Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 9% | — |
| 2025 | 18 | 38% | 31,000 miles |
| 2024 | 3 | 16% | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 13% | — |
| 2022 | 11 | 17% | 77,000 miles |
| 2021 | 29 | 20% | 73,000 miles |
| 2020 | 18 | 17% | 65,000 miles |
| 2019 | 53 | 19% | 10,000 miles |
| 2002 | 4 | 17% | 32,000 miles |
| 2001 | 6 | 4% | 86,000 miles |
| 2000 | 15 | 15% | 84,000 miles |
| 1999 | 30 | 13% | 65,000 miles |
| 1998 | 26 | 11% | 116,000 miles |
| 1997 | 12 | 21% | 81,000 miles |
| 1996 | 7 | 17% | 90,000 miles |
| 1995 | 15 | 25% | 85,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Our 2026 Honda Passport TSE suddenly stalled twice in active traffic intersections in Albuquerque, NM under acceleration and during a left turn, causing a sudden loss of motive power and a severe safety hazard and a potentially life threatening situation. Telemetry logs from an aftermarket GPS device installed in my vehicle captured a catastrophic voltage drop down to 10.886V during the incident, which electrically blinded the ECU and prevented the vehicle from storing a diagnostic trouble code. The vehicle was taken to Garcia Honda in Albuquerque, NM who documented the symptoms ('loss of power on accel,' 'hesitates and jerks') but released the vehicle unfixed because no digital codes were present. The vehicle is currently grounded as unsafe to drive. American Honda Corporate Case Number: [redacted]
On July 11, 2026, while driving, the vehicle suddenly experienced multiple system failures. The dashboard illuminated with numerous warning lights, including a flashing check engine light, indicating multiple system malfunctions. The vehicle was towed to the dealer due to the severity of the issue. It is currently at the dealership for inspection and diagnosis. I have not yet received a diagnosis or confirmation of the failed component(s) from the dealer. No warning lights, messages, or symptoms appeared prior to the sudden failure. The abrupt illumination of multiple warning lights while driving created a significant safety concern regarding the reliability of critical vehicle systems.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while stopped at a stoplight, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the Start/Stop system failed to restart the engine. The check engine warning light illuminated, and there was an alarm sounded. The message "Shift to Park" was displayed; but the gear shifter failed to shift into park. The brake pedal was depressed with excessive force and waited for a while before the vehicle was shifted into drive and the vehicle was driven forward. The vehicle was driven to the desired destination and shifted into park. The dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled. The failure mileage was 30,600.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, upon acceleration from a complete stop, the vehicle shifted into neutral and would not shift into drive. When the failure occurred, the contact was forced to restart the vehicle before continuing to drive. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a diagnostic evaluation was performed; however, the vehicle was not repaired as the contact was advised that the failure was not duplicable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.
At a red light in an intereection the Auto engine idle stopper feature stopped the engine and it failed to power / restart the engine. The cars electral system locked up. Could not restart engine, and could not put car in neutral because engine needs to be on. Had to car battery jumped. Took car to honda dealership after incident. They concluded that the battery and electrical systems passed all diagnostic tests. If this is the case there is a major safety issue with the car.
Automatic Stop/Start at idle control failed to Restart. Manual restarting of the engine blocked or delayed by the system at or in intersections or traffic delays causing danger of blocked traffic or collision. Local dealer has inspected and deemed the problem caused by the starter, but is not able to repair due to volume of incidents with other units. No System warnings we indicated. Multiple incidents over the last three weeks.
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]
Timing belt tensioner is failing on my 2023 Honda passport. I have read this to be a common problem on many Honda passports enough where a recall would be justified. If it fails the engine will completely implode causing the car to come to a complete stop even on the highway. The problem can be easily be confirmed to be a widespread issue through searching the Internet for the same vehicle. Yes my vehicle may be inspected. No it has not been in any accidents.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Passport years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2019 (53), 1999 (30), 2021 (29), 1998 (26) and 2020 (18) model years. Engine complaints make up 19% of all complaints for the 2019.
Is there a recall for Honda Passport engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 30% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (40 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (36).
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.