CSR

Honda · NHTSA safety record

2023 Honda Pilot

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

131

Complaints

3

Crashes

1

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2023 Honda Pilot have filed 131 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2023 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the seat belts, named in 28 of them (21%). The typical failure was reported at 18,000 miles, the median across the 17 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 2 defect investigations are open and unresolved.

Recalls (5)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

25V391000 · June 12, 2025

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
The risk
A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 259,033 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

25V031000 · January 23, 2025

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
The risk
An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 294,612 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

24V900000 · November 27, 2024

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OKM.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 205,760 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

24V859000 · November 14, 2024

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Honda Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Pilot, and 2024 HR-V, Acura Integra and Acura Integra Type S vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may not have been tightened properly, which can result in an unsecured seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 207, "Seating Systems."
The risk
An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 121 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

23V735000 · November 2, 2023

The defect
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Pilot vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the gear box assembly may contain a loose ball bearing, which can result in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.
The risk
A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the electric power steering rack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FFX.

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · up to 519 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (2)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status

PE25017

Still open preliminary evaluation · opened October 28, 2025

the seat belts

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 6 complaints, and multiple Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging inaccurate rear seat belt warning status. These allegations concern both false positive and false negative statuses in model year (MY) 2023-2024 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured by American Honda Motor Co. (Honda). The complaints state that the rear passenger seat belt warning system is displaying inaccurate information to the driver for both second and third row seating positions. This can lead to the driver dismissing warnings regarding rear seat belt status. The inaccurate information can also cause the driver to believe rear occupants are buckled when they are not. This reliance on false information presents concerns for the safety of children and child seats located in the rear rows, especially in the third row where the buckled status is more difficult for the driver to visually confirm. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

EA25004

Still open engineering analysis · opened March 26, 2025

the engine and its cooling

On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 131.

SEAT BELTS 28 21%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 27 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 19 15%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 18 14%
STEERING 16 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 15 11%
ENGINE 12 9%
POWER TRAIN 9 7%
SEATS 8 6%
STRUCTURE 6 5%
VISIBILITY 6 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 45.

2023 2026
2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash

i was involved in a fairly significant accident at 55mph and another vehicle pulled out in front of us. Our Honda pilot had significant front and side damage on passenger side and not air bags deployed at all. This is and was alarming to us. So much so we did not feel safe in keeping the vehicle after the $26,000 repair. I did suffer minor injuries with my neck (surgery required and arm issues from hitting the door) Has this been noted in Honda Pilot models?

NHTSA complaint 11752363. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

1 injured · 600 miles

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the wife was reversing out of the driveway, the vehicle's glass sunroof suddenly exploded and shattered causing glass shards to fall into the cabin of the vehicle. During the failure, the driver sustained bruising and small lacerations to the neck and back area. The injuries did not require medical attention. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 600.

NHTSA complaint 11527407. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 injured

Dear [NHTSA or Honda Customer Service], I am submitting this complaint to raise a serious safety concern regarding the automatic engine shutoff feature in my 2023 Honda Pilot EX-L. While parked and talking to the dealer, I left my vehicle running with the air conditioning on and my older children in the back seat. Despite the key being inside the car and the engine running, the vehicle shut off automatically after approximately 30 minutes, disabling the air conditioning without any clear warning. This happened in the desert heat, creating an extremely dangerous situation for my children, who were sitting in a vehicle that quickly began to overheat. At no point were we warned by the dealer,

NHTSA complaint 11677820, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire

Vehicle had an engine fire yesterday. Inner cv boot is burned. Luckily fire was put out quickly with a fire extinguisher.

NHTSA complaint 11753195. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
Left middle row seat belt sensor is indicating unbuckeled when it is buckled. Dealer is asking over $500 to repair. I hae also read about other sensor alerts on 2023 and 2024 for left side as well.

NHTSA complaint 11756418. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Honda Part #80872-SN7-003 failed at 3years and 40,000 miles which Honda will not cover under warranty. This is a simple O-Ring for the AC line which has a life span of 10-15 years. Apparently this has been common on 2023-2025 Pilots and passports and thus should be a recall issue.

NHTSA complaint 11756008. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
when driving our 2023 honda pilot we stopped at traffic light the car shut off would not restart our front doors would open and close our back doors would not operate back tale gate door would not operate we had no4 way blinkers no lights totally dead auto. we were in middle of four lanes bumper to bumper traffic with no way to warn other drivers of our car break down. after short time a helpful driver pulled up behind us and used his auto to block us from traffic and used his 4 way flashers to warn other cars to go around us . police and tow showed up in appx 20 min. car was taken to WILLIAMS HONDA OF TRAVERS CITY MI.49685 they repaired car next day informed us battery shorted out when

NHTSA complaint 11755632, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
Honda has a known issue where their Pilot’s seatbelt sensor stops working. I was the second vehicle this week to bring my car in because the belt dings incessantly even though the seatbelt is secured. This can prevent the airbag from deploying while a passenger is in the seat. I’m being charged for the repair and feel that it should be covered as it’s a safety issue.

NHTSA complaint 11754915. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My husband was driving our family of 6 to [XXX] from the [XXX] area. We were on the highway in [XXX] when we heard a loud pop and the sunroof had randomly exploded. There's a thin cloth like screen between the glass and the inside of the vehicle. Luckily that screen was not open, otherwise, we would've have been cut up by the glass shards coming down. We arrived at our destination in Florida and took pictures of the broken sunroof. I called our insurance to file a claim. I also called American Honda and made filed a case. I was told to take it to the dealership and see if our extended warrantee would cover it. MPP denied the claim. This is very dangerous to have a random sunroof explode out

NHTSA complaint 11754174, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
The second row passenger side seat belt continues to give an alert that there is a rider but the belt is not buckled, even though the belt is buckled. The wire running alongside the belt latch can be jiggled to get the alert to stop. Then the alert restarts. Sometimes the alert continues to trigger several times over. Sometimes there will be no alert for several minutes. A local auto shop looked at the seatbelt and said there is a mechanism that is supposed to slide and catch when the belt is buckled. That mechanism is no longer catching. The problem started March 2026. There has not been a safety incident to date.

NHTSA complaint 11753692. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Honda Pilot

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 11 1
2025 180 4
2024 107 6
2022 140 5
2021 418 10
2020 476 11
2019 878 13
2018 435 7
2017 909 4
2016 1,681 8
2015 108 4
2014 116 3
2013 270 6
2012 170 9
2011 292 11
2010 111 10

Other 2023 Honda models

Every Honda on this site — 187 vehicles, 362 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst