The Lemon IndexThe catalytic converter on bank 1 isn't cleaning the exhaust as well as it should. Full P0420 page
10 owner complaints · the #10 code Honda Pilot owners name · 5% of Honda Pilot complaints that name a code (every car: 2.3%)
2016–2019 Honda Pilot · most: 2016 (5), 2017 (4), 2019 (1)
Honda Pilot owners named P0420 in 10 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2016, 2017 and 2019 model years. The part they name most is the fuel injectors (7 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Honda Pilot model years that report P0420
Owner complaints naming P0420, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the fuel injectors, in 7 of the 10 complaints (70%). 7 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards. Next: catalytic converter (3).
- Fuel injectors7 complaints7 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what Honda Pilot owners paid
- Catalytic converter3 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what owners paid
3 complaints mention a recall and 5 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0420
60% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires30%3 of 10 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0420 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
P0430 6 P219A 4 P0306 4 P0300 4 P219B 3
Other codes named in the same Honda Pilot complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Honda Pilot fuel injector replacement cost
Recalls on these Honda Pilot years
- Fuel system, gasoline · 2016, 2017, 2019 · issued 2023
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. NHTSA 23V858000 - Engine · 2016, 2019 · issued 2023
Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine. NHTSA 23V751000 - Fuel system, gasoline · 2019 · issued 2021
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. NHTSA 21V215000 - Engine · 2019 · issued 2019
The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt. NHTSA 19V298000 - Fuel system, gasoline · 2016 · issued 2017
The affected vehicles have fuel tanks that may leak. NHTSA 17V219000
6 recalls for the same systems (engine and fuel) on the Honda Pilot model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0420. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0420: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Honda Pilot reliability by year
- 2016 Honda Pilot problems and recalls
Other codes Honda Pilot owners report
P0430 U3000 P219A P219B P0304 P0369 P0741 P0087 P0301
P0420 on other cars
Kia Soul (80) · Nissan Altima (19) · Ford Focus (16) · Hyundai Tucson (12) · Honda Odyssey (11) · Ford F-Series (10)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0420 means
The catalytic converter on bank 1 isn't cleaning the exhaust as well as it should. The car usually drives normally, but it can fail an emissions test.
Drive on, get it checked. You can usually keep driving. Have the code read at your next service or within a few weeks.
- Worn-out catalytic converter
- Faulty downstream O2 sensor
- Exhaust leak
- Misfires or oil burning that damaged the converter
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11746794, 11722031, 11692460, 11690556, 11663783, 11562764, 11542530, 11534881, 11510016, 11281102.
Quick answers
What does P0420 mean on a Honda Pilot?
Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1). The catalytic converter on bank 1 isn't cleaning the exhaust as well as it should. The car usually drives normally, but it can fail an emissions test.
Which Honda Pilot years have the most P0420 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2016 (5), 2017 (4), 2019 (1) Honda Pilot named P0420 most (10 complaints in all, 2016–2019). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0420 on a Honda Pilot?
Owners most often name the fuel injectors (7 of 10 complaints), then catalytic converter. That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
Can I drive my Honda Pilot with P0420?
Drive on, get it checked. You can usually keep driving. Have the code read at your next service or within a few weeks.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0420 on the Honda Pilot, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.