I have had two major problems with this car. At approximately 84,000 miles, the engine started making a very loud noise, regardless of speed. It was first diagnosed by an independent service center as a control arm bearing failure. I contacted Honda Corporate and was told that it had to be diagnosed by a Honda dealer/service center. It was then diagnosed as a failure of the control arm…
2021 Honda Pilot powertrain problems
severe Owners of the 2021 Honda Pilot have filed 24 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
24
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 Pilot | 118 |
| 2018 Pilot | 71 |
| 2019 Pilot | 84 |
| 2020 Pilot | 30 |
| 2021 Pilot (this page) | 24 |
| 2022 Pilot | 11 |
| 2023 Pilot | 8 |
| 2024 Pilot | 12 |
| 2025 Pilot | 14 |
1crash
1injury
The failure pattern owners describe
A cluster of 23 complaints reveals systemic powertrain failures across 2021 Honda Pilots. The most pervasive issue is the Auto Idle Stop feature, which shuts down the engine at traffic stops and then refuses to restart, leaving owners stranded in active intersections—a hazard owners rank as life-threatening. Multiple owners report having to manually disable the feature after each restart and note that Honda software updates have not solved it.
Transmission problems are frequent and severe: vehicles shift unexpectedly into neutral while driving or at stops, push-button selectors fail to respond to input, and in one case a full transmission replacement ($9,000) was needed. A related design flaw prevents placing the vehicle in neutral when the engine is off—requiring a special tool and underhood work—making it impossible to push a stalled car to safety.
Engine failures appear at varying mileages: one at 62,007 miles (just over warranty expiration), another at 84,000, with metal shavings found in the oil filter indicating internal bearing damage. Owners report loud engine knocking and sudden power loss while driving, particularly during highway merging and exiting. Dealers and Honda Corporate acknowledge some of these failures but often deny coverage citing non-original ownership or expired warranty.
A recurring safety issue involves the check engine light flashing and entering limp mode (speed limited to 30 mph) after prolonged highway driving in cold weather, with no stored diagnostic codes. Honda dealerships acknowledge this happens frequently across multiple vehicles but have provided no technical fix.
Same Honda Pilot powertrain reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2022 · 2024
Failure modes owners describe
Check engine light limp mode / misfire-related safe mode
Engine enters reduced-power safe mode after prolonged highway driving followed by turning. Check engine light flashes. Vehicle can only travel at 30 mph or less. No diagnostic codes are stored even though light is flashing. Dealerships acknowledge the problem occurs across multiple vehicles; Honda has not provided a solution. The system believes the engine has backfired and triggers safe mode, but root cause is unknown.
When: Occurs after 4+ hours highway driving followed by turns or ramps. First reported December 2021. Also occurs in cold weather conditions after engine compartment warms from prolonged driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light flashes; Vehicle enters limp mode / safe mode; Speed limited to 30 mph; Engine runs rough and idles hard; No diagnostic codes stored despite warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Turning vehicle off and restarting clears the condition temporarily. No permanent fix available.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda has acknowledged this is a widespread problem affecting multiple vehicles. Dealerships confirm encountering it frequently. No technical service bulletin or solution has been issued despite months of waiting.
Engine failure / catastrophic engine damage
Engine fails, requiring full replacement. One case involved control arm bearing failure that Honda initially misdiagnosed as requiring engine replacement. Connecting rod bearing failure in another case required short-block replacement. A third involved metal shavings in oil filter indicating internal engine damage.
When: At 62,007 miles (just over 60k powertrain warranty expiration), 84,000 miles, and 56,000 km respectively. One vehicle stalled out at a stop light in October/November 2025, took several minutes to restart, with loud engine noises especially in Sport mode prior to failure.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine will not start; Loud engine knocking noise; Loud whirring noise then vehicle deceleration; Vehicle stalls at stop light and takes minutes to restart; Loud noises while accelerating, especially in Sport mode; Metal shavings found in oil filter
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement costs $9,000 plus. One owner was offered a 50-50 split by Honda Corporate, resulting in $8,480 out-of-pocket. Short-block replacement performed at dealership. Recall exists for 2020 and earlier Pilots; owners report the issue affects 2021-2022 models as well.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Corporate denied goodwill assistance claiming non-original owner status and non-Honda service history, despite documentation of all service provided. One case involved a 50-50 cost split offer.
