Equipment Problems of Honda Pilot - part 1

I was driving home at 4am on I-95 with my children in the car. My car has had a history of "juttering" and making a vibrational noise, but on the way home there was an issue with acceleration when using the gas pedal, and slow to gain speed. There were times when the gas pedal didn't respond to my foot depression at all, and did not accelerate. When I was almost home, many lights came on my dash including: blind spot warning, emissions systems problem, transmission problem apply parking brake when parked, stop driving when safe transmission problem see manual. The car is not driveable at this time and sitting in my driveway. I have no idea where to tow it to or what to do or how much it will cost.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Pilot 🔎.

2021 Honda Pilot with 9,800 miles. Failed vsa modulator directly related to the braking system. Warning lights: vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, collision mitigation system, adaptive cruise control problem. Problem confirmed by pensacola Honda service center and awaiting repair assistance from american Honda as they refuse to offer goodwill credit for repair due to being out of warranty, despite extremely low mileage and excellent condition of vehicle.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The multipurpose front camera just went out and a series of many warning lights came on in my Honda Pilot. The camera just stopped working for no reason, with no warning and never an issue before. I took my Honda Pilot to the Honda dealership service department to have it checked and resolved. The dealers resolution was quoting me $2,000. 00 just for the camera, with no labor or calibration, that is extra. They told me its a glitch in the Honda's system and that's probable why the camera stopped working. They told me they are not responsible for the camera and won't replace it. They showed no concern for safety and I had to pick up the vehicle if I did not replace, at my cost, the $2000. 00 camera plus labor and calibration which may be around $3000. 00 all told. I can't believe that if this is a known problem to Honda and Honda is aware of it in their system, why aren't they responsible to replace a faulty manufacturing problem. Honda is passing their problem to consumers at a cost of $2000. 00 just for a camera. This should be unacceptable and it is outrageous the fact that Honda knows of a problem in their system that creates a safety problem and still are allowed to have the financial burden put on the consumer with no accountability. I had 2 other recalls on file and nothing was done. With the warning lights on, I am very concerned of the major safety issue. I don't believe, I as a consumer, should be responsible for the cost of a manufacturing issue. Now I have a vehicle with a safety issue and an extremely high cost resolution. I wanted to inform you because I believe that I am not the only person this has happened too and hopefully you can address this issue with Honda. Thank you.

A/c is blowing hot air. The dealership is saying I need a new a/c compressor. Car is only 2 years old. It’s not under warranty because of how far I have to drive for work everyday. I’ve seen many other people who have the same issue. They are saying $3k to fix.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Pilot 🔎.

This vehicle is equipped with auto engine idle stop. When stopped at a light or stop sign the engine shuts off and restarts when the accelerator is pressed. We stopped at a light and when began to move forward again, the engine did not fully restart and lunged a bit. I tried several times unsuccessfully to restart the engine. Traffic was all around us so I was lucky enough to limp it across the intersection and get into a turning lane out of the traffic flow. After a couple minutes I was able to get the engine started and continue home. I called the dealer service department immediately and was told they had never heard of such occurrence. After researching online I found many posts and comments with the same problem going back possibly 10;years. How could Honda not know about this problem when many have experienced it? I contacted american Honda and felt brushed aside. Imagine sitting at a light, not getting the car to start and a semi rolling up behind. This could be a disaster waiting to happen. Please investigate.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Summary of issue the vehicle developed an engine/emission warning light and failed mechanically without any crash or impact. The car drove fine until about one week ago. I have driven the vehicle normally and performed regular maintenance. Events and observations a warning light appeared indicating engine and emission problems. I took the vehicle to two separate mechanics: mechanic a diagnosed engine damage and catalytic converter issues. Mechanic b diagnosed engine damage and a possible fuel pump problem. I am not a mechanic and cannot independently interpret technical findings, but both inspections indicate serious engine-related failures. The vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles and was purchased for more than $20,000 less than two years ago. No collisions, impacts, or abuse occurred that could explain the failure. I believe this is a potential manufacturing defect. I contacted a Honda dealer about the problem; they stated it is not a manufacturing defect and declined to accept responsibility for repair. I believe the dealer is avoiding responsibility. Requested action I request NHTSA open an investigation (or add my report to any existing investigation) into this vehicle’s engine and related components to determine whether a safety defect or noncompliance exists. I request guidance on next steps and that this complaint be considered in any recall evaluation.

