16 complaints reported

2013 Honda Pilot POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
16
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2018

ENGINE MIL ILLUMINATED. CODE P3400 INDICATED THROUGH OBD. NO LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATION PRIOR TO MIL, COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. REPLACED BOTH FRONT AND REAR ROCKER ARM OIL SWITCHES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2018
Apr 2016

WHEN MY PILOT GOES INTO ECO MODE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE VIBRATION THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, GAS PEDAL, INTERIOR DOOR PANEL IF YOUR LEG IS RESTING AGAINST IT, ALSO THERE IS ENOUGH REVERB IN THE CAB THAT AT TIMES IT CAN IRRITATE YOUR INNER EAR. ITS THE WORST AROUND 45 TO 65 BUT CAN BE FELT AT MOST SPEEDS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER ITS CITY OR HIGHWAY ITS PRESENT WHENEVER ECO IS ON AT CRUISING SPEED. I TOOK MY PILOT TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE ISSUE. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION BUT THEY SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE GOING INTO ECO MODE AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLES ENGINE PRODUCE THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION THAT THIS ONE DOES AND TO BE TOLD ITS NORMAL TO ME IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE SINCE READ MANY THREADS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH HONDA AND THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2015, HAVE OWNED IT LESS THAT A YEAR AND THIS ISSUE MAKES IT A VERY UNDESIRABLE VEHICLE TO OWN AND IF HONDA DOESN'T PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THIS WE WILL MOST LIKELY GET RID OF THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER BUY ANOTHER HONDA AGAIN NOR RECOMMEND THIS MANUFACTURER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2015
Mar 2016

I PURCHASED MY 2013 HONDA CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN AUGUST 2015. TEST DRIVE WAS SHORT AND FELT NO ISSUES. FELT THE SHUDDER ON A HIGHWAY DRIVE THE NEXT DAY. NOW I QUESTION IF THE SALESPERSON KNEW THIS WOULD BE NOTICED AND DELIBERATELY MADE THE TEST RIDE SHORT TO AVOID THIS BEING NOTICED. I EVEN ASKED HER ABOUT THE VIBRATION ISSUE FROM REPORTS I HAD READ ABOUT BEFORE THE PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT AN VALID ISSUE AND THAT SHE HAD OWNED A PILOT AND NEVER FELT ANYTHING. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK AND A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS DONE AS WELL AS FLUID CHANGE IN TRANS WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH. IT STILL HAD THE SHUDDER. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW WEEKS TO GIVE IT A CHANCE TO PROVE ITSELF AND IT NOT ME "LOOKING" FOR A PROBLEM I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER TO REPORT THIS AND INFORM HIM I WOULD COMING BACK WHEN MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED. IT IS GETTING MORE FREQUENT AND IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER WHETHER IN ECO MODE OR NOT. THE SHUDDER USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND 38-42 MPH. BUT WILL BEGIN ANYTIME THE VEHICLE CRUISES IN ANY SPEED RANGE CONTINUALLY. AT HIGHER SPEEDS I CAN FEEL MY SKIN SHAKE LIKE ONE OF THOSE FAT BURNING SHAKING BELTS FROM YEARS PAST. (JUST SO YOU KNOW I AM OF AVERAGE BUILD WITHOUT EXCESSIVE BODY SKIN.) BROUGHT THE CAR BACK A SECOND TIME. THAT WAS TODAY FEB. 3, 2016. WENT FOR RIDE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. TOLD HIM IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. HIS CONCLUSION WAS THAT THIS "SHUDDER" WAS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF MY $28,000 PURCHASE. MY 1999 SUBURBAN THAT I TRADED IN HAD A BETTER RIDE. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HONDA. I AM GOING TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET A SECOND OPINION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2016
Dec 2014

WHILE DRIVING IN FLORIDA AND LOUISIANA, I NOTICED A LOW-FREQUENCY BUZZING SOUND AND VIBRATION WHICH COULD BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND FLOORPAN. I BELIEVE IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIABLE CYLINDER MANAGEMENT (VCM) FEATURE. IT COULD BE FELT WHEN THE VCM TRANSITIONED FROM 6 TO 4 CYLINDER MODE, WITH THE RPM OF 1700-1900 AND SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 25, 45 AND 60 MPH. IT WOULD OCCUR WITH VERY LIGHT ACCELERATOR PRESSURE, JUST MAINTAINING SPEED, AND DISAPPEAR WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSURE WAS INCREASED, CAUSING IT TO DOWNSHIFT AND/OR THE VCM TO TRANSITION BACK TO 6 CYLINDER MODE. THIS PROBLEM IS LESS EVIDENT HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS (6000 FT ELEVATION), WHICH I CANNOT EXPLAIN. I DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH A 2008 PILOT NOR A 2008 ODYSSEY, BOTH OF WHICH HAD A SIMILAR VCM FEATURE. MY LOCAL HONDA TECH COULD "NOT DUPLICATE" MY CONCERN AND SAID IT WAS "OPERATING NORMALLY". THE TRANSMISSION ALSO "HUNTS" BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2014
Oct 2014

THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SHUDDER AND VIBRATE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. YOU MUST SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP TO GET IT TO STOP VIBRATING. WE BOUGHT THIS HONDA PILOT BECAUSE WE DRIVE ON A LOT OF SLICK ROADS. I FEEL THIS MAKES IT VERY UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY. ALONG WITH BEING UNSAFE, IT IS VERY ANNOYING AND WITH IT BEING A NEW VEHICLE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS A NORMAL OPERATION OF VCM. AMERICAN HONDA TELLS ME THE SAME THING. I DON'T AGREE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2013
Mar 2014

VEHICLE CONSTANTLY VIBRATES/SHUDDERS AS ENGINE RUN IN ECO MODE AND AS VCM KICKS IN/OUT OR IS IN USE. I SEE HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINT ON HONDA MESSAGE BOARDS AND ALL HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME RESPONSE FROM HONDA. THEY INDICATE IT IS NORMAL OPERATION AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO. ANYONE THAT'S DRIVEN A VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT NORMAL FOR A VEHICLE TO VIBRATE LIKE THAT. IN MY DRIVING, I FIND IT TO BE NOT ONLY ANNOYING, BUT VERY DISTRACTING AS I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CHANGE SPEEDS/RPM, ETC. TO MAKE THE VIBRATIONS GO AWAY. THIS CONSTANT DISTRACTION IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I IMPLORE YOU TO GET HONDA TO OWN THE SITUATION AND FIND A FIX. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2013
Feb 2014

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2013 HONDA PILOT IN SEPTEMBER 2013. FROM THE FIRST DAY OF DRIVING IT, I NOTICED A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN/ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SWITCHING INTO "ECO" MODE. THE VIBRATION CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, GAS PEDAL, AND FLOOR BOARD. IT BECOMES WORSE WHEN CRUISING AT A LOW RPM, OR WHEN CLIMBING A HILL (NO MATTER HOW STEEP THE HILL IS) WHEN THE ECO MODE IS ENGAGED. THE VIBRATION ONLY STOPS WHEN THE CAR IS REQUIRED TO INCREASE THE RPM, EITHER FROM MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, OR THE COMPUTER DECIDING IT NEEDS MORE POWER. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THIS VIBRATION UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP AND THE ECO MODE ENGAGES. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, THE ECO MODE DOES NOT KICK IN, AND THERE IS NO VIBRATION. I NOW HAVE 5600 MILES ON THE PILOT, AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO WITHOUT TAKING IT FOR A TEST DRIVE ADVISED THAT "THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ECO MODE ON BOTH THE PILOT'S AND ODYSSEY'S". THEY WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX IT, AS HONDA HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL OPERATION". IN ADDITION TO FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HONDA CUSTOMER CARE. NO RESOLUTION TO DATE. HAD THE SALESMAN TOLD ME ABOUT THIS "NORMAL OPERATING VIBRATION ISSUE", I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2013
Jan 2014

EVER SINCE I PULLED OFF THE NEW CAR LOT,,,,, VEHICLE HAS VIBRATION AT 1500 TO 2000 RPM. IT IS SLIGHT BUT VIBRATES THROUGHOUT VEHICLE. ANNOYING IS THE PERFECT DESCRIPTION. GOES AWAY WITH SLIGHT ACCELERATION. SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO ECO BEING IN OPERATION. I SEE SAME COMPLAINT IN OTHER POSTS. I BELIEVE IT IS A ROOKIE DESIGN FLAW IN POWER TRAIN. A $40,000 VEHICLE SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS DEFECT. I ALSO OWN A 2010 PILOT THAT OPERATES WITHOUT ANY VIBRATION AT ANY SPEED OR LOAD UPON ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN. THIS IS MY SECOND "HONDA" COMPANY VEHICLE. I WISH I HAD THE 1ST ONE BACK. YOU CAN IMAGINE MY FRUSTRATION WITH MY 2013 HONDA PILOT. HONDA..... CAN YOU OWN UP TO THIS FLAW AND FIX? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2013
Jan 2014

WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, AS I START THE TURN THE ENGINE HESITATES AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE. THE CAR SEEMS TO HAVE NO POWER AND COASTS 4 OR 5 SECONDS BEFORE RESPONDING NORMALLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HIGH TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCCURRED STARTING OFF FROM A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, AND MAKING RIGHT TURNS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2013
Jan 2014

