Honda Pilot Reliability
Quick answer
The Honda Pilot has 5.04 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Pilot places 22nd: one of the highest complaint rates in that group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,019 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 52 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2016–2021 and 2025 as years to avoid and rates 2008, 2014 and 2015 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
5.04
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
7,019
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
52
Recall campaigns
7
Years to avoid
Most-reported Honda Pilot problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2008–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2,243 | 32% | 15 | 35 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 1,784 | 25% | 20 | 20 | 8 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 765 | 11% | 17 | 2 | 10 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 616 | 9% | 16 | 8 | 9 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 523 | 7% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| Service brakes | 411 | 6% | 52 | 2 | 30 |
| Air bags | 307 | 4% | 74 | 1 | 49 |
| Body structure | 267 | 4% | 13 | 5 | 11 |
Of all 7,019 complaints, 207 (3%) report a crash, 53 (1%) a fire and 129 (2%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (1,637 complaints), the most-reported areas are the electrical system (481), automatic emergency braking (330), the engine (310), the brakes (138).
Honda Pilot complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Pilot model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 133 | 9 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2009 | 134 | 9 | Engine | — |
| 2010 | 111 | 10 | Air bags | — |
| 2011 | 293 | 11 | Air bags | — |
| 2012 | 173 | 9 | Engine | — |
| 2013 | 273 | 6 | Engine | — |
| 2014 | 116 | 3 | Engine | Better year |
| 2015 | 109 | 4 | Engine | Better year |
| 2016 | 1,728 | 8 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2017 | 941 | 4 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2018 | 442 | 7 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2019 | 929 | 13 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2020 | 494 | 11 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2021 | 455 | 10 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2022 | 175 | 5 | Forward collision avoidance | — |
| 2023 | 149 | 5 | Seat belts | — |
| 2024(new) | 118 | 6 | Seat belts | — |
| 2025(new) | 217 | 4 | Forward collision avoidance | Avoid |
| 2026(new) | 29 | 1 | Steering | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Honda Pilot recalls
NHTSA lists 52 recall campaigns across Honda Pilot model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26V365000Jun 5, 2026 | 2016–2022 | Body structure — frame and members | American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana,… |
| 23V858000Dec 19, 2023 | 2015–2021 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight,… |
| 19V502000Jun 27, 2019 | 2009–2015 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015… |
| 19V378000May 16, 2019 | 2009–2015 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014… |
| 26V332000May 22, 2026 | 2017–2022 | Air bags — sensor / occupant classification / front passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight,… |
Best and worst Pilot years
- Years to avoid: 2016–2021 and 2025.
- Better years: 2008, 2014 and 2015.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Honda Pilot years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Honda Pilot
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Driver aids: ask about false automatic-braking events and check for warning messages on the dash.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Honda Pilot can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Honda Pilot reliability FAQ
Is the Honda Pilot reliable?
The Honda Pilot has 5.04 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Pilot places 22nd: one of the highest complaint rates in that group. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,019 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and the electrical system, and NHTSA lists 52 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2016–2021 and 2025 as years to avoid and rates 2008, 2014 and 2015 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Honda Pilot problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (2,243), the electrical system (1,784), the transmission (765) and the fuel system (616). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the electrical system, automatic emergency braking and the engine. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Honda Pilot should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2016–2021 and 2025 as years to avoid and rates 2008, 2014 and 2015 as better years. Each model year is compared only with other Pilot years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Honda Pilot last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 5.1% of 19,000 used Pilot listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 18.1% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 17.4% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Honda Pilot have?
NHTSA lists 52 recall campaigns covering Honda Pilot model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 26V365000 (body structure, 2016–2022). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Honda Pilot?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Pilot reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Honda Pilot, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 5,273 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 1,045,328 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Pilot model year only with other Pilot years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Pilot compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Honda Pilot research
Honda Pilot reliability by model year: