Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Pilot, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system135
- Engine108
- Forward collision avoidance98
- Unknown or other83
- Lane departure44
- Air bags32
- Service brakes26
- Power train25
- Fuel/propulsion system23
- Visibility/wiper21
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 10 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 29 2021 Pilot vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Honda Pilot failed the safety check 0.86% of the time — 9% less often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 29,464 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Honda PILOT SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 16.4 % |
| 2021 Honda PILOT SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 17.5 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.0 L/100 km (about 21 mpg US), CO₂ 256 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot AWD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 12.4 | 9.3 | 11.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
10 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Honda Pilot.
| 2026275 4 Jun 2026 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the suspension mounting points on the rear subframe could rust. As a result, rear suspension components could fail. This could lea… |
| 2026251 21 May 2026 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the weight sensor for the front passenger seat may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the passenger-front airbag an… |
| 2024761 13 Dec 2024 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, a software problem could cause the wrong view mode to display when the transmission is shifted into reverse. As a result, the… |
| 2024059 1 Feb 2024 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the weight sensor for the front passenger seat may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the passenger-front airbag an… |
| 2023365 29 Jun 2023 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder could separate from the brake booster. If this happens, braking could be reduced or you could experienc… |
| 2023350 15 Jun 2023 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the terminals on the coaxial cable for the audio display unit may not have been manufactured correctly. As a result, the audio dis… |
| 2023136 16 Mar 2023 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, the side mirror glass may not be attached properly. As a result, the mirror glass could vibrate or fall off. Safety Risk: A… |
| 2020560 20 Nov 2020 | Tires Issue: One vehicle may have been built with tires that may have been cured too long. As a result, the sidewall could crack or the tread and belts could separa… |
| 2020344 28 Jul 2020 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, there is a programming error in the instrument panel control module. This could cause the instrument panel not display certain inf… |
| 2020346 28 Jul 2020 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause a delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. Canadian regulations require the rear… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
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, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
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, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain 2021 Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental CrossContact LX Sport 245/50R20 102 H tires with DOT serial number A376 D3K9 2920 and mold numbers S-421920 and S-421921. The tires may have been cured for a time beyond the specification limits.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Honda told its dealers about the 2021 Honda Pilot: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011045 | Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear differential pump motor connector area that corrodes the terminals. |
| 11009193 | Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger. |
| 11008043 | Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger. |
| 11006251 | Service Bulletin - Customer complaint of the A/C not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal. |
| 11005272 | Service Bulletin - MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around 2 hours) and accelerating while cornering. |
| 11002716 | Service Bulletin - The MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power. After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around 2 hours) and accelerating while cornering. Moisture accumulation in the intake manifold during long drives gets drawn into the combustion chamber while cornering, causing misfires. |
| 11002714 | Service Bulletin - Customer complaint received regarding the A/C not blowing cold air due to an oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal. |
| 11000142 | Service NewsDue to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulation change starting with 2019 vehicles, American Hondas Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) On-Board Diagnostic monitors are now included in the EGR/VVT OBD Monitor Readiness status group. Due to some customers driving patterns, they may not drive in the fashion needed to operate the VTEC (EGR/VVT) that only operates above 5,350 rpm to run the OBD monitoring. Therefore, the EGR/VVT OBD monitor group readiness status is not set to Complete when the customer presents their vehicle to a Smog Check station for inspection. |
| 10253299 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengers power window inop from either the drivers window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10252076 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengers power window inop from either the drivers window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10251156 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengers power window inop from either the drivers window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10251149 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the passengers power window inop from drivers master window switch. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10249630 | Service Bulletin - Customers have complained that the air conditioning system is not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leaking from the A/C compressor shaft seal. |
| 10247623 | Service Bulletin - Due to variations in the purge control solenoid valve spring, the valve wears unevenly and intermittently sticks. This may result in setting DTC P0441 (Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System Purge Flow Malfunction). |
| 10245550 | Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart. Typically, the customer can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pushing the ENGINE START/STOP button. |
| 10244187 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10242863 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10242210 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10241167 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10240732 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10239701 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10238823 | Service Bulletin - Honda has received customer complaints of the air conditioning system not blowing cold air due to an Oil/Refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal. |
| 10238821 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10237946 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
| 10237184 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, & Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the door handle not operating from the inner door handle or not being able to lock the vehicle using the inner handle button. Customer may also complain of the child lock remaining locked/enabled while in unlock setting. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation