2017 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 926 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 9 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, frame and membersJun 4, 2026
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Campaign 26V365000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, hoodNov 29, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver's view and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.
Campaign 21V932000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
122 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jun 16, 2023
Torque Converter clutch slipping due to Honda 3.6L V6 VSC Vibration. Received a "Transmission System Error" warning multiple times while driving at 65MPH highway. Vehicle has less than 47,000 miles but is out of warranty due to the age of the vehicle. Dealership stated the Torque Converter needs to be replaced even though regular maintenance was performed previously. Dealership stated that the Torque Converter could go bad at any time and cause transmission issues requiring the entire thing to require replacement and is charging a lot of money for the replacement. Research shows many 3rd Generation Honda PIlot owners experiencing the same exact issue due to the VSC built into the engine and others are getting hit with costs at around the same mileage. We should not be penalized for a poorly designed or manufactured powertrain component that apparently requires replacement just after the powertrain warranty expires.
Power train, May 22, 2023
The car had problems with automatic start/stop function. During this time the car had a transmission that failed. The automatic start/stop function was fixed by the dealership and the new transmission that was installed failed. The car is currently on its third transmission at 85,000 miles and this transmission is starting to give the car problems where the information system tells the driver there are transmission problems that are present randomly when driving. These are not currently repeatable enough for the dealership to see. The car had 3 transmissions under 88,000 miles, and is probably going to be on its fourth transmission soon. Also the honda information system does not work properly with the phone and only connects 70% of the time.
Power train, Apr 13, 2023
TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY MAKES A JUDDERING JERKING SOUND AND HESITATES WHILE DRIVING. HONDA HAS FLUSHED MY TRANSMISSION MANY TIMES UNDER SEVICE BULLETIN 17-014, 17-015 AND THE REPAIR IS SHORT LIVED. HONDA STOPS HONORING THE EXTENDED SERVICE BULLETIN AFTER 80K. THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AT LEAST SINCE 2016 YET THE DON'T FIX OR ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THEY MERELY OFFER FREE TRANS FLUSHES TILL 80K MILES AND THEN YOUR ON YOUR OWN. MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET YET HONDA DOES NOTHING MEANINGFUL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MY CAR IS A 2017 HONDA PILOT EX-L
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Apr 9, 2023
Emission system problem , transmission system problem. Car frequently stops with these error messages and it stopped the acceleration during driving on a freeway. It could have caused a major accident if I had not pulled over safely.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Mar 26, 2023
I have a 2017 Honda Pilot EX-L with a mileage of 41010 miles. I have completed all the recommended services in a timely manner by an authorized Honda Dealer. When I was driving the vehicle yesterday (3/25/2023) at a speed of around 65 mph, I got an error message saying "Transmission System Problem". There was no error code associated with it. There was no problem in the driving. But at the end of the drive, in the parking lot when I had to reverse, the backup camera will not turn on. After parking the vehicle and turning off the vehicle and restarting it, the error message went away. And then the backup camera also started to work fine. When I was driving back home, the error message came on again when the speed reached around 65 mph. I came home and searched about this error message and I came across a lot of complaints of the same nature for 2017 Honda Pilot owners. Please refer to the discussions on the following links as samples: https://is.gd/RB78A1 , https://is.gd/a84e9h . Since many owners are experiencing this, I am wondering if this is a manufacturing issue. Many owners are talking about the Dealerships asking them to replace Transmission which costs around $8000 or to replace Transmission torque converter which will cost $5000. As of now my vehicle drives fine but I got exactly the same message twice at the speed of about 65 mph. I am scared to take this vehicle on to highways since my vehicle is following exactly the same pattern as that of other owners of 2017 Honda Pilot. I also saw Honda Ridgeline owners in the same year also having similar experience online. All of this make me think that this is more of a design/manufacturing problem impacting many owners and hence may be NHTSA would want to look in to this.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Mar 20, 2023
The autostop feature on the car fails to restart the engine. The car completely shuts down and all electrical is dead. This has happened multiple times over the course of many years. Often is takes multiple attempts to restart the vehicle while sitting in dangerous traffic situations (e.g. highway, nighttime with no lights). This is a significant safety issue. Honda has failed to fix the problem despite a new ignition switch and new battery. They don't seem to know how to fix it.
Power train, Mar 7, 2023
I took the car in at approximately 55,000 miles (under warranty) because I was could heard a noise coming from the transmission and the vehicle was not driving correctly. The dealer flushed the transmission and did a computer update. The DEALER paperwork stated "judder from torque converter clutch." 25K miles later (now out of warranty) I get a warning light on the dash that states " transmission problem". I take the car back to the same dealer and they tell me that the torque converter clutch is failing and it will take $4250 to fix the car. I told them it was failing 25K miles ago and you put 2 bandaid's on the car and not Im out of warranty. I did call Honda of North America and they did nothing for me.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Feb 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while making a stop, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer confirmed being aware of the failure; however, there was no fix for the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Power train, Feb 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while making a stop at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled with an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was unsure which fuse the dealer stated needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Power train, Feb 11, 2023
I been hearing a rattling noise from the engine area for a while. I took it to Honda dealership where I bought it and they test drive a few times. They said they don't hear the noise, but when the test drive with me know the suv they hear they noise numerous times but don't know where the noise coming from. It's all over the honda bulletin customer are complaining about the same noise nothing I'd getting done about it. I opened a case with American Honda and they did nothing sbout as well. Now my transmission system problem light came on at 49000 miles and I see alot of people complaining about that as well and Honda dealership is saying it's not Honda problem. The complaints is on Honda forum and Honda sites. I think Honda should be investigated for these problems.
Power train, Jan 2, 2023
RPM Judder from Torque Converter Lock up clutch felt while driving between 20 and 60 mph. The issue is caused by transmission fluid that overheats and deteriorates quicker than it should. It can be resolved by a vehicle software update which prevents transmission fluid from overheating and prevents the judder. A transmission warning light appears in the vehicle when the issue is experienced. This issue has been confirmed by Honda - see Honda Service Bulletin 17-014 dated 2/27/18. Honda service centers will try to blame consumers for not flushing and changing transmission fluid frequently enough due to black transmission fluid and service is not covered by most warranties since it's considered a fluid maintenance service by Honda.
Power train, Sep 27, 2022
Warning signs pop up when it hits 65mph on the highway. It blinks, “transmission system problem” with warning sounds ever so often. I tried to take it to Jiffy Lube multiple times, and they could never find the problem. They checked the transmission fluid and it was okay. They ran diagnostic and nothing was found, yet, this message error appears here and there. I am not sure what else there to do but to report that it’s not safe.
Power train, Sep 13, 2022
Moving from a stationary position while driving under 10 mph the vehicle shifts from 1st gear to 2nd gear with a heavy jerk motion.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Sep 6, 2022
I have experienced several instances where the vehicle's auto stop-start system fails to restart the vehicle's engine after a stop. This has happened 2-5 times. Specifically, when the vehicle is at a full stop (with brake fully depressed), the auto stop-start system is designed to stop the engine to conserve fuel by turning the engine off. During the episodes at issue, the system works correctly to stop the system. However, when I have released the brake pedal and attempted to resume driving, the engine has failed to restart and the power system appears to fail/reset. The vehicle then requires that I attempt to restart it using the stop/start button. On at least one occasion, I had to make multiple attempts to restart the vehicle before it finally began operating again. This situation often results in the vehicle obstructing traffic for an extended period of time and creating a dangerous situation. I have begun disabling the auto stop-start system when driving the car to avoid this problem occurring.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 14, 2022
My car completely shuts off at stop sign/red light when engine idle feature is activated. I have to put car in park and restart it. This has been an ongoing issue since summer 2021. Vehicle was evaluated at dealership with no resolve. In addition, a new cam shaft had to be installed in fall 2022 , at Honda's expense.Car completely stalled while passing another (55mph)
Power train, Aug 11, 2022
Vehicle would shift into neutral upon acceleration such as when passing and take up to a minute to reengage in a gear to continue acceleration. Generally happened at 50-60mph on the highway. Called dealer multiple times and brought in at 47,000 mi, but no codes generated by vehicle and dealer couldn't replicate. Finally at 81,000 transmission completely failed on a busy highway exit ramp and car could not be put in gear. Blocked traffic for 2 hours before car could be towed to the dealer. It appears Honda had transmission based recalls up to 2016 but not 2017 model year.
