Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated forward violently and jumped a parking barrier. The contact stated she almost hit two nearby passengers; however was able to steer the vehicle to the side, and crashed into a tree where the vehicle came to a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver's air bag deployed. The vehicle was destroyed. The police arrived on the scene. There was a police report filed. One of the nearby passengers, which the contact almost hit was injured due to her fall and sustained a fractured arm that required medical treatment. There were injuries to the contact arms, chest, and stomach from the seat belt retraction however she declined medical treatment at the scene. The vehicle was towed to the local salvage lot. …
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that he had stopped the vehicle and had depressed the brake pedal. The contact stated that he opened the driver's side door and as he stepped out with his left leg, the vehicle started to move forward, and the engine was still running. The contact stated that the vehicle had a safety feature that automatically placed the vehicle into park (P) when the driver depressed the brake pedal and opened the driver's side door. The contact stated that as he exited the vehicle, it started to roll; he had parked on a slope with the hood of the vehicle aimed downhill. The contact stated that the driver's side rear tire ran over both his legs below his knees. The vehicle rolled downhill into a ravine and was not damaged. The contact stated that he called the police, who arrived and asked if he needed medical attention. …
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission had erroneously shifted from the drive position to the select position causing the vehicle to hesitate and sputter. After turning the vehicle off and restarting the engine the failure had self-corrected. On one occasion while parked with the engine idling, as contact was exiting the vehicle the transmission erroneously shifted out of the park position and began to drive forward knocking the contact to the ground and driving over the legs. During the incident, the driver sustained injuries to both legs and a fractured arm. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who reprogrammed the transmission. No further information was available. …
I have recently had a traumatizing event with respect to the 2019 Honda Pilot. As you know this vehicle has the 3.5L v6 engine and transmission. Recently I was in a situation where I needed to accelerate to miss an oncoming tractor trailer that crossed the median. The only course of action was to accelerate. At the time of acceleration the car skipped and slipped gear. We narrowly missed colliding and in my estimates dying. I had the vehicle inspected and diagnosed by a Honda dealership in Sanford NC. They determined the Torque Converter failed and is bad. They also informed me this same power train is in the 2018 and previous Honda Pilots. Which Honda extended the warranty on to address the issue. Why haven't they included the 2019? This is unacceptable I have reached out to Honda and they will not discuss the issue.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with fuel injector failure. The contact was informed that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The fuel injectors were replaced. The contact became aware of Technical Service Bulletin: 21-010, NHTSA ID Number: 10187008 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System, Equipment, Power Train). The contact called the dealer, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not covered under an extended warranty. The manufacturer was informed of the issue and confirmed that the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 91,670.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Auto START/STOP feature failed to operate as needed causing the vehicle to stall. The contact would restart the vehicle as an unknown message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on multiple occasions; however, the failure persisted. Recently, the contact stated that the vehicle had locked up after the failure occurred and the gear shifter would not move from the park(P) position. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the engine light was illuminated. The transmission emission message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was associated with DTC: P0777. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who recommended a transmission flush. After the transmission flush the vehicle failed to shift from second to third gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer a second time and another transmission flush was recommended and the dealer eventually determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was restarted; however, the advanced safety features remained inoperable. The vehicle remained in LIMP Mode and failed to properly accelerate while driving. The contact referenced TSB: 23-0780 (Torque Converter); however, the vehicle was not associated with the TSB. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,500.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while stopped, the vehicle independently shifted to neutral. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate or shift to drive. The vehicle had to be turned off and restarted and the vehicle to operated correctly. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times. The contact also stated that there was a clicking noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
I was coming to a stop at a red light and the car shut off . It flashed a transmission issue and emissions issue on the dash. I tried to restart and it would start but not move or let me shift into gear leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy road. It took for an officer to remove my battery cable and then reconnect for me to be able to move the vehicle out of the road and into a parking lot. I had the car towed to the nearest Honda dealership where they saw the messages on the dash. While they test drove it all errors went away and they can't locate an issue.
Transmission complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 94 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2019 Honda Pilot, 10% of the model year's 918 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2019 Honda Pilot transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2019 Honda Pilot, though it has 13 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 2019 Honda Pilot transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 32,000 miles, and 45% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.