The Honda Pilot, possibly the least interesting midsize SUV in recent times, surprises us with the way it manages to find a decent number of takers every year, that too with a noticeable bump in the figure each succeeding year. The reason, when you think of it, is plain and obvious as the brand name, which has been synonymous with dependability in the recent past, that is, after Toyota of course. The chances of you getting into any sort of trouble with this SUV are on the lower side (relatively speaking) and this combined with the low upkeep costs, the Pilot does come out as a default choice for many. Even though the 2013 Honda Pilot is one of the more reliable options in its segment as it stands, it never has been immune to problems. 6 recalls and over 200 complaints, though not a concerning number, is still a bummer for something that has existed for a while now. So, is the Pilot with its base asking price of $29,520 a better choice in front of alternates like the Chevrolet Traverse, the Ford Explorer, the Nissan Pathfinder, and the Toyota Highlander? Well, this article should give you a brief idea of that.
2013 Honda Pilot User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
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Engine problems- The engine on the 2013 Honda Pilot vibrates, misfires, and hesitates on throttle input when the drive mode is set to ECO. The engine is also said to lurch and make a metallic ringing sound coupled with the malfunction warning when this happens. The issue was said to be with the Variable cylinder management (VCM) system software which had improper timing and fuelling maps on it. Since the software update provided by the manufacturer did not provide a complete rectification of these issues, owners were forced to use aftermarket tuning kits to disable the VCM/ECO features. Initial batches of the 2013 Honda Pilot also had oil burning issues due to faulty piston rings, which were replaced under the recall 13V382000.
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Transmission Problems- Intermittentjerks, shudders, rough shifts, and grinding noises are the main problems reported on the 2013 Honda Pilot’s transmission. The dealers could not diagnose these issues as they could not be reproduced a second time and advised owners to change transmission fluid at shorter intervals, which at times did nothing to fix the issues. However, instances of transmission replacement are very rare as suggested by NHTSA reports.
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Service brake- Front rotor warping has been reported to be a common issue on the 2013 Honda Pilot. Intense vibration while braking and squeaking noises are some indications of a damaged rotor. Owners are mostly advised to skim the rotors to rectify this issue, which sometimes is not possible if the rotor wear is above a permissible limit, requiring a complete unit replacement.
Electric System complaints
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Radio/ Bluetooth problems- The Bluetooth hands-free feature on the 2013 Honda Pilot has been subject to certain niggles. Owners report a loss of connectivity and inability to pair phones to the system intermittently, which requires the vehicle to be restarted to regain functionality. Though software updates were provided from the dealer the issue repeats itself on occasions.
Structural problems
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Paint chipping- Paint peeling and chipping is one issue to look out for on the 2013 Honda Pilot. Roof, bumpers, door edges, and sunroof surrounds are the failure points as reported by the owners with issues noticed on vehicles with mileages as low as 31,000 miles. Though the manufacturer was made aware of this issue, no further statements were released on it initially. However, Honda has released a new service bulletin that mentions paint warranty extension on affected products.
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Suspension issues- Front suspension lower arm compliance bushing leak is pretty common on the 2013 Honda Pilot. Front end vibration, judder, and noise are some indications of a worn-out bushing. A service bulletin has been released on this issue recently but owners did mention the inability to find spares due to unavailability and extensive backorders.
2013 Honda Pilot Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
27th June 2019 |
19V502000 |
The passenger frontal airbag inflator may explode. |
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal airbag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling, increasing the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash. |
The dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on August 12, 2019. |
|
2 |
16th May 2019
|
19V378000 |
Improperly installed passenger airbag inflator |
The front passenger airbag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement, causing it to not perform as intended in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
|
The dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal airbag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2019.
|
|
3 |
27th September 2018 |
18V661000 |
The passenger frontal airbag inflator may explode. |
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal airbag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling, increasing the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash. |
The dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on November 6, 2018. |
|
4 |
9th January 2018 |
18V661000 |
The passenger frontal airbag inflator may explode. |
The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal airbag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling, increasing the risk of serious injury in the event of a crash. |
The dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. |
|
5 |
27th August 2013 |
13V382000 |
Premature engine piston wear |
During the manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear, causing an engine stall, and increasing the risk of a crash. |
The dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2013.
|
|
6 |
18th January 2013 |
13V016000 |
The driver’s airbag module may be missing rivets |
One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing, causing it to not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. |
The dealer will inspect the driver's airbag module and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2013. |
Should you buy a used 2013 Honda Pilot?
Though a bit dated, the Honda Pilot is still a likable midsize SUV. Decent reliability and Honda’s trusted after-sales network are some reasons that this dated SUV finds takers even to this day. Apart from the issue mentioned above, most owners mostly report a seamless experience owning this SUV and 200,000 miles on this engine shouldn’t be a problem given that all remedies have been carried out as per manufacturer recall. The 2013 Honda Pilot does rank decently high in our midsize SUV list for this year and shouldn’t be a bad buy for those who don’t mind its slightly outdated vista.
