2021 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 434 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 12 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 8 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
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerFeb 1, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Campaign 24V064000 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
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderJun 29, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Campaign 23V458000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, display functionJun 15, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EEL, ZEM, and SFC.
Campaign 23V431000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, rearview mirrors/devices, exteriorMar 16, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace both left and right side-view mirrors, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FE5.
Campaign 23V174000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresNov 20, 2020
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain 2021 Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental CrossContact LX Sport 245/50R20 102 H tires with DOT serial number A376 D3K9 2920 and mold numbers S-421920 and S-421921. The tires may have been cured for a time beyond the specification limits.
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.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tires and replace the tires that have the affected DOT serial number and mold number, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is U8Y.
Campaign 20V725000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareJul 28, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
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.
Honda will notify owners that updated software is available. Owners have the option to either follow the mailed instructions to download and update the software for free, or visit a dealer to have the software update performed, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is Y7Y.
Campaign 20V440000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraJul 28, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.
Campaign 20V439000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
127 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Oct 4, 2023
I was driving my Pilot and came to a stop during stop and go traffic on a highway. Normally the auto stop/start feature would stop the engine and start it again when I released the brake, but at this stop the vehicle stopped the engine and lost all power. The car went completely dead. As traffic started moving again I had no idea what was going on and my vehicle was in the path of moving traffic causing a hazard and safety risk to myself and others. I was able to restart the vehicle with the normal procedure, but it was in park and had to be shifted back into drive to get moving again. This became a normal occurrence so I took the vehicle to Honda for evaluation. They contend that the battery, while still "good", was not providing adequate voltage for the stop/start system. Proposed solutions were continue use but manually deselect auto start/stop function each time I started the car or replace the battery (at my expense - not covered by warranty). I am reporting this due to how the vehicle handles this lower voltage state of the battery. I think it if the vehicle senses this situation it should 1) notify the driver of the low voltage state of the battery and 2) automatically turn of the auto start/stop function of the vehicle thereby preventing an unsafe and startling vehicle shutdown while on the road and in traffic. This is an unsafe vehicle reaction that should not occur with proper system programming. I confirmed with the dealership this is a normal occurrence when the battery falls below certain voltage requirements, but the operator of the vehicle has no prior knowledge when this situation might occur (ie no warning light). This creates a potential for vehicle accidents and personal injury. Some type of warning and automatic suspension of the auto stop/start feature should occur.
Electrical system, Sep 22, 2023
The car shuts down when coming to an idle such while stopping at a light. All systems are powered down including the hazard lights, front and tail lights and windows. The car has so far restarted after multiple attempts at the start button. This may range from 30 seconds to 5 minutes before the car will restart. This is a safety concern as when this occurs in traffic especially at night with limited visibility, this can lead to being rear ended waiting for the vehicle to start. When this occurs is unpredictable. The Honda dealer was unable to replicate the issue and as such carried out a software reset to address the issue. This has happened 8 times already.
Electrical system, Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the information center was not connecting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V439000 (Back Over Prevention, Electrical System) and the vehicle was repaired but the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Electrical system, Aug 9, 2023
Two weeks ago, the audio in my 2021 Pilot became very distorted also as if the car was losing power. On my way to work this morning, I reached a red light, came to a complete stop, and the vehicle went into idle mode as normal. However, while in idle mode the vehicle turned completely off just as I was about to release the brakes to start driving again. The battery indicator on the gauge clustor flashed a few times and the car automatically went into neutral. I was not able to put the vehicle back into park as instructed by the message prompt. After waiting a couple of minutes, I pressed AND held the start button and the vehicle finally turned back on. I do not know what the issue is, but due to this incident I felt that it was completely unsafe.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 31, 2023
Honda Pilot 2021 Elite AWD w/ 34k miles shuts down at a complete stop e.g. traffic light, stop sign or highway stop and go rush hour. Panel says put in Neutral, but the push button transmission shift does not respond. Attempts to restart with the push start/stop button and fails multiple times first and then it starts again, while other motorists are honking behind you for blocking traffic. Major safety concern.
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 16, 2023
When going from stop light, car died in middle of intersection. Couldn’t get it started. Had it towed to dealership.Dealer did diagnostics and couldn’t find any issue. Drove car home. Turned it off. The car would not restart. Had it towed back to dealership. Not sure if it’s starter, alternator, auto engine stop features. Battery seems to be Gett drained. Danger is that the car randomly dies and won’t start. Dealer has no idea of the issue. Tow truck driver said he has towed severs Honda pilots with the same issue.
