Is the Honda Pilot high maintenance?
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. The Honda Pilot is higher-maintenance than most. On AAA's 2025 medium SUV (4WD) benchmark, it costs about $1,769 a year to maintain and repair at 15,000 miles a year, tires included — $113 more than the $1,656 all-vehicle average. Honda Maintenance Program covers 1 year / 12,000 miles on 2026 models. Owners filed 1.07 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 Pilots sold (2015–2022 sales), #22 of 26 SUVs we rank (lower is better; segment median 0.533).
Verdict
Yes
higher-maintenance than most
Per year
$1,769
AAA 2025 benchmark
5 years
$8,845
75,000 miles
NHTSA complaints
1.07 / 1k
Worst for SUVs
Pilot maintenance cost: 5 and 10 years
| Period | Miles | Estimate | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per year | 15,000 | $1,769 | AAA medium SUV (4WD), 11.79¢/mile |
| 5 years | 75,000 | $8,845 | AAA's own 5-year window |
| 10 years (floor) | 150,000 | $17,690+ | AAA's 5-year per-mile rate, extended in a straight line |
Method: AAA 2025 medium SUV (4WD) benchmark: 11.79¢ a mile × 15,000 miles a year. Covers scheduled maintenance, wear-item repairs, one set of tires and an extended warranty over 5 years. A category average, not a Pilot-specific quote. The 10-year figure is a floor: it doesn't add the larger age-related repairs (and later scheduled items such as spark plugs or coolant) that come after year 5.
How the verdict is set: Two inputs. Cost: the estimate against AAA's $1,656 all-vehicle average (more than 3% under counts in the car's favor, more than 3% over against it). Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold against the median of every model in our study (0.48); well under the median helps, well over hurts, roughly double or more hurts twice as much. Both low = "No"; both high = "Yes". Models without a dollar estimate get no verdict.
Pilot service schedule highlights
From Honda's documents for the Pilot:
- V6 timing belt: replace and inspect water pump under sub-item 4 (every 60,000 miles in extreme heat or cold or when towing)
- Sub-item 3 also covers transfer fluid
- Rear differential severe/towing: 7,500 miles, then every 15,000
Source: 2025 Honda Pilot Maintenance Minder System
Oil changes
Normal service: Set by the Maintenance Minder (oil-life monitor); no fixed mileage. Change the oil at least every 12 months even if no Minder message appears.
Severe or special conditions: No fixed severe-service oil interval; the Maintenance Minder adjusts to driving conditions.
Code A = oil change; code B = oil and filter plus inspections. 'Maintenance Due Soon' shows at 15% oil life.
Source: 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt)
Included maintenance
Honda Maintenance Program
Term: 1 year / 12,000 miles on 2026 models (named in Honda's 2026 spec sheets; Honda Service Pass at its 2023 launch: first 2 years or 24,000 miles)
Covers: Service Pass covers select factory-scheduled maintenance as shown by the Maintenance Minder (oil and filter changes, tire rotation, multi-point inspection) at participating Honda dealers. It transfers to later owners while active and is valid in the U.S. only. The 2026 spec sheets name the program but don't describe what it covers.
Source: 2026 Honda Civic Sedan Specifications & Features (Honda newsroom)
Honda factory schedule
| Interval | Service items | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Minder code A |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Maintenance Minder code B |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 1 |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 2 |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 3 |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 4 |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 5 |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 6 (AWD) |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Sub-item 7 / every 3 years |
| 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) |
| Tune-up (2026 spec sheets) |
| 2026 Honda Civic Sedan Specifications & Features (Honda newsroom) |
Common Pilot problems (NHTSA data)
Owners filed 1.07 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 Pilots sold (2015–2022 sales), #22 of 26 SUVs we rank (lower is better; segment median 0.533).
- 6,539 owner complaints on file with NHTSA across all Pilot model years.
- Most-reported systems: electrical system (564), engine & engine cooling (367).
- Model years flagged in our years-to-avoid analysis: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025.
- Best-rated years: 2008, 2014, 2015.
Complaints measure problems owners reported to the government, not repair bills: a high count signals more unscheduled repairs, which AAA's category benchmark doesn't adjust for. Pilot years to avoid →
How the Pilot compares in its AAA category (medium SUV (4WD))
Same AAA category means the same dollar benchmark, so the complaint rate is what separates them. Luxury models aren't priced.
| Model | Est. per year | Complaints / 1,000 sold | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Pilot | $1,769 | 1.07 Worst | Yes — higher than most |
| Toyota Highlander | $1,769 | 0.393 Above average | About average |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | $1,769 | 0.517 Average | Somewhat — above average |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | $1,769 | 0.552 Average | Somewhat — above average |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | $1,769 | 0.592 Below average | Somewhat — above average |
| Ford Explorer | $1,769 | 0.918 Below average | Yes — higher than most |
| Jeep Wrangler | $1,769 | 1.12 Worst | Yes — higher than most |
| Kia Sorento | $1,769 | 1.29 Worst | Yes — higher than most |
| Toyota 4Runner | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Honda Odyssey | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Hyundai Palisade | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Kia Telluride | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Subaru Ascent | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Ford Bronco | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Chevrolet Traverse | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Volkswagen Atlas | $1,769 | — | Somewhat — above average |
| Porsche Cayenne | $2,168 | — | Yes — higher than most |
| Lexus RX | Not priced | 0.202 Best | Not priced |
| Acura MDX | Not priced | 1.21 Worst | Not priced |
| BMW X5 | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Audi Q7 | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Land Rover Range Rover | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Volvo XC90 | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Genesis GV80 | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Cadillac Escalade | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Lincoln Aviator | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Lincoln Nautilus | Not priced | — | Not priced |
| Lincoln Navigator | Not priced | — | Not priced |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Pilot high maintenance?
Yes. The Honda Pilot is higher-maintenance than most. On AAA's 2025 medium SUV (4WD) benchmark, it costs about $1,769 a year to maintain and repair at 15,000 miles a year, tires included — $113 more than the $1,656 all-vehicle average. Honda Maintenance Program covers 1 year / 12,000 miles on 2026 models. Owners filed 1.07 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 Pilots sold (2015–2022 sales), #22 of 26 SUVs we rank (lower is better; segment median 0.533).
Is the Pilot expensive to maintain?
Plan on about $1,769 a year, $8,845 over 5 years. AAA 2025 medium SUV (4WD) benchmark: 11.79¢ a mile × 15,000 miles a year. Covers scheduled maintenance, wear-item repairs, one set of tires and an extended warranty over 5 years. A category average, not a Pilot-specific quote.
How much does a Pilot cost to maintain over 10 years?
About $17,690 at 15,000 miles a year (150,000 miles), extending the AAA 5-year per-mile rate in a straight line. Treat it as a floor: AAA's rate is measured on a car's first 5 years, and older cars need larger repairs.
How often does the Pilot need an oil change?
Honda's published oil-change interval: set by the Maintenance Minder (oil-life monitor); no fixed mileage. Change the oil at least every 12 months even if no Minder message appears. Check your owner's manual for your engine; severe-service intervals are shorter.
What is the cheapest Honda to maintain?
Of the 5 Honda models we cover, the Civic has the lowest estimated maintenance cost: about $1,535 a year (AAA 2025 small sedan benchmark).
What Pilot years should I avoid?
Our NHTSA years-to-avoid analysis flags 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025. Owners filed 1.07 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 Pilots sold (2015–2022 sales), #22 of 26 SUVs we rank (lower is better; segment median 0.533).
Related
Sources and method
Dollar figures: AAA's 2025 Your Driving Costs category benchmark (retail parts and labor for routine maintenance specified by the vehicle manufacturer, a comprehensive extended warranty, repairs to wear-and-tear items that need service during 5 years of operation, and one set of replacement tires). Schedule, oil interval and included maintenance: Honda's own documents, linked by row. Complaints: NHTSA's public complaint database, divided by published U.S. sales (CarWhere analysis).
- Your Driving Costs 2025 (brochure: cost per mile by vehicle category) — AAA (maintenance cents per mile by category)
- Your Driving Costs 2025 fact sheet (methodology) — AAA (what the maintenance line includes)
- NHTSA vehicle owner complaints database — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (complaints per 1,000 sold is a CarWhere calculation)
- 2025 Honda CR-V Maintenance Minder System (owner's manual excerpt) — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Honda Accord Sedan Maintenance Minder (gas) — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid Maintenance Minder — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Honda Civic Sedan Maintenance Minder System — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Honda Pilot Maintenance Minder System — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2025 Honda Odyssey Maintenance Minder System — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2026 Honda Civic Sedan Specifications & Features (Honda newsroom) — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- 2026 Honda Odyssey Specifications & Features (Honda newsroom) — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)
- New Honda Service Pass Delivers Two Years of Select Maintenance for 2023 Honda Models (Honda newsroom) — Honda (opened 2026-11-06)