See all problems of the 2016 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Intermittent severe shaking in steering wheel while driving at various speeds. No warning. Vehicle has less than 500 miles.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a 2024 Honda Pilot touring with approximately 46,000 miles. The exact component or system that failed is currently unknown. My best assessment is that this may involve the electrical system, powertrain, engine control/software system, charging system, auto idle stop system, or another related vehicle control system. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has had intermittent multiple warning lights appear on the dashboard. On June 7, 2026 around 9:00pm, while the vehicle was in drive, the vehicle shut off/lost power. This created a serious safety risk because the vehicle was being operated when the shutdown/loss-of-power event occurred. I am concerned this could happen again while driving, including at freeway speeds or while transporting a child. The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle was taken to a Honda authorized dealership for inspection. The dealership advised that the battery tested fine and that no diagnostic trouble codes were found so far. Diagnostics are still pending, and as of this complaint, no confirmed cause, diagnosis, or repair has been provided. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. American Honda motor CO. Has been contacted, and a case has been opened regarding this concern. Warning lamps/symptoms did occur before the shutdown/loss-of-power event. The vehicle had intermittent multiple warning lights on the dashboard before/around the time of the incident. The warning lights first appeared on or around June 3, 2026. The shutdown/loss-of-power event occurred on or around June 7, 2026. I am requesting that NHTSA document this safety issue involving a 2024 Honda Pilot touring shutting off/loss of power while in drive with no confirmed diagnosis or repair at this time.

My 2017 Honda Pilot touring has experienced ongoing electrical and battery-related issues for several years and has been in and out of authorized Honda dealerships numerous times. The vehicle has been serviced repeatedly at both fowler Honda in [xxx], and pensacola Honda in [xxx]. Due to the inability to diagnose the problem, the issue was escalated by pensacola Honda to american Honda’s technical line. After extensive diagnostics over two days, the technicians informed me that Honda engineers are aware of an issue but currently do not have a solution, although they are working on one. On xxx, while turning left from [xxx] onto [xxx], I had sufficient time to complete the turn and pressed the accelerator to proceed. However, the accelerator became completely unresponsive and the vehicle would not accelerate. My vehicle was left partially in the intersection while an oncoming vehicle approached. The other driver could have easily struck the driver’s side of my vehicle, creating the risk of a serious or fatal accident. Fortunately, a collision was avoided, but this incident demonstrated a significant safety hazard. In addition to this loss of acceleration, the vehicle has experienced recurring starting problems and electrical malfunctions. Pensacola Honda found that the battery tests normally when removed from the vehicle, but does not function properly when installed. Despite numerous repair attempts and escalation to american Honda, the problem remains unresolved. I believe this defect poses a serious safety risk to myself, my passengers, and others on the road due to the potential for sudden loss of acceleration while driving. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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I have been frequently getting the message on my dash "keyless start system problem" this message appears when starting or stopping the vehicle and while driving. The message does not stay on the dash it eventually disappears.

Driving on freeway, at speed limit. All was clear. The sunroof spontaneously exploded. Nothing struck it, it just exploded on its own.

The paint is peeling on the pearl white color. This is a known issue and it is large sections that could cause a hazard while driving.

Automatic transmission problem. Got onto freeway as I started to pick up speed the car did not go out of first gear. I could hear it. The car would not move forward at all. It felt like it was in nuturel. I was able to pull over side of road. This happened about last week may 2026. This also happened about 6 months ago. I bought this car in 2022 hardly any miles on car. There is a defect in transmission. If I was on busy highway I would of gotten hit for sure. Transmission problem. Car not shifting to higher gear when getting onto freeway!.

