[shaypassport]

I just had a terrifying experience last night, in which my 2019 Elite had an auto engine idle issue that caused the car to fail to start. This left me stuck in the middle of a busy street during rush hour. I have been having similar issues with my car where the engine shuts off and fails to start during auto engine idle, but this one was different because I could not just shut off the car completely and start it again. I have been taking my car in since I bought it used in 2020 for this issue and they have never been able to resolve it. Each time they say there were no error codes, so they cannot do anything. They always check the battery and it provides normal specs. This morning, they checked the battery and it was bad. They want to charge me for the battery replacement regardless of the fact that the car has been having issues since I bought it because now the car has 37k miles and not the 36k mile mark for the warranty. Does anyone have this problem, and if so, will it be resolved by getting a new battery?

 

[Gatorgibson]

Mine are pretty new so no issue here. Sorry i cant help but i would try to escalate the issue to Honda or dealership management.

 

[PNWGarageDad]

Sorry about your issues. You are out of warranty and a battery is a wear item, surely you don't expect them to replace the battery for free. Another reason why I got the idlestopper device, too much unnecessary wear on the starter and battery.

 

[shaypassport]

If I have been reporting this issue while I was in warranty, do you think I can get a free battery?

 

[Gatorgibson]

If I have been reporting this issue while I was in warranty, do you think I can get a free battery?

It is worth a try, the worst cab happen is they say no.

 

[shaypassport]

If I have been reporting this issue while I was in warranty, do you think I can get a free battery?

 

[shaypassport]

It is worth a try, the worst cab happen is they say no.

True! It appears this issue is rampant amongst the passport model. Why have they not done anything about this? Lack of people reporting it to corporate? It is a shame that service is dependent only on error codes.

 

[fx_chip]

Sorry about your experience. The auto idle feature has been getting mixed reviews, some folks like it and some can't stand it. Try and make a mental note to switch off the auto idle feature before driving the car even after you replace your battery, that will set you free of any anxious events related to it.

 

[BigJosh]

True! It appears this issue is rampant amongst the passport model. Why have they not done anything about this? Lack of people reporting it to corporate? It is a shame that service is dependent only on error codes.

I wouldn't go as far as "rampant"
Yes there are some issues but not rampant.

 

[BigJosh]

Maybe should have pursued lemon arbitration?

 

[PNWGarageDad]

Your best case scenario, if you have an excellent relationship with the service department, ie do ALL of your vehicle maintenance with them, they might spilt the cost with you. I suggest, buy the idlestopper device and get a new battery and NEVER have to worry about this again!

 

[storm303]

I'm sorry you had issues. Perhaps the previous owner was hard on the battery or your driving environment and usage has been (extreme temps, lots of cycles, not driving for several days, etc). Or the battery was very slightly defective perhaps. Batteries are only good for 3-5 years, and depending on usage maybe your 2019 is near the end of life. A dying battery doesn't always test bad either, unfortunately.

I've only heard a couple battery issues in a few years so I am not sure this is accurately described as a rampant problem or one that can even be associated specifically to the Passport vs. just used batteries in the first place. Cars with idle stop "feature" use starters and batteries that are designed for the extra cycles, although more wear is still possible I suppose.

You might ask the dealer to fix for free based upon their inability to resolve previously under warranty, but strongly suggest remaining courteous and firm in your position. By the books, they couldn't reproduce the problem when under warranty, so they do have legal footing to stand on. Now that you are out of warranty, you must rely on their graces. If they won't pay, I wouldn't have the work done at a dealer as their price will be ridiculous, assuming you can find a reputable shop.

Either way, once fixed, it is easy to learn the habit of pressing Start button, then Idle Off button. Or as some have done, you can buy and install the little third party jumper assembly to constantly send the 12V pulse to disable idle stop.

 

[hondo]

In addition to the wonderful suggestions already posted --- a question for the OP:

What are your habits in maintaining the battery in your car(s) ?

ie. Do you regularly connect it to a trickle charger to minimize plate sulfation and maximise it's service life ?

