Honda Passport engine problems, 2019–2026
137 of the 743 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Honda Passport 2019–2026 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2019 (52), 2021 (28), 2025 (17). Filed under the same heading across these years: 4 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Honda Passport engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 10% | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 17 | 42% | — | 6 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2024 | 2 | 12% | — | 8 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2023 | 5 | 13% | — | 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2022 | 11 | 18% | — | 23 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2021 | 28 | 20% | — | 25 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2020 | 16 | 16% | — | 25 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2019 in depth | 52 | 19% | — | 27 TSBs · 1 investigation | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 25 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 36 · 2026: 47
Across the model years, half of the 15 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 10,000 and 60,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When stopped and the idle off feature shuts the engine off, the vehicle does not restart when foot is removed from brake. Vehicle shifts itself into neutral and the dash reads something to the effect of "shift to park to start vehicle". Amazed I have not been rear ended yet.... This happens randomly and not every time at idle off.
This problem has occurred 4 times since purchased. The first withing the first 8 months, the last yesterday (7/29/2022). What happens is once stopped at light, when the car stops running to save gas and is supposed to start up when the brake is released, the car does not restart leaving you dead stopped in the road.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated.
Engine Restart failure. Vehicle approached intersection, came to complete start and engine stopped. Vehicle would not restart when I lifted foot off of brake pedal. I had to shut vehicle off, waited a few minutes and restarted it again. Vehicle's Auto Idle Stop system was activate at time.
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while stopped at a stoplight, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the Start/Stop system failed to restart the engine. The check engine warning light illuminated, and there was an alarm sounded.
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- EA25004 No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engagesopened Mar 26, 2025 · open
- On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject …
4 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year
- May 13, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 Odysseys & Ridgelines and 2024-2025 Passports with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting
- Apr 15, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 Odysseys & Ridgelines and 2024-2025 Passports with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting
- Jul 7, 2025
- Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the customer can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.
- Jul 20, 2024
- Service Bulletin - MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around 2 hours) and accelerating while cornering.
Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the Honda Passport
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Honda Passport problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Honda Passport years have the most engine complaints?
2019, 52; 2021, 28; 2025, 17. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2025 (42%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Honda Passport?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading on any of these model years. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the Honda Passport?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 47,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 10,000 and 60,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.