2013 Honda Pilot Reliability
The 2013 Honda Pilot has 273 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain / transmission. Compared with other Pilot model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Pilot's typical year, while the 2015 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
273
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
12
Complaints citing a crash
4
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Honda Pilot complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2013 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 80 | 29% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 54 | 20% |
| Body structure | 47 | 17% |
| Service brakes | 42 | 15% |
| Unknown or other | 35 | 13% |
| Air bags | 19 | 7% |
| Speed control / throttle | 16 | 6% |
| Suspension | 13 | 5% |
2013 Honda Pilot recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13V016000 | Jan 18, 2013 | Air bags | Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing. |
| 13V382000 | Aug 27, 2013 | Engine | Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston… |
| 18V042000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles… |
| 18V661000 | Sep 27, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,… |
| 19V378000 | May 16, 2019 | 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 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V,… |
| 19V502000 | Jun 27, 2019 | 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 Crosstour, 2007-2011… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby Pilot years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Pilot analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 293 | 11 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2012 | 172 | 9 | Engine | Solid |
| 2013 (this page) | 273 | 6 | Engine | Caution |
| 2014 | 116 | 3 | Engine | Better year |
| 2015 | 109 | 4 | Engine | Better year |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2013 Honda Pilot on the used market
- 101 of 595 2013 Honda Pilot listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2013 Honda Pilot
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Honda Pilot can be better or worse than its model year. 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.
2013 Honda Pilot reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Honda Pilot reliable?
The 2013 Honda Pilot has 273 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain / transmission. Compared with other Pilot model years, it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Pilot's typical year, while the 2015 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Honda Pilot problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Honda Pilot are engine (80), powertrain / transmission (54), body structure (47), service brakes (42). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Honda Pilot have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Honda Pilot, including 13V016000 (air bags) and 13V382000 (engine). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Honda Pilot compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 172 complaints and 9 recalls (solid); the 2014 has 116 complaints and 3 recalls (better year). The 2013 has 273 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 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.
More Honda Pilot research
Other Honda Pilot model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 Pilot, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.