Honda Pilot Complaints (2023)

134 consumer complaints on file.

#11759563August 25, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The 2nd row passenger side seat belt buckle sensor begins to report "un-buckled" status that cannot be remediated by re-buckling the belt. Honda replaced the same belt buckle twice already for the same issue. First defect manifested and was corrected by Honda 18 months from purchase, the second one - manifested and corrected 17 months after first one. NHTSA bulletin 26-027 describes this exact issue in detail.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759404August 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Known design defect under Special Coverage for some vehicles, but does not include my VIN for a 2020 Chevy Traverse. Full details are provided in the attachment, including photos of the broken exhaust weld bracket and costs incurred so far. Additional expenses are expected to be incurred in the coming days when parts are available to prevent exhaust emissions from entering the vehicle during operation while doors and windows are closed, which is an issue caused by failure of the exhaust weld bracket.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757958August 19, 2026
SEAT BELTS, SEATS
Rear 2nd row seats give false warning when the kids car seats are buckled but constantly give warning that seat belts are not buckled properly. Haven’t received any recall & dealer won’t fix the issue under warranty
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756418August 12, 2026
SEAT BELTS
Left middle row seat belt sensor is indicating unbuckeled when it is buckled. Dealer is asking over $500 to repair. I hae also read about other sensor alerts on 2023 and 2024 for left side as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756008August 10, 2026
ENGINE
Honda Part #80872-SN7-003 failed at 3years and 40,000 miles which Honda will not cover under warranty. This is a simple O-Ring for the AC line which has a life span of 10-15 years. Apparently this has been common on 2023-2025 Pilots and passports and thus should be a recall issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755632August 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
when driving our 2023 honda pilot we stopped at traffic light the car shut off would not restart our front doors would open and close our back doors would not operate back tale gate door would not operate we had no4 way blinkers no lights totally dead auto. we were in middle of four lanes bumper to bumper traffic with no way to warn other drivers of our car break down. after short time a helpful driver pulled up behind us and used his auto to block us from traffic and used his 4 way flashers to warn other cars to go around us . police and tow showed up in appx 20 min. car was taken to WILLIAMS HONDA OF TRAVERS CITY MI.49685 they repaired car next day informed us battery shorted out when auto shut off activated at stop light. we had no indications of any issues with our vehicle it is 3 yr old with 40138 mi on it battery was out warrenty. williams installed newAGM100M BATT. our main safety issue is lack of 4 way warning or signal to other drivers.WE WERE LUCKY NO ONE REAR ENDED US AND WE DID NOT NEED BACK DOORS TO OPERATE . THANK YOU [XXX] AND [XXX] FROM SAULT STE. MARIE MI [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
#11754915August 5, 2026
SEAT BELTS
Honda has a known issue where their Pilot’s seatbelt sensor stops working. I was the second vehicle this week to bring my car in because the belt dings incessantly even though the seatbelt is secured. This can prevent the airbag from deploying while a passenger is in the seat. I’m being charged for the repair and feel that it should be covered as it’s a safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754174August 1, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My husband was driving our family of 6 to [XXX] from the [XXX] area. We were on the highway in [XXX] when we heard a loud pop and the sunroof had randomly exploded. There's a thin cloth like screen between the glass and the inside of the vehicle. Luckily that screen was not open, otherwise, we would've have been cut up by the glass shards coming down. We arrived at our destination in Florida and took pictures of the broken sunroof. I called our insurance to file a claim. I also called American Honda and made filed a case. I was told to take it to the dealership and see if our extended warrantee would cover it. MPP denied the claim. This is very dangerous to have a random sunroof explode out of nowhere. Someone needs to take responsibility for this before people get hurt. 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
#11753692July 30, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The second row passenger side seat belt continues to give an alert that there is a rider but the belt is not buckled, even though the belt is buckled. The wire running alongside the belt latch can be jiggled to get the alert to stop. Then the alert restarts. Sometimes the alert continues to trigger several times over. Sometimes there will be no alert for several minutes. A local auto shop looked at the seatbelt and said there is a mechanism that is supposed to slide and catch when the belt is buckled. That mechanism is no longer catching. The problem started March 2026. There has not been a safety incident to date.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753195July 28, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle had an engine fire yesterday. Inner cv boot is burned. Luckily fire was put out quickly with a fire extinguisher.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752649July 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL:SOFTWARE
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving with the adaptive cruise control activated, the cruise control became inoperative after being used for a while. The message "Clean Radar Sensor" was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that after the vehicle was turned off and restarted, the adaptive cruise control returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front radar needed to be realigned and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front radar unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752641July 24, 2026
SEATS
