Honda Pilot Complaints

9,418 consumer complaints on file.

#11680326August 13, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Teenage daughter was driving in rush hour traffic and the car seemed at have stalled out. She pulled over on the shoulder and manually turned off the car. When she tried re-starting it, it would not start. Electrical came on, but no power to the engine. Something then seemed to have overheated because when fire department was called, they extinguished something that had melted the plastic covering underneath the car. Fire department called due to smoke. No flames seen. We believe the smoke was from the melted plastic under car from something (a fluid) that was leaking. Insurance was called, car was towed to a Honda repair shop and then towed to a local Honda dealership. They say engine seized and is locked up and will not re-start. Other noted repair needed they say is torque converter. No other problems with this vehicle in the past. One of the best cars we have owned. No warnings prior to this happening on the highway. Disappointed that Honda did not have a cause and origin expert determine what happened to the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680378August 13, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
when honda service perfomed the recall repair on 12/12/2024. We notice that there is something wrong with the vehicle and we immediately report to Honda service and return the vehicle the following day for further diagnosis but the Honda service failed to resolved the issue until now. We spend out of pocket payment for their recommended repair @ parts replacement . With hopefull promises to resolved the issue but this resulted to more repairs and no guarantee in resolving the issue. And this delay of resolving the issue causing much more concern on our safety onto what will happened as this issue was not resolved
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680450August 13, 2025
ENGINE
We purchased our 2106 Honda Pilot Elite new in 2016. In 2022, I was driving the car and heard a rattling noise after accelerating at a stop light. I took it to Honda and they determined the engine failed and we need a new one. Our engine went out at only 80,000 miles. I experienced other issues with the Pilot; getting stalled at stop lights due to the auto idle engine stop and the start was by far the worst. Honda repaired the start button, but it did not fix the issue. The next time they said my battery was bad, they were wrong because I purchased a new battery a few months prior. The auto tailgate and sunroof worked about 60%. The next thing we did was file a claim with Honda Corporate. Case number ending in 7316 We provided every receipt requested and hand-delivered them to the service manager at Honda Schaumburg. Ultimately our claim was denied.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680010August 12, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Emission Code P0430. Changed everything related using OEM Parts and still showing the same code. O2s Sensors changed, Fuel Injectors by the dealer under warranty and Catalytic Converter change and still P0430 Permanent Code.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680062August 12, 2025
AIR BAGS, STEERING, SUSPENSION
My whole steering wheel detached while driving
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680102August 12, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electrical System – Body Control Module The BCM in my 2017 Honda Pilot fails intermittently, causing the alarm to activate randomly, warning lights to flicker, and battery drain. The issue occurs without warning, even while parked or driving, creating distraction and reducing confidence in the vehicle’s safety. Numerous other owners have reported identical issues online and with NHTSA, indicating a systemic defect. Honda should issue a recall to address this problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680139August 12, 2025
ENGINE
While driving on Interstate 4 in Orlando, engine suddenly seized and all components shut off. We were able to navigate to the shoulder, but vehicle was completely dead. We needed to use an auto transport to bring the vehicle back to Clearwater area where dealership confirmed the engine completely seized with an inability to crank, even manually. Please find Courtesy Palm Harbor Honda's findings attached to this report.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680280August 12, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Noisy Fuel pump and difficulty to start the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680094August 12, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While driving on the highway, I heard a loud whirring noise then my vehicle started to decelerate. After continuing to push on the accelerator, an error message appeared that stated something to the effect of "move vehicle from neutral to park". I tried to put the vehicle back into drive but my car had thrown itself into neutral and would not go back into drive. Another error message came up and indicated something about the transmission and that I should pull over to safety and put the car in park (or something of that nature). I was able to pull over but the car was frozen and I could not put the car back into drive, only into park. The vehicle was towed to a dealership where I was told the car needed to have the transmission replaced and that the Carfax report showed the transmission fluid had never been changed/replaced. The car is only four years old and I have never received an error or warning on the vehicle that there was an issue with the transmission fluid.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680072August 12, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I was driving down a residential road at about 40 mph. There was no car or other obstacle in front of me, but my car suddenly slammed on the brakes. It brought the car to an abrupt stop for no reason. If a car had been behind me, they would have slammed into me. It was so abrupt, I felt like I had whiplash. It was terrifying. I had taken the car into the dealership to due to the brake pin recall just 3 days ago. They inspected and said the pin was fine. When I called them to report this experience, they said it was unrelated to the recall. I am bringing my car into them tomorrow to inspect what happened with the automatic braking system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679884August 11, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The ACC, LKAS, Collision Mitigation, High beam, lane departure warnings light errors are on. This happened 2 years ago and Honda wanted me to pay $1,200 to replace all sensors of this car. Of course I just left it. It's not worth the hassel. However, for a car bought brand new in 2019 to have these systems fail in 2023, and for this to be a main component advertised for consumers to buy vehicles, it is not good. We pay thousands of dollars for a car because it has these safety features only for it to fail within 4 years and then expect the customer to pay over $1,000 to fix, is simply not right.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679890August 11, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact was unsure if the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rod bearings had failed, causing catastrophic damage to the engine. In addition, there were metal shavings inside the engine oil. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679995August 11, 2025
ENGINE
