Just drive with it off. Less problems, less headaches!

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Just drive with it off. Less problems, less headaches!

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I have the same problem with my 2016 pilot touring and happening more often. I wonder if it will be a trigger to a recall because it’s so dangerous when the car behind you thought you will move forward right away not aware that you have that problem and it will take atleast 20 or more seconds to start the engine again.

 

Sounds like a weak battery issue. Like Efiction said, just turn that system off, that's what we do.

 

I have just had this same issue twice in two days with my 2017 Pilot Elite. It occurs when I take my foot off the brake after having been at a stop with the auto-engine idle on. Engine shuts off, the car puts itself in either Neutral or Park, and I have to restart after 30 seconds to a minute (including a prayer to not be rear-ended in the meantime).

I have also had the Collision Mitigation System warning lights come on and the radio turn off while taking my foot off the brake in similar situations. Engine restarted after a few seconds in this case and did not shut down completely, but the radio does and multiple warning lights came on including CM.

Has this happened to anyone else??
I can drive with the auto-engine off. But I bought a new to car with technology in order to use it, not work around it. It’s a safety issue. And while I don’t expect the car to be flawless, having Honda ignore these complaints or explain them away with a work-around is just bad customer care.

The car also accelerated on its own on the highway about 6 months ago. Terrifying.

Does Honda acknowledge any of these issues?? Does a car’s computer have a record of what has been activated (like an audit trail in an accounting system)? Guessing that might come with too much liability for Honda, despite the benefits to the safety of its customers...

First and likely my last Honda.

 

I have just had this same issue twice in two days with my 2017 Pilot Elite. It occurs when I take my foot off the brake after having been at a stop with the auto-engine idle on. Engine shuts off, the car puts itself in either Neutral or Park, and I have to restart after 30 seconds to a minute (including a prayer to not be rear-ended in the meantime).

I recall reading this has happened to others. Its likely a dying battery. Get it checked and likely replaced and you should stop having that particular problem.

 

Not sure I understand what the first issue is. Can you take it from the top again.

 

Sure. The first issue is when the car is stopped and the auto engine idle is on, when I lift the brake to press the accelerator, the car shuts off the engine completely, puts itself in Neutral or Park, and requires me to put the car in Park (if not there already) and restart (press brake and ignition button). So when I’m at a red light that turns green, when I attempt to go by lifting the brake my engine quits, just as the folks behind me are ready to move forward. If they’re not paying attention, which thank goodness they have been thus far, this is an easy way to get rear-ended.

Making more sense?

 

If that's the case, I wouldn't engage the auto start/stop function. Turn that OFF EVERYTIME. There really is no point to having it on. Honestly gasoline is used and wasted daily. Either in the parking lot or in a fast food drive thru. Value your back and neck and especially time (and of course passengers) getting rear ended is no joke just to save a little MPGs.

Just my .02



2019 Touring AWD MSM
2016 Touring AWD MSM (traded-in)

 

First, the random acceleration is really scary. I don’t know about that, but definitely a major safety concern. When these issues have happened for other cars in the past, a common issue was that people were accidentally holding down the accelerator. If it happens again, remember to make sure you’re braking. That would also work if it was an autopilot issue or a runaway car — brakes are stronger than engines.

Regarding the Idle Stop product defect, where Pilot begins shutting off completely when you lift foot off the brake coming out of a stop:

*“Has this happened to anyone else??”
Yes, many, including my family. There are several threads on here and many complaints on NHTSA’s website. I encourage you to do the same: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/.

*Does Honda acknowledge any of these issues??
Based on my experience and reading of others experiences: No, your service shop will likely say they couldn’t replicate the issue, that there are no codes, and no service advisories. They may suggest replacing battery or starter — good luck getting an explanation as to why this is happening so frequently to customers. They’ll pretend there is no issue and that they have the fix at the same time. American Honda will blow you off.

The 2016 models started having this issue prominently last year. Someone at my dealership let slip that this is an issue they corrected for 2019 models, so I anticipate 2017 and 2018 owners may have similar experiences in the near future.

