This car accelerates when down shifting in mid to higher gears. We were in the snow on a steep decline and when I downshifted into 4th gear the car immediately accelerates ( Not Coasted ) but accelerated increasing my speed before finally downshifting. It is also having similar issues with the 7th, 6th, and 5th gears. We lost traction immediately after shifting when the car accelerates and I have…
2021 Honda Passport powertrain problems
moderate 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Honda Passport in our records for powertrain problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe a transmission that shifts into neutral on its own while driving, often accompanied by dashboard warnings that immediately disappear when the vehicle is restarted—yet dealerships cannot find stored fault codes. This happens at highway speeds, during merges, and at low speeds, leaving drivers unable to accelerate or control the vehicle until the ignition is cycled. One owner was forced to the shoulder merging onto a 50 mph road and could not regain power.
Hard, clunking shifts in 2nd through 5th gears plague multiple vehicles, with some owners reporting the problem persists even after transmission replacement. Some reports mention grinding or banging noises, especially after transmission cooler installation—Honda tech support allegedly confirms this as a known design defect but offers no fix.
Unintended downshifts cause unexpected acceleration without throttle input, dangerous on snow or when merging. Engine revs spike independently, and drivers must reapply the throttle multiple times to regain normal response. Loss-of-power events leave drivers at 35 mph unable to merge, with blinking traction control lights and no stored codes.
One owner's starter failed in 10°F weather, leaving the vehicle locked in park with no accessible neutral override—the required proprietary tool costs over $200 and is unavailable to dealers or tow operators. An automatic park system can be defeated by seatbelt extenders left plugged in, allowing the vehicle to roll away after the driver exits.
Complete electrical failures have occurred, with all warning lights and components shutting down simultaneously. One engine required replacement due to rod bearing failure with no prior warning lights.
Same Honda Passport powertrain reports on nearby years: 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended neutral engagement / transmission self-shifting to neutral
Transmission shifts into neutral on its own while driving, often accompanied by a dashboard warning message 'Transmission Problem. See Manual' or 'Stop Driving When Safe. Transmission Problem. See Manual.' Vehicle cannot re-engage into drive until the ignition is cycled or the vehicle is restarted. No diagnostic trouble codes are typically stored, yet the issue recurs.
When: Occurs at various speeds and conditions (freeway merging, backing out of parking spaces, accelerating on ramps, general highway driving) with under 12k to 30k+ miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle shifts into neutral unexpectedly; Dashboard warning messages appear intermittently; Loss of power/ability to accelerate; Traction control light illuminates; No diagnostic codes stored despite warning messages; Vehicle must be restarted or ignition cycled to restore operation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships report inability to duplicate failure or find root cause. Honda field engineers unable to locate stored codes. No repair solution confirmed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda contacted multiple times by owners; case opened then closed without resolution. Dealers advised owners that no codes are present and vehicle returned without fix. One owner reports Honda acknowledged awareness of similar complaints but provided no fix timeline.
Unintended downshift with unexpected acceleration
Transmission downshifts abruptly into lower gears, causing sudden unexpected acceleration even though the driver is not pressing the accelerator. Occurs during turns, merging, and on both dry and wet surfaces. Engine revs and RPMs increase independently of throttle input. Owners report loss of vehicle control on snow/ice and inability to manage speed.
When: While driving at highway speeds, during merges, turns, and on slopes; reported with vehicle under operating temperature
Symptoms owners cite: Abrupt downshifting into lower gears (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th gear downshifts noted); Unexpected acceleration without throttle input; Engine revving without driver command; Loss of traction on snow/ice after downshift; Vehicle speed increase on downhill grades; Loss of vehicle control while merging or turning
Repairs/costs cited: One owner states dealer was aware of complaints. No repairs completed.
Transmission cooler installation - grinding noise at 7-8 gear shift
After aftermarket Honda transmission cooler installation to achieve 5000 lb towing rating, vehicle produces grinding or rumble-strip-like noise when shifting from 7th to 8th gear at light throttle (approximately 45 mph). Multiple owners report the same issue on Honda Passport forums. Dealership confirmed this is a known design defect per Honda technical support, but no repair or warranty fix offered.
