Emissions System Problem On Honda Pilot – What Does It Mean?

It can make you feel intimidated if you have an “Emissions System Problem” message on your dashboard and the engine light on.

An Emissions System Problem message on your dashboard is a common problem on Honda Pilot cars, which generally can be fixed by changing your fuel injectors. 

The warning message usually shows up tens of thousands of miles earlier. Dealerships are aware of the issue and have not yet received a recall from Honda.

One of the following fault codes is usually set by the ECU when connecting the car to the reader.

If the fuel injectors are replaced as soon as the warning message shows on the dashboard, the catalytic converter may not go bust.

The fault code will show a faulty oxygen sensor, but here is how it happens. There are two oxygen sensors at each end of the conversion.

The catalytic converter should be cleaning up the exhaust while the engine is running.

The ECU should be able to determine the amount of fuel supplied based on the front oxygen sensor if the injectors are spraying the same amount.

If the fuel injectors aren’t spraying the same amount of fuel, the ECU may over-fuel, making up for the lack of fuel.

The P0430 fault code is caused by the over-saturation of the catalytic converters.

How to Fix the Emissions System Problem on a Honda Pilot?

The problem will usually appear again after a couple of days, even if some mechanics try to fix the issue with an ECU reset.

If you take into account the fault codes, some mechanics will jump to the conclusion that your car needs a new catalytic converter.

The issue will not be fixed completely by this. After a couple of thousand miles, the message will appear again.

A further investigation will show that the problem is with the fuel injection system. Dealerships are aware of this issue, even though there has been no recall from Honda.

Signs of Faulty Fuel Injector:

Here are some common signs of fuel injectors going bad, so that you can be sure that your problem is caused by faulty fuel injectors.

Car Has a Rough Idle

It’s possible to feel the car shake and sputter while in traffic or at a stoplight.

The fuel injection system might not be delivering the right amount of fuel, causing the engine to vibrate.

Poor Fuel Economy

The engine is asking for more fuel to be delivered but doesn’t receive it, which can cause your mileage to drop.

The less fuel you can get to the engine, the worse it will be. If you’d like to read more about what MPG is, check out my article on what DTE means.

Check Engine Light

A Check Engine warning light will come on if the injector stops spraying the right amount of fuel. The Check Engine light is on if you get the Emissions System Problem message.

Engine Misfire

You may experience a delay when you hit the gas pedal.

As the fuel injectors can’t deliver enough fuel, the mix of fuel and air in the engine will become unbalanced, which will cause your engine to fail.

Difficulties When Starting

If you can’t get enough gasoline to the engine, you might have a hard time starting the car.

Is It Possible That Cleaning a Fuel Injectors Work?

Cleaning your fuel injectors might make the warning message go away for a couple of weeks, but this still doesn’t fix the underlying problem.

If you want your injectors replaced immediately, I recommend it.

What Is the Warranty of a Honda Emissions?

In November 2020, Honda released a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), communicating to their dealerships the problem, information on how to identify and fix it, and extension of the warranty to 10 years from the date of purchase.

Can I Drive With an Emissions System Problem?

The answer to this question is more complicated than you might think. It is dependent on how long ago the message appeared on your dashboard.

You might keep driving the car for a couple more days until you get it to a mechanic if you just got the message and did not notice any difference.

Unless you need a car, I don’t recommend this. If you drive with this warning message on, you might cause more damage to the catalytic converters.

If you’ve been driving the car for a while with the warning message on, you should not drive it until you go to the dealership.

What Is the Cost to Fix an Emissions System Problem?

If you get this message on your Honda Pilot, it’s a good idea to have the car fixed by a dealer, as the warranty may cover the repair cost.

Honda has extended the warranty on the Honda Pilot model because they are aware of the issue.

If your car has done more than 150,000 miles and the dealer won’t cover the repair cost, you might have to pay yourself.

It will cost around $300 for parts and $400 for labor to fix the Honda Pilot’s fuel injectors.

If you follow instructions, you may be able to save on labor costs and replace the fuel injectors yourself.

Is It Possible to Prevent the Emissions System Problem Warning Message?

There is no way to prevent this problem on a Honda Pilot if you always use premium gasoline for the higher octane.

The engines that are running on higher octane gasoline will emit fewer emissions. If your car runs out of warranty limits, using premium fuel will delay the issue.

Conclusion

If you get the Emissions System Problem message, it’s a good idea to drive your car to a dealer for an inspection.

Delaying this will only make things worse and can lead to further damage to the catalytic converters.