Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 40 safety complaints
about the 2025 Honda Passport with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 17 complaints, 43% of the total.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers January 2025 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
40 complaints on file
40
Complaints
0
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
0
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 17 · 43%
17 43%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 · 40%
16 40%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 · 30%
12 30%
POWER TRAIN 5 · 13%
5 13%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 · 8%
3 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 5%
2 5%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 5%
2 5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 3%
1 3%
STEERING 1 · 3%
1 3%
STRUCTURE 1 · 3%
1 3%
SUSPENSION 1 · 3%
1 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 · 3%
1 3%
0815
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 40.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2026 at 31.
36 27 18 9
252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2025 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2025 Honda PASSPORT, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
16.4%
17.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Defect investigations
1 on file
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.
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.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
ENGINE
Vehicle Information: 2025 Honda Passport (Purchased in 2024, approximately 44,000 miles)Safety Defect Summary:The vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous failure to restart during an Auto Idle-Stop event. While stopped at a traffic intersection, the Auto Idle-Stop system engaged and shut off the engine normally. However, when I lifted my foot off the brake pedal to accelerate, the vehicle failed to restart, completely stalled, and left me stranded in live traffic. The dashboard displayed error messages, and the vehicle required a mechanical inspection confirming a premature starter motor failure.Safety Risk & Hazard:This defect presents an immediate safety hazard. The engine stalling …
NHTSA complaint 11767403, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
30,600 miles
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while stopped at a stoplight, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the Start/Stop system failed to restart the engine. The check engine warning light illuminated, and there was an alarm sounded. The message "Shift to Park" was displayed; but the gear shifter failed to shift into park. The brake pedal was depressed with excessive force and waited for a while before the vehicle was shifted into drive and the vehicle was driven forward. The vehicle was driven to the desired destination and shifted into park. The dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled. The failure mileage was 30,600.
NHTSA complaint 11764004. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Auto Idle Stop feature failed to restart the car after sitting at a stoplight twice this past week. The dealer (Frank Leta Hoda) diagnosed the problem as a "bad starter". I believe this falls under the active investigation EA22005 - No Start After Auto Start/Stop Engages. The vehicle is two years old with 40,378 miles at the time of reporting the problem to the dealer. I reported this to Honda Corp and was assigned case number 16619534 which is being reviewed. The two incidents happened without warning during drives when I had already pushed the button to disengage the Auto Idle Stop feature and was not expecting the engine to turn off at all.
NHTSA complaint 11763158. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
10,000 miles
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH at an intersection, the vehicle stalled and was unable to be restarted. The contact called Roadside Assistance, and the vehicle was restarted. The failure was a recurring failure. The screen was illuminated during the failure. The contact stated that while opening and closing the doors and pressing the Push-to-Start button to turn off the accessories, the vehicle operated as needed. The contact suffered emotional and mental distress from the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
NHTSA complaint 11762689. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have a 2025 Honda Passport with approximately 22,776 miles. Over the past several weeks, the vehicle has developed a progressively worsening starting problem that appears to be heat-related. After the vehicle is driven normally and reaches full operating temperature, then is shut off and allowed to sit for approximately 10 to 30 minutes, the engine will sometimes crank very slowly and sound as though the starter is laboring to turn the engine. The frequency and severity have increased over time. On two recent occasions, the engine barely turned over before starting. After the vehicle sits overnight and cools completely, it starts normally and cranks smoothly. A second related problem …
NHTSA complaint 11762545, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
“Idle-Stop” feature stays on per factory installation. However when car is stopped and brake is released to proceed with acceleration, the feature automatically throws the transmission into “Neutral” and will not go forward, allow shifting of gears or shutting down the engine. This has happened numerous times in heavy traffic and creates a hazard. There is a button to depress to shut off the Idle-Stop but it must be done every time the car ignition is shut off then on. This is not a normal habit of long term drivers. After two inspections at the dealer and several phone calls Honda says they can not replicate the problem when serviced thus offering no solution. Searches online for …
NHTSA complaint 11761607, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
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.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst