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.
Engine, Nov 29, 2023
Vehicle was diagnosed with a damaged #3 rod bearing and required the engine assembly (long block) to be replaced. The Honda dealership retained the engine after inspection and replacement. While driving on the highway with family in the car the vehicle developed a knocking noise from the engine and loss of power. Our safety was put at risk because I was forced to immediately pull off the highway. The engine was moments from catastrophic failure. Once pulled over we found the loud noise was from the engine assembly and were forced to call a tow truck to take the vehicle to a dealership. Honda inspected the assembly and it was replaced at a Honda dealership. No warning lamps or signs existed prior to or after the noise.
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 25, 2023
If I do remember to turn off the auto engine idle, the engine will stall at stoplights and will not immediately restart. I have almost been rear-ended several times. It just happened again about two weeks ago. The dealership replaced my battery and another part associated with this problem but it still occurs. The dealership refuses to disconnect the auto engine idle. My 2017 Honda Pilot should be included in the latest Honda Pilot recall.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 8, 2023
I was at a stoplight at a busy intersection (car previously running well) & when I went to accelerate as the light turned green, my car leaped/jerked forward & would only accelerate to 5-8 mph. All of the warning lights on the dash lit up at the same time. I SLOWLY got out of the traffic & onto the side of the road. I turned the car off & back on. All the warning lights were still on. The car went into drive, but would not accelerate past 25 mph & was jerking. Honda evaluated the car & determined that it was the camshaft that wasn't manufactured correctly. Honda stated that this is a known Honda defect & already had parts packaged to fix the problem. I have all of the paperwork provided to me when the repairs were made. However, this is not acceptable. A known HONDA issue like this should be recalled & repaired ASAP. This is a huge safety concern for the Honda driver & those on the road around them. I was lucky that mine went out at a stoplight, but had I been driving & it shut down it would have been hazardous. As well, if I'm stopped & all of a sudden unable to accelerate that puts me at a very high risk for injury in an accident.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 3, 2023
Drivers side wiper blade stopped working in a driving rainstorm. Zero visibility. Went into on coming lane for a few seconds. Was able to get off onto shoulder. Fortunately no cars were coming and there was no collision. Problem was two nuts had come loose on the wiper arm linkage.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 29, 2023, fire
Shortly after entering the freeway, the dask lights began to flicker and car started stuttering. Drive for another mile or slow looking to pull over. By that time smoke coming from rhe engine. Once we pulled over, engine area smoking a lot to where smoke coming into car. All of us git out and saw flames coming from engine area. Our pilot was on fire. Firefighters able to put out, but car was a total loss
Power train, Engine, Visibility/wiper, Oct 25, 2023
The transmission completely broke/ went out. Honda knows this is a recurrent issue with these vehicles. The fuel injectors had already been replaced on this vehicle at 40,000 miles before Honda was admitting a defect. They are well aware there are transmission issues for the Honda Pilot but are not taking responsibility costing car owners thousands. We were left on the side of the road, needing to use insurance to cover towing. Rather than dealing with labor we sold the car at a great loss of money. This is hear say but the towing complaint reports they are towing Honda Pilots consistently these days. Honda should be held responsible.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 16, 2023
I am getting the 'Emissions System Failure" notification on the dashboard. It comes at random times and sometimes it goes away. I am not sure what the problem is as the vehicle is well maintained and there is no other issue. I read that it is in the recall list of 2019 vehicle so I guess this is the same issue for 2017 as well.
Electrical system, Oct 2, 2023
Keyless control unit has an electrical issue. Dash flickers on and off on its own while the vehicle is off and keys out of it. Alarm randomly triggers. Lights turn on and off. Keyless start issue as well.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 1, 2023
Car auto shuts offs and completely shut off and need to put the car in park and pray it restarts. Dangerous ... One day someone will slam into me when i am trying to start it and I hope i am not killed. I picked one date, but it happens weekly.
Electrical system, Oct 1, 2023
Auto shut off happens all the time and the car shut off and need to restart. It is so scary when you are at a light and it turns green and a car appears behind you and almost slams into you. One day it will happen and i will be dead.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 27, 2023
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? In the past few months (My 23 to current Sept 23) the idle stop system would occasionally not restart when gas was applied. This mostly occurred when stopped for a traffic light and I would have to go through a complete restart procedure taking a good amount of time. and causing the folks behind me a great deal of unhappiness. I believe this a significant safety issue because it causes people to drive unsafely in dense traffic environments. The system is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This caused the folks behind me a great deal of unhappiness. I believe this is a significant safety issue because it causes people to react hurriedly and drive unsafely in dense traffic environments. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? It has not been checked yet. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet - I will take it to the dealer next month for the annual VA safety inspection. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Not that I saw.
Air bags, Sep 23, 2023
N/A
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 15, 2023
The auto start/stop will intermittently fail to restart the engine from a stop after releasing foot the brake pedal. 2017 model year. In 2022 (4 year old vehicle) the auto start/stop failed to restart on three separate occasions from a stop at traffic lights over the course of one winter month. All electronics in the vehicle shut off while dash needles oscillate rapidly. It takes several attempts to restart the vehicle from park. Replaced only the battery with new AC Delco Group 48 AGM CCA 760 on my own. Problem did not reoccur until 18 months later in the summer of 2023 with the same exact symptoms but occurring more frequently now. The battery is 18 months old, the vehicle is now 6 years old. It has failed to restart seven times in the last 2 summer months. Have not taken it to the dealer or mechanic for repair yet. No warning lamp.
