According to foreign media reports, NHTSA Office of defects investigation is investigating the potential safety hazards of some Honda pilot medium-sized crossover vehicles** The Office disclosed that it had received 221 complaints and several on-site reports, alleging that the automatic start and stop function of 2016 to 2019 pilot engines was defective.
According to the documents released by NHTSA on June 7, the safety investigation involved about 194731 vehicles equipped with 3.5-liter engine and 9-speed automatic transmission in the United States, including 2020 pilot vehicles. NHTSA has received a complaint alleging that when the automatic start stop function is activated, "the engine cannot restart itself after a complete stop at a traffic light or intersection".
Both the pilot touring and elite versions are equipped with an automatic start stop feature to help improve fuel efficiency.
Image source: honda
The defect investigation office said that it had met with Honda on "different occasions" to discuss this issue. Honda told the agency that it found a link between the customer's allegations and the automatic start stop problem, and pointed out that Honda Odyssey, Acura TLX and mdx equipped with a 3.5-liter engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission also had engine failures.
Chris Martin, a spokesman for Honda Motor Company, said that Honda is committed to safety issues and has been informed of the investigation. In a statement, Martin said, "Honda will cooperate with NHTSA in the investigation process and will continue to conduct internal review of existing information."
NHTSA will determine the scope and severity of this potential safety hazard through investigation.
Most NHTSA surveys begin with a preliminary assessment. During the preliminary assessment, NHTSA engineers will ask the manufacturer to provide information such as data on complaints, injuries and warranty claims. The manufacturer may also make his own comments on this fault and may issue a recall. After the evaluation, NHTSA will end the investigation or enter the next stage. According to NHTSA, if there are safety related defects, the agency can send a "request for recall" letter to the manufacturer.