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Start Stop System stalls the vehicle.

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27K views 40 replies 21 participants last post by  pparks1  
#1 ·
2017 Honda Pilot Touring.

July of 2019: Wife complains the vehicle starts back up under protest from the start stop system when driving in stop and go traffic. Eventually, vehicle stalls when she tries to resume travel from start stop mode. To make matters worse, the car would not restart for several minutes. Onlookers offer to push the vehicle out of harms way but the vehicle cannot be put in neutral when not running (without going under the hood).

Vehicle taken to dealer, dealer claims they cannot replicate the problem. However, testing shows a bad cell in the battery (just out of warranty). Battery replaced. Problem seems to be sorted...

May of 2020: Same problem as before, car stalls when trying to resume travel after start stop mode. Vehicle wont restart for a few minutes and cannot be pushed out of harms way. The issue is not the battery, the battery is OEM and less than a year old.

Complain to Honda Corp. Their reply amounts to the following: Your vehicle is out of warranty, we've never heard of such a problem (i.e., we have no associated service bulletins or recalls). But check with your dealership, you may need new injectors.

Question 1: Is there a known fix to this problem besides permanently disabling the start stop system?
Question 2: Are there any new Pilots that don't have the push button transmission (transmissions that can be easily placed in neutral without the power being on)?
Question 3: Are there any new Pilots without the start stop system?
Question 4: I'm planning on dumping the offending vehicle (my 2012 Pilot still works fine). What should I buy instead of a Pilot?

Thanks for any and all assistance you may offer Piloteers.
 
#3 ·
I am not sure, but if you put the ignition in the "ON" mode (not accessory or start) can you then put the car into Neutral? That should be two pushes of the ignition button. That's as long as the battery isn't 100% dead.

I know there is a specific device to override the Neutral lock out when there is NO power. That tool used to cost around $50.00 but now is over $150.00!

Neutral shifting tool when no power
 
#5 ·
1. I've heard that someone said that a new starter motor fixed the issue on their elite.
2.Yes. The EX-L and below offer a lever shifter. I think to get it into neutral you have to go in the center console and use the key to unlock the lever.
3.The EX-L and below don't have auto stop start.
4.IMHO there is not really any 3 row crossover that's better than the Pilot. People might argue the kia/hyundai options are better, but dealers are still overcharging. A Telluride S has an MSRP of $34,000, but a nearby kia dealer had it for $42,000. Also there is a pretty long waiting list to get one. The new 2020 Pilot has way less problems than the past years. I personally think the Pilot is still the best in the class, but I don't know if you'd get a new Pilot since you had all these issues.
 
#6 ·
Simple fix for the Auto Idle Stop issue. Don't use it. My 2013 Pilot Touring didn't have it. The new 2020 Passport does. My fix..

Sit down, buckle the seat belt, start the vehicle. push the Auto Idle Stop button, put vehicle in gear and go.

136600


It quickly becomes a habit, and I have no use for the Auto Idle Stop feature.
 
#8 ·
Simple fix for the Auto Idle Stop issue. Don't use it. My 2013 Pilot Touring didn't have it. The new 2020 Passport does. My fix..

Sit down, buckle the seat belt, start the vehicle. push the Auto Idle Stop button, put vehicle in gear and go.

It quickly becomes a habit, and I have no use for the Auto Idle Stop feature.
That's the second thing I do after pushing the button to unfold the side mirrors.. and it's true, it becomes a habit..
 
#7 ·
Complain to Honda Corp. Their reply amounts to the following: Your vehicle is out of warranty, we've never heard of such a problem (i.e., we have no associated service bulletins or recalls). But check with your dealership, you may need new injectors.
I experienced the same lies from Honda dealer and corporate a year ago regarding our 2016 Touring, before we too dumped it. I cannot believe Honda still has not been held accountable for this clear product defect and its arguable fraud in handling the years of documented complaints and incidents regarding idle-stop shut-downs.
 
#11 ·
2017 Honda Pilot Touring.

July of 2019: Wife complains the vehicle starts back up under protest from the start stop system when driving in stop and go traffic. Eventually, vehicle stalls when she tries to resume travel from start stop mode. To make matters worse, the car would not restart for several minutes. Onlookers offer to push the vehicle out of harms way but the vehicle cannot be put in neutral when not running (without going under the hood).

Vehicle taken to dealer, dealer claims they cannot replicate the problem. However, testing shows a bad cell in the battery (just out of warranty). Battery replaced. Problem seems to be sorted...

May of 2020: Same problem as before, car stalls when trying to resume travel after start stop mode. Vehicle wont restart for a few minutes and cannot be pushed out of harms way. The issue is not the battery, the battery is OEM and less than a year old.

Complain to Honda Corp. Their reply amounts to the following: Your vehicle is out of warranty, we've never heard of such a problem (i.e., we have no associated service bulletins or recalls). But check with your dealership, you may need new injectors.

Question 1: Is there a known fix to this problem besides permanently disabling the start stop system?
Question 2: Are there any new Pilots that don't have the push button transmission (transmissions that can be easily placed in neutral without the power being on)?
Question 3: Are there any new Pilots without the start stop system?
Question 4: I'm planning on dumping the offending vehicle (my 2012 Pilot still works fine). What should I buy instead of a Pilot?

Thanks for any and all assistance you may offer Piloteers.

Did you find a resolution to this issue? Having same issue with my 2017 Touring
 
#12 ·
I filed a formal complaint with Honda since the problem returned 2 years after the new battery in 2019. Honda has opened a case on my vehicle.

