Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Honda Passport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the connecting rod bearing in cylinder #3, resulting in damage to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 73,000.
My 2021 Honda Passport Elite suffered cataphoric engine failure at 90,000 miles. The 6th cylinder bearing was missing when my vehicle was towed into Honda for diagnosis after my engine shut off while I was traveling 55 mph. I had no warnings for this failure including no engine noises and no check engine lights. I had to have a new engine put in my vehicle and Honda refused to cover the cost at 100% because they stated there were no open recalls at this time. I feel this is a manufacturer engine defect that is the same as the open recall defect Honda has on the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Pilots with the same 3.5-liter V6. The engine failure descriptions are exactly the same.
Was nudging Passport into a handicap parking spot at local grocery store. The Passport suddenly the engine raced to full throttle. The brake couldn't stop car as it hit the handicap pole and airbag deployed. The pole Passport to go to the right and ended up on a parking island. The idle went down and after smoke inside car cleared was able to stop engine. The Passport was towed away with extensive front end damage and minor property damage.
I am writing to make you aware of an alarming incident that happened with our 2021 Honda Passport this fall. My wife backed out of the garage and was in our driveway when the vehicle engine suddenly turned off and a message appeared on the entertainment display. It said that the antitheft system had lost power and that the power button needed to be pushed to restore it. She finally got the car to start by pushing the "volume" button, NOT the power (engine on/off) button. The message disappeared. If this would have happened while actually on the road, there could have been serious consequences. Can you image your vehicle suddenly shutting off on a highway? About a two months later, I also received the same message when driving through my subdivision, but the engine did not shut off. …
Owned the 2021 Honda Passport for 4 years and have had multiple issues over that time. 1st. Electrical issues. Randomly while driving the center/head unit will continuously restart on a loop until vehicle is turned off and turned back on. 2nd. The speakers make crackling noises randomly while driving. Even when the audio/speakers are turned off the crackling continues. (Very loud and annoying) 3rd. The Passport sometimes shuts off completely when stopped at red lights and has difficultly turning back on / restarting. This showed an error that there was a battery issue, which the battery had just been replaced a month or two earlier. It said something about being in accessory mode. 4th. The sensor that tracks oncoming traffic goes off sporadically. There are times on single lane roads that the car forces the breaks on because it senses cars on the other side. 5th. …
Vehicle has been having AIS issues for a couple of years, requiring new batteries, new starter/relays and countless internal computer updates (none of which have helped btw...). This morning she had the AIS engaged, went to turn left at a green light and when she released the brake the vehicle threw itself into Neutral and flashed a "Auto Idle Stop System Problem" message on the dash. She put it into park and tried to restart, which failed, she then had to turn the vehicle off completely and restart from there. As I mentioned, none of the computer updates Honda has done for this vehicle have helped and it's my understanding there is a block of vehicles in this age range (all Passports, Ridgelines and Pilots) that continue to have problems with the AIS as well. …
The engine experienced a catastrophic lower-end bearing failure at approximately 63,000 miles. The vehicle had been maintained according to the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule at the dealership service department. There were no missed oil changes. The failure occurred without any prior indication that a major internal engine problem was developing. The vehicle was taken to a Honda dealership, where the engine was disassembled. The dealer confirmed a lower-end bearing failure and reported significant metal debris inside the engine. The engine was determined to require complete replacement. A sudden internal engine failure creates the risk of an unexpected loss of power while driving, which can increase the risk of a crash, especially in traffic or at highway speeds. The failed engine is available for inspection through the servicing dealership if requested. …
The vehicle experienced a sudden internal mechanical failure while driving, resulting in loss of propulsion and complete engine failure. The vehicle was towed to an authorized franchised dealership service center (Gardena Honda) for inspection. No check engine lights, warning lights or any pile pressure warning! Oil change was 2,500 miles until next service. Upon complete teardown and diagnostic inspection, factory-certified technicians confirmed internal engine damage, specifically connecting rod bearing failure leading to a seized engine requiring a complete engine replacement ($9,375.00 total repair cost). This internal failure presents a severe safety hazard: an unexpected engine stall or lockup at highway speeds risks loss of power steering, loss of power brakes, and an immediate crash. …
There is a known issue with auto idle feature. If you do not manually turn off every time it stays on and occasionally will cause car issue when stopping. I have had it happen in vehicle about a dozen times. When you fully depress brake engine is suppose to i gel to save gas however on occasion the vehicle will completely stall out. I have had this issue happen when approaching stop signs or in traffic situations. The biggest problem is trying to reengage car. Sometimes you can feel it starting to do this and if you quickly apply gas you can avoid it however sometimes the car will lock up with display lights and you have to keep pushing the Engine stop button to turn off the vehicle and turn vehicle back on. It is sometimes difficult to even turn off engine vehicle when this happens but seems to be only way to get vehicle to respond. …
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 says there is nothing wrong. This is the 2nd time it's done it. We were told to check the battery. It's new and we do not trust this vehicle. If it does it on the freeway it would be catastrophic. Honda needs to fix this problem. The crash avoidance also says to brake at every car in the opposite lane. I purchased a code reader to try and save all the codes when the car acts up.
NHTSA investigations
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
On June 3, 2022, the O ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several eld reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a tra c light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged.
Engine complaints in other Passport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2021 Honda Passport?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2021 Honda Passport, 20% of the model year's 144 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2021 Honda Passport engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2021 Honda Passport, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2021 Honda Passport engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.