2019 Honda Pilot Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe center display and infotainment failures — the screen blanking, rebooting, or losing audio — frequently at low mileage. A second group of complaints centers on stalling, hesitation and loss of power, sometimes linked in owners' accounts to the fuel pump recall or to idle-stop restart problems. Rearview camera and fuel-system complaints round out the most common reports, with many filed at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Center display and infotainment blanking or rebooting

   • 134 complaints (15%)
   • median 7,000 mi at 1.1 yrs old (61 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the center touchscreen and sometimes the instrument panel going black or rebooting while driving, often preceded by clicking and messages such as 'network communication lost' or 'no audio connection.' Audio and navigation stop working, and in some reports the screen stays on after shutdown and drains the battery. Complaints describe repeated dealer visits, software updates that did not resolve the symptom, and in some cases being told there was no fix. Mostly reported under about 35,000 miles, often within the first year or two of ownership.

   Recall 20V440000Recall 20V439000Recall 23V4310004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Spend time with the screen on before buying: cycle it through radio, navigation and camera views, and ask whether any recall software updates or radio/amplifier bulletins were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Digital instrument panel that contains all gauges (speedometer, tachometer, gas gauge, etc.) intermittently turns off while the car is in operation. The screen goes entirely black as if the car is not on, meaning we do not have a functioning speedometer while the car is in operation when this occurs. We've had the car at the dealership twice for this issue and it still isn't resolved.”

   NHTSA complaint #11302349, filed 2020-01, 13,000 miles

   “I bought a used 2019 Honda Pilot touring awd from gillman Honda in fort bend, tx in the summer of 2020 and as of the last 2 months have experienced issues with the infotainment system where the screen goes completely black while driving. I get an error message saying that network has been lost and eventually the system reboots over time by itself. There is a class action lawsuit going on with this as a known issue for many owners and none of that was shared prior to buying the vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11384770, filed 2020-12, 33,250 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Stalling, hesitation or loss of power while driving

   • 316 complaints (34%)
   • median 42,000 mi at 3.9 yrs old (75 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,828 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report the engine stalling or losing power at speed, sometimes with a flashing or illuminated emissions light, and hesitation or a slow response when pressing the accelerator. Some were able to restart and continue; others had the vehicle towed. Complaints describe dealers replacing a fuel pump, starter, injectors or catalytic converter, with some reporting the symptom returned afterward. Reported across a wide mileage range, roughly 25,000 to 115,000 miles, at both city and highway speeds.

   Recall 23V858000Recall 21V215000Recall 23V7510003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump recalls (21V215000 and 23V858000) and the connecting-rod bearing recall (23V751000) were performed, and take a test drive that includes a highway pull and a stop-and-go section.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2 weeks ago, my car stalled as I was driving down the highway and attempting to pass another vehicle. I was going around 45 mph, the engine stalled, the speed dropped down to about 33 and would not let me accelerate. There was not a warning light. Fortunately, there was not a car to my left so I was able to pull over. I turned the car off and it restarted. I took it to the shop a few days later and sat there for 5 hours while they ran diagnostics. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11644250, filed 2025-02, 69,585 miles

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11632499, filed 2024-12, 110,882 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Fuel system: hard starting, rough running, pump replacement

   • 187 complaints (20%)
   • median 59,242 mi at 5.2 yrs old (36 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe rough idling, hard or failed starting, warning lights, and ticking or abnormal noises from the engine bay traced to fuel pump or fuel pump module failure. Several owners had the fuel pump recall performed and still reported hesitating acceleration or stalling, and some were told parts for the recall were not yet available. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 125,000 miles.

   Recall 23V858000Recall 21V2150002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for documentation of the fuel pump recalls and listen for ticking or rough idle at start-up and during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11716782, filed 2026-02, 70,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), and the vehicle was taken to be repaired under the recall. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The battery, Emissions, and 4WD warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the dealer informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11645979, filed 2025-03, 43,000 miles
4. 4
   Forward collision avoidance

   Rearview camera image missing or distorted

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the backup camera showing a black, purple or otherwise distorted image, or a 'network lost' message, when shifting into reverse. Some had the recall remedy or a cable or camera replacement performed and reported the problem came back. Others note the vehicle was covered by a camera-display recall but that replacing the camera itself was not part of it. Reported from roughly 20,000 up to over 110,000 miles, in everyday parking and reversing.

   Recall 23V431000Recall 20V440000

   What to check: Shift into reverse and watch the screen for color distortion or dropouts, and ask whether recalls 23V431000 and 20V440000 were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a purple and green screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by email, but no response was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11759416, filed 2026-08, 112,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while reversing, the backup camera malfunctioned and failed to display an image. During the failure, the message No Connectivity was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 85,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11592109, filed 2024-06, 85,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine

   Idle-stop will not restart after stopping

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   With the idle-stop feature engaged at a stop, owners describe the engine failing to restart when the brake pedal is released, requiring them to shift into park and press the start button. Complaints mention a message on the instrument panel explaining how to restart, and dealers recharging the battery or replacing starters without the symptom going away. Typically reported in the 40,000 to 100,000 mile range, at stops in traffic.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: During the test drive, stop with idle-stop active and check that the engine restarts on release of the brake; ask whether the idle-stop product update or warranty extension was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that vehicle was equipped with the START/STOP feature; while at a stop, after releasing the brake pedal the vehicle stalled. The contact had to place the vehicle in park and restart vehicle. The heated seat on the driver side failed to produce heat. Additionally, while traveling at high speeds the vehicle stalled and was slow to restart. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11450345, filed 2022-02, 41,000 miles

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11494363, filed 2022-11, 71,000 miles

Buying note. Check that all open recalls for this model year were completed and keep records, since several complaints describe parts not being available for recall repairs. Test the infotainment screen, backup camera and idle-stop restart behavior directly, and budget for possible electronic and fuel-system diagnosis.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.