Electrical system, Jun 8, 2023
Audio system popping noise affecting the dashboard system and audio system not working loss of power controls to use any of the systems digital components including speed control backup camera entire audio system
Electrical system, May 25, 2023
The Entertainment system makes popping and crackling sounds and will cut out. This is very distracting while driving. It does not allow you to use the screen at all including to view backing up. I contacting Honda Corp and was told to get a formal diagnosis which is scheduled for June 16, 2023. Was also told this has happened many times before in other models of pilots.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Seats, May 14, 2023
Last week the the security alarm went off for no reason. The following day, I arrived to work and parked my car. 45 minutes later, I am notified my headlights were on. I ALWAYS keep my headlights on AUTO so they never should have been on. After I started my car for a minute, everything seems fine. 3 hours later, I hear an alarm in the parking lot but did not think it was my vehicle. I leave work and go to outside and realize my alarm has been going off for a couple of hours. I go to open my vehicle and try to start the car but all the whole dashboard lit up and the speakers were popping and making horrible noises. I could not get the car started and my driver seat kept moving on its own. I called Honda of Murfreesboro and they advised that I needed to get my vehicle towed. I receive a call the next day and I was told that it had an electrical malfunction and the entire keyless access control unit needed to be replaced along with the connector ends. I have had several issues with the 2021 Pilot and this takes the cake. First it was the auto/stop at a red light and it completely shut off the engine. I had to turn the vehicle off and shift to park and then start the car. Also my "warning brake" lights come on randomly which alarms me and it will shift the car over. I also have had some issues with getting on an entrance ramp and the car doesn't want to pick up speed and I push the gas and the RPM's rev. This vehicle is unsafe.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Mar 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving in stop and go traffic, the Auto START/STOP feature malfunctioned causing the vehicle to lose electrical power and shut off. During the failure, the display and instrument panel became inoperable. Additionally, the turn signals were inoperable, and the shifter could not be shifted to neutral. Triple AAA was called to the scene and was able to get the vehicle restarted by recharging the battery. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact referenced the NHTSA Investigation: PE22005 and indicated that the vehicle experienced a similar failure. The failure mileage was 29,000.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Feb 14, 2023
2021 Honda Pilot Black Edition with 37,007 miles. Navigation screen will display "Network Communication Lost" and "MOST Net Off" before completely shutting down for 5-10 minutes at a time, only to do the same thing after resetting. This is a known issue for Honda, hence Technical Service Bulletin 20-058 to cover a range of vehicles, including my 21 Pilot; most older covered vehicles are at 5 years 60k miles, but because my vehicle is newer, it isn't covered and is limited to 3 years 36k miles. I am having to pay out of pocket for these repairs. Contacted Honda and they couldn't help, stating my vehicle is out of warranty. It makes no sense to cover older vehicle but not a newer one when these issues are known and reported under TSB 20-058. Honda complaint Case # 13646867.
Electrical system, Jan 24, 2023
There is speaker cracking noise and monitor goes black when using navigation. This is distracting and dangerous do to myself as a driver and others. It is distracting and concerning that a new vehicle goes crazy and Honda has no idea how to fix this. I have taken the vehicle to get serviced 4 times and still there is no resolution.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 2, 2022
My 2021 Honda Pilot's Idle-Stop System has been failing at random and dangerous times. The engine shuts off when Idle-Stop is engaged and as expected. However and until recently; when I release my foot from the break, nothing happens. The engine does not start. Restarting the engine has taken me to shift to park, turn the car off, wait a few minutes, and then it starts without any hesitation. Today this happened during a busy stop where I did not feel safe for myself or my passengers. The problem does not reproduce at my will or by performing any specific set of steps. After today, I'm nervous to drive with this system enabled. The problem never happens if I remember to manually disable the Idle-Stop System every time I start my car. Nevertheless, it's not a normal practice for me to have to disengage a feature that should work. This problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or any others. There were no warning lamps, sounds, messages, or other symptoms prior that would indicate an imminent failure.