Driving home on a Thursday evening and experienced engine knocking sound(only heard when pulling into garage) after 30 minute drive of mixed highway and street driving. Shut down car and restarted engine. Engine knocking sound occurs just above normal idle rpm and also when rpm is going back down(deceleration) Advised spouse not to drive car until it is diagnosed. Not ideal due to a family vacation the following week. Drove very slowly to dealer on Sunday evening for a Monday mid day diagnosis appointment. Suv did have a check engine light on ( Thursday) but did go away after sitting over weekend(sunday night drop off) Honda Dealer diagnosed my engine has a damaged connecting rod bearing on cylinder #6. The dealer then proceeded to quote around $12,000 USD to replace the engine with a used engine with 115,000 miles on it already. The quote also has individual cost to replace the timing belt, water pump, coolant, hydraulic tensioner on the used motor. My vehicle has 141,000 miles. I estimate the value of the car to be around $12-14k. I am an ASE Master Certified Technician who at one point did work for a Honda Dealer. I am very familiar and comfortable with the manufacturer. I have owned 7 Honda/Acura vehicles over my lifetime. I have meticulously cared for this vehicle as I am now older with a family (3 kids)that relies on this SUV. Never once has the oil life reminder been below 10%. Honda brand Transmission fluid, Front axle fluid, Rear diff fluid (purchased from Honda)x2 and of course all oil changes done by me. I am a believer in not trusting anyone putting any brand oil/fluids in your vehicle. Vehicle has not seen anything else besides Mobil-1 full synthetic and Honda brand filters. This combo has served me well in my 6 other Honda/ Acura vehicles. With all that being said, I strongly believe this Pilot should be included in the connecting rod bearing recall that is currently affecting other 2016 model year Pilots. My VIN is not included.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679990August 11, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The back glass suddenly shattered. No cause was discovered. It was not vandalism. There was no prior damage to the back glass. We were seated in the front seats. Normally, we would have had our grandchildren in the back seats closest to the glass. I looked it up on the Internet and found out that this occurrence is fairly common among Honda makes. I took pictures of the damage and filed a claim with my insurance company. No warning occurred before the glass shattered.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679866August 11, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the START/STOP function activated and turned the vehicle off; however, while attempting to drive from the stop, the engine failed to restart. After waiting 5-10 minutes, the vehicle was able to restart and returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679671August 10, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The foreward collision warning is too sensitive and the alert message and steering wheel shaking are distracting. Especially driving on a two lane road, the forward collision messages occurs under normal driving situations. Simply a vehicle approaching in their lane in the opposite direction triggers the warning. You get a large orange box popping up on the dash screen which diverts your attention from the road to the screen. It's an obnoxious panic message. Also, the steering wheel shakes to alert you, which startles you. I fear the mechanism could malfunction and take over steering and cause an accident. I know how to drive and I don't need the absurd "assistance". I submitted another report for the auto idle problem. These driver assist things are horrid. They don't enhance the driving experience and seem to be items that unnecessarily tack on to the cost of purchasing a vehicle. We have complained to the Honda dealer and car mechanics about these matters. Regarding Forward Collision Warning, no resolution was provided. This is an ongoing problem and so an approximate date below is not applicable. Thank you Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679668August 10, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Problem with Auto idle stop mechanism. There was an event of no restart after the auto start/stop engaged. There have been several issues with it over time. For a while it cut out completely until we got a new car battery. Especially in the past 3 weeks the car has hesitated to start after a stop. Then, yesterday, [XXX] it failed to start creating a traffic hazard. We were at a red light and once green, I removed my foot from the brake and it would not start. Traffic was approaching behind us and it was a dangerous situation. It was stressful for me, the driver as well. After putting the car into several gears and pressing the start button twice, it eventually started. A display messages appeared only when the car would not start. I believe it said to put the car into neutral. If the car failed to start, it would have been stuck at a major intersection posing danger to ourselves and fellow drivers. Previously, when the feature stopped working, we reported the issue to our local Honda dealer and they did not offer a solution but said there are a number of factors that could cause it to not operate. We didn't mind it wasn't working because we loathe it. Later we purchased a new battery and it started working again. Also previous to [XXX], we updated the software system. We were aware that there was an update for this issue. To ensure we have the update, I checked it again, today, 8-10-2025 and our software was up to date. We (my wife and I) were so alarmed by yesterday's operation failure that we are considering getting rid of the vehicle. However, we don't want to pass the problem onto someone else. We are petitioning that this become a bulletin or recall fully covered by Honda. We see that similar 2016 to 2021 vehicles are under a bulletin. Honda is aware of the issue since 2016. 2022 Honda Pilot should be included. The software update did not resolve the issue. Please escalate from investigation phase to a mandatory Honda fix. TY! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679275August 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While driving on Highway 35 in Olathe traffic came to a crawl and vehicle automatic idle caused vehicle to stop. Luckily vehicles were slow and was not hit in the rear. Had to place vehicle in Park and restart. Several other times while at stop light vehicle just shuts down and fails to restart. We are just manually turning off auto idle on every start. If we forget the vehicle will start to shut down and we quickly turn off. Safety concerns while having grandkids in vehicle so we usually just take the 2014 Honda Odyssey which does not have this feature. ON going problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679279August 8, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle violently shook, vibrated, decelerated, and stalled. The vehicle was later restarted and driven to the local Auto Zone to be diagnosed. The diagnostic test revealed failures with the ECM and ECU, and the camshaft sensor failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679298August 8, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
We took our honda pilot to our local dealership (Nelson Honda 2500 Greensboro Rd Martinsville Va. 24112) for a recall on the fuel pump motor on 4/16/2025. We noticed when driving the vehicle that it had some hesitation when going up hills. The problem persisted so we finally made an appointment to have it rechecked on 7/30/2025. They advised nothing wrong recommended transmission fluid changed. We went to our local repair shop and had them to look at it and much to our surprise the fuel pump had not been touched. We have pictures and you can tell it hasn't been touch in a long while. When we called the dealership they told us that it was completed and that we should not file a compliant because they are a small dealership. I know that I'm one person but this car is my main transportation and I should be able to trust that when a recall is done that they actually do the work. Any help or assistance that you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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