Diagsheet

Midsize and three-row SUVs · 10 model years, 2014 to 2026

Chevrolet Traverse vs Honda Pilot: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse looks better on 3 and the Pilot on 2, with 2 too close to call.

Chevrolet Traverse

Chevrolet Traverse

2,921 complaints · 21 recalls

Honda Pilot

Honda Pilot

5,007 complaints · 32 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2026TraversePilot
Complaints that report a crash2.7%1.8%
Complaints that report a fire0.4%0.6%
Complaints that report an injury1.8%1.2%
Median miles when problems are reported47,00047,000
Recall campaigns per model year2.13.2
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations35

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system Traverse owners complain about most is airbags; for the Pilot it is engine. Complaints citing airbags make up 30% of all Traverse complaints, against 1.3% on the Pilot. The Pilot leans the other way on engine: 36% of its complaints, against 16% for the Traverse.

Chevrolet TraverseHonda Pilot

Engine16%36%
Electrical18%30%
Airbags30%1.3%
Transmission and drivetrain19%12%
Fuel and propulsion4.2%11%
Brakes9.4%3.8%
Collision avoidance3.6%6.7%
Speed control4.2%3.3%
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)5.6%1.6%
Steering4.7%2.4%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the Traverse is airbag problems (30% of its complaints). On the Pilot it is stalling (22% of its complaints), against 9.7% on the Traverse.

ProblemTraversePilot
Engine stalls or loses power while driving9.7% 283most in 2014 · 44k mi22% 1,085most in 2016 · 56k mi
Airbag warning light or recall30% 865most in 2017 · 65k mi0.9% 4555k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails4.7% 137most in 2018 · 44k mi12% 612most in 2019 · 23k mi
Check engine light or misfire6.7% 196most in 2014 · 62k mi7.7% 384most in 2016 · 90k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early9.9% 290most in 2025 · 17k mi4.0% 199most in 2019 · 12k mi
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing012% 576most in 2016 · 100k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start3.1% 90most in 2018 · 40k mi7.5% 378most in 2016 · 45k mi
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard4.6% 135most in 2018 · 59k mi3.8% 191most in 2016 · 47k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Traverse complaints that give a mileage come before 47,000 miles, and half the Pilot complaints before 47,000. 52% of Traverse reports and 52% of Pilot reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Chevrolet TraverseHonda Pilot

Under 25k27%27%
25k to 50k26%26%
50k to 75k22%20%
75k to 100k13%12%
100k to 150k10.0%12%
Over 150k2.8%3.7%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,084 for the Traverse and 1,945 for the Pilot.

Worst and best years

The 2018 Traverse draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical Traverse year for its age. The 2016 Pilot draws 3.2 times the complaints of a typical Pilot year for its age.

Chevrolet Traverse

  • Years to avoid: 2018 and 2019
  • Best years: 2021 and 2022

Every Traverse model year

Honda Pilot

Every Pilot model year

Chevrolet TraverseHonda Pilot

Each model year against its own model's median. Traverse: 2014 1.2, 2015 0.8, 2016 0.8, 2017 1.1, 2018 1.6, 2019 1.6, 2020 1.0, 2021 0.5, 2022 0.6, 2023 0.7, 2024 1.4. Pilot: 2014 0.2, 2015 0.2, 2016 3.2, 2017 1.9, 2018 1.0, 2019 2.3, 2020 1.4, 2021 1.5, 2022 0.6, 2023 0.7, 2024 0.8.2014 Traverse: 1.2 times its median2014 Pilot: 0.2 times its median'142015 Traverse: 0.8 times its median2015 Pilot: 0.2 times its median'152016 Traverse: 0.8 times its median2016 Pilot: 3.2 times its median'162017 Traverse: 1.1 times its median2017 Pilot: 1.9 times its median'172018 Traverse: 1.6 times its median2018 Pilot: 1.0 times its median'182019 Traverse: 1.6 times its median2019 Pilot: 2.3 times its median'192020 Traverse: 1.0 times its median2020 Pilot: 1.4 times its median'202021 Traverse: 0.5 times its median2021 Pilot: 1.5 times its median'212022 Traverse: 0.6 times its median2022 Pilot: 0.6 times its median'222023 Traverse: 0.7 times its median2023 Pilot: 0.7 times its median'232024 Traverse: 1.4 times its median2024 Pilot: 0.8 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The Pilot draws more recalls: 3.2 campaigns per model year against 2.1 for the Traverse. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Chevrolet Traverse

21 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (7), transmission and drivetrain (3) and tires (3).

  • 21V-246 (airbags) covers 6 model years
  • 21V-782 (airbags) covers 4 model years

Investigations

  • EA26006: Electronic brake module component failure (open)
  • EA20002: Outboard front seat belt anchor cable failure (closed, led to a recall)
  • RQ19003: Seat belt anchor cable failure (closed)

Honda Pilot

32 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (6), airbags (5) and structure (4).

  • 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 6 model years
  • 26V-365 (structure) covers 5 model years

Investigations

  • PE25017: Inaccurate rear passenger seat belt warning status (open)
  • PE25008: Engine failure (open)
  • EA25004: No restart after auto start/stop engages (open)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

A larger share of Traverse complaints report a crash: 2.7%, against 1.8% for the Pilot. Fire reports: 13 for the Traverse and 29 for the Pilot. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Traverse and 0 in the Pilot for these model years.

Chevrolet TraverseHonda Pilot

Report a crash2.7%1.8%
Report a fire0.4%0.6%
Report someone hurt1.8%1.2%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Chevrolet Traverse or the Honda Pilot more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse looks better on 3 and the Pilot on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Traverse has 2,921 complaints and the Pilot 5,007 for the 10 model years from 2014 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Pilot?

The Traverse has 21 recall campaigns and the Pilot 32 across the 10 model years from 2014 to 2026 that both have on file. The Pilot draws more recalls: 3.2 campaigns per model year against 2.1 for the Traverse.

What are the most common problems on the Traverse and the Pilot?

The most reported problem on the Traverse is airbag problems (30% of its complaints). On the Pilot it is stalling (22% of its complaints), against 9.7% on the Traverse.

More comparisons

Every comparison