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 20, 2022
My car, a 2021 Honda Pilot, has a feature called "Idle-Stop" where the engine stops when the break is depressed, when the break is released, the engine is supposed to start back up. Twice in the past week, while at an intersection, the Idle-Stop has engaged, stopping the engine, but failed to start the engine back up. After this occurs, I could NOT start the car back up, the engine would not turn over. The first occurrence was at the turn lane of a very busy intersection and there were numerous cars blocked by mine. Thankfully after about 30 minutes, the car managed to start up. I took it immediately to the Honda dealership where they said the car needed a software update. The dealership said the battery was fine and that there were no other issues. One week later, the same thing happened, I was a stop light and the Idle-Stop feature stopped the engine and it failed to start back. My 2 children were in the car this time, I felt very much that our safety was in danger. This time, I needed a jump start to get the engine started.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 18, 2022
Auto restart stalls the car when reengaging the engine after coming to a full stop
Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 1, 2022
With the auto idle feature engaged (disengaging requires manually turning off the system with each vehicle start) while at a stop light the auto idle feature shut the engine off. Typically, when you release the brake the car start back up and you can begin to accelerate. Over the past few months the issue has stalled the engine, but restarted and give the warning "Collision Mitigation Braking System Malfunction." On the past 2 occurrences the engine has shut off completely and I have had to restart the car. This occurs when at an intersection or similar after going into a complete stop, so vehicles around you are ready to move. Once it took me opening the car door and closing it to get the electronics to allow the car to restart.
Electrical system, Aug 29, 2022
When the automatic engine shut-off is engaged during traffic stops, sometimes the power to the vehicle shuts off. It can happen at stop signs with out warning. The vehicle usually powers back up in Park.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 8, 2022, crash
Auto braking applies randomly cause brakes to lock up happens when driving in any conditions. This problem has already caused a minor accident with my vehicle due to brakes locking up and no throttle
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2022
New car battery and car died while waiting at a light. The vehicle idle/stop system kicked in but car was not able to restart. While lights were still available on dashboard, the emergency hazards would not show nor could I put the car in neutral. The dealer looked at this problem twice, first time stating this can just happen and this time they said the new battery was perhaps faulty and replaced the battery. Very dangerous situation as the car just died at the light and cars had no way of knowing the car was disabled as the hazards would not work. Had an emergency jumper pack and was able to move the car to get out of road before it died again- no option to push car as I could not put car in neutral. This is the 3rd time this issue with the battery dying has happened and dealer cannot supply an answer except to swap out the battery. Less than 1.5 years old and <26K miles.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 23, 2022
The car's automatic engine shut-off feature when stopped at a red light failed to reengaged after removing foot from break the car shut down and the transmission button shifted into neutral and displayed a message that you must put your foot on the brake and shift the car to Park. The battery indicator light was flashing and everything turned off in the car. After doing this the car told me I must put my foot on the break and restart the car. It then allowed me to shift back into drive. The dealer was not able to recreate the issue, and no other things showed the issue other than the battery indicator lamp flashing on and off until the car was back in drive. The light I lost all power at was on a road with a 55 MPH speed limit. When the light turned green and the car lost all power there was another vehicle approaching, but I was not able to get the car moving fast enough to get out of the way.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 16, 2022
Our Pilot is brand new - we started noticing popping and cracking sounds from the dashboard. It is pretty loud. We thought it was possibly the radio but it continues with the radio off. We thought it was the dashboard contracting/expanding but it happens in all weather. It has become increasing loud and consistent and now any sounds from the stereo, regardless of input, skip and glitch and we turn it off and the popping and cracking sound continues seemingly from the speakers. We took it to the dealership for repair but they said they can't repair it. This is not acceptable for a new car.
Electrical system, Oct 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, he noticed that several warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact continued driving to his residence. The following day the warning lights disappeared. Several months later the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic related the failure to an unknown electrical failure and performed a software update to fix the vehicle. the contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Sep 7, 2021
Loud popping and crackling noise emitting from speakers. Cannot turn them off, and causes major interruptions in navigation, radio, entertainment. Dealer said Falkra wiring is faulty, but is back-ordered, and could not even give us an estimate of when it would arrive. Essentially told us to suck it up, but it is more than distracting (my daughter actually said it gives her a headache) and I'm worried about larger (safety) issues if the wiring is indeed faulty. What if my other electrical systems malfunction as well?
Electrical system, Aug 15, 2021
There is an issue with the electrical system in this car. The radio has intermittent static on any station and hands free calls drop after a short period. I have Googled this and it is a very common complaint on this type/year vehicle. I am concerned there are other electrical issues that may be more safety related. The dealer did a hard reboot of the computer, but nothing changed.
Electrical system, Jul 16, 2021
I was about to cross the border I was not driving faster than 3 mph when a few functions stop working