Honda Pilot 2015 — Reported problems

On September 13, 2026, I was cleaning my 2015 Honda Pilot at a car wash while my young child was inside the vehicle. My keys and phone were also inside. After I closed the front passenger-side door, the vehicle unexpectedly locked all doors with my child, keys, and phone inside. I did not intentionally lock the vehicle and did not expect the doors to lock when the passenger door closed. I immediately attempted to regain access. A car wash employee and others also tried to help. I borrowed a phone and called 911. A locksmith was contacted but estimated approximately 35 minutes before arrival. Because my young child remained trapped inside the closed vehicle in hot weather, the situation became increasingly urgent. After continued unsuccessful attempts to gain access, 911 was contacted again and police and fire personnel responded. My child was trapped inside the vehicle for approximately 30 minutes. Emergency personnel ultimately broke the rear driver-side window to gain access and remove my child. Due to the duration of the incident and heat exposure, my child was taken for medical evaluation and later discharged. I do not know what specific component or system caused the vehicle to unexpectedly lock. The problem has not yet been diagnosed or confirmed by Honda or a dealership. I am reporting this because the unexpected locking created a serious safety situation requiring emergency personnel to break a window to rescue a young child. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

On July 3, 2026 the check engine light, check VSA warning and check emissions warning indicators all illuminated simultaneously and the vehicle began to misfire and sputter which triggered an immediate slow down of traffic behind me. My local Honda dealership acknowledged a known defect with 2013 - 2015 Pilots in which the piston rings deteriorate leading to cylinder misfires. After system diagnostics they confirmed the spark plugs were damaged due to the piston rings defect causing engine misfires, rough idling, and slow minimal acceleration. This situation absolutely placed me, my family and others on the roadway at immediate risk due to the sudden nature of the engine malfunction. While there were no police report or insurance claims the Honda dealer did inspect and perform diagnostics on the vehicle. However American Honda declined any responsibility and refused to repair the vehicle even though this is a known issue with Honda. Prior to this date there were no warning or indication that the vehicle had any issues.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that upon pulling into the gas station and parking the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound, and the contact also noticed a grinding sound coming from the underbody of the vehicle. The contact stated that the grinding sound persisted and became louder while reversing out of the parking spot. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to Mavis Tires the following day. The vehicle was inspected and diagnosed with sway bar, suspension, and strut failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.

1. The engine assembly failed — Piston 1 suffered catastrophic failure due to VCM-related piston ring wear and oil sludge buildup, generating DTCs P0301–P0304 (engine misfire, cylinders 1–4). Vehicle is completely non-operational. Failed engine is available for inspection in Mableton, GA 30126. 2. Progressive engine misfire created risk of sudden power loss and loss of vehicle control at highway speeds. Complete engine failure in April 2026 left the vehicle fully immobile, posing an immediate collision risk to the driver and surrounding motorists. 3. Yes. In October 2025, I brought the vehicle to AutoNation Honda on Thornton Road, Georgia, presenting symptoms consistent with Honda Service Bulletin 25-060. The dealership examined the vehicle but took no action and offered no warranty coverage, despite SB 25-060 being fully active at that time. 4. Yes. AutoNation Honda (authorized Honda dealer) inspected the vehicle in October 2025 while Service Bulletin 25-060 was fully active. No repair was performed and Honda has denied all warranty claims. No police or insurance inspection has occurred. Vehicle remains unrepaired and available for NHTSA inspection. 5. Yes. The Check Engine Light illuminated with DTCs P0301–P0304 prior to failure, along with engine misfire, rough idle, and reduced performance. These symptoms were present at the October 2025 dealer visit. No corrective action was taken. The engine progressed to catastrophic Piston 1 failure in April 2026.

