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
926 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Feb 12, 2024
For no reason the Alarm is going off randomly the dash lights, interior lights, driving lights and headlights are flashing and loud clicking noises come from the dash. This happens frequently and has been going on for some time. I have had to remove the fuse from the Horn to keep it from waking us up at night which creates a potentially dangerous situation if I forget to plug it back in. Also this keeps running down the battery and when it is doing this, it sometimes won't start. I worry about it damaging other electronic parts and causing a dangerous situation. Honda must be aware of this issue with the Pilots. You can search online and find hundreds of others that have experienced the same issue. The Honda Ridgeline has the same issue and they have issued a TSB for it. I find it totally irresponsible that they would try to correct the Ridgeline but not also the Pilot. They know the TPMS Control Units are the problem and they need to fix them.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 7, 2024
My 2017 Honda Pilot has a jerking issue when accelerating slowly or fast. It lags to accelerate. You can see the RPM gauge bounce when this happens. The "bucking" or "jerking" can be felt by the driver and sometimes the passenger but its not super noticeable. My vehicle has less than 60,000 miles on it currently. I have not changed the transmission fluid but this issue has only just started recently. My transmission fluid currently does not look brown or smell burnt. It looks the normal red color. There is no warning lights have appeared on the dashboard.
Suspension, Feb 6, 2024
Passenger Side Front Strut assembly failing. Known issue with this series vehicle (2016-2022).
Other or unspecified, Feb 4, 2024
I was driving my 2017 Honda Pilot Exl back from work at 35-40 mph when I heard a loud thud noise. Initially I thought I had gotten a flat or something, but then I heard air escaping as if a window was open but it was coming from over my head. As I continued to drive I heard pieces of glass sliding across the roof of the car. When a got home a few minutes (< 10 minutes) later, I tried opening the sunroof tray and noticed I couldn’t and I could see that the glass looked to have shattered. I got out of the car and examined the roof of the car and the sunroof was indeed shattered.
Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 3, 2024
Auto engine idle continues to be problematic. Leaving me stranded in intersections and unable to restart my vehicle for minutes. Today when it happened it turned off my collision detection feature. I have taken to dealership several times, once they replaced fuel injectors due to related recall but since they show no issues.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Jan 27, 2024
driving down the highway at 65mph the car started bucking and losing acceleration leaving almost no control to the driver to maneuver effectively and avoid other cars. after a terrifying experience of losing control of the car my wife and children stranded on the side of the road for hours in sub 32 degree weather. the vehicle goes into limp home mode on the highway causing her to pull off with little to no acceleration control. barely avoiding other commuters she was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road. once stopped the vehicle locks itself in park and will not go into gear or neutral so the vehicle cannot be pushed when needed. had to have the vehicle towed. after diagnosis and thorough investigations the following information was collected. The 9 speed automatic transmissions are "lifetime" meaning there is no dipstick for fluid checks. no external sensors or actuators can be replaced when they fail. the transmission failed internally (p0841) because all solenoids sensors and switches are internal non serviceable parts. no electronic part lasts forever understandably. however this means when one small item fails the entire transmission is to be replaced with the same part number and no new fixes or remedies. they seem to all fail right around 60,000 miles or after. seems to be a very common issue with no recall or fixes listed. meaning even with a new transmission installation the transmission is still a ticking time bomb. leaving the customer on the hook for several thousand dollar repairs every 60k. a class action lawsuit has been filed in California for these exact reasons and i would hope that honda makes and effort to have a redesign, fix, or full recall.
Power train, Jan 24, 2024
When traveling at highway speeds, I push the gas pedal and the vehicle makes a clicking noise, it loses all acceleration power until RPMs go down to 1,000. Then the gas pedal works again. After several months of this, and multiple attempts from the Honda Dealership to fix the problem (clean the throttle body, software updates, etc) the transmission quit on the interstate. During a 100 mile trip the vehicle all of a sudden would not go above 3,000 RMP. I pulled to the shoulder thinking a car restart might fix the issue but the vehicle would not leave Park. Towed to dealership with transmission warning light active. Very surprised as the vehicle only has 79,900 miles on the odometer.
