About six months ago, my Pilot stuttered as I was going through the tunnel on I95. The engine light flashed and a light for the emissions system came on. I was able to slowly make my way over to a local dealership, since I was about an hour from home and the one I bought it from. The dealer I went to was very nice, he checked the car out and told me that it appeared to be just like the problem that the 2012-2013 Pilots had. It was a serious enough issue for Honda to recall those vehicles.
I have had little minor sputters (at 40 mph and also at 60 mph) with this SUV since I bought it. I had told the dealer it came from about this numerous times. They couldn't find anything wrong. Obviously they were using some of the left over 2012-2013 engine parts when they assembled the 2014's. That's my guess as to why not too many have reported this issue. Of course when I reported this problem from the beginning as a concern to the dealer, they brushed me off with the attitude of "oh there's nothing wrong with your auto, little lady".
They basically couldn't replicate any issues and just hoped it wouldn't be a bigger one until it was out of warranty! I swear that almost no dealer/service place gives a crap about their customers anymore. I wish I could find a way to make Honda take responsibility for what I now know is going to be an ongoing major problem. Sadly, I love this car and don't really want to have to get rid of it.
It took only five months for this problem to occur once again, and this time with little warning. The 3rd cylinder spark plug fouled with evidence of oil burn and oil contamination. While the replacement of the spark plug greatly improves my Pilot's drivability, this time the engine is still misfiring in multiple cylinders when hooked up to the diagnostic machine. This leads my mechanic to believe that the only way to remedy the issue is to conduct the "short block" repair that Honda granted 2009-2013 Pilot owners in the class action lawsuit.
My car is still in the shop as I am trying to file a claim with Honda through the dealer in which I purchased the car. I reported these issues with Honda Customer Relations and now have an "open case". Honda needs to step up and extend the warranty enhancement to 2014 Pilot owners.
This time when the spark plug came apart, the engine seized while I was on the freeway. I was lucky to safely exit and coast to a side street where I waited to be towed. Once again, the third cylinder spark plug showed evidence of oil burn and oil contamination. This is consistent with the 2009-2014 Honda Pilot complaints. The engineering problem is present in 2014 Pilot models. Honda needs to extend the same warranty enhancement issued in the settlement to 2014 Pilot owners.
At 58,000 miles, the third cylinder spark plug came apart and was rattling around in the engine. There was evidence of oil burn and contamination on the plug. Three lights on the dash came on and the car was difficult to drive. This complaint is consistent with the class action lawsuit Honda settled for 2009-2013 Pilot owners. This engineering issue appears to be pervasive with 2014 Pilot models.
The original problem started in Nov. 2018, the dealership said they couldn't figure out why it happened. There were no recalls so they chalked it up to defective spark plugs...(at 60 bucks a pop). So I puckered my butt cheeks and paid the $470 to fix it, as plugs are not covered under warranty extended or otherwise. I have a sneaky suspicion it has to do with a recall from the 2013 Pilot on piston rings.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
About six months ago, my Pilot stuttered as I was going through the tunnel on I95. The engine light flashed and a light for the emissions system came on. I was able to slowly make my way over to a local dealership, since I was about an hour from home and the one I bought it from. The dealer I went to was very nice, he checked the car out and told me that it appeared to be just like the problem that the 2012-2013 Pilots had. It was a serious enough issue for Honda to recall those vehicles.
I have had little minor sputters (at 40 mph and also at 60 mph) with this SUV since I bought it. I had told the dealer it came from about this numerous times. They couldn't find anything wrong. Obviously they were using some of the left over 2012-2013 engine parts when they assembled the 2014's. That's my guess as to why not too many have reported this issue. Of course when I reported this problem from the beginning as a concern to the dealer, they brushed me off with the attitude of "oh there's nothing wrong with your auto, little lady".
They basically couldn't replicate any issues and just hoped it wouldn't be a bigger one until it was out of warranty! I swear that almost no dealer/service place gives a crap about their customers anymore. I wish I could find a way to make Honda take responsibility for what I now know is going to be an ongoing major problem. Sadly, I love this car and don't really want to have to get rid of it.
- Angela Z., Potomac, MD, US