Electrical and engine issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Are your speakers making popping or crackling noises? You may be eligible to join our class action investigation.
The 2019 Honda Pilot continues the long line of this model as a family favorite vehicle. Discerning customers purchase this SUV because it has long been synonymous with reliability and affordability. For this model year, the automaker claims it will help owners “Arrive in Style.” Unfortunately, many of today’s drivers have trouble arriving in the first place because of the malfunctioning engine and defective electrical system.
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Many owners of the Honda Pilot find difficulty using the infotainment system. It either malfunctions or shows a blank screen.
Among the many reviews available on the internet, read this one from an Edmunds user. “Steering wheel controls freeze up and error message on display occurred 9 days after buying car. I have been having problems with controls freezing up and have getting error messages ever since. The dealership changed the infotainment system but problems were not fixed. Come to find out, Honda was aware of these problems and is not fixing. If this has been happening to you, you are not alone and more importantly it is not normal. There is a class action suit that you should be aware of if you are having these problems.”
It appears the company faces many electrical problems, not just this one. In fact, their service bulletins are filled with unusual quirks such as a clock that is persistently an hour off or the CarPlay beeps and then stops working. Even Service Bulletin #A19030B talks about how the speaker system might crackle and pop because of a poor connection. Apparently the Pilot wants to be more like Rice Krispies, but most owners aren’t interested in strange noises and defective equipment while driving to work.
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| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Power Train | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Electronic Stability Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
The engine is arguably the most critical part of any vehicle. It provides the power needed to move and must be reliable. While many Honda vehicles have earned a reputation of being reliable, the 2019 Pilot isn’t one of them.
Just look at this NHTSA complaint. “I purchased a new 2019 Honda Pilot EX-L in December 2018. I was recently exiting an off ramp from an interstate and when I pressed the accelerator to merge into traffic the vehicle hesitated significantly and the Check Engine Light started flashing. I then continued a few miles which I had remaining to my house and the vehicle would accelerate very poorly and the engine would shake under acceleration. The manual states that a flashing light is an engine misfire. I started the vehicle on Monday morning to take it to the local Honda dealer and it drove normally down to the dealer. After checking the engine computer, they could find no fault codes for the Check Engine Light flashing the day before. They gave me back the vehicle and said there was nothing they could do at this time. I feel that this is a very serious problem and it appears that a few other complaints have been filed for the same issue. Having a vehicle that loses a significant amount of power can be a serious safety issue and I highly suggest that Honda look into this matter carefully. This should not happen to a brand new vehicle with 2,200 miles or any vehicle for that matter.”
The automaker has faced numerous engine troubles on this model. Service Bulletin #APaS09092019904 discusses a chirping noise coming from the engine compartment. Because the technicians don’t understand what is causing it, they were looking for feedback from customers. Furthermore, there is a significant recall because of the engine. In NHTSA Campaign Number 19V298000, we see that nearly 100,000 vehicles were affected. It appears that the timing belt teeth could separate from the belt. If this happens, the engine might stall and cause a crash. In response, the company is replacing the affected timing belts along with any other damaged engine components that break as a result of this malfunction.
Honda might be right – the Pilot features plenty of style, but will it arrive? That’s the main question to ask. Between the defective engine along with the endless complaints about the infotainment system and electrical equipment, there are just too many faults to deal with when it comes to owning this SUV. Owners are frustrated and ready to trade it in for a vehicle that actually arrives – the way it should.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Honda pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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My 2019 Honda Pilot EX that I purchased brand new in 2020 has had stereo issues since I purchased. All audio/Bluetooth etc just stops working randomly, my car calls emergency services on its own. I took to dealership and they said they fixed it but it started again as soon as I got it back and now they say my warranty is expired. Ugh! What can I do?
I have a 2019 honda pilot that has 62,000 miles on it and it is displaying a transmission light, emissions light and and blind spot light. I tried to take it into the dealer and they are saying its not covered under my warranty. I just bought the car in February of 2022. I haven’t even had the car for a year. I also have problems with the audio and electronics in the car.
Just bought my 2019 EX-L a week ago and three times now I’ve been having issues with the brake pedal not being able to be pressed down in order to even start the vehicle. I looked it up and on a Honda Thread they had numerous complaints of the same thing. It’s frustrating when I literally just bought it and I’ve already got to take it 150miles to the dealership cause we don’t live close to one. We were out of town when we bought it. Worries me reading these cause I don’t want to have issues driving on the freeway of Phoenix to take it in to be looked at. Especially with kids.
Very concerned! Owned a Honda Pilot prior to my 2019 Honda Pilot Elite I just bought yesterday. Bought it from a BMW dealer so I hope that doesn’t matter. It’s been not even 24 hours and I drove the car and the computer just went blank. Radio stopped working, no audio at all and info on the dash. I have owned Honda’s all my life. I love this beautiful car, but safety is my first issue. Plus these cars are not terribly affordable. It has 20,000 miles now , I’m terrified these people were fed up and took it in wherever they could to get rid of it. Of course BMW has no idea how it all works. I’m so angry the more I read. It seems everyone is having these issues and quite frankly if I’m having issues within 24 hrs… major problem!! We have less than 16,000 miles to figure it out. Not much! I don’t understand how they get away with this bc I researched and found nothing wrong until I looked for the specific problem then I read all this. This was suppose to be my dream car.We are not wealthy people, not that it matters. But, Honda’s are suppose to be known for quality and safety and keeping their value. Even if it’s not considered a lemon ( which I KNOW is hard to do) I’m worried we may be screwed. We did buy the 100,000 mile warranty from BMW which I believe covers kinda bumper to bumper like the manufacturer’s warranty for like $65 a month but does that cover us. After reading these other complaints and then seeing that my car did it within a day of driving it… scares me to death. It’s a 6 year loan. Computer problems are like Cancer to a car. It’s such a small frame of time to prove it’s a lemon for any car. What are some suggestions I can do to see this is truly an issue? I mean, obviously, this year for the Pilot was a bad one. I had no idea. They did and that seems criminal to me. How do they get away with that, and continue to sell cars they know people are having real safety and overall engine and computer issues. How is that legal? I’m sorry for the lengthy message. This was a dream come true to me. I’m in tears reading all these complaints and possible law suits. Especially when my car replicated these exact complaints after 3 miles driven. Thank you for your time
New Honda Odessey started infosystem failure after 4 weeks. Connection lost, no backup camera, no radio- no use of main info panel. Goes on and off 5-6 times with in a 5 mile drive to work. Brought for repair 3 times so far with no improvement…. it’s actually worse. In line to get a “harness” for the system installed in a few weeks.
We were told it’s a common problem but not until we had problems and definitely not when we looked at them and test drove. Never would have bought it. Looking into lemon law action of harness doesn’t solve the issue .
I have 2019 Honda Pilot Touring, all kind of problem starts after reaching 3000 miles. No audio, phone doesnt work, bluetooth doesnt work, black screen, how Honda put this junk into this car? After reading this, I think I dont even bother to contact dealer to waste my time.
Honda Pilot 2019 computer problems. Every 2 weeks