Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Honda Pilot engine problems
severe Owners of the 2015 Honda Pilot have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Pilot | 18 |
| 2012 Pilot | 24 |
| 2013 Pilot | 42 |
| 2014 Pilot | 25 |
| 2015 Pilot (this page) | 14 |
| 2016 Pilot | 495 |
| 2017 Pilot | 278 |
| 2018 Pilot | 79 |
| 2019 Pilot | 122 |
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 14 engine complaints filed for the 2015 Honda Pilot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring wear and sticking from sludge. Oil from the crankcase adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge. Oil adheres to the spark plug leading to carbon fouling and misfire.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2014-2017 Odysseys and 2014-2015 Pilots with a customer complaint of the vehicle Check Engine Light (CEL) on with one or more of the DTC(s) listed below (in Qualifiers) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific Information from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2015 Honda Pilots describe recurring engine failures that Honda apparently knew about but inconsistently covered. The most common complaint is piston ring degradation causing oil to foul spark plugs, generating misfire codes (P0301, P0304) and forcing repeated spark plug and coil replacements. One owner experienced this failure three times between October 2023 and July 2025, only to have the dealership refuse inspection under an extended warranty that arrived *after* the original 10-year coverage expired. Another owner reports similar piston-ring symptoms and a Honda dealership immediately quoting $4,000 for piston replacement, noting that 2008-2013 Pilots had a recall for the exact same issue—but the 2015 was excluded.
Connecting rod bearing failures also appear, with owners reporting ticking noises and metal shavings in oil requiring complete engine rebuilds. At least one owner experienced a catastrophic radiator failure that allowed transmission fluid to mix with coolant, destroying the transmission and requiring head gasket work—damage Honda refused to cover.
Other reported issues include oil leakage from valve cover gaskets, premature oil burning, and an internal radiator design flaw causing water-oil mixing without temperature gauge warning. One owner's engine failed just before the 60,000 km warranty expired. Owners consistently report that dealerships cite expired warranties or VIN exclusions even when Honda service bulletins acknowledge the same defects across the generation.
Same Honda Pilot engine reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Piston ring and valve failures causing misfires and loss of power
Oil intrusion into spark plug chambers, failed piston rings, and valve issues leading to cylinder misfires, check engine lights, and sudden loss of engine power. Multiple owners report this as a recurring defect.
When: Between 50,000 and 162,000 miles; first occurrence reported as early as October 2023 in complaint #1
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Engine sputtering and loss of power while driving; Vehicle shaking or shuddering; Traction control light activation; Limp-mode operation (limited to 35 mph); Oil found in spark plug chambers
Repairs/costs cited: Spark plug and coil pack replacement (temporary fix), piston ring replacement ($4,000 quoted in #4), valve repairs with gaskets, water pump, and tensioner replacement (#5), engine rebuild or replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued a VCM Warranty Extension (10 years/150,000 miles) in July 2025 for known defect (#1); Honda also issued warranty extension for 2009-2013 Pilots but not clearly extended to 2015 models (#4, #8); dealerships have refused coverage citing expired warranty or VIN exclusion from recall list (#1, #8, #11)
Connecting rod bearing failure
Faulty connecting rod bearings causing engine knocking/ticking noise and potential catastrophic engine failure. Metal shavings in oil and rod fragments found during inspection.
When: At various mileage; #6 did not specify mileage; #13 reports failure at 162,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud ticking or knocking noise under 2,500 rpm; Noise quiets above 2,500 rpm; Metal shavings in oil; Engine seizure risk
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Engine rebuild or replacement required; connecting rods to cylinders #2 and #5 were faulty in #6
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall list checked; VIN not included on recall list (#6); complaint #4 notes that 2008-2013 Pilots had a recall for similar piston/bearing issues but 2015 not included
Catastrophic radiator failure causing transmission-coolant mixing
Internal radiator design failure allowing transmission fluid and engine coolant to mix, resulting in catastrophic overheating, head gasket failure, and transmission destruction. Owner reports no warning indicator until massive overheat occurred.
When: 84,000 miles on vehicle owned since 2005; failure occurred during recent use in #2
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of heat/heating system failure; Transmission slipping; Massive engine overheating; Transmission fluid mixed with antifreeze (observed during diagnosis)
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Required head gasket replacement, new radiator, transmission replacement; repair cost near vehicle value (~$10,000)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda offered no assistance; denied owner's request to apply car value toward lease balance
Water-oil mixing in engine due to radiator failure
Engine damage caused by water and oil mixing in the engine, appearing as a milky substance. Radiator internal design failure leads to complete engine failure without temperature gauge warning.
When: First failure at 52,932 km with full maintenance at 50,000 km service; second failure at 59,909 km (just before 60,000 km warranty expiration)
Symptoms owners cite: Loud hissing/buzzing noise from engine; Milky substance erupting from engine (water-oil mixture); No temperature gauge rise despite internal mixing; Complete engine failure
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: New engine installation; original radiator continued to be used after agency inspection found 'nothing wrong' (#3)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer refused warranty coverage, claiming engine damage from radiator failure; owner purchased replacement engine outside dealership
Oil leakage from valve cover gasket and spool valve
Leaking valve cover gasket and spool valve causing oil to accumulate on alternator and cause electrical failure. Honda Service Bulletin 20-023 acknowledges this issue in 2009-2015 Pilots.
When: Unspecified mileage in complaint #11
Symptoms owners cite: Oil leaking from valve cover gasket and spool valve; Oil accumulation on alternator; Alternator electrical short and failure
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Valve cover gasket and spool valve replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda declined coverage citing VIN exclusion and expired warranty despite HSB 20-023 documenting the issue in 2009-2015 Pilots (#11)
Engine shuddering at specific speeds
Vehicle shakes or shudders noticeably at 40-45 mph. Honda service advisor characterized as normal, but owner expressed concern this could indicate underlying engine issues.
When: Reported in #12 as ongoing as of February 2019
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle shuddering/shaking at 40-45 mph speeds
Codes mentioned:
Oil burning and premature spark plug fouling
Engine burning oil at an accelerated rate, requiring frequent spark plug replacement. Error codes appear as misfires but may mask deeper engine degradation.
When: #7 purchased in 2024 and began experiencing issues immediately
Symptoms owners cite: Burning oil; Premature spark plug failure requiring frequent replacement; Misfire error codes
Codes mentioned: P0304
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple spark plug replacements
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: VCM Warranty Extension exists but owner was not notified; owner discovered it online (#7)
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
We were on our way out of town in May 2022 when the car suddenly idled and wouldn't go past 35 mph. The spark plugs would constantly need replacement and we bought a connector which seemed to make them last longer, but eventually still burn out sooner than they should've. We've had diagnostics through friend mechanics and family and cylinder 2 was the main culprit. We took the car to honda…
In my 2015 pilot I have rod bearing connector that failed,The report says that the engine in all vehicles is the 3.5L V6 that was popular from 2016 through 2020. However , my engine is a 3.5L V6 as well, and it has the same issue. The car has 162K .
All the saden no meter read any high temperature, when I return from airport to my house (no more than 50 km)>> I heared the strong sound of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,, I stoped the car, and open the cover of the engine ,,to find something like milk speting in a form of burkaning lava...I tow the car to the agents ask the co. To check ,,they open the engine to small parts and never gave me any report…
Had engine trouble with your 2015 Honda Pilot?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2015 Honda Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 76,680 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Honda/Pilot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.