Acceleration complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Transmission, radio, and automatic braking system. Transmission lags when going slow. From a stop on a hill, the car did not accelerate when the gas pedal was pushed, almost causing a crash as I merged into oncoming traffic. It felt like it did not go into gear properly or was not recognizing the gears. Dealership advised it was the design of the transmission and not something they can fix. Auto brake sensors pick up cars that are not there, braking while driving. Especially noticeable on windy roads, though it has started to happen at stop lights. Radio has static and flashes white when operating with Bluetooth connection (Android product). Dealership recognizes and was able to replicate the sluggish feeling at low speeds, attempted to fix stereo (didn't work), and did not replicate the slow accelerate from a hill, but stated that there are issues with the transmission design.
my 2023 Honda passport is having shifting problems (high revs, slow nd unpredictable power to wheels) harsh acceleration (not easy to safely /smoothly gauge power and speed from acceleration to wheel) high revs "stuck" --not shifting down smoothly/safely These issues are on going. I also researched and saw this has been reported b y other Honda Passport( 2023) owners. I contacted dealer 10/16/25 to document the complaint and asked dealer to call me back if any service advisories or recalls, they said no, but a service advisor wuld contat me if they felt a follow up was needed. Also, the vehicle had 'catastrophic' computer failure with power lost and warning lights within first 2 years --transmission lost power/engine still ran and forced into the breakdown lane and have vehicle towed. . Dealer did some type of reset. VIN # [VIN]
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH with cruise control engaged, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 25 MPH. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact pulled over safely. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had received an oil change 5 days prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine had seized and that the bottom lifter had failed. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
The vehicle stopped measuring speed accurately, resulting in all safety features and multiple vehicle measurements becoming non functional. The vehicle was towed to Fowler Honda, Norman OK. Diagnostics revealed the sensor bolt had backed out and the sensor had backed out (code C0039-62). The sensor and bolt were installed correctly and all systems functioned again. I was travelling at interstate highway speed of 70 mph when this occurred. The vehicle remained operable, but the alarms, display warnings and lack of accurate speed indication resulted in very confusing and troubled driving until I successfully exited the highway.
I have encountered two types of brake issues: 1) my vehicle seems to flash BRAKE occasionally when oncoming vehicles pass by for no reason - they are not entering my lane or doing anything that should cause the message to flash. The vehicle type does not seem to matter - they have been old and new models, and have been both cars and trucks. My vehicle has only visually warned, but does not engage brakes, so no further safety issue is involved. It has done it frequently on some days and then none for awhile. We have tried to make note of vehicle type and model for consistency, but have not found any. 2) If my vehicle has its cruise control on (which is often) and a vehicle in front of me moves into a left-turn lane to turn - often with plenty of notice - my vehicle will engage it's brakes and slow down even though there is no danger of hitting the other vehicle. …
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.
On Nov 9, 2024 I was pulling into a parking spot in a public parking garage, after turning 2 tight corners to approach the parking spot. About half way into the parking spot, the car suddenly lurched and accelerated and I crashed into a 90 degree concrete corner wall! It happened SO fast, without any warning sounds or ABS brakes deploying. The entire front passenger corner of my car was badly damaged. Luckily I was not injured, nor were there any other vehicles or persons involved. It is just not possible that I could have personally pulled into a parking spot at such a high speed as to cause such extreme damage to the vehicle! I drove the vehicle to a body shop on 11/11/24, which was one recommended by my insurance company. The vehicle was inspected by the body shop, which was directly in contact with my insurance company. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Honda Passport. The contact stated that the front radar system and the collision avoidance system was sensing other objects and abruptly slowing the vehicle down almost to a complete stop. The contact turned off the feature so it would not engage in error like before. The contact was able to override when applying the brakes. The contact was concerned that the even though the adaptive cruise control was not reading an object in front the vehicle, the system May speed up the vehicle possibly causing a collision. Additionally, the instrument panel displayed the incorrect vehicle speed. The vehicle was taken to Honda of downtown chicago (1111 n. Clark st, ste 2, chicago, il 60610, [phone]) and a software update was performed for the instrument panel to show the correct speed. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Passport years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (16), 2001 (12), 1999 (11), 2019 (7) and 2000 (6) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Honda Passport acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Honda Passport model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Honda Passport acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 83,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (14 mentions), followed by the linkages (4).
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.