, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the…
A23-009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2025
Engine problems in other Pilot years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pilot | 26 | 15% |
| 2024 Pilot | 10 | 9% |
| 2023 Pilot | 11 | 9% |
| 2022 Pilot | 21 | 16% |
| 2020 Pilot | 99 | 21% |
| 2019 Pilot | 222 | 25% |
| 2018 Pilot | 154 | 36% |
| 2017 Pilot | 455 | 50% |
| 2016 Pilot | 755 | 45% |
| 2015 Pilot | 22 | 20% |
| 2014 Pilot | 31 | 27% |
| 2013 Pilot | 78 | 29% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 Honda Pilot
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.