Honda Pilot
Problems & Worst Years
Every reported problem for the Honda Pilot, model year by model year — ranked from 2417 federal NHTSA complaints across 2010–2025.
One number towers over everything else in the Pilot's complaint data: connecting rod bearing failure on the 2016 model year, cited 773 times out of 887 total complaints and rated as a safety concern — by far the single largest problem cluster reported for any Pilot model year here. That same 2016 lineup also saw engine knocking and misfiring tied to the same bearing issue (18 occurrences) and engine failure during highway driving (17). Recalls 15V668, 16V417, 17V219, and 23V751 apply to that year.
A second, entirely different pattern then runs continuously from 2017 through 2021: an engine stall at idle tied to the stop-start system. It shows up as the top or near-top complaint five years running — 164 occurrences in 2017, 115 in 2018, a peak of 282 in 2019, 27 in 2020, and folded into related auto-idle-stop complaints again in 2021. The 2019 model year was especially rough on the safety front, with six safety-rated clusters among 564 total complaints, including electrical failures causing random shutdowns (110 occurrences). Recalls tied to this stretch include 19V298, 20V440, 21V215, 23V751, and 23V858, with 23V858 appearing across nearly every year in this range.
Complaint volume dropped off considerably after 2021 — 2022 saw just 54 total complaints, and the newest years, 2024 and 2025, sit in the 43-46 range with a lighter mix of auto idle-stop and brake system issues, under more recent recalls 23V735, 24V900, 25V031, 25V056, and 25V391. Given how persistently the stop-start stalling complaint recurs across half a decade, that's the single most important thing to test on a 2017-2021 Pilot: let the vehicle idle-stop at a light and confirm it restarts cleanly every time. For a 2016 model specifically, ask directly about connecting rod bearing service history. These figures reflect what owners reported to NHTSA rather than a measured failure rate, and newer model years have had less time to accumulate complaints — a pre-purchase inspection and full service history matter more than the year alone.
Honda Pilot problems by year
Complaint volume by model year (bar = relative to the worst year). Theworst yearsare the most-complained-about, weighted by safety-risk problems.
| Year | Complaint volume | Problems | Safety / High | Most common problem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62 | 9 | 2/2 | Takata Airbag Recall Delays Electrical · 24 complaints |
| 2016worst | 805 | 19 | 1/7 | Connecting Rod Bearing Failure Engine · 773 complaints |
| 2017worst | 395 | 21 | 3/6 | Engine Stall at Idle Due to Stop-Start System Failure Engine · 164 complaints |
| 2018 | 183 | 9 | 5/2 | Engine Stall at Idle Due to Stop-Start System Failure Engine · 115 complaints |
| 2019worst | 413 | 25 | 6/5 | Engine Stall at Idle Due to Stop-Start System Failure Engine · 282 complaints |
| 2020 | 237 | 40 | 1/15 | Infotainment System Malfunction Electrical · 39 complaints |
| 2021 | 190 | 14 | 3/8 | Forward Collision Avoidance System Malfunction Other · 44 complaints |
| 2022 | 46 | 10 | 1/3 | Forward Collision Avoidance System Failure Other · 13 complaints |
| 2024 | 42 | 8 | 2/1 | Auto Idle-Stop System Failures Electrical · 11 complaints |
| 2025 | 44 | 15 | 1/8 | Service Brake System Malfunction Other · 8 complaints |
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls, 2010–2025. Problem clustering and year rankings are derived from the complaint record; complaint volume reflects reports filed, not total incidence or fault rate. Vehicle image is illustrative.