By the way, I am not hearing that replacing the battery actually fixes the problem. Most have reported that the Idle Stop shutoff returns. And of course the parts they recommend replacing aren’t covered under warranty, right?

We were also not ok with shutting off Idle Stop every time or permanently disabling it as some have suggested. This is on Honda, regardless of whether it wants to admit it yet.

 

First, the random acceleration is really scary. I don’t know about that, but definitely a major safety concern. When these issues have happened for other cars in the past, a common issue was that people were accidentally holding down the accelerator. If it happens again, remember to make sure you’re braking. That would also work if it was an autopilot issue or a runaway car — brakes are stronger than engines.

Regarding the Idle Stop product defect, where Pilot begins shutting off completely when you lift foot off the brake coming out of a stop:

*“Has this happened to anyone else??”
Yes, many, including my family. There are several threads on here and many complaints on NHTSA’s website. I encourage you to do the same: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/.

*Does Honda acknowledge any of these issues??
Based on my experience and reading of others experiences: No, your service shop will likely say they couldn’t replicate the issue, that there are no codes, and no service advisories. They may suggest replacing battery or starter — good luck getting an explanation as to why this is happening so frequently to customers. They’ll pretend there is no issue and that they have the fix at the same time. American Honda will blow you off.

The 2016 models started having this issue prominently last year. Someone at my dealership let slip that this is an issue they corrected for 2019 models, so I anticipate 2017 and 2018 owners may have similar experiences in the near future.

By the way, I am not hearing that replacing the battery actually fixes the problem. Most have reported that the Idle Stop shutoff returns. And of course the parts they recommend replacing aren’t covered under warranty, right?

We were also not ok with shutting off Idle Stop every time or permanently disabling it as some have suggested. This is on Honda, regardless of whether it wants to admit it yet.

Thank you for sharing! Glad (and disappointed) to know of your similar experience. I will go to the NHTSA website you suggested.

 

Yes, the auto-idle stop issue you describe has happened to lots of us, including myself. As mentioned above, there are existing threads on this problem. Check out pinned thread "Permanently disable Auto Stop Start!" and "Elite shuts off at stop light".

I have a 2016 Honda Pilot Touring AWD and experienced the auto-idle stop stall numerous times. Knock on wood, but I am coming up on 1 year since they replaced the battery and I have not had the problem since then. Just like yourself and most others on this forum, the dealer I took the car to was never able to replicate the problem or find anything wrong with the car. Every time I took the car into the dealer, they said the battery tested fine, no software problems, and couldn't replicate the problem. I finally ended up replacing the battery in August 2018 after it failed to start up in my garage and finally tested bad at the dealer. I haven't had the problem since I replaced the battery one year ago. But I believe some others on this forum have reported that they still had the problem even after replacing the battery.

My recommendation is to have them replace the battery even if it tests fine. That solved the problem for me (at least so far) and some others on this forum. Second, file a report with NHTSA at https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/. Third, take the car into the dealer every time the auto-idle stop stall occurs and make sure you keep the service records. And ask for all of the service records for previous times you took it in for this problem. NHTSA asked me for my service records so they will want those from you if you file a complaint. NHTSA has said they are reviewing all the complaints with their engineers, but some people who filed complaints are not following through with providing their service records. NHTSA also asked me for my old battery because they might need it for testing. So I recommend keeping your old battery if you replace it so you can provide it for testing.

 

Yes, the auto-idle stop issue you describe has happened to lots of us, including myself. As mentioned above, there are existing threads on this problem. Check out pinned thread "Permanently disable Auto Stop Start!" and "Elite shuts off at stop light".

I have a 2016 Honda Pilot Touring AWD and experienced the auto-idle stop stall numerous times. Knock on wood, but I am coming up on 1 year since they replaced the battery and I have not had the problem since then. Just like yourself and most others on this forum, the dealer I took the car to was never able to replicate the problem or find anything wrong with the car. Every time I took the car into the dealer, they said the battery tested fine, no software problems, and couldn't replicate the problem. I finally ended up replacing the battery in August 2018 after it failed to start up in my garage and finally tested bad at the dealer. I haven't had the problem since I replaced the battery one year ago. But I believe some others on this forum have reported that they still had the problem even after replacing the battery.