While driving in traffic the vehicle suddenly began to sputter and lose power with check engine light flashing on the dash board. I was able to pull over and limp the car the one mile to my home on side streets. I parked the vehicle and called for a tow truck to tow the vehicle to my local dealership that I purchased the car from brand new. This is the third time this failure has occurred. The first occurrence was in October of 2023, the second was in November of 2024. The first two repairs were made at a local independent repair shop in the city of Orange ca. the first occurrence was cylinder 1 and the repair shop indicated that this is a common occurrence in this make and model. The report was a replacement of the spark plug and coil pack as oil was found to be in spark plug chamber. The second occurrence was similar but on a different spark plug (I believe number 2 or 3). This occurrence was diagnosed by the dealer and required a replacement of piston rings and major engine repair and oil in spark plug number 2 I believe. In July of 2025 American Honda sent me a notice in the mail of a known defect affecting this vehicle and offered a repair for this exact problem within an extended warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles whichever is first. This was my first reciept of such information from Honda. The extended warranty however was sent to me after the 10 year warranty was already expired as I has purchased the vehicle new in October of 2014. American Honda then had fine print at the bottom of the notice extending the extension to Jan. 31st 2026. 15 days later my vehicle experienced the acknowledged problem for the 3rd time. In July of 2025 I contacted my dealership and advised them of the letter I had received and asked for an inspection and or repair of the problem listed. The service advisor spoke with his service manager, and they refused to inspect and or repair the vehicle due to no warning light or symptoms occurring at that time.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the error message instructed the driver to pull over immediately. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with piston ring failures. In addition, DTC: P0301 (Misfire in Cylinder #1) was displayed. The contact was informed that the piston rings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

I bought my 2015 Pilot in 2024 and since then my local mechanic has told me I am burning oil and I have had to replace several spark plugs. I have had error codes like P0304 come up in conjunction with the replacements. I now have a total engine failure. I looked online after my failure and saw the VCM Warranty Extension, but I was never notified about it. I saw where the codes could come up as "misfires" but might actually be the engine failing. Component failure - engine Safety Risk - I was driving when it died. if i had not come to a complete stop i would have hit a snow covered rocky hill. Inspections - awaiting insurance inspector, engine failure confirmed by mechanic. Warnning - no lights were on when it happened.

The catalytic converter system on my vehicle is failing prematurely due to the vehicle’s built-in fuel management and energy-saving computer settings. These settings cause excess fuel to be burned and pushed into the catalytic converter, damaging the unit. In addition, this flaw is causing oil to be pushed out of the car, creating both a mechanical hazard and an environmental concern. This is not the result of poor maintenance or misuse — it is a hazard caused by a design flaw in the system itself.

See attached document for complaint.

Constant mold accumulates inside my car, creating an unpleasant, musty odor that fills the air. Over time, this persistent growth not only detracts from the vehicle's interior appearance but also poses potential health risks for anyone who enters. I have had to clean the car and remove mold repeatedly. This situation is extremely dangerous, especially since I have two small children who are being exposed to mold and mildew, which I believe is affecting their health. I reached out to Honda for assistance, but received no results, concern, or solutions regarding this issue. I have multiple receipts that can verify the mold growth is still ongoing.

My whole steering wheel detached while driving

My vehicle started shimmying at 55 MPH up to 70 MPH. My repair show told me that two of the tire walls are flattening out and it's dangerous to drive.

Started hearing a loud ticking/knocking noise, but it would get quiet once the car was running over 2500rpm. Noise was overheard by a pedestrian while dropping my kids off at school and he let me know he was a mechanic and that I should not be driving the car with that noise as the engine sounded like it could be on the way to seizing up. After inspection by 2 independent service center mechanics, it was found that there are 2 faulty connecting rod bearings. The Rod bearings to cylinder 2 and 5, specifically. There were metal shavings in the oil and a piece of a rod was found when the bottom pan was dropped. We either have to rebuild the engine or replace it. No warning lights other than the Tire Pressure Management System light. Checked VIN to recall list after hearing that this is a common issue with 2016 Pilots, but our VIN is not on the list.