Power train, Jan 21, 2024
At 103,000 miles, the 9 speed transmission failed while driving, resulting in a warning indicator to park the vehicle immediately. Afterwards, it was unable to change gear from Park. There was no accident or prior issues. A trusted mechanic shop went thru the documented diagnostics and found that the entire transmission needed replacing. The total cost to replace it was $8265.
Structure, Engine, Jan 17, 2024, fire
The vehicle was driven by my [XXX] daughter and at @ 6 pm on [XXX] the engine was making a noise and that the car was starting to slow down and stall,so she called me. She pulled over and shut the car off and then all the dashboard lights started to blink really fast. The car started to smoke from the engine, she got out and called 911. 911 said they would send a tow truck. within a few minutes sparks were coming from underneath the engine and then the fire started. she called 911 and myself again to report the car was on fire. Thank God she was away from the car. The tow co. arrived first, then first responders, then myself. The highway was shut down to put out the fire. Our daughter was hysterical and the car is a total loss. We waited until the car fire was extinguished. The first responders offered medical attention, but she just wanted to go home. There is a current recall for this make and model, but not the year. What my daughter described, sounds like the current recall from Honda for other makes including the Pilot. I posted on social media and a few people reached out to say their 2017 honda pilot had a similar issue, but thankfully no fire. This recall is very serious because they are replacing the engine for owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jan 15, 2024
I've had the engine and catalytic convertors fail on my 2017 Honda Pilot which is equipped with the J35Y6 engine. It is currently available for inspection as the vehicle sits unable to be driven safely from place to place. The vehicle is unable to be driven or carry passengers safely due to a constant misfire in the engine. This problem has been reproduced multiple times by an independent service center which had the vehicle for 3 weeks. No governmental agency or insurance representative has inspected the engine for failure. There were warning lamps that would come in and then clear on their own up and till the engine failure. The warning lamps would first appear while driving at highway speeds and then gradually started showing up while driving in city traffic.
Other or unspecified, Jan 14, 2024
On [XXX] I was traveling south on [XXX] from Omaha, NE to Bella Vista, AR. There were no other cars in view either behind me, ahead of me or traveling north in the opposite lanes, nor any debris on the highway when I heard a loud explosion. I thought I had blown a tire but had no problems steering the vehicle. I immediately pulled over to stop on the shoulder of the road. I got out of the car and saw that my sunroof had exploded. Small pieces of glass were everywhere. The time was late morning and the temperature was not especially hot. I reported this to Honda and to my insurance company. On June 18 my local dealer replaced the moonroof. My cost was $691.49. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 13, 2024
When I turned on the engine, heard abnormal noise and shaking from the engine compartment, when accelerating, the noise come up even louder and acceleration is not smooth as usual. The Honda dealer shop had replaced the high pressure fule pump due to it was defective, I paid $1449.47 for the repair.
Service brakes, Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and was inoperable. The contact swerved around a nearby vehicle to avoid a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,036.
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 8, 2024
With the IDLE function ON, the vehicle fails to start once the engine shuts down. The car suddenly stop and shut off at traffic lights, stop sides. Someone almost hit me 4 times during last month with my kids inside when the car fails to start. There is no recall about this problem yet.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 2, 2024
Honda dealership Visalia, Ca 93257 has unable to provide a remedy for this recall.
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 30, 2023
My engine light came on with the words engine emission problem on my 2017 Honda Pilot. Upon research, there is a Honda Warranty Extension on 2017-2019 pilots if you receive error code P0420. I took my vehicle in for service and was told that is indeed the error code, but unfortunately, the fuel injector and connector are on back order and could not be immediately repaired. There have been several complaints online of the fuel pump injector kits on back ordered and people are not able to get their vehicle fixed.
