While the Honda Pilot has few major issues to speak of, a problem with the fuel injectors may have drivers burning through gas at an alarming rate.
Key Points
- Honda Pilot drivers have reported transmission judder and emission system and transmission warning lights blinking on.
- Affected models include the 2016-2018 Pilots, as well as a few other Honda nameplates.
- There have been no recalls for the Pilot’s emissions problem, but a service bulletin covers the issue, and repairs are provided by the manufacturer to Honda Pilots still under warranty.
- Correcting the issue involves replacing the fuel injectors, a repair that can cost around $500 if not covered by a warranty.
- The rate of incidence for emissions problems is low, coming out to just one affected Pilot for every thousand sold.
Honda Pilot’s Transmission Judders and Warning Lights Likely Point to a Fuel Injector Problem
If you drive a Honda Pilot manufactured under the 2016–2018 model years, you might run into an issue with your vehicle’s fuel supply system. The first signs will likely be the emission system warning light blinking on, and transmission judder or difficulty upshifting, as reported by drivers in this Reddit thread.
The emissions system warning light will usually be accompanied by the transmission warning light, in addition to a few other warning lights as well.
In more instances than not, drivers have been able to get the car moving and get home safely after pulling the vehicle off the road and letting it rest for a minute. But it can still be pretty scary should it happen while you’re moving at highway speeds.
The emission problem light can come on for any number of reasons, but for 2016-2018 model Pilots, there is a clear pattern where the light is accompanied by the transmission light and difficulty in shifting gears.
There Have Been No Recalls for the Fuel Injector, but There Was a Technical Service Bulletin
Honda issued a service bulletin in May 2019, covering the probable cause and solution to the Honda Pilot emissions problem. In November 2020, they issued another pair of service bulletins, including this one for the 2017 and 2018 models, and one covering the 2016 Pilot.
The likely cause, listed in the bulletin: it may be possible that debris from the machining process has been causing internal wear in the high-pressure pump and/or the injector.
In short, factory dust. No matter how clean you try to keep an assembly line, tiny bits of junk can find their way into the product now and then.
With debris getting into the components, what you eventually have is cylinder misfire. Ultimately this causes burning excess gas, inefficient vehicle performance, and long-term damage.
Prescribed Fix for Honda Pilot’s Emissions System Problems Sees Dealers Replacing the Fuel Injectors
The good news is that the emissions problem has a pretty easy fix. All you need to do is get the fuel injectors replaced. The bad news is that, since it’s not a recall, you might not be able to get the repairs for free. If your Honda Pilot is still under warranty, you’re all set. If not, the repair costs will come out of pocket.
The key difference between a service bulletin and a recall: the former is an optional repair covered by warranty or by the owner. The latter is effectively mandatory and covered by the manufacturer.
Repair Pal estimates that the fix should cost around $500 for most Honda Pilot owners. So it’s not the most expensive repair in the world, but still, that’s $500 you’d rather not have to spend on car repairs. Thankfully, most 2016-2018 Pilots are still covered by their original eight-year/80,000-mile warranties.
If you’re driving a Pilot that’s still under warranty, check your VIN. You may be eligible for the repairs right now, and you might as well get them taken care of ASAP instead of waiting until the warranty expires and you’re left holding the bill.
The Honda Pilot Emissions Issue is Common Enough to Be Concerning, but Hardly a Death Sentence for the Car
In 2016, Honda sold around 121,000 Pilots. That model year has just 123 transmission complaints listed here with the NHTSA. Even if we assume every single one of those complaints to be for the emissions issue, that leaves us with an incidence rate of just one in a thousand.
That doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind, of course. You’ll want to be on the lookout for anything that might be wrong with your engine and powertrain. Even if you can avoid a worst-case scenario, those cylinder misfires mean you’re still going to be burning a lot of extra fuel to get where you’re going.
But, this isn’t a problem to lose any sleep over. As long as you catch it early, you should be able to prevent any long-term damage from occurring.
When you check your VIN for recalls, the results will list technical service bulletins that you are eligible for, as well. So, all you need to do is punch in your number and see if you have anything you need to get taken care of.
Photos: Honda