Steering is shaking when braking at high speed. Replaced pads and rotors multiple times but problem keeps coming back. Lots of complaints also about this issue so please help

Airbag lift would come on intermittently. Upon dealership inspection it was learned that it could be a possible issue with the passenger side airbag and instructed to not drive vehicle. Airbag was ordered and took over six weeks to receive and repair. Dealership said airbags are not covered by any recall or warranty. Is, should, this be correct?

The valve cover gasket spool valve is leaking oil. Oil appears to be leaking on the alternator causing it to short and die. There is a Honda service bulletin 20-023 which shows 2009-15 pilots having this problem. However, Honda has declined to cover my repair saying my VIN is not covered and my warranty is expired. Sad

Honda Warranty Extension: White Diamond Pearl Paint SB19-057. Affected vehicle - 2015 Honda Pilot. Issue - peeling paint. Corrective action performed by approved Honda dealership as stated in SB19-057. Now experiencing other body panels that are peeling paint. Went back to Honda dealership to request repair of peeling paint. Repair claim denied by Honda Corporate. What recourse do I have since there other body panels that have exterior paint peeling besides the roof and/or tailgate peeling off.

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 recently and there is valve repairs that need to be done, to include all necessary gaskets, water pump and tensioner. There's also need to replace power steering pump, bushings and vtec spool valve. There were no prior indicators, the engine light suddenly came on when the car idled and riding on the highway at 35-40 mph was not very fun or safe. We've left the vehicle in the garage since the malfunction as is since we had other vehicles until we saved funds for the fix. We just didnt think it'd be this high of a cost and granted the car is only 98,800 miles in, i just dont understand how this all could be when my honda accord is 255k and still in good shape with no major fixes... Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

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 .

My Honda was leaking gas, I normally park in my garage and the whole house smelled gas very dangerous being I have kids living in the house.. I had it repaired cost me $1500. This is very dangerous

Air Bag light is on. Service department informed me the passenger seat side air bag is faulty. There is no recall on this make year but Other Honda Pilots with same issue but other make years have been recalled.

5 YEARS OWNING THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 1 OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, IT CRACKED, SPENT ALMOST $ 6000 WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO FIXED IT. TODAY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE. AND SAW IT IN YOUR WEBSITE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON IT. BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL...

When my car parked garage, I was starting to smell gas thru out house, I don’t have anything gas house all electric, started get light headed with headache never had it before, my son was also complaint of headaches. So I took it to Right Honda dealership they said fuel pump leaking gas very dangerous. Now they want me pay $1250 . Health hazard Carbon Monoxide very dangerous deadly. Needs to be investigated asap…

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, he became aware that the headlights failed to provide adequate illumination. After a visual inspection of the headlights, the contact observed that both headlight covers were foggy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the headlight assembly, requiring that the headlight assemblies be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

My Honda Pilot PAINT started coming off, paint peling off. Location: roof above windshield passenger side. My vehicle is garage kept at all times. Hand and automatic washed regularly. Please advise on how to proceed with repairs. Thank you in advance

Paint chips on door, hood, and roof paint. These issues have been occurring one after the others, it started 4 years ago until today.

Honda pilot stalled 3 times today while driving...once on the highway and vehicle did not want to start.

Part number 17700-STX-A11 should be made of rubber or metal. The fuel line is made of an ABS plastic. It is cheap quality and brittle. The fuel line should additionally be segmented. When I spoke to the Honda dealership in Mckinney Tx the service supervisor stated this is a frequent and ongoing problem. I also spoke to a service supervisor at Honda in Frisco Tx who informed me when they order the fuel line it often comes in broken on the freight. The poor quality, brittle fuel line is a ticking time bomb. My pilot was spraying gas risking the life of my family today. The exhaust system could have caught fire. My son noticed the smell of gas before I did as the fuel pump is located directly under the center row of seats. The odor became over powering extremely quick leading to myself, my husband and my children feeling ill.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle briefly started before stalling. After starting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while changing the passenger’s side front wheel, the factory jack sold originally with the vehicle failed to lift the vehicle high enough to allow the contact to remove the wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