Other or unspecified, Dec 30, 2023
While driving at normal speed car suddenly is unresponsive (will not accelerate, looses power, and is jumpy). The computer triggers a limp mode and alerts every code possible on the dash screen, even though all mechanical parts are fine. This computer/electric failure is a risk that is so unpredictable may cause life threatening accident. The certified repair shop has reviewed, reproduced, and is scratching their heads why Honda hasn’t recalled this because several other Pilots are doing the same.
Power train, Dec 21, 2023
On Dec.04, 2023 I tried to drive vehicle to got to work, and there was no power in D- mode. I pressed the gas padal to gove more power and then the vehicle made a loude sound like as if I was crash into something, and it did not move as usual, there was no power. When I tried to shift the gear back to P, it did not move and the stick was stucked. Later after several tries I was able to drive the car to the dealership and explained what happened. AFter Investgating they concluded there was no problem witht he car. I took it home and drove until Dec, 18, before the vehicle actingd again. It did not move when the gear shit to D or L mode. when I pressed the gas pedal vehicle jumps and stated to move at about 5 miles per hour. As I was giving more gas at about 27 miles per hour there was a hard shifit of the gear and vehicle jumped (jerking?). I took it to the dealership and they were able to repeat what I explained to them and quoted $8400 for the transmission repair, and said I donot have warrenty and have to pay for the cost. I explained to them this is not only my vehicle, but there are other hond apolit have the same issue. I have contacted Honda Motor Corp USA regarding this and they told me they donot act based on what is on the web and social media.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Dec 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The Emission System Fault message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was unknown. The contact was informed to add premium fuel and fuel injection cleaner however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rocker arm oil pressure switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,400.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, he observed a ticking sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle started to lose motive power. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced due to the rod bearing fracturing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and complaint was filled. The contact believed that failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Engine, Dec 15, 2023
I have 2017 Honda pilot , while driving, i was not able to accelerate and pulled over and after that engine stalled completely, dealer looked at and said need to replace engine , I was requesting dealer to send request to Honda ,to see if it recent recall related, it has been sitting at dealer for month now. Incident happened on 11/04 , it’s more than a month sitting at Honda dealer , dealer is saying , working with American Honda , they had recall for 2016 and 2018-2019 models already , it’s very frustrating
Electrical system, Dec 14, 2023
The Control Unit, Smart Power - Honda (38320-TG7-A52) part failed on the vehicle after 50k miles. The issue caused all the lights in the cabin to flicker/click and the alarm to go off intermittently. The alarm could not be shut off.
Engine, Dec 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 5MPH, there was a faint clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for routine maintenance where it was diagnosed that the main bearing were loose and metal shavings were in the oil pan. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Dec 6, 2023
Driving vehicle when multiple warning lights illuminated, including check engine and emissions control issue. Vehicle sputtered to a stop and would not accelerate after that. Vehicle was towed to Honda dealership and they said it was a faulty rocker arm oil pressure switch.
Other or unspecified, Dec 5, 2023
Auto idle had been turning off and not re-starting quickly for past 6 months. I asked them to look at it last service. They didn't find anything wrong and said to turn off the auto idle. I did turn off the auto idle most of the time and never had a problem when it was off. Sometimes I forgot to turn off the autoidle. On Dec 5 2023, I was at a red light and had forgotten to turn off auto idle. The car would not turn back on and it was stuck in park. I had it towed and the mechanics said they needed to use a special tool to get it into neutral since the usual protocol had not worked. My car was stuck at a light and I directed traffic to go around me for about 30mins before the tow tuck came. There was no way to push the car out of the way because the wheels were locked due to it being stuck in Park. My safety and the safety of other cars was at risk because the cars went into the incoming traffic lane to go around me. If this had happened on a busy road or in traffic on a highway, it would have been more dangerous. A previous time they replaced the battery and this time they are replacing the starter. I am concerned that the problem will persist since the mechanics say there is nothing wrong with the auto idle. I do see that there is a class action suit and over 200 complaints to NHTSA on the autoidle for Honda Pilots. This is a serious safety concern to have a car stop that will not re-start and then cannot be put into neutral to be towed or pushed to the side.