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding a safety issue with my 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport. The driver’s seat has become loose, and upon inspection, I discovered that a bolt has come out of the seat frame assembly. This creates noticeable movement in the seat while driving and raises serious concerns about the structural integrity and safety of the seating system. What is particularly concerning is that this issue appears to be similar to a seat-related recall affecting other 2023 Honda Pilot models. Although my vehicle is experiencing what appears to be the same defect, I have been advised that my VIN is not included in the recall population. I contacted Honda Customer Relations seeking assistance; however, I was informed that I would be responsible for approximately $200 just for diagnostic inspection, despite the fact that the issue involves a potential safety defect that closely resembles a known problem affecting other vehicles of the same model year. I respectfully request that Honda: Review my vehicle's eligibility for recall-related coverage or goodwill assistance. Investigate whether this seat-frame failure is related to the same condition identified in other 2023 Honda Pilot vehicles. Waive the diagnostic fee and inspect the vehicle given the safety implications of a loose driver’s seat. Provide guidance on how Honda intends to address this issue if it is determined to be a manufacturing or design defect. I have been a Honda owner with confidence in the brand’s commitment to safety and customer satisfaction, and I hope Honda will take this matter seriously. A loose driver’s seat is not only inconvenient but also a significant safety concern that could affect vehicle control and occupant protection in the event of an accident. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752363July 23, 2026
AIR BAGS
i was involved in a fairly significant accident at 55mph and another vehicle pulled out in front of us. Our Honda pilot had significant front and side damage on passenger side and not air bags deployed at all. This is and was alarming to us. So much so we did not feel safe in keeping the vehicle after the $26,000 repair. I did suffer minor injuries with my neck (surgery required and arm issues from hitting the door) Has this been noted in Honda Pilot models?
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11752353July 23, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the second-row seats which were occupied had properly latched the seat belts; however, the seat belt alarm was activated. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752123July 22, 2026
SEAT BELTS
Passenger side 2nd row Seat belt indicates unbuckled when passenger is buckled in and seated. Started as an intermittent indication, now the warning lamp continuously indicates the passenger is unbuckled when seated with seat belt buckled. Dealer has confirmed the concern, aligns with OEM service bulletin, OEM has redesigned service parts but will not service under warranty due to mileage on vehicle (80K).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751994July 22, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The second-row passenger-side seat belt buckle intermittently fails to correctly detect a latched seat belt. While occupied and properly buckled, slight passenger movement causes the vehicle to generate false seat belt warning messages and chimes indicating the belt is unfastened. Inspection confirms the buckle remains physically latched. The repeated false warnings distract the driver and may reduce confidence in the vehicle's seat belt monitoring system. The condition has been recurrent and is limited to the second-row right-side seating position.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751450July 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
I had two time between the week of June 30 th to July 4 thank July 13 to July 16 th on the excessive heat days my car was making a lot of sound from driving side as well full vibrations on steering and floor I went to page Honda dealer ship they said short block problem and they they are raising request to Honda my mileage is 58800 2023 Honda pilot bought in May 2023 which is under power train warranty but did not receive any email or any paperwork from Honda dealer ship.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751137July 17, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unintended acceleration / accelerator pedal stuck. Vehicle accelerated uncontrollably (>75 mph) on two-lane road despite heavy braking. Could not regain control for over 1 minute. This is the second incident (first in Nov 2025, reported to Serra Honda Sylacauga with no issues found per service department). Video evidence available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750710July 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS
The rear passenger-side (second-row, right-side outboard) seatbelt warning system is defective, repeatedly triggering false "unbuckled" alarms even when a passenger is securely buckled in. This is a known manufacturing defect involving the occupant detection sensor inside the seat cushion frame, which sends intermittent, incorrect signals to the vehicle's computer. The defect presents a severe safety hazard. The continuous, loud chiming distracts the driver and causes immediate "alarm fatigue." This forces the driver to ignore seatbelt warnings, creating a dangerous situation where a rear passenger (including a child) could actually become unbuckled without the driver realizing it, significantly increasing the risk of injury or death in a crash. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for inspection, but technicians reported they could not replicate the intermittent failure at that specific moment. However, the system immediately failed again the very first time a passenger sat in that seat after leaving the dealership. The defective seat cushion frame and its internal components remain in the vehicle and are fully available for inspection. The failure began intermittently and has now become a persistent issue. There are no prior warning lights; rather, the seatbelt warning chime and dashboard graphics activate and continuously flash/alarm while driving, falsely indicating the occupant is unbuckled when they are actually safely secured. This issue matches the parameters of Honda Service Bulletin 23-018 and the active NHTSA safety investigation into this model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749722July 11, 2026
WHEELS
Summary of Safety Issue:A franchise dealership delivered an unroadworthy vehicle with a falsified safety inspection checklist, missing critical structural hardware on all four wheels.Description of Incident:On XXX I took delivery of a Certified Pre-Owned 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport from Scott Clark Honda. I drove the vehicle two hours away on the highway to my residence in [XXX]. Upon a detailed inspection at home, I discovered that the vehicle was missing four (4) lug nuts—specifically, one critical lug nut was completely missing from every single wheel hub assembly.A subsequent audit of my high-resolution delivery photos confirms the hardware was already missing while the vehicle sat in the dealership's delivery bay. The franchise service department falsified the mandatory Honda CPO safety checklist, which legally requires verifying that all wheel hardware is torque-tested and structurally present. Driving a heavy family utility vehicle on public highways with un-torqued and missing lug nuts created a life-threatening wheel-separation hazard. The dealership has since failed to execute an immediate or emergency resolution to render the chassis safe. 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

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