Honda Pilot Complaints

9,418 consumer complaints on file.

#11426089July 23, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Within one week of purchase, the sideview mirrors were noted as shaking inside the housing. After a week of driving the mirrors are detaching from the housing. This has created a serious issue with visibility because of the movement but it will be worse if the mirror falls out. The Service Manager Douglas Burton and Sales Manager Craig Schwinn said that Honda "does not have a fix" for the issue. Douglas said that the mirrors should be taped down. Honda America has not responded to multiple requests for resolution.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425989July 22, 2021
ENGINE
While stopped at a red light, the engine would completely shut off. I had to restart the car and it would take multiple attempts to turn it back on. The first time it happened, I thought it was a battery issue. But I had since changed the battery and the problem still occurs. It seems to happen when the idle mode is not turned off. This is dangerous as it could cause an accident to have your car suddenly stop working in the middle of traffic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11426003July 22, 2021
ENGINE
When the vehicle was at a stop signal, the engine went into idle stop but would not restart. This happened three times so far. Once 2 years ago and twice in the past 3 days. The vehicle eventually restarted after we turned it off then on again. In all cases we were at a large intersection, but this could have happened on a highway ramp and could have been dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425735July 20, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
"Upgraded" from Odyssey to Pilot. The rear tailgate is motorized, like our old Odyssey. Unlike the Odyssey, when something collides with the motorized tailgate, there is nothing that stops the closure. When unloading the trunk, I pressed the button to close. I reached back into the vehicle to grab one more item and it hit my head and kept closing. It did not stop. Afterwards, I tried multiple times for it to reverse and the force needed to trip the safety is excessive for what would be considered safe. Knowing what the Odyssey was like, this is a major safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425707July 20, 2021
ENGINE
The Auto Idle Stop feature was enabled at the time. We came to a complete stop on the interstate highway due to traffic. When traffic cleared and I attempted to resume driving, the engine died completely and pressing the Start button would not re-start the engine. We were stuck with a dead engine in the middle of the highway for about a minute before the engine finally restarted. This happened three additional times since the original incident. I've taken the car to the dealer but their service technicians were unable to replicate the issue or diagnose the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425414July 19, 2021
POWER TRAIN
1| The problem is with the transmission. When we are driving, the Pilot makes jerky movements and the odometer bounces up and down during this time. This happens most of the time... it is rare when the transmission feels smooth. Also, sometimes when in reverse the Pilot jerks and makes it hard to control when backing up into a parking spot. This happens from time to time, but not every time. There is a known issue about the Honda Pilot 2016 having major transmission issues where it makes the vehicle jerky when accelerating. Yes, we can provide the vehicle for inspection. We only had the Pilot for a year and it just reached 90K. https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-2016-honda-pilot-had-an-alarming-number-of-transmission-problems/ 2| With the jerky movements, I find it unsafe when merging onto the interstate with moving traffic. It is a struggle to get up to speed when it feels like the Pilot is losing power. Also, once I backing up into the parking spot, the Pilot was making jerking movements and I could have damaged the cars that were parked behind me if I didn't throw the Pilot into neutral. Overall, it is a safety concern for my family of six. 3| The Honda dealerships seem to be aware of the issue but will not do anything about it. They recommend a transmission flush and computer repair/upgrade but are not willing to guarantee it will fix the issue. Others online have reported that the flush and computer repair did not fix the problem. We called Honda of America directly about the problem and were not willing to help us out. They offered no solutions. 4| No, we reached out to Honda of America and they are not willing to help us. We are not sure who to reach out to about the issue. Hopefully, NHTSA can finally help us. 5| Not sure if this issue was related to the transmission problem but the emissions light came on a month after purchasing the Pilot. Honda is known for having oil dilution problems and it could have lead to the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425419July 19, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The side-view mirror on the driver's side of the vehicle vibrates to the point of the images not being clear. The vibration gets worse with increased speed. In addition, once the mirror is set and starts vibrating it does not remain in place. This is a safety hazard as driver sets mirror and when they look to see if a car is visible in the mirror is not showing proper location. Furthermore, the vibration of the mirror makes it difficult to see the image in the mirror. This incident occurred on a test drive vehicle while looking for a car and I was told this would be fixed. I indicated I wanted a different car and the car I ended up purchasing had the same issue. When I called the service department they told me this was a known issue and Honda was working on it. The service department did replace my side-mirror with a new one but that did not fix the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425332July 18, 2021
ENGINE
When using the auto idle stop the car will sometimes completely shut down. We could be rear ended if somebody behind us doesn’t realize that we are stopped. Honda has looked at it multiple times. They say they can not duplicate it so they can’t fix it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425299July 17, 2021
ENGINE
The engine can die when idling at a stop sign or stop light for no apparent reason. One time it even died as I was in motion. Again for no apparent reason. The car has an auto engine idle stop feature. If you push the button the disable this gas saving feature then you no longer have this issue. Biggest issue is the you can easily get rear ended because the engine dies out of the blue for no apparent reason. Per on line viewing, this is a very common issue with Hondas between 2016-2019. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thank you for your time and consideration in reviewing this issue. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425067July 16, 2021
SEATS