I included some new interesting facts in my complaint.

(1) The Honda Info Center now includes the following Delivery Note:

In certain traffic conditions, the idle-stop function may not be desirable. So the driver has the opportunity to easily switch off the system with a button located at the rear of the transmission’s shift-by-wire control unit.

This seems to implicitly acknowledge a problem with the system.

(2) Purchased a new 2022 Honda Civic Sport after our 2012 Pilot was totaled by an inattentive driver. This vehicle also features the idle-stop. Just days old, I pull up to a stoplight with the A/C running, and the idle-stop function engaged. The red light was long and before the light turned green, the car did the following as reported by an automatic message to the driver: The car automatically overrode the idle stop feature. Why did the car do this? Because Honda engineers and programmers must know that under the conditions I have specified, the vehicle may, or will, stall if idle-stop is not overridden!

I will let you know the outcome.

TMF
 
#17 ·
In my opinion/experience it's a software problem. I believe they check the health of the battery post auto stop, not pre auto stop. I haven't had anyone complain about this that anew battery didn't fix. Seems to me once the car shuts off, then the ecm checks the battery and sees it's not up to the parameters, then denies the restart. Why wouldn't you decide that before you shut the engine off?
 
#23 ·
I believe i checks the battery before auto idle stop, at least it’s the case in my Pilot. A year and a bit ago went to a dealer for this feature not working and they claimed that they charged the battery and it worked and charged me a diagnostic fee for the job. And auto start/stop worked for about a week after that until the battery charge worn off because of lack of long distance driving.
 
#22 ·
We had that strange stall thing I time in our 2017 Pilot Touring. We're at 54,000 miles. It was strange when it happened and it seemed like forever before I could start it back up since I was in traffic. It's never done it since though....so I haven't been too concerned with it.
 
#29 ·
We started having quite a bit more problems with our 2017 Touring stalling when it was going to the auto start/stop. Ultimately took the vehicle to the dealership for a new battery and this appears to have resolved the issue.

No more popping from the radio when it transitions on the start/stop. They quoted me $195 for the battery, but then had to come out to tell me that it was an AGM battery and was more expensive. I was like, I knew it was an AGM battery, how did you not know when you quoted me.
 
#30 ·
Sorry to revive such an old topic, but we are also experiencing the exact same problem in our 2019 Touring. Our Pilot is still under warranty and we mentioned the stalling to our dealer during our last service visit in August, however they were not able to duplicate the issue (of course). The stalling appears to be happening more and more, so I just sent an email to Honda explaining the situation, and I am still waiting to hear back. Have you had any issues since you got a new battery?
 
#34 ·
I have a 2016 Honda Pilot and have experienced intermittent stalling after coming off the brake at a stop (including 3 times in the past 7-10 days!). 95% of the time it works fine but when it fails and I stall in traffic from a stop, it is nerve racking! I am proposing a way for all Piloteers to remember to push the deactivate stop start button. I propose this as a way to help us all cope with the problem until Honda can fix it if ever. Here is my temporary fix; it’s not pretty but I think it may work. You can be creative with it. I hope it helps at least one other person if not more…


Image
 
#35 ·
Have you had the recall for this issue performed?

 
#36 ·
Yes, I had product software upgrade done I believe in March of 2023. My 2016 is the Elite Pilot trim which I forgot to put in my original post. Thank you for the info, however. The problem has me feeling desperate at times so today I came up w my silly by hopefully effective reminder to deactivate system manually each time. I think it’s so stupid that dealer won’t deactivate it for safety reasons (stalling in traffic). What I got from your info is to try to push park button first if I read it right to best restart the vehicle. I feel the brake feeling strange at time of stall. Most times stop start works fine but I’m tired of dealing with it. Thanks..
 
#38 ·
Our 2019 Pilot Elite with 51,000mi had the "update" a few month ago. Previously it failed to restart a few times in traffic. I thought I would wait to post after a few thousand miles of observation. From my perspective, the update was minimally effective. Still a weak system with a noticeable delay. If your battery is healthy (i keep ours on a tender if it sits for a week) it works ok. The question is still is the system which is not up to par killing the battery and starter early? 5-6 year Batteries dying in 2-3 years is unacceptable. And, if it is the system then Honda nees to replace the sytem and the battery.
 
#40 ·
It’s just not worth having it activated. I doubt it saves gas AT ALL. I doubt it cuts down on pollution but I can’t prove that and I’m sorry but I’m not willing to risk my safety. Give me a reliable system and I’ll use it. I posted my makeshift car reminder on how to deactivate it every time yesterday. I drove it this morning and there was no drama with a deactivated stop start system!! Good luck.
 
#39 ·
Is there a way to tell WHY the autostop did not work? I have the idlestop mod installed and it works well. But once in a while when I want to play around, I just turn it on. Had the fix done by the dealer back in January. It has not really worked. So kinda want to know WHY its not activating.
 
#41 · (Edited)
The new battery worked well in mine for about 1.5 years and we started having problems again with our 2017 not starting up after going into start stop. Took it into the dealership last Friday, they kept it all weekend and called Monday to report that they found problems, parts had to be ordered and it would take a couple of days to get back. They called me today to report it's ready to get picked up. I'm just waiting for my wife to get home with our other car to take me up to the dealership so I can see what they ended up replacing. I'll post back here once i know.

BTW: It was covered under warranty, I have about 81k miles on the vehicle.

The vehicle was covered by TSB 23-009, which is a valve adjustment and a starter replacement.