2022 Honda Pilot Problems and Complaints

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 6, 2024

As the world is moving towards a more efficient form of mobility, crossovers have become an integral part of the automotive industry. There are absolutely no other types of vehicles that can match up with the crossovers in terms of practicality along with their immense value for money factor too. Apart from the practical aspect, crossovers also offer a car-like driving experience with enhanced comfort and better safety as compared to those ladder-frame traditional SUVs out there. The sharp rise in demand for crossovers has heavily dented the sales of other vehicles such as hatchbacks, sedans, and minivans. Even though the USA was the one to introduce the SUV culture to the world, almost all the major car makers across the globe pitched in as soon as possible with their version of utility vehicles. Brands like General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler put in their best efforts to satiate the US car market’s never-ending demand of SUVs and crossovers but overseas brands such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Hyundai practically flooded the market with better and value for money products with lucrative price tags and quirky designs.

Both Toyota and Honda have quite the experience in making some brilliant crossovers while the latter has made a reputation for making vehicles that offer an overall more practical cabin as compared to their peers. Honda introduced the Pilot back in 2002 and it is currently the biggest SUV from the brand as well. Presently standing in its third-generation model since 2016, the Pilot received a major facelift in 2019 and carries an appealing design. However, in the face of rising concerns of global warming and other automakers resorting to smaller and more fuel-efficient motors, Honda has kept the Pilot’s heart the same, a 3.5-liter V6. In its present form, the motor puts out a decent 280 horsepower along with 262 lb-ft of torque. The price of the Pilot starts at $37,580 which puts it in direct competition with the Subaru Ascent, the Ford Explorer, and the Toyota Highlander.

Honda Pilot user complaints and problems

The Honda Pilot is blessed with several positive traits that give it an edge over its competitors. These include a huge cabin with adequate comfort for all the occupants, an adequately-powerful powertrain, the ability to absorb almost every imperfection on the roads to give a plush ride quality, some nifty storage spaces inside, and some commendable mph figures as well. However, the issue with these high sales volume vehicles is that in the recent past they have been portraying utter disappointment in terms of reliability which is almost unacceptable for a popular segment such as the crossover SUVs. The Honda Pilot has been facing some serious and numerous problems since its second-generation model and there are some particular underlying issues that the brand failed to address even after a major redesign as well as a generation upgrade. The complaints regarding the Honda Pilot keyless start problem was the highest one recorded for several thousands of models and it started from the second-generation model. The 2020 Honda Pilot problems saw a myriad of issues with the electrical systems of the affected vehicles and a majority of them included issues with the infotainment system.

Engine problems

Transmission issue along with a distinct noise: There were several complaints about the above-mentioned problems. The complaints stated that the transmission of the affected vehicles would malfunction such as not shifting into gears, making the vehicle lurch while shifting, and shifting to neutral forcibly despite the driver selecting the drive mode repeatedly. In some instances, the transmission units created a distinct chirping sound, post which a complete replacement was required since the transmissions failed.
Idle start-stop feature malfunction: This is the most common and the most serious issue with the Pilot models, especially the latest third-generation one. Before this generation, the second generation Pilot had similar issues with the ignition system of the vehicles. All the complaints against the idle start-stop system of the affected models stated that the system would completely shut down the engine along with the entire electronics of the vehicles as well. The system was designed to conserve fuel by temporarily shutting down the engine while the vehicle is idle at a stoplight or waiting to take a turn. The system onboard the Pilot failed to restart the powertrain when the brake was released, resulting in several safety concerns along with severe inconveniences. Also, in a lot of cases, a faulty keyless starting system resulted in the random engine stalling along with keeping the engine from starting as well.

Safety problems

Lane-keeping assists and forward collision avoidance system malfunction: Both the 2020 and 2021 Pilot models faced several complaints regarding the advanced driver-assist techs of the vehicle. The complaints state that under various circumstances the forward collision avoidance system would give false warnings along with engaging unnecessarily. In the case of lane-keeping assist failure, the system would intervene unnecessarily by not allowing the driver to change lanes.
Brake failure: In almost every model year of the Pilot, a handful of complaints regarding brake failure are present. The reports state that the brakes would fail randomly and even in some cases, the brake failure caused the vehicle to crash as well.

Electrical problems

Battery failure and infotainment system issues: Several problems were reported against the battery and the infotainment system of the 2019 Pilot. Most of the complaints mentioned that the battery would die prematurely and at a random without any prior warnings, rendering the electrical system of the vehicle useless. In some instances, the infotainment system developed issues such as the navigation stopped working, the entire screen went black, and several features such as the radio and the audio player stopped working as well.

2022 Honda Pilot recalls

The NHTSA reports of the Honda Pilot show a rather troublesome track record of the SUV. The SUV has been facing several serious issues for quite some time now even from its second-generation model. Coming to the recalls, the brand did issue numerous recalls spanning over three to four model years but the electrical systems along with the infamous start-stop system problems saw no recalls. But it seems that the brand has been trying to address it silently with the successive model years since the 2021 models haven’t faced many complaints regarding the same yet.

Recall Date	NHTSA Campaign ID	Component Affected	Recall Issue	Explanation
April 5, 2018	18V221000	SEATS	Rivets that Secure Seats may Fail/FMVSS 207, 210	In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the floor, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
April 12, 2019	19V298000	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	Timing Belt Teeth May Separate	Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
November 29, 2021	21V932000	STRUCTURE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	Hood May Open While Driving	A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
November 28, 2018	18V848000	STRUCTURE	Pillar Mounting Holes Incorrect Size/FMVSS 214 226	In the event of a crash, if the curtain airbag does not deploy as intended, it can increase the risk of injury.
October 31, 2019	19V784000	STRUCTURE	Incomplete Body Welding	In the event of a crash, incomplete body welding may provide inadequate protection to occupants, increasing the risk of an injury.
July 28, 2020	20V440000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION	Delayed or Inoperative Rearview Camera/FMVSS 111	A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
July 28, 2020	20V439000	BACK OVER PREVENTION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Instrument Panel Software Incorrect/FMVSS 101/111	Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
March 11, 2021	21V165000	TIRES	Tire Failure may Cause Sudden Air Loss	Overcured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation, which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
March 25, 2021	21V215000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE	Fuel Pump May Fail	Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
November 29, 2021	21V932000	STRUCTURE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	Hood May Open While Driving	A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
February 6, 2020	20V067000	EQUIPMENT	Certification Label Ink Can be Wiped Away	If the operator is unable to refer to the label information, the vehicle may be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
November 20, 2020	20V725000	TIRES	Tire Carcass May Break Causing Sudden Air Loss	Over-cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

What model year of the Honda Pilot to avoid?

The Honda Pilot is a rather appealing vehicle in its segment by its strengths which gives it an edge over most of its rivals. However, the NHTSA reports indicate a troubled reliability aspect of the vehicle and some underlying issues are yet to be addressed. The 2019 honda pilot transmission problems included the vehicle shifting to neutral while displaying a transmission warning light on the instrument panel. Hence, we would advise strongly against going for a used Honda Pilot from the 2017, 2018, and 2019 model years.

Should you buy a used Honda Pilot?

The Honda Pilot would make a perfect city vehicle as well as a perfect highway companion owing to its immense practicality, solid performance, and impressive fuel economy. However, the poor reliability aspect of the SUV makes it a no-go in its segment. On the contrary, the Toyota Highlander or the Ford Explorer would make a decent option however, scrutiny is required since the aforementioned vehicles also have a so-so track record as per the NHTSA.