A Honda Pilot with just 56,000 miles left a Maryland family facing a repair estimate of nearly $25,000. Honda initially refused to cover the work, WJLA reported, and the SUV stayed parked for more than a year.
Andy Shea’s family, in Chevy Chase, did not believe the 2017 Pilot was safe to drive. His daughter had heard an unusual engine noise, which led to visits to mechanics and then a dealership.
“I just assumed they were going to cover it,” Shea told WJLA, pointing to known engine issues and an investigation. Federal safety regulators were investigating failures beyond an earlier Honda recall.
By WJLA’s October 22 follow-up, the family had a repaired SUV and no engine-replacement bill. The replacement followed the station’s reporting and intervention from two members of Congress.
A Narrow List
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Honda had already recalled some Pilots for connecting-rod-bearing trouble, but the model years mattered. Honda’s recall bulletin lists certain 2016 and 2018–2019 Pilots. The family’s 2017 model was outside those listed years.
For the recalled vehicles, some crankshafts had been made with incorrect dimensions where they meet the connecting-rod bearings. That could create extra friction and heat, leading to engine damage and possible failure. An engine that fails can leave a vehicle without power while driving.
A separate NHTSA investigation, opened August 20, 2025, covers an estimated 1,410,806 vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines. Its scope includes 2016–2020 Pilots, along with certain Odyssey, Ridgeline, Acura MDX, and Acura TLX models.
Those additional failures were outside the earlier recall’s scope. Evidence gathered during a prior inquiry did not suggest the same crankshaft manufacturing defect was responsible, so the broader review required further investigation. At its opening, NHTSA listed seven reported crashes or fires and no reported injuries or deaths.
A Different Answer
After WJLA’s 2025 report, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Jamie Raskin contacted Honda and NHTSA. Raskin sent Honda six questions about the engine failure and its refusal to cover the repair.
Honda then wrote to Raskin offering to recover the Pilot’s engine and install a new one at no cost, according to the station. In an email to WJLA, Honda explained that a detailed inspection of this engine could help advance its analysis of the broader problem. The company said its investigation was continuing.
WJLA accompanied Shea when he picked up the repaired Pilot at Ourisman Honda of Bethesda, which replaced the engine. “This is a little surreal, but it’s happened,” he said.