When: After transmission cooler installation; occurs during light throttle 7-8 gear shifts at approximately 45 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding noise during 7-8 gear shift; Rumble-strip-like sound; Noise occurs at light throttle application
Repairs/costs cited: Installation of Honda Transmission Cooler kit at dealership. Dealership checked fluid level; Honda tech support confirmed known issue but provided no fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda technical support acknowledged this as a known design defect. Dealership stated Honda would provide notification if a fix becomes available, but no timeline or resolution provided.
Hard/inadequate shifting with clunking and jerking
Transmission exhibits hard, rough, or inadequate shifts with audible clunking, banging, or grinding noises, primarily in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th gears. Vehicle jerks or surges unexpectedly during shifts. One owner reports loud metal chunk sound and vehicle jerk. Another owner reports transmission issue persists even after transmission replacement.
When: From weeks after purchase through various mileages; occurs on street and highway
Symptoms owners cite: Hard/rough shifting; Audible clunking or banging in transmission; Jerking/sudden acceleration during shifts; Grinding noises; Loud metal chunk sound from transmission; Vehicle sluggish at takeoff; Inadequate power delivery
Repairs/costs cited: Service attempts made without resolution. One owner reports transmission replacement did not resolve hard-shifting issue between 4th and 5th gear. Grinding on ZF9 transmission noted.
Loss of power / inability to accelerate despite throttle input
Engine revs and RPMs increase but vehicle fails to respond to accelerator pedal input, resulting in sudden deceleration or inability to accelerate. Occurs during turns, merges, and normal driving. Vehicle eventually responds after multiple throttle applications or driving for some time. No warning lights typically present, though one complaint mentions blinking traction control light.
When: At highway speeds, during merges onto expressways, during turns, and on straightaways; reported at 30k+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs without corresponding acceleration; RPMs increase independently of throttle response; Vehicle decelerates unexpectedly while driving; Inability to accelerate past 35 mph during merge attempts; Vehicle sluggish during takeoffs; Blinking traction control light during incidents; Loss of responsiveness to pedal input
Repairs/costs cited: Code reader used by owner showed no codes. Dealership unable to duplicate failure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer case opened then closed without resolution.
Starter failure in cold weather / no-start condition
Starter engaged and cranked engine several times, then failed and free-spun without turning engine over. Occurred in approximately 10°F winter weather. Vehicle could not be started and, due to electronic shift-by-wire transmission design, could not be manually shifted to neutral without a proprietary Honda mechanical neutral-release tool (07AAA-TZ3A100). Tool is not provided with vehicle, not stocked by dealerships, costs over $200, and was unavailable during emergency situation, leaving vehicle immobile and occupants stranded in cold for over 5 hours.
When: During winter storm at approximately 10°F temperature
Symptoms owners cite: Starter engaged then free-spun without cranking engine; Engine would not start; Vehicle locked in park with no neutral override accessible; Electronic shift-by-wire system prevented manual neutral engagement
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanical neutral-release tool (07AAA-TZ3A100) required but not supplied with vehicle; costs over $200 and unavailable to dealers or tow operators.
Engine rod bearing failure
Rod bearings failed, requiring complete engine replacement. No warning lamps illuminated prior to failure. Failure occurred approximately one week after symptoms began. Diagnostic testing performed by dealership quoted $6000+ for repair.
When: At unknown mileage; issue started approximately one week before diagnosis
Symptoms owners cite: Engine failure requiring complete motor replacement; No warning lamps prior to failure
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnostic test and engine replacement quoted at $6000+ by Ziegler Honda of Racine.
Automatic emergency braking system malfunction
Automatic braking system activates or flashes warnings with no vehicles present, creating false safety alerts. Parking brake has failed to engage on multiple occasions, resulting in vehicle rolling into another vehicle and front-end collision damage. No collision warning activated when parking brake failed.
When: Intermittent occurrences
Symptoms owners cite: False automatic braking warnings with no nearby vehicles; Parking brake fails to engage; Vehicle rolls into parked vehicle; Front-end collision damage occurred; No collision warning when parking brake failed
Repairs/costs cited: Owner repaired front grille by gluing pieces together after collision.