Safety recall on 2018 Honda Pilot fuel pump Honda dealership refuse to repair unless other repairs where done due to engine light on . I ask advisor who was helping me [xxx] to give me clarification on the reason his respond was I am just doing my job no other dealer will be able to help you technician doesn’t want to proceed with repair due to engine light on , unless you do other repairs rough estimate amount $1851. 64 I politely denied those services walk out contact another Honda dealer on may 28 2026 , I spoke to advisor jennifer cruz explain the situation set up an appointment for safety recall on fuel pump @ location 9055 washington blvd , culver city , CA 90232 [xxx] repairs will be done by 3pm on may 29 2026 , jennifer cruz was really helpful and apologized for my bad experience with previous Honda dealership information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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I am reporting a safety-related driver visibility concern involving a 2025 Honda Pilot. I also observed substantially similar behavior on a 2026 Honda cr-v loaner vehicle and another Honda Pilot provided by koons Honda. The issue involves the front driver and passenger windows and their interaction with the outer window seals/belt moldings. During rainy, snowy, foggy, or wet conditions, lowering and then raising the windows leaves significant moisture, streaking, fog residue, or debris on the glass surface. Current image shows fog residue, however, the same results occurred with snow where visibility was impaired after cycling the front driver and passenger windows. The outer window seals do not adequately clear the windows during normal operation. This results in impaired visibility around and through the side view mirrors, especially during lane changes, merging, and monitoring adjacent lanes. The condition is repeatable and occurs during ordinary use. I documented video evidence showing: •the issue on my 2025 Honda Pilot, •another Honda Pilot, •and the same/similar issue on a separate 2026 Honda cr-v loaner vehicle from koons Honda. I presented the evidence to dealership personnel. However, the service manager refused to document that side mirror visibility was impaired, reportedly because such wording would imply a safety condition. This concern may involve: •ineffective window seal/belt molding performance, •excessive water retention on side windows, •impaired driver visibility, •and a potential safety defect affecting multiple Honda vehicles. The issue can create unsafe driving conditions because drivers may be unable to clearly observe adjacent traffic through side mirrors after operating the windows in wet conditions. Furthermore, similar reports are found online with different newer models. The date below reflects today's interaction with the dealership, however, this is an ongoing issue since we received the vehicle last year.

Driving east bound hwy 410 about 35mph and slowing due to red light. I heard a very loud popping sound. I thought it was my water bottle I left in the console, but the noise did not come from there. Came to a stop and heard what sounded like ice cracking, I glanced in the back and could see the window on passenger side in very back was shattered . When light turned green I pulled into target parking lot to look at it. The whole thing was shattered. There was no one impact site, all around the entire window was cracked in different spots. I called the dealership as I just purchased the vehicle less then one month ago. It had 585 miles. I was told to bring it down to them and told on the phone that this has been happening to hrv models and that if it happens it is usually around the 500 mile mark, but they have not seen it happen on the Pilots. A goodwill request was put into Honda and they are repairing it.

My air conditioning system has gone out for the third time in 6 years. First one was at 38k miles and was the compressor, which contaminated the system, requiring a system replacement. Second time was at 98k miles and was the condenser, which required a whole system replacement. Third time happend at 148k miles and is the compressor, which will result in another full system replacement. The compressor is locked up which will cause the serpentine belt to fail, unless I keep the ac off. I have not yet had this fixed, however I'm very frustrated that this has happened 3 times. A serpentine belt failure can potentially cause a safety issue.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Pilot 🔎.

Sunroof exploded while driving down the road.

The vehicle experienced failure of the air conditioning system caused by an a/c compressor shaft seal leak on my 2021 Honda Pilot. The issue was diagnosed and confirmed by both an independent mechanic and an authorized Honda dealership. The dealership confirmed that the recommended repair is replacement/repair of the compressor shaft seal consistent with Honda service bulletin (TSB) 23-050. The vehicle and failed component are available for inspection upon request prior to repair. The failure created a safety concern because the inability to properly operate the air conditioning and defrost system can reduce driver visibility due to windshield fogging and create unsafe driving conditions during warm and humid weather. Excessive cabin temperatures can also negatively impact driver concentration and passenger safety during travel. Prior to visiting the dealership, my mechanic identified the likely issue as an a/c compressor shaft seal leak and advised me to bring the vehicle to Honda because it appeared to be a known manufacturer issue. The Honda dealership later confirmed the same defect after completing a paid diagnostic inspection. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent mechanic and an authorized Honda dealership service department. A case has also been opened with Honda corporate regarding the issue and denial of coverage assistance though was told it could take several days to weeks to be resolved. Prior to the failure, there were no warning lamps or dashboard warning messages displayed. The first symptom was the air conditioning system no longer cooling properly when first used during warmer weather around may 2026. Because the a/c system had not been used during the winter months, the problem only became apparent once temperatures increased and the system was needed again. This appears to be a known issue already acknowledged by Honda through the publication of TSB 23-050 covering 2021 Honda Pilot models.

Our sunroof on our Honda 2022 Pilot spontaneously shattered while we were sitting at a stop light. Nothing fell on it and nothing hit, it just suddenly shattered while we were sitting in the stop light.

I have a 2023 Honda Pilot awd elite with approximately 46,000 miles. It has an engine idol feature that's suppose to restart the engine after idoling. I was in a parking lot waiting to enter into traffic when the engine completey shut down. I was able to restart the engine at the time. Again the same day I was at a stop light, the car was idoling and when the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake and proceeded to press the gas pedal, the car shut down completely and I had to restart the vehicle. I made an appointment to take my car to the dealership the next morning. On Friday may 1st, 2026. I brought the vehicle to the dealership but they told me they won't be able to see it until Monday. Saturday, I took my child to his soccer match and again, at the stop light before getting onto the freeway, the vehicle shut down after idoling. The feature auto idol/restart is automatically on when you start the vehicle. It will drive fine if you remember to turn the function off. Honda has no official recall on this. There was a similar software issue recall in 2025 but the dealership told me that campaign was closed.

See all problems of the 2023 Honda Pilot 🔎.

The moonroof glass shattered for no apparent reason while driving at highway speed. Fortunately, the inner moonroof cover was closed preventing glass pieces from entering the vehicle interior. The incident happened while driving on an interstate highway in light traffic.

While stopped at an intersection, the auto idle stop engaged and the engine shut off. The vehicle failed to restart and became unresponsive. I had to shift into park to restart the vehicle. This created a dangerous situation in traffic.

The issue appears to involve the vehicle’s electrical control system responsible for power management and system activation while the vehicle is off, possibly including the Smart power control module and related components. It may be arranged for the vehicle to be inspected. The vehicle behaved as though it had been remote started, initiating engine cranking without any user input while turned off. If this occurs while parked in a garage or enclosed space, it could lead to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup and pose a serious risk to occupants. Unintended engine activation also presents a risk to nearby people or property. The unintended engine cranking event occurred once and was directly witnessed while I was seated inside the vehicle observing other electrical oddities. The issue has not been reproducible on demand. However, related symptoms including the alarm activating on its own and unexplained electrical activity while the vehicle is off have occurred multiple times. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for this issue by a dealership, manufacturer, or third party. No police or insurance reports have been filed. I plan to take it to the dealership tomorrow (4/4/2026). There were no warning lights or messages before or during the event. Prior symptoms include intermittent alarm activation, display flashing, clicking fuses, and electrical activity while off, beginning before the engine cranking incident.

This is a follow up to my previous complaint. 11729106. I brought my Honda Pilot to my local dealer. They confirmed there is a problem with the keyless start system on my Honda. I ended up paying around $1000 to have it repaired. I have great concern that this could have caused a fatality. I park my car in the garage at home, and the car started by itself. I have pets and children.

Paint failure - rear roof panel. Paint chips flaking off. Not a gradual failure, clear coat in good condition. No skuff marks or damage prior. Large paint chips pealing off exposing bare metal. Paint color : modern steel metallic.

It is unfortunately the camshaft end play issue that we see with these engines from time to time. Honda identified that the surface roughness of the camshaft thrust cover on these engines was manufactured out of specification. This poor surface finish creates excessive friction and wear, allowing the camshaft to develop excess fore-and-aft movement (end play). As the camshaft shifts physically out of its correct alignment, it begins to scrape against the thrust cover or cause the reluctor wheel to physically strike and damage the camshaft position (cmp) sensor. So you have to replace the camshaft, the camshaft sensor, the thrust plate, and timing cover plate. In this picture you can see where the reluctor wheel has been scraping on the cam sensor. This was sent to me not only by one mechanic but multiple. Honda needs to replace this and a recall needs to be made!!!.

The second and third row seats do not recognize when passengers are exiting the vehicle. All second and third row seats cause the seat belt warning to go off multiple times even when there are not passengers in the vehicle. Car in park does not mitigate this problem.