My recommendation is to have them replace the battery even if it tests fine. That solved the problem for me (at least so far) and some others on this forum. Second, file a report with NHTSA at https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/. Third, take the car into the dealer every time the auto-idle stop stall occurs and make sure you keep the service records. And ask for all of the service records for previous times you took it in for this problem. NHTSA asked me for my service records so they will want those from you if you file a complaint. NHTSA has said they are reviewing all the complaints with their engineers, but some people who filed complaints are not following through with providing their service records. NHTSA also asked me for my old battery because they might need it for testing. So I recommend keeping your old battery if you replace it so you can provide it for testing.

Great suggestions. Will do. Thanks!

 

The NHTSA is actively investigating this issue. I filed a complaint at the suggestion of kmc27 (thank you!) -- via https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/ -- and promptly received a call from the NHTSA requesting additional information. Honda is actively working on this problem, and the NHTSA is in conversations with them. If you are having this problem, please file a report and attach any documentation if you've taken your car to the dealer!

 

They've been "actively investing" and "actively working" on this problem for over 2 years now. So I wouldn't hold your breath. But yes, I certainly encourage everyone who has had this problem to file a complaint with NHTSA. Did NHTSA share any more information with you about the status of their investigation? Hope they're making some progress. Fingers crossed they eventually figure it out.

 

I have a 2016 Elite and have been experiencing some issues with the Auto Engine Idle Shut Off for the past few months.

The engine with shuts off normally when I come to a stop when I have the system engaged. The problems begin when I take my foot off the break expecting the engine to start up again. What happens consistently (though not all the time) is that when I take my foot off the brake, the engine shuts off, shifts itself into Park, and I have trouble getting the engine to start up again. A number of warning messages show up on the center console as well. Things like, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Brake System warnings start displaying.

Sometimes, I can get the engine to start up again within 30 seconds. Sometimes, it's been more than a minute. It almost looks/sounds like the battery is dead too (makes that clicking sound and the RPM gauge jiggles around zero).

When I disengage the system, which I do practically every time I drive the car now, everything works fine. The dealer din't find anything when they ran a diagnostic, so I'm at a loss.

Anyone else have a similar issue? If so, how was it resolved?

My wife has had the same issue with hers, it usually happens when she forgets to turn off the auto start feature and when she does turn it off it shuts the car down

 

I also filed a complaint with the NHTSA. The more they hear from us the more they will take this seriously (hopefully!). Buying a @ $45k car and having to make sure you turn off one of their "features" seems like a poor experience for the customer. We have resorted to turning it off but my wife does not always remember to do it.

 

Whats the Number as i would like to report it as well? it just left my wife sit today

 

I have a 2016 Elite and have been experiencing some issues with the Auto Engine Idle Shut Off for the past few months.

The engine with shuts off normally when I come to a stop when I have the system engaged. The problems begin when I take my foot off the break expecting the engine to start up again. What happens consistently (though not all the time) is that when I take my foot off the brake, the engine shuts off, shifts itself into Park, and I have trouble getting the engine to start up again. A number of warning messages show up on the center console as well. Things like, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Brake System warnings start displaying.

Sometimes, I can get the engine to start up again within 30 seconds. Sometimes, it's been more than a minute. It almost looks/sounds like the battery is dead too (makes that clicking sound and the RPM gauge jiggles around zero).

When I disengage the system, which I do practically every time I drive the car now, everything works fine. The dealer din't find anything when they ran a diagnostic, so I'm at a loss.

Anyone else have a similar issue? If so, how was it resolved?

Not resolved. Brand new 2021 Pilot EX. We have had it less than 2 weeks and my wife reported this issue to me. She claims it put itself in Neutral at the light and shut off the engine. Also reported that when it went in to gear, it "slammed" like a hard shift. Really disappointed that Honda hasn't fixed this even into the new production. Nobody likes the engine shutoff feature on any car regardless of the brand. We are usually Toyota people and this was an alternative to another Highlander (hit and totalled at 170K). I expect a Honda car to work as perfectly as a Honda boat motor or small engine on a yard tool (flawlessly for a long time). This is surely easily resolved through a software patch. Not sure why they let it go on. I hope I haven't made a big mistake with this car choice, given the many options out there.

 

I have a 2016 Elite and have been experiencing some issues with the Auto Engine Idle Shut Off for the past few months.

The engine with shuts off normally when I come to a stop when I have the system engaged. The problems begin when I take my foot off the break expecting the engine to start up again. What happens consistently (though not all the time) is that when I take my foot off the brake, the engine shuts off, shifts itself into Park, and I have trouble getting the engine to start up again. A number of warning messages show up on the center console as well. Things like, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Brake System warnings start displaying.

Sometimes, I can get the engine to start up again within 30 seconds. Sometimes, it's been more than a minute. It almost looks/sounds like the battery is dead too (makes that clicking sound and the RPM gauge jiggles around zero).

When I disengage the system, which I do practically every time I drive the car now, everything works fine. The dealer din't find anything when they ran a diagnostic, so I'm at a loss.

Anyone else have a similar issue? If so, how was it resolved?

I have same problem

 

We’ve had the same problem with our 2016 Elite.

 

How do you turn off idle start/stop? Can you permanently disable it?

 

yes Home | Idlestopper

 

Maybe someone can explain why something needs to be purchased to defeat this function versus moving a wire in the switch.

 

At least with Idlestopper, you can turn it on by pressing the button instead of having to remove the console cover and plug the wire back into its original position.

As for me, when I take delivery of my Pilot, I'll just get in the habit of turning it off after startring the car.

 

I just took my 2019 pilot touring in because it left me stranded 3 times in the last 3 weeks; they said a weak battery and replaced it - lets see what happens! I also complained that the car "jerks' me when accelerating between 25-29 mph... very rough in the gear changes around 25-29 mph, they said it was the way I drive the car that maybe I let up on the gas pedal while its switching gears making the car jerk.... 🤨 lets see if anything changes after today's service.

 

I have a 2016 Elite and have been experiencing some issues with the Auto Engine Idle Shut Off for the past few months.

The engine with shuts off normally when I come to a stop when I have the system engaged. The problems begin when I take my foot off the break expecting the engine to start up again. What happens consistently (though not all the time) is that when I take my foot off the brake, the engine shuts off, shifts itself into Park, and I have trouble getting the engine to start up again. A number of warning messages show up on the center console as well. Things like, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Brake System warnings start displaying.

Sometimes, I can get the engine to start up again within 30 seconds. Sometimes, it's been more than a minute. It almost looks/sounds like the battery is dead too (makes that clicking sound and the RPM gauge jiggles around zero).

When I disengage the system, which I do practically every time I drive the car now, everything works fine. The dealer din't find anything when they ran a diagnostic, so I'm at a loss.

Anyone else have a similar issue? If so, how was it resolved?

I have the same issue with my 2017 Honda Pilot Elite. I've taken it to the dealership twice now and both times they have done a diagnostic and checked the battery. They can't find anything wrong with it. I've had to have my car towed before because it wouldn't start. I now just have to manually turn it off when I get in or I risk it not turning back on. My diesel technician husband believes there is something wrong with the electrical system, which can be a million different things. I hope Honda can figure this out because I loce my car but I'm ready to trade it in for something that actually works correctly.

 

My wife got stuck at an intersection because the engine did not restart. She managed to get it started but she was in a panic mode. We took the car in to have it checked out. The battery tested fine and they couldn’t replicate the restart. Since it is an intermittent problem, its almost impossible to find the cause. Lucky I have Honda Care. I think they were going to charge for diagnostics $165. Since they couldn’t find the cause I don’t know if they were really going to charge me. I decided to install the idle stopper on my Pilot as well as my 2021 Ridgeline. Actually I installed them today and works fine. I hope that will solve the problem. You don’t ever want to be stuck at a busy intersection

 

I wonder if people who have experienced the problem when lifting their foot off the break pedal have instead tried wiggling the steering wheel to start the car. Same problem?

