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.
Other or unspecified, Jun 8, 2022
The automatic start/stop killed the engine at a stop light, and took several tries to restart the engine. I always disengage this feature now to avoid being stranded.
Engine, Jun 8, 2022
Many times over the past few years, my car has stalled out at a light or stop sign when the auto start-stop has been engaged. I noticed this happens more in the summer than winter. I have to disengage this function when driving, however, with no permanent way to shut off this feature, I often forget to shut it off every time I start the car. As a result, I frequently have to deal with the stalling. I have always been able to restart the car after a minute or so, but it's obviously a safety issue with cars stuck behind me. No warning lights come on before this happens, and I have no taken the car to a dealer or repair shop.
Engine, Jun 8, 2022
Auto start stop - car turns off and will not restart via auto start/stop system at red lights and stop signs. This is extremely dangerous in a heavy traffic situation. The system, if doesn’t completely shut down is very delayed in responding to turn back on. I’ve had this issue since I purchased the car. Dealership had no idea how to fix. They replaced the fuel injectors, thinking it would solve issue, which didn’t help. I still own this car. 75,000 miles and this still happens.
Engine, Jun 8, 2022
The car auto stop/start feature is failing to restart the engine when coming to a complete stop, sometimes while in a turn lane turning left with oncoming traffic.
Engine, Jun 8, 2022
Auto start/stop has caused the engine to shut off multiple times. One particular incident occurred at a stop light and only turned back on after several attempts using the ignition button.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 7, 2022
Auto on/off issue. Vehicle did not restart after auto shut off. Luckily not in a place where it caused a traffic problem. After a minute or so of being off the vehicle being completely off it started up again. After it sputtered a few more occasions, I have been turning off the feature manually each time I start the car now. Honda doesn’t allow you to permanently turn it off. It has to be done each time.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 7, 2022
On numerous occasions when engine has automatically stopped, it has failed to restart to allow continued driving.
Engine, Jun 7, 2022
Problem: Malfunction of the auto engine idle feature. Multiple (five to ten) occurrences have been observed in this vehicle since 2021. When gas pedal was pressed to start the car moving forward after idling for traffic conditons, instead of driving forward, the car automatically engaged neutral gear. In order to place the car in drive gear, the driver had to power off the car and then power back on. This problem was observed while traveling in stop-and-go interstate traffic and also while stopped at stop signs. This is a safety issue because restarting the car immobilized it for about 20 seconds of time each incident, while in traffic that was trying to move at posted speeds. Because this has been an intermittent problem so far, it was unable to be replicated by the dealer’s service technicians. There have been no indications of any problem prior to each stalling incident.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 7, 2022
Multiple times the vehicle has shutoff when the it has reached a complete stop at a traffic light and has not restarted on its own. Took it to dealer but they could not recreate it supposedly. In addition fuel pump issues and the Honda dealer is not able to obtain parts to the fix the vehicle. Feels like a lemon vehicle.
Engine, Jun 7, 2022
Engine fails to start when idle stop is active. The June 2018 date was the first incident. There has been multiple incidents since.
Other or unspecified, Jun 7, 2022
We have had several instances when our Honda shuts off and will not restart. Several times we either a) have to leave it sit for hours b) press really hard on the brake pedal and hold the start button down for an extended period of time c) get the other set of keys which seems to then allow the vehicle to start or d) jump it to reset the issue so it will start and run. We also think this is somehow tied to the auto start stop or restart function.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 7, 2022
The engine won’t restart on its own from a complete stop, have to disable the auto engine shutdown due to concerns of car not re-starting.
Engine, Jun 7, 2022
The automatic start/stop sometimes fails to restart and car stalls. The car must be shut off and turned back on. At other times, the engine shuts down immediately upon stopping, such as at a 4 way stop or in traffic. I must pump the breaks to restart. These are intermittent problems that sometimes go away on their own and it has not been able to be replicated when in the shop. No warnings or engine lights appear as a result of this problem. Because it is intermittent and can happen in traffic, it is dangerous. This problem has been recurring for months.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 6, 2022
Our 2017 Honda Pilot was making some really strange noises under the hood so we took it in to our local Honda dealer service. Dealer said our low-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. It has now been nearly four months of Honda telling us the fuel pump replacement part is unavailable. We follow up with Honda weekly and they continue to give us an ETA date, which they push out every time, so the ETA is meaningless. They said we can drive our Pilot "as is" but cautioned us not to take it on a road trip, so we had to pay Honda a daily rate to rent a car from them. They would not provide us with a complimentary rental vehicle, even though this situation is out of our control and this fuel pump will be covered by the Power Terrain Warranty. I drive my three children in our Pilot and I feel it a safety hazard for me to drive it on the freeway when it could break down on us at any time, which would also cause a safety hazard on the highway. There was not ever any type of error code or auto failure alert for this fuel pump problem.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jun 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic with the Eco Assist System activated, the vehicle inadvertently shifted into neutral(N). The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Electrical system, Engine, May 31, 2022
I have taken my car 5 times to the dealership due to it stalling at red lights or when stopped. This happens with the idle engine is engaged. It has almost caused wrecks due to shutting off and not turning back on. In addition, we are now having to replace the keyless access control system due to electrical issues that caused a severe crackling, alarm sounding, immobilizer activated. the only way the car wouldnt alarm was if it is unlocked.