Seatbelt sensor defeat with automatic park override failure
Vehicle is designed to automatically shift into park when driver unbuckles seatbelt and exits vehicle, but this system is defeated if a seatbelt extender is used and left plugged in after unbuckling. When the extender remains attached, the seatbelt sensor is not triggered, allowing the vehicle to remain in drive or reverse and move forward or backward, creating a serious safety hazard. This design flaw affects thousands of users who rely on seatbelt extenders.
When: When seatbelt extender is used and left connected
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic park function disabled when seatbelt extender remains attached; Vehicle can move forward or backward after driver exits; Safety sensor reliant on seatbelt unbuckling rather than seat pressure
Transmission delayed engagement from reverse to drive
Transmission is slow to engage when shifting from reverse to drive, creating dangerous situations during parking lot maneuvers. Additionally, transmission exhibits confusion and inability to settle into a gear while riding on downhill grades at approximately 30 mph, causing surging forward and braking sensations that give driver little control over the vehicle.
When: During parking maneuvers and downhill driving at approximately 30 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed transmission engagement from reverse to drive; Sluggish engagement causing nearly-miss collision with oncoming traffic; Transmission unable to find/maintain gear on downhill grades; Surging forward and braking sensation; Loss of driver control
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reported to Honda and was told this is the normal operation of the transmission.
Catastrophic engine/powertrain electrical and mechanical failure
Vehicle engine stops while in drive and shifts into neutral with complete shutdown. Metal debris observed flying from engine; vehicle makes loud rattling noises and jerks violently. All vehicle electrical components turned themselves off simultaneously. Catalyst converter damaged. Vehicle becomes immobilized, cannot be driven, and presents safety risk. Vehicle gets stuck on hills.
When: During normal highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stops while in drive; Vehicle shifts into neutral; Complete electrical system shutdown; Metal debris visible from engine; Loud rattling noises and violent jerking; Vehicle immobilized; Catalyst converter damaged; Vehicle unable to climb hills
Complete power loss and shifting immobility with code clearing
All warning lights illuminate simultaneously while driving at highway speed (55 mph). Vehicle rapidly decelerates to 20 mph and will not shift from first gear. After pulling over, vehicle will not shift out of park. After sitting 15 minutes, vehicle returns to normal operation. Diagnostic trouble codes are deleted/cleared once vehicle sits. Dealership unable to find any fault. Problem occurs repeatedly. Automatic braking system also exhibits false warnings for vehicles in opposite lane.
When: While driving at 55 mph on highway; second occurrence; issue intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: All warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Rapid deceleration from 55 mph to 20 mph; Unable to shift from first gear while driving; Unable to shift out of park when stationary; Complete system reset after sitting 15 minutes; All diagnostic codes cleared after sitting; False crash avoidance warnings
Repairs/costs cited: Owner purchased code reader to capture codes during failure. Battery confirmed new. Dealership states nothing wrong despite repeated occurrences.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
We were driving at 55mph and every warning light came on. It quickly decelerated to 20mph then wouldn't shift from first gear. We were in an area where there was no places to pull over. We pulled over and the car wouldn't shift from park. We were told to let it sit 15min then try again. After 20 min the car worked normally. The computer system deletes all the errors once it sits. The dealership…
Multiple times when my car is in drive I will receive a message on the dashboard saying "Transimission Problem. See Manual" When this happen the car automatically shifts into Neutral and will not shift back into any gear other than Park unless I completely restart the car. Many other people have also had this problem, can be seen here…
My 2021 Honda Passport first shifted itself into neutral and displayed a message on the instrument panel saying “Stop Driving When Safe. Transmission Problem. See Manual” in February 2022. My dealer inspected the vehicle and said no problem codes were stored and returned the vehicle to me. In May 2022, my vehicle displayed the same message and shifted itself into neutral while backing out of a…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2021 Honda Passport?
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 powertrain problem on the 2021 Honda Passport?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 21 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 30,000 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2021/Honda/Passport.
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.