2020 Honda Pilot engine problems
99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2020 Honda Pilot — 21% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who examined the engine and discovered metal shavings inside the oil pan and there was engine rod bearing…”
filed Jul 20, 2026
“Engine start/stop function fails to restart after automatically shutting off at a light or in traffic. It falters and fails to start, then the dashboard lights up with errors, and I have to put it into park before restarting. Sometimes it takes a few tries before restarting. The battery has been…”
filed Jul 17, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the…
A23-009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2025
Engine problems in other Pilot years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pilot | 26 | 15% |
| 2024 Pilot | 10 | 9% |
| 2023 Pilot | 11 | 9% |
| 2022 Pilot | 21 | 16% |
| 2021 Pilot | 96 | 23% |
| 2019 Pilot | 222 | 25% |
| 2018 Pilot | 154 | 36% |
| 2017 Pilot | 455 | 50% |
| 2016 Pilot | 755 | 45% |
| 2015 Pilot | 22 | 20% |
| 2014 Pilot | 31 | 27% |
| 2013 Pilot | 78 | 29% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 Honda Pilot
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.