Power train, Aug 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a stop light and attempting to proceed to drive, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact shifted the vehicle to park(P) and restarted the vehicle. The failure only occurred whenever the Auto START/STOP function was activated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the fuel injector failed and needed to be replaced. The failure persisted. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer who then diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the torque converter and converter clutch failed and needed to be flushed or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 2, 2022
Per PE 22-005, with Auto Idle Stop enabled, when coming to a stop light, I stopped. When the light turned green, and I let my foot off the brake, the engine would not restart, as if the battery were dead. I put the car in Park, turned it off, turned it back on, and was able to restart the engine. This happened in about March of 2021. Since that time I always disable Auto Idle Stop, as it may create an unsafe traffic condition or accident if this were to happen in traffic. I was going to replace the battery, but have not done so since the occurrence 16 mos. ago, and have had no other issues with the battery in that time.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jun 21, 2022
Driving on the highway, came to a stop due to high volume of traffic, car stopped completely and auto/start turned off the engine itself like it should when brake is stepped on all the way, traffic started to move, let go of the brake to have engine turn back on like it normally would, however this time the engine did not start back on itself, tried to step on the brake and would not allow to press on it. Hit the engine start button light would come on however brake still would not allow to be stepped on, its like it is stuck. Tried this for about 5min and suddenly I was able to press on the brake and start the engine by hitting the start engine button. The component that failed is the engine, auto/start feature, power train, and electrical system. This was a big safety issue and yes it would not only put myself at risk but others safety at risk too. No the problem have not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer No the vehicle or component has not been inspected by anyone No there was no warning when it first appear, it just happen.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jun 18, 2022
At least once a week the vehicle shuts off and don’t restart at stop light/ sign.
Power train, Jun 16, 2022
This car has an automatic start/stop feature/function that shuts the engine off when the brake is fully pressed. The purpose is to save fuel when stopped at a red light or in heavy traffic. As soon as you release the brake, the engine is supposed to restart automatically. Unfortunately whats been happening is either the engine does not restart or it begins to restart and then stalls. In either case, the car needs to then be put into park, fully turned off, and then restarted. In most cases, it more an annoyance for everyone involved. However, what has happened a number of times is that we’ve moved into an intersection to make a left, stopped for oncoming traffic to pass, and then started our turn. The car has stalled then. Luckily there has been no accidents, but that is by luck. As the lights change, we have to quickly restart and get out if the intersection. I’ve searched online for a solution. Many people have post about the same issue in various forums. Many have also taken their car to Honda dealership for service, but there has been no consistent response as to the cause or a solution. In more recent models, Honda has changed how this feature works, but they have not provided any solution for models preceding the change. Thank for any resolution you can bring to us the many others impacted by this point problem. FYI this is not an issue on a single date; it is inconsistent but recurring.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jun 12, 2022
When the engine stops when the brake is applied, there are times when the engine shuts down completely, restarting electrical systems and not starting up again. This incredibly scary and dangerous. I have brought it to the dealer who has no idea how to fix it. I read an article that this is something the NHTSA is investigating and am very relieved that there is finally some attention being paid to this problem. I wanted to log my vehicle as being effected also.
Power train, Jun 11, 2022
Engine does not restart after start stop feature {auto stop} when stopped at a stoplight or stop sign. Sometimes engine turns off with just a soft application of brakes. So far no serious accident except holding up traffic at an intersection. Could become dangerous. So I immediately turn off the feature whenever I remember when I get in the car. Thanks.
Power train, Jun 9, 2022
We were at a Sheetz gas station last month and the auto-start/stop cut the engine off and it would not restart. We had to place the car in park and manually restart it. We have had this issue happen on another occasion and we purchased the car in April.
Power train, May 6, 2022
At start up, both with remote start an manual start, the vehicle will lurch forward. It seems to be happening with more frequency for a total of about 10 times. My worry is that at start up the vehicle will strike nearby pedestrians or property. The transmission has had start / stop issues and “hard” shifts but the dealer has not found any issues. There are no warning lights associated with this issue.