FOX Biz
The U.S. government’s highway safety agency is investigating as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles after complaints that the engines could fail.
The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers the 2016 through 2020 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX, as well as the 2018 through 2020 Honda Odyssey and Acura TLX. The 2017 through 2019 Honda Ridgeline is included in the probe, too.
Documents on the website say that connecting rod bearings on vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines had the possibility of failing, which can lead to a complete engine failure. One owner even reported a vehicular accident.
Ouch. This is a big deal for Honda. Getting to the connecting rod bearings is a major engine disassembly. I wonder how many book hours the job calls for.
Uncle Al, I guess that is the aymptom, but what is the cause? It will cost much more. Iseem to recall Team South Korea had a few squawks of metal shavings in the oil journals wiping out lower end bearings…
Being in the market for a new vehicle is problematic now.
In the old days you’d drop the oil pan, remove the caps and slide in new bearings.
^^^Not if the crank is damaged.
Something smells. This is the same problem Toyota was having with some of their engines. I wonder if it has something to do with the 0 W nothing oil they are all using now.
I have owned three Honda pilots (04, 08 and 15). All bought used with around 30-40k each. I got to 238k on the first before an accident, I am at 244k on the second and still running as the family “beater”, and the third is at 150k. Never had any major engine issues.
I was considering another used pilot. Now I’m having second thoughts.
I just traded my Honda Element at 273,000 miles. It could have kept going but wouldn’t pass inspection this Winter because of rust on the frame. Roads in Vermont are salty.
I have a buddy of mine that just got rid of his 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. It still ran fine, but was a bit of an eyesore. Original engine and transmission, no major work on either, and it had 722,000 miles on it.
I’m an American manufacturer and I will tell you I trust Honda Engineering way more than U.S. Regulators. They do more than just cars and they do everything right.