TURNED ON THE CAR AND BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS SLOPED SO IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY ACCELERATION. SHIFTED INTO GEAR ON THE STREET AND BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING AT ALL - ENGINE WAS NOT REVVING, CAR WAS NOT MOVING FORWARD DESPITE FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL. STOPPED AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SIMULTANEOUSLY, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED INCLUDING VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AMONG OTHERS. EVENTUALLY HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR DISABLED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAVE IT TOWED TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER 3 DAYS, THEY "RESET ALL THE COMPUTERS" AND TOLD ME THE CAR WAS FIXED. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED 2.5 WKS LATER. AGAIN, DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED THE "BOX" WHICH THE ACCELERATOR CONNECTS TO AND TOLD ME THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED. 3 DAYS AFTER RETURNING THE CAR TO ME, THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED A 3RD TIME. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE FLUIDS WERE ALSO OVERHEATING. I LEFT THE CAR RUNNING UNTIL A HONDA TECHNICIAN COULD COME AND TAKE A LOOK AND SEE THE PROBLEM IN ACTION. UNFORTUNATELY, HE SHUT THE CAR OFF UPON ARRIVAL AND THEN WAS NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. HONDA HAS NOW HAD MY VEHICLE FOR 8 DAYS WITH NO PROGRESS. THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION IS TO UNINSTALL THE REMOTE STARTER WHICH CAME WITH THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW. THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THE REMOTE STARTER IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT OFFERED TO COMPENSATE ME IN ANY WAY FOR ITS REMOVAL. CAR IS ONLY 1.5 YRS OLD. *TR UPDATED 12/22/2015*JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2014
Oct 2013

MY 2013 HONDA PILOT JERKS AND SURGES WHEN ECO LIGHT ENGAGES. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, WITH A THIRD TRIP SCHEDULED AND AM TOLD, "WE CAN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM." BUT, IT DOES IT ALL THE TIME WHEN I AM DRIVING, AND APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ ONLINE. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNACCEPTABLE AND HONDA NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AS WELL AS PROVIDE ADEQUATE REPAIR. THIS IMPACTS THE VALUE AND MARKETABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. I WOULD GET RID OF IT TODAY IF IT WOULDN'T HAVE SUCH A NEGATIVE MONETARY IMPACT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2013
Oct 2013

RUNS VERY ROUGH IN ECO MODE. NOTICEABLE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. CAR HAS DONE IT SINCE BRAND NEW. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2013
Oct 2013

WHILE SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF PARKING PLACE INTO THE STREET, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED OUT-OF-CONTROL TO VERY HIGH RATE. CAUGHT OFF GUARD, THE ENGINE RPM WAS NOT NOTED, BUT DRIVER QUICKLY DECIDED THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO TURN OFF IGNITION. THERE WAS NO MAT ON PEDAL, AND DRIVER DOES NOT OPERATE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS WITH TWO FEET. ENGINE RE-STARTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2013
Aug 2013

I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 HONDA PILOT EX-L ON JUNE 15. I NOTICED ON MY FIRST TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE THAT THE CAR HESITATES WHEN DRIVING IN ECO MODE. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AS IT FEELS LIKE THE ENGINE ISN'T GETTING ENOUGH GAS. HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD OTHERS HAD COMPLAINED TOO, BUT THIS WAS A NORMAL FUNCTION, NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I FEEL LIKE I'M JERKING DOWN THE ROAD. I TRADED A HONDA ODYSSEY, WHICH ALSO HAD ECO DRIVE, AND I NEVER HAD THESE ISSUES WITH THE VAN. I HATE TO DRIVE THIS CAR! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2013
Jul 2013

VIBRATION, HUMMING NOISE WHILE IN ECO MODE. AT SLOWER SPEEDS WHILE FEATHER GAS, ECO CAN SOMETIMES SEEMS TO GET CONFUSED ABRUPTLY TURN OFF CAUSING A JOLT LIKE FEELING. AT TIMES, ECO SEEMS CONFUSED WHETHER TO FIRE ON 2, 4, OR 6 CYLINDERS AND CAN BECOME IN ALMOST WHAT I CALL AN ARRHYTHMIA TYPE FEELING, WITH THE VIBRATION JUMPING AROUND UNTIL IT FINDS WHAT IT WANTS TO DO. NOTICED THE ISSUE SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. AS EXPECTED, DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND ANY ISSUE. VIBRATION CAN BE SO BAD THAT I SOMETIMES THINK IT IS THE ROAD, BUT IT IS NOT. WOULD DUMP CAR BUT WOULD LOOSE MONEY. VERY UNFORTUNATE AND WILL NOT BE BUYING A HONDA AGAIN. IF YOU ARE LOOKING INTO ONE, PLEASE BE SURE TO TEST DRIVE AT ALL SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY CRUISING AT SLOW AND FASTER SPEEDS. CRUISING AND FEATHERING THE GAS IS WHEN YOU NOTICE IT MOST. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2013
Feb 2013

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE (2013 HONDA PILOT EX-L) ON 11/26/12 AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FEEL AN ANNOYING VIBRATION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN ECO MODE. THIS VIBRATION CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, CONSOLE. SEATS AND THROUGHOUT THE CABIN. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE ON LEVEL STRETCHES OF ROADWAY WHEN APPLYING LIGHT PRESSURE ON THE FUEL PEDAL. THE VIBRATION OR "FLUTTER" DIMINISHES WHEN MORE PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE FUEL PEDAL. WHEN TAKEN IN TO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACTING HONDA CUSTOMER CARE I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE CHECKED INTO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING FURTHER..... *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 HONDA PILOT, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2012

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Honda Pilot has 16 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.