 

[shaypassport]

Hi all,

I just want to provide an update. The battery replacement only resulted in temporary resolution. The stalling after auto engine stop is back after 7 months, as well as the no audio connection. I placed a complaint with NHTSA, and I suggest everyone who has this problem do the same. It seems that it is the only way we will get resolution on this. There needs to be a recall, as this is a serious safety issue.

 

[fx_chip]

Hi all,

I just want to provide an update. The battery replacement only resulted in temporary resolution. The stalling after auto engine stop is back after 7 months, as well as the no audio connection. I placed a complaint with NHTSA, and I suggest everyone who has this problem do the same. It seems that it is the only way we will get resolution on this. There needs to be a recall, as this is a serious safety issue.

NHTSA is already investigating the auto stop/failure to restart issue in the 2016+ Pilot, any solution suggested to Honda will probably be extended to cover the Passport.

 

[shaypassport]

NHTSA is already investigating the auto stop/failure to restart issue in the 2016+ Pilot, any solution suggested to Honda will probably be extended to cover the Passport.

Hopefully it does not take that long for them to resolve it. It is one of the most frustrating things, as I have been turning off the auto stop, but I forgot on Monday, and of course, the car stalled.

 

[shaypassport]

I wouldn't go as far as "rampant"
Yes there are some issues but not rampant.

You have not experienced this on the 2021?

 

[Sweetness2022]

Hi all,

I just want to provide an update. The battery replacement only resulted in temporary resolution. The stalling after auto engine stop is back after 7 months, as well as the no audio connection. I placed a complaint with NHTSA, and I suggest everyone who has this problem do the same. It seems that it is the only way we will get resolution on this. There needs to be a recall, as this is a serious safety issue.

I generally turn off the auto start option ever time I hop in the car, I can’t stand the feeling of NON immediate response to the throttle lol. A ton of people on the pilot / passport forums recommend that auto disabler, I haven’t looked into which one is the more reputable option yet. Good Luck!

 

[Rich1]

I generally turn off the auto start option ever time I hop in the car, I can’t stand the feeling of NON immediate response to the throttle lol. A ton of people on the pilot / passport forums recommend that auto disabler, I haven’t looked into which one is the more reputable option yet. Good Luck!

I generally turn off the auto start option ever time I hop in the car, I can’t stand the feeling of NON immediate response to the throttle lol. A ton of people on the pilot / passport forums recommend that auto disabler, I haven’t looked into which one is the more reputable option yet. Good Luck!

I generally turn off the auto start option ever time I hop in the car, I can’t stand the feeling of NON immediate response to the throttle lol. A ton of people on the pilot / passport forums recommend that auto disabler, I haven’t looked into which one is the more reputable option yet. Good Luck!

I have the same issue with both a 2019 Passport and a 2020 Odyssey. I've reported the issues to the NHTSA but the reality is that it will unlikely result in a recall and even if it does, it will be years down the road. There may be a TSB at some point but only if there are enough complaints. I ended up purchasing and installing the Idlestopper v2 and it solved the issue for $85. Yes, annoying to have to pay $85 to fix this issue since it is a Honda issue but the likelihood of another solution anytime soon is slim to none and I feel much safer with the engine not turning off.

 

[PLwalto]

I have had the EXACT same experience as ShyPassport, the first time it happened it actually happened to my son. I thought for sure he had done something wrong. Oh no...like you all I have taken the care in numerous times, with no codes showing on the computers. Once they indicated the battery was not fully charged, sorry i had just driven it 45 minutes, yeah not buying that. After returning again the computer finally indicated a bad battery, which my dealership picked up even though it was out of warranty by this point, because they said Honda would do nothing. And like you all the replacement lasted just about 8 months, and here we are back to square 1, and this time I couldn't get the car through emissions because it is generating too many codes. Back to my dealer, and they are the ones who started digging because Honda isn't being honest with the dealers either, they found the NHTSA investigation by searching GOOGLE!

I find if you disable to the "auto idle" that helps, the problem is that feature unfortunately defaults to on and you forget it until you have to stop, then hold your breath that the car restarts! And for the record I"m a 2019 also. I did find the NHTSA site and placed a complaint as well.