Honda
Honda Pilot years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2016, 2017 and 2019. Best years: 2022.
The 2016, 2017 and 2019 Honda Pilot draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 1,707 complaints (155 for each year on the road), 2017 has 929 complaints (93 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 907 complaints (113 for each year on the road), against a median of 49 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is stalling (413 reports).
- 5,760complaints
- 34recall campaigns
- 13model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2016
Most reported: stalling (413 reports, median 64,000 miles) and engine failure (350 reports, median 103,000 miles).
2017
Most reported: stalling (292 reports, median 50,000 miles) and engine failure (134 reports, median 101,436 miles).
2019
Most reported: infotainment (201 reports, median 14,500 miles) and stalling (165 reports, median 40,227 miles).
Best years
2022
Most reported: phantom braking (22 reports) and stalling (21 reports).
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2016 has the most complaints of any Honda Pilot year here: 1,707 of 5,760 (30%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Stalling leads in 3 of the 13 model years and has the most reports overall, 1,195. Pooled across the years, half of the 424 owners who gave a mileage for stalling were under about 55,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 3% of Honda Pilot complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2014, 9 of its 105 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 3 of the 11 model years where owners report stalling have a recall on the same system: 2016, 2018 and 2019. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 1,001, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 861 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Third generation (YF5/YF6)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 avoid | 1,707 | 155 | 8 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (413) | 54,217 |
| 2017 avoid | 929 | 93 | 4 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (292) | 47,000 |
| 2018 | 440 | 49 | 7 | Engine stalls or loses power while driving (100) | 52,500 |
| 2019 avoid | 907 | 113 | 13 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (201) | 40,000 |
| 2020 | 489 | 70 | 11 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (169) | 9,800 |
| 2021 | 435 | 72 | 10 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (78) | 34,000 |
| 2022 best | 158 | 32 | 5 | Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) (22) | 35,000 |
Photo: HJUdall, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Year by year
2026 Honda Pilot
22 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 1 recall: 26V-424 on the suspension system.
2025 Honda Pilot
202 owner complaints so far; too new to call. Most reported: brake wear (32 reports, median 6,460 miles), phantom braking (21 reports) and driver assist (20 reports). 11 reports involved a crash and 11 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 25V-391 on the brakes and 25V-056 on the seat belts.
2024 Honda Pilot
114 owner complaints, 38 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: seat belt (24 reports), brake wear (13 reports) and steering noise (12 reports). 2 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 6 recalls, including 26V-054 on the seats and 24V-859 on the seats.
2023 Honda Pilot
144 owner complaints, 36 for each year on the road (0.7 times the model median). Most reported: seat belt (38 reports), brake wear (17 reports) and infotainment (14 reports). 3 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 24V-859 on the seats and 25V-391 on the brakes.
2022 Honda Pilot best
158 owner complaints, 32 for each year on the road (0.6 times the model median). Most reported: phantom braking (22 reports), stalling (21 reports) and brake wear (20 reports). 7 reports involved a crash and 4 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 23V-458 on the brakes and 26V-365 on the structure.
2021 Honda Pilot
435 owner complaints, 72 for each year on the road (1.5 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (78 reports, median 50,000 miles), stalling (75 reports, median 60,000 miles) and false collision warning (53 reports). 12 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. 10 recalls, including 23V-431 on the backup camera and 23V-174 on the visibility.
2020 Honda Pilot
489 owner complaints, 70 for each year on the road (1.4 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (169 reports, median 3,700 miles), stalling (93 reports, median 16,104 miles) and dead battery (46 reports, median 30,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 13 people were hurt. 11 recalls, including 23V-431 on the backup camera and 23V-174 on the visibility.
2019 Honda Pilot avoid
907 owner complaints, 113 for each year on the road (2.3 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (201 reports, median 14,500 miles), stalling (165 reports, median 40,227 miles) and phantom braking (65 reports, median 68,000 miles). 13 reports involved a crash and 15 people were hurt. 13 recalls, including 23V-431 on the backup camera and 20V-439 on the backup camera.
2018 Honda Pilot
440 owner complaints, 49 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (100 reports, median 75,000 miles), fuel pump (33 reports) and misfire (31 reports, median 102,000 miles). 9 reports involved a crash and 11 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 23V-858 on the fuel system and 23V-751 on the engine.
2017 Honda Pilot avoid
929 owner complaints, 93 for each year on the road (1.9 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (292 reports, median 50,000 miles), engine failure (134 reports, median 101,436 miles) and dead battery (84 reports, median 47,000 miles). 9 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 23V-858 on the fuel system and 26V-365 on the structure.
2016 Honda Pilot avoid
1,707 owner complaints, 155 for each year on the road (3.2 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (413 reports, median 64,000 miles), engine failure (350 reports, median 103,000 miles) and misfire (165 reports, median 99,745 miles). 23 reports involved a crash and 20 people were hurt. 8 recalls, including 23V-858 on the fuel system and 23V-751 on the engine.
2015 Honda Pilot
108 owner complaints, 9 for each year on the road (0.2 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (11 reports, median 6,125 miles), airbag (11 reports) and misfire (10 reports). 6 reports involved a crash and 12 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 23V-858 on the fuel system and 19V-502 on the airbags.
2014 Honda Pilot
105 owner complaints, 8 for each year on the road (0.2 times the model median). Most reported: misfire (25 reports, median 75,000 miles), paint (17 reports, median 74,000 miles) and wheels (16 reports, median 35,233 miles). 7 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 19V-502 on the airbags and 19V-378 on the airbags.
Recalls that cover several model years
The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display.
The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
Compare the Pilot with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Pilot vs Toyota Highlander2014 to 2024
- Pilot vs Chevrolet Traverse2014 to 2026
- Pilot vs Kia Telluride2020 to 2025
- Pilot vs Hyundai Palisade2020 to 2026
- Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder2014 to 2026
- Pilot vs Subaru Ascent2019 to 2021
- Pilot vs Acura MDX2014 to 2025
Questions
What Honda Pilot years should you avoid?
The 2016, 2017 and 2019 Honda Pilot draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2016 has 1,707 complaints (155 for each year on the road), 2017 has 929 complaints (93 for each year on the road) and 2019 has 907 complaints (113 for each year on the road), against a median of 49 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is stalling (413 reports).
What are the best years for the Honda Pilot?
The 2022 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 158, or 32 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Honda Pilot?
Stalling, with 1,195 reports across the 13 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2016, 2017 and 2018.
How many recalls does the Honda Pilot have?
34 recall campaigns cover the Honda Pilot model years 2014 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 23V-858 on the fuel system, covers 7 model years.
How many Honda Pilot complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
3% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2014 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for stalling on the Honda Pilot?
On 3 of the 11 model years where owners report it: 2016, 2018 and 2019.