Other or unspecified, Sep 14, 2023
On three separate occasions, the idol stop/start feature has failed requiring me to manually restart the car. Most recently, it took several attempts to restart before ignition fired all while holding up traffic on a busy street. During failed attempts to restart, it made a sound like it was attempting to restart but didn't have enough power. Weirdly, all three occasions have been at the same intersection, a light on an exit after driving non-stop on the interstate for an hour.
Structure, Latches/locks/linkages, Sep 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the hood started vibrating violently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V932000 (Structure, Latches/Lock/Linkages). The VIN was included, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000.
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 8, 2023
I OWN A 2017 HONDA PILOT EX-L. I KEEP UP WITH ALL MY MAINTENANCE AND VEHICLE MAINLY HAS HIGHWAY MILES. EMISSIONS SYSTEMS PROBLEM LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW. HONDA DID EXTEND THE WARRANTY TO COVER THIS ISSUE TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. MY LIGHT CAME ON WHEN MY MILEAGE WAS AROUND 171,000 MILES SO IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. LAST NIGHT (9/7/2023), KEYLESS START SYSTEM PROBLEM LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE CHANGED THE BATTERY IN BOTH KEY FOBS. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HESITATE TO START. I CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE'S VIN IS NOT COVERED UNDER SERVICE BULLETIN 20-117. IF HONDA IS AWARE THAT THESE PROBLEMS EXIST, THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE ISSUES TO BE REPAIRED. I HAVE DRIVEN A CIVIC AND ACCORD BEFORE AND THE PILOT HAS BEEN MY WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 4, 2023
En algunos modelos Pilot 2016-2017, Ridgeline 2017 y Odyssey 2018, la luz indicadora de fallas (MIL) puede encenderse si uno de los siguientes códigos de diagnóstico de problemas (DTC) se almacena: P0420 (Eficiencia del sistema catalizador del banco trasero por debajo del umbral [banco 1]) P0430 (Eficiencia del sistema catalizador del banco delantero por debajo del umbral [banco 21) P0300-P0306 (falla de sincronización)
Engine, Sep 3, 2023
The idle function shuts the car down while driving. At random stops the car turns off causing us to restart the car. It has created a very dangerous scenario for the family at intersections. The Honda dealer did not address the issue.
Other or unspecified, Aug 30, 2023
For over eight weeks, the vehicles alarm randomly goes off until it is disabled with key FOB. There is no indication of when it will alarm. It has happened during regular business hour and in the middle of the night, with no pattern in time of occurrence. This is a nuisance and disturbance to the public, as the alarm is very loud. Took the vehicle to the dealership for a diagnosis. Dealership diagnosed vehicle with a malfunctioning Keyless Access Control Unit. The part was on back order for eight weeks but it was delivered sooner than expected to the dealership. Diagnosis cost $195 and repair cost $659.59 for a total of $854.59.
Power train, Aug 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking space, the vehicle jerked significantly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred on the second attempt to reverse. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence, where the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, but the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,877.
Engine, Aug 26, 2023
Honda pilot with start stop system will shut off the engine when possible. In some cases the car will shut off and. Or restart and flash various warnings on the dashboard. Only way to fix is wait some time and shut off car and restart. This is dangerous as this happens randomly when highways and local roads. And it takes time to get the car restarted and the engine restarted in those cases. I went to the Honda dealer to get a recall around start stop, the dealer said this would fix the issue, but this issue is still happening. There are no other issues with the car.
Engine, Aug 19, 2023
auto start/stop completely shuts car off and forces you to put car in P and hit the start button. creates a dangerous situation at intersections.
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 18, 2023
Car has died twice when coming to a stop at red lights. seems to be related to the auto stop/start engine setup. Car turns itself off but cannot start right back up again. Every red light flashes but will not easily restart. hundreds of complaints regarding this on the NHTSA website. The NHTSA needs to investigate this, cars being stuck in traffic is a safety issue. since its affecting cars years off the line, it must be some component that is failing prematurely. All of these are extreme safety issues as the car is stuck in traffic, or at light and has to be completely shut off, wait and then restart. Last time took a good 3-4 minutes to get it started again.
Engine, Aug 14, 2023
I stopped at a red light and the engine wouldn’t start. It took several tries to restart the engine and after 5 minutes, it finally restarted. I had to put on my hazard lights and held up traffics on the road.
Power train, Aug 10, 2023
Driving on an 4-lane each direction highway at 70 MPH, the Honda Pilot stopped accelerating and a warning light came on stating there is a transmission problem. With my wife and 4 children inside the vehicle, I had to cross 3 lanes of a very busy highway to pull over without having any propulsion from the gas pedal. We were stranded 1/2 mile before the exit for the Charlotte, NC airport. It's an extremely busy exit with trucks and cars constantly passing nearby the vehicle at 70 to 80 MPH. The SUV was towed to a Honda dealership who told us the vehicle needs a new transmission for $8,000. There was absolutely no prior warnings or lights indicating this problem. We filed a claim with Honda corporate, but haven't received a response yet after 1 week.