Auto Idle Stop / Engine Start-Stop system failures
Auto Idle Stop feature causes engine to shut down at traffic stops and then fails to restart, leaving the vehicle stranded in traffic. Multiple restart attempts are often required. System continues to fail even after Honda software updates.
When: At traffic lights, stop signs, and highway stop-and-go traffic. Reported across multiple vehicles.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts down when vehicle comes to complete stop; Engine will not restart on first or multiple attempts; Warning beeps and flashing messages appear; Car jolt when brake is released after system failure; Vehicle becomes immobile in intersection or active traffic; Complete loss of electrical control requiring full shutdown and restart
Repairs/costs cited: Honda performed software updates on at least one vehicle; problem persisted. Owners report manually disabling the idle stop feature as a workaround, but this is not a long-term solution as the feature re-enables with each restart.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda has issued software updates that have not resolved the issue. No recall or permanent fix has been provided.
Transmission shift failures / unintended neutral engagement
Vehicle unexpectedly shifts into neutral while driving or stopped. Push-button transmission does not respond to shift commands. Vehicle will not shift back into drive. Transmission jerks and slips, especially at low speeds and in traffic.
When: At 38,000 miles and 40,200 miles for neutral shift incidents. Transmission jerk reported early in vehicle ownership (2,500 miles). Hesitation when shifting from reverse to drive is intermittent but frequent.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle shifts into neutral unexpectedly while stopped or driving; Push-button gear selector does not respond to input; Vehicle will not shift back into drive; Transmission jerk / rough shifting at low speeds; Transmission slip in traffic; 5-10 second hesitation when shifting from reverse to drive, followed by sudden high-speed acceleration; Warning messages: 'move vehicle from neutral to park' and transmission-related messages
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced 12-Volt battery and diagnosed faulty brake switch in one case, but the problem recurred and could not be reproduced or repaired. Another case required full transmission replacement ($9,000). One dealer noted that Carfax showed transmission fluid had never been changed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealerships have been unable to consistently diagnose or repair the issue. Manufacturer referred one owner to NHTSA.
Power loss while driving / complete engine shutdown
Engine loses all power while vehicle is in motion. Check engine light activates. Vehicle coasts to a stop. Restarting is required to regain power. Occurs during highway merging and exiting.
When: Twice within two months on highway during acceleration and while exiting.
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of engine power while driving; Check engine light comes on; Accelerator has no effect; Vehicle coasts to stop
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced gaskets that Honda knew might fail (not under recall; only replaced upon failure). The replacement did not resolve the issue; recurrence required another dealership visit.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda did not issue a recall for the gasket issue; owners must report a failure to get it addressed.
Unintended vehicle rollback / loss of braking hold
Vehicle rolls backward unexpectedly while parked on an inclined street with emergency brake not engaged. Vehicle rolls backward, performs a U-turn, then rolls forward down the incline, accelerating into a parked vehicle. Both airbags deploy; vehicle is destroyed.
When: At 20,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle rolls backward while in park and engine idling; Loss of brake hold; Vehicle continues to roll and accelerate down incline
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle totaled. Cause of failure was not determined.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the incident by owner.
Push-button transmission cannot be placed in neutral without engine running
Push-button transmission design makes it impossible to place vehicle in neutral without the engine running, according to the owner's manual and dealership confirmation. In the event of engine stall in traffic or dangerous location, the vehicle cannot be manually pushed to safety or towed without risk of drivetrain damage. Honda requires purchase of a special tool (Lock Release 07AAA-TZ3A100) which requires removal of underhood components and must be held against spring pressure; even then, neutral cannot be maintained without a second person.
When: Design issue affecting all push-button transmission 2021 Pilots.
Symptoms owners cite: Impossible to place transmission in neutral without running engine; Vehicle cannot be pushed to safety if engine stalls in traffic; Vehicle cannot be towed normally without drivetrain damage; Special tool required and difficult to use
Repairs/costs cited: Owner must purchase Lock Release 07AAA-TZ3A100 special tool. Tool requires underhood component removal and application of constant spring pressure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda's owner's manual and dealership staff confirm the design limitation. No alternative solution offered.
Gear hunting / transmission hunting between gears
Transmission hunting and slipping between gears, particularly in gears 2, 3, and 4. Problem reported at 90,000 miles.
When: At 90,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission hunts between gears; Transmission slips randomly
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated the issue could not be reproduced during diagnostic.
Synthesized from 24 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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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 Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 24 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 24 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 29,000 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/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.