Electrical system, May 20, 2022
Engine dies after idle stop enables at traffic light or stop sign. Car then needs to be jumped to restart
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 16, 2022
While driving, I noticed a stall with the speed then I immediately noticed that the shift gear was on N position, apparently the shift gear was pushed accidentally even without pushing the button on the side to change gear. Also, my car kept randomly alarming and with static flashing on the dashboard while on park. I already changed the battery thinking its the battery problem but the alarming persisted. I took it to Honda and was told it's the keyless unit system, needs replacement and will cost around $900. Upon checking online, I learned that there was a recall for 2016-2017 Honda Pilot in 2020 for the same problem but when I called Honda I was told my car VIN was not part of the recall. How is that possible when my car is showing the same problem and also manufactured in 2017? How can my car's VIN be included in the recall. Pls help me have my car fixed.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, May 16, 2022
When parked, the car anti-theft alarms will honk loudly waking up everyone noisily; the headlights will be turn on & keep running (even if it is manually turned off); the dashboard lights will be flickering; relays clicking; and sometimes the car will turn itself on. The noise & lights can't be turned off from the keyfob. The only way to silence it is to disconnect the battery and leave the car unlocked which is not safe when parked in the street or anywhere.
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.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, May 6, 2022
When parked, the car begins to try to turn on. The interior lights flash, systems fire and the battery drains. Twice I was left stranded having to rely on tow trucks, replacing batteries that were still functional and running car continuously in order to not drain it since it is my only car and I needed reliable vehicle to get to my kids. I could have been stranded in unsafe areas, thus impacting the safety of myself and family. There was no warnings before this happened the first time. Then, after changing the battery, it went another week without issue and then randomly happened again, without warning or indicators. It was looked at by 2 mechanics, the first (Christian brothers automotive) could not find a problem. The second (Honda dealership) diagnosed it as “body control module failure-code b12d3”. They were not able to fix my car after diagnosing the problem today because they didn’t have the part in stock. So, I am now having to disconnect my battery every time I park to prevent it from draining the battery and honking. As a single mom, with only one vehicle, this will be a long wait until the part arrives and can be fixed. On top of the exorbitant wait, the repair quote is $861.63 to correct. This is a manufacturing malfunction for which I do not believe should be my financially responsibility. Honda cars have had recalls of the BCM modules starting with the 2018 models. It is not a huge stretch to assume the 2017 pilot BCM was flawed as well. I hope this is made right, a recall issued and my repairs expedited and paid for by Honda.
Electrical system, Engine, May 1, 2022
The auto Start-Stop function is not working properly. In several occasions when the engine stops at a red light the engine will not start again. This has caused many dangerous situations as we got stuck in the middle of an intersection. The dealer has not been able to identify the problem. Also linked to this electrical problem is at time all kids of electrical warning messages appear in the cluster. I expect this to be an electrical/battery related problem.
Other or unspecified, Apr 30, 2022
On Saturday, 30 April 2022, While driving approximately 65 mph on a state highway in Alabama from Florida, the sunroof spontaneously exploded. Thankfully, at the time of the incident the sunroof and shade were both closed. However, had the shade been open, all of the glass would’ve shattered on my two children, my husband, and myself. Being that this occurred while I was driving, it could have resulted in a serious accident. I have never had any issues with the sunroof up until this incident. There were no warning lamps or system messages that there were any problems with my vehicle. My vehicle has always been regularly serviced at a certified Honda dealership service center since I purchased it in 2017.
Electrical system, Apr 11, 2022
The Auto Idle will kill the engine at a stoplight and force you to restart the vehicle when the light turns green. It is dangerous, and have caused many near accidents and frustrated drivers.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 6, 2022
The camera assembly - monocular unit mounted in front of the rear view mirror just stopped working. It’s responsive for a multitude of safety systems, such as: Automatic Emergency Braking, Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Asst.