My back-up camera is not working.

the suv paint has started peeling and while driving the flakes fly off . 3 day while driving on i-90 interstate in chicago area and a big piece (2feet x 6-8 inches wide)of paint flake flew and landed on a car behind me on its windshield and luckily that driver was able to stop the car without incident . (anything serious could have also happened) Honda is a premium car which charges much more than equivalent brands and yet the car paint starts flaking in under 8 years and also polluting the atmosphere.

problem

Hello my car has had an ongoing issue that was recalled for the 2009 to 2013 year Honda pilots regarding oil consumption. My car constantly has issues with misfiring due to oil on the spark plugs. This started happening around 90000 miles on my vehicle. After several expensive repairs including having the heads on my engine rebuilt, having the coils replaced and having the cylinder 1 spark plug replaced at least 4 times. My mechanic pointed me to the VCS system in the car which many have complained about causing this issue. When the vehicle exhibits these symptoms it has caused me to lose speed instantly on the highway and the vehicle begins to shake.

This Honda Pilot has a very low brake pedal , I describe it as a soft pedal. You have to depress the pedal almost to the floor let up and press it again to get fairly decent stopping power, still not the best. This increases stopping distance and in an emergency it takes time to double pump the brakes. There are complaints on the internet about this issue by other owners. Here are some examples, https://hondatech.com/forums/tsb_recall/tsbs/honda/pilot/2015 .There are reports/complaints to NHTSA, RECORD_ID: 1248839 , NHTSA Item Number: 10128555, NHTSA Item Number: 10128537 ,NHTSA Item Number: 10128536, I have been to a repair shop who bled the brakes 2 times it gets minimally better for a short time. I feel there is an issue with the brakes on this Honda

Trunk closed on my head and trapped me. It lifted and then closed on my hair trapping me by my braids. I had to get assistance to get free

My 2015 Honda Pilot White Pearl paint is peeling off of my roof in large pieces. I have seen four of the same reported issue on the NHTSA site and many of the same color Honda Pilot vehicles with paint peel on the road. There was obviously a paint or application problem with this Honda white pearl paint.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while changing a flat tire on the driver's side front, the OEM jack was placed under the hard point located under the frame behind the driver's side front tire. The contact stated that the jack had a slot on the top of the jack and he matched the slot to the hard point. The contact stated that the vehicle was on a flat concrete driveway. After the vehicle was jacked up and he removed the flat tire, the base of the jack began to bend and the vehicle began to lean. The jack was leaning and could no longer support the weight of the vehicle and collapsed. The rotor was resting on the driveway. The vehicle was finally lifted using a heavy-duty floor jack and the tire was replaced. The contact had called a local dealer who confirmed that the jack was the OEM jack for the vehicle. The contact stated that he purchased a heavier scissor jack with a wider base. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.

On February 3, 2022, the right front lower control arm bushing was observed to be leaking fluid. This condition was confirmed by a Honda dealer toward the end of the same month. The failed bushing is a defective design that has existed on Pilot vehicles since at least 2009 and persisted in successive models. The fluid-filled elastomeric bushing failure is manifested by loss of fluid which leaves a black streak on the underside of the control arm necessitating an unscheduled maintenance action. Left undetected, the failure would lead to a loss of structural integrity and conceivably a loss of control under consistent hot and dry environmental conditions where polymer degradation is accelerated.The attached files depict the failed bushing as well as a serviceable bushing from the same vehicle.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, a sudden booming noise was heard, and the driver noticed that the sunroof had exploded causing the fractured glass to enter the cabin of the vehicle. No injuries were reported. The cause of the failure was not determined. A police report was later taken regarding the failure. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000. The VIN was not available.