Car is dangerous. I have been the only owner of this car. Over the years and again today the car loses acceleration when attempting to pass someone on the highway at speeds of 65 mph +. The car just doesn't accelerate and leave you pushing gas and nothing happens. I have had issues where I have had to move over 2 lanes on busy highway to pull over due to lack of anything happening when I press the gas. Today, it actually didn't throw any codes, but acceleration returned after about 25 stressful seconds. It's bad enough this car has to have the idle engine depressed everytime you start it or the car will die and not restart at a traffic light. There are way too many safety issue with this car. I will keep reporting as time allows. I have done all the routine maintenance on this car as well. I try to keep my cars 10 years, but this one has been an issue since early on.

Auto idle stop activated at a stop light for the 2nd or 3rd time over a few years. Lifted foot off the break and stalled, the car went into park and I could not put it into neutral or drive. The odometer screen looked like it does when the engine is on. The battery light was on. I tried to turn down the radio and the volume didn't work. I tried pressing the ignition button to turn off the car entirely but it didn't work the first couple of tries. Once I was able to completely turn it off, it struggled to turn over when I tried to start the engine, which I've never had happen, but did turn over. Dealership wanted to charge $325 for a few hours of diagnostics which we declined.

Infotainment center making popping and cracking sounds during every drive. System will completely shut down and not work at all. No access to navigation, phone or infotainment center at all. Audio will completely cut out during music and phone calls.

Auto start-stop feauture turned on at complete stop at traffic light. When light turned green and pressed the gas pedal to accelerate, engine did not turn back on. It had put vehicle into neutral and would not allow vehicle to shift into any other gear. Had to shut off engine and turn on vehicle an additional 3 times to get the engine to start again and into drive. This has happened twice before within the last year with the auto start stop feauture when it turns on at a complete stop. I usually press button to turrn off auto start stop feature to prevent this known issue from happening but forgot to turn feature off. Honda wants to charge $300 to diagnosis problem with auto start stop feature due to problem being known but no recall issued.

I was driving around 30-35 mph when my car's dashboard lights were flickering on and it then gave me a warning that the collision mitigation system was coming on. The car started braking hard and it swerved me to the left, so much so that I was halfway into the left lane. Thankfully no other car was in that lane. Then my car automatically went into neutral and I had to stop on the side of the road. I took the car into the Honda dealership the same day. They told me that it could possibly be a dirty multi use camera by the rear view mirror and so they claimed to have cleaned it. I'm not certain that was the issue since I had just gotten a car wash recently and it did not seem to have been dirty.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Pilot 🔎.

“the vehicle experiences phantom braking while driving, where the collision mitigation braking system (cmbs) activates without warning even when there are no vehicles or objects in front of me. The vehicle suddenly brakes on its own, creating a major safety hazard and risk of rear-end collisions. The issue has happened multiple times during normal driving at different speeds. Warning lights related to the collision mitigation system and passenger airbag system have appeared intermittently. The blind spot monitoring system has also failed to properly detect nearby vehicles at times. The vehicle was previously taken to the dealership/service department and remained there for an extended period for inspection and attempted repairs, but the problem was not fully corrected. After getting the vehicle back, the same symptoms and braking issues continued. This issue puts myself, my passengers, and other drivers at risk because the vehicle may suddenly brake unexpectedly in traffic.

The car engine autorestart causes all sorts of problems. We have repeatedly had the warning come on and the engine stop while at a light or paused in moving traffic. We have replaced the battery and other parts. The safety issue is that the car totally stops while in traffic and we have almost been hit multiple times as we try to restart the car. You have to put the car in park and restart the engine due to "compression issues" or something else. That has nothing to do with being a branded title and everything to do with a safety issue. The car just stops and won't autorestart. This has happened several times in the last week and then yesterday other warning lights came on resulting in the car then not accelerating beyond 25 mph initially and then 45 mph. Imagine this happening on a highway. This is really scary as it has happened on an interstate when traffic stopped and at a traffic light. I called Honda and they acknowledged it was safety issue but written up as a warranty extension so they refused to cover the repair of the vehicle. I am therefore escalating what I believe you are already investigating according to articles I have seen.