Also, does turning off the Collision Mitigation Braking and Road Departure Mitigation systems, since those lights come on, make a difference?

 

I have a 2016 Elite and have been experiencing some issues with the Auto Engine Idle Shut Off for the past few months.

The engine with shuts off normally when I come to a stop when I have the system engaged. The problems begin when I take my foot off the break expecting the engine to start up again. What happens consistently (though not all the time) is that when I take my foot off the brake, the engine shuts off, shifts itself into Park, and I have trouble getting the engine to start up again. A number of warning messages show up on the center console as well. Things like, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Brake System warnings start displaying.

Sometimes, I can get the engine to start up again within 30 seconds. Sometimes, it's been more than a minute. It almost looks/sounds like the battery is dead too (makes that clicking sound and the RPM gauge jiggles around zero).

When I disengage the system, which I do practically every time I drive the car now, everything works fine. The dealer din't find anything when they ran a diagnostic, so I'm at a loss.

Anyone else have a similar issue? If so, how was it resolved?

Did you get this problem resolved? I've been experiencing the same with my 2016 Pilot Elite for a few months but it happens sporadically and is not consistent, meaning sometimes the engine starts right back up, sometimes it doesn't and I get the dashboard msg that there is a problem with the system. Bringing the car to the service center on Monday but hoping I can get some idea as to what is causing this prior to bringing it, in case they tell me they have no clue or nothing is wrong with it. Clearly something is.

 

2017 Pilot Elite here. Same issue and the dealership said the battery tested fine and I needed a new starter ($1500) thankfully I only paid a $100 deductible due to the extended warranty. It’s been working fine but my muscle memory turns it off each time I get in the car. I had been dealing with the issue by turning it off each drive for the last 6 months- hard habit to break.

 

Interesting that this NHTSA news report came out today...linked in general Piloteers thread:

NHTSA Investigation announced for Pilot engines that...

https://jalopnik.com/honda-pilot-engine-failures-under-federal-investigation-1849028653/amp

www.piloteers.org

I filed my NHTSA report today...

 

I did also

 

It happens to me first time on my 2017 touring wher I forgot to turn it off. I realized what happen if Im in the middle of intersection...thanks Im in the front of my garage door waiting garage door to fully open...it failed to start when foot off the brake and bunch of lights came off..and it took 3 tries to start the engine....battery still good during my last dealers maintenance visit..

 

Yes, it started happening to me a couple of weeks ago with my 2017 Honda Pilot. It has happened twice, and I almost got rear-ended twice. Thankful for this forum. I now know to hit the auto shutoff button every time I get in the vehicle, and I'm on my way to Report a Safety Problem | NHTSA to report the problem. Thanks

 

Yes, it started happening to me a couple of weeks ago with my 2017 Honda Pilot. It has happened twice, and I almost got rear-ended twice. Thankful for this forum. I now know to hit the auto shutoff button every time I get in the vehicle, and I'm on my way to Report a Safety Problem | NHTSA to report the problem. Thanks

Update -- I've been trying for a week to report this problem to NHTSA. Their website will not accept my VIN number, and I cannot get through on the phone number listed 😕

 

2018 Honda Odyssey Elite owner here, infiltrating your Pilot group. We have been having this issue since buying our Odyssey, Certified, a couple of years ago. Fortunately the dealership has continued to honor the warranty. Our vehicle has been at the dealer the last couple of days after leaving my wife sitting in an intersection getting honked at & screamed at. Warmer months seem to be the worst.

Accompanying this issue has been an infotainment issue where we randomly lose all audio while driving (does not matter the source). The latest fix for that was replacing the tuner. But that seems to have created another gremlin where the screen will not power on for 10-15 min some days (including no back-up cam). The infotainment warranty was recently extended by a class-action suit. I can provide that information if anyone needs it.

I have reported our issues to NHTSA. We have a couple of years of documentation with the dealer that will hopefully help.