I reclined the drivers seat to nap. After my nap the seat would not recline back into seating position. To get the seat to come forward I had to get out of my car and with one hand operate the knob and the other hand pulled the seat forward. The seat did not come fully upright and I had no support from the seat as I started to drive again. After driving for 10 min I found another place I could safely pull over. I once again got out of the car and pushing the knob in the direction that would bring the seat up with one had and pulling on the seat with the other hand finally got the seat in the full upright position. I finished my drive home and proceeded to call the dealership to schedule an appointment for the seat to be looked at. The dealership told me that the motor/drive system needed to be replaced as it was coming apart. The problem was that when they looked to see if a motor could be ordered a whole seat needed to be ordered. Now I have a seat that should I try to adjust the seat back I may never get it back into original position. I was quoted $1872.73 for a new seat and they would need the car for two days because the seat would need to go to the upholstery shop and that would be another $500 because the seat is leather.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425167July 16, 2021
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V661000 (Air Bags). The contact stated while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he crashed into another vehicle. The front driver’s side air bag deployed, with a powder that caused a burn to the driver’s right hand. A police report was not filed. Medical attention was not received on the scene but the contact's doctor later prescribed burn cream for the driver’s right hand over the phone. The contact notified an independent mechanic of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11425224July 16, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was about to cross the border I was not driving faster than 3 mph when a few functions stop working
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11425223July 16, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Driver side mirror (side) shakes at highway speed. This makes it hard to see incoming traffic on driver’s side. Passenger side mirror okay.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424916July 15, 2021
ENGINE
Occasionally, the engine does not automatically re-start after the idle engages. This has happened multiple times over the last couple of years. The result is a stalled vehicle, sometimes at busy intersections. This is confusing, annoying, and potentially dangerous --- thankfully so far the drivers behind me have reacted quickly to a stalled vehicle in front of them. The vehicle also seems to hesitate when attempting to start manually. The situation can become quite frantic. I changed the on-off push button which was having some other problems, but the problem with the engine not re-starting after idle persists. I have also changed the battery and regularly check my current battery, but it just happened again yesterday and I almost got hit! What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine automatic re-start after idle. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Stalled vehicle in traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424823July 14, 2021
ENGINE
Occasionally, when the vehicle is stopped at a stop sign, or stoplight, the idle stop will engage and shut off the engine. When releasing brake pedal, engine will not restart. Vehicle must be placed in park, brake pedal depressed very hard and then attempt to restart. Vehicle will restart after one or more tries. When the vehicle will not re-start, the symptoms are that or a dead battery. Warning lights, engine will not crank. But, then it restarts just fine. The issue does not happen if Idle stop feature is disabled. Dealership has not been able to repeat problem, has tested primary electrical components and cannot fix it. Dealership has looked at the problem 3 times. This is becoming a safety issue, and it is easily found in online forums with other owners of the same years, make, model having the same issue. I believe this to be an issue with the control logic in the Idle stop loop.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424849July 14, 2021
ENGINE
Issue: Auto Stop / Start feature on 2016 Honda Pilot Touring does not re-engage / start the car after being idle from a stop. This is a repeated issue that has been occurring intermittently since I bought the car brand new. I have taken it to the dealer multiple times and they state they can't replicate so can't fix. However, multiple forums have stated others are having similar issues. This originally was happening about once a month. Its now at least once per week. I have blocked traffic and almost been hit multiple times as my car won't start again at stop signs / lights. Usually after 30 seconds to 2 minutes, I can put it in park and wait a bit and it will eventually start. The last two times it would not restart until it was jumped after waiting for roadside service. I have taken it for battery and alternator evaluation and both are fine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424677July 13, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Keyless Start System error in the 2016 causes a risk of being stranded without the ability to start vehicle. There is no option on the car to use a manual key for starting. You can get the door open with a manual key, but not operate the car engine. There is nothing wrong with the engine. It’s a safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424701July 13, 2021
ENGINE
The Auto Idle Stop feature activated at a light, but when it normally reactivates (taking foot off the brake, placing foot on the accelerator, or moving steering wheel) the engine did not come back on, the transmission changed to Neutral, and some warning lights flashed. A car coming up on the light behind me anticipated me accelerating, but I couldn't start the engine for about 30 seconds. My safety (and of the 5 other passengers) was put at risk by the mal-performance of the feature. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer. The vehicle has not been inspected by others. There were no signs of the problem prior to the failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424579July 13, 2021
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
March 2021 - car pulling to right, took to dealership & they did alignment, problem persisted, returned to dealer April 22, 2021, still pulling right, they said they swapped front tires left to right and pull diminished, service manager indicated a tire belt/band problem & could go flat or have a blowout, two front tires replaced at 34579 miles on 70000 mile tires, found out about Honda recall UA2 for same problem with Continental Tires but my VIN not on recall list.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11424385July 12, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My husband and daughter were driving on the freeway normal speed limit, and the liftgate glass blew out. The car is not even 7000 miles, nothing hit it. After doing a little bit of research I came across posts where some people have had issues with other Honda models and the company does not cover glass under warranty. Lucky my daughter was not sitting at the back otherwise she would have been hurt with the flying glass. I feel this needs to be looked into further.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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