2023 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Seat belts is the leading concern among 144 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 17th highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2023 reports, 3 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 3 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, pedals and linkagesJun 12, 2025
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.
Campaign 25V391000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, fuel injection systemJan 23, 2025
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.
Campaign 25V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, filler pipe and capNov 27, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OKM.
Campaign 24V900000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, critical fastenersNov 14, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Honda Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Pilot, and 2024 HR-V, Acura Integra and Acura Integra Type S vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may not have been tightened properly, which can result in an unsecured seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 207, "Seating Systems."
An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 6, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 24V859000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, rack and pinion, rackNov 2, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Pilot vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the gear box assembly may contain a loose ball bearing, which can result in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.
A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the electric power steering rack, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FFX.
Campaign 23V735000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
17 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 22, 2026
I have this car for more than 3 years now and ever since this sensor problem keeps bugging me out. The brake system hold error keeps on displaying specially on a rainy days, winter season and not only that, the car suddenly stopped in the middle of thw highway while displaying collision error message although there is no collision. This is very dangerous and knowing that it can happen anytime while your are driving on a highway. I am very frustrated and this type of cars is not cheap and they gave as a junk, not safe for driving cars. And jus today, my honda pilot is not starting at all. The engine keeps cranking while showing brake system hold error, collision error messages and a lot more. I was able to use it last night and suddenly for no reason it stops working because of some errors that I do not have any idea what's going on. Please, I need this to be fix by them (Honda). This is not a safe care at all.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 9, 2026
I own a 2023 Honda Pilot. On two separate occasions while the vehicle was being driven, the vehicle experienced multiple system warnings and a significant loss of steering assistance. The first incident occurred before July 16, 2026, at approximately 40,605 miles. While my wife was driving, multiple warning lights illuminated and the steering wheel suddenly became extremely stiff and difficult to turn, although the engine remained running. She was able to pull over, turn the vehicle off, and restart it. After the restart, the warning lights disappeared and the steering returned to normal. I brought the vehicle to John Eagle Honda of Dallas on July 16, 2026. The dealer's repair order documents: “CUSTOMER STATES MULTIPLE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND STEERING WHEEL GOT REALLY STIFF BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING.” The dealer reported that it performed a battery check and charging-system test, found no stored diagnostic trouble codes, could not duplicate the condition during a test drive, and performed no repair. The problem occurred again on September 8, 2026, at approximately 42,511 miles while my wife was driving. Once again, the steering became extremely difficult to operate. During this second incident, my wife also reported that the brakes were not functioning normally. Multiple warning lights and system-failure messages appeared simultaneously. Photographs were taken of the instrument cluster before the condition cleared. One message specifically stated: “Electric power steering system problem. Steering assist not available. Do not drive.” Another stated: “AWD All wheel drive system problem. Only front wheels may be powered. See your dealer.” The instrument cluster also displayed additional warning indicators associated with other vehicle systems. This is particularly concerning because the failure has now occurred twice while the vehicle was being driven. Turning the vehicle off and restarting it has caused the symptoms and warnings to disappear.
Service brakes, Jun 11, 2026
Brake system error displayed on dash. Hill decent system error. Dealership was unable to diagnose and had to replace 2 major wiring harnesses under the dash to clear light.
Seat belts, Seats, Service brakes, Feb 8, 2026
Seatbelt sensors for the passenger second row dinging off and on when seatbelt is buckled. Also the light coming on that says emergency brake unavailable.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 22, 2025
El carro tiene fallas con el sistema eléctrico de frenos y no arranca.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 23, 2025
While driving on U.S Highway 521 in South Carolina, the vehicle experienced SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED BRAKING AND VIOLENT SHAKING even though there were no cars or obstacles directly in front of me. The sensation was so strong it felt as if the car had been rear-ended, but there was no impact. The issue has happened MULTIPLE TIMES since I purchased the vehicle new in 2023. Each time, traffic was flowing normally, and no immediate hazard was present. The closest car in front of me was several car lenghts away, yet the PILOT suddenly braked on its own. The problem appears to be linked to the COLLISION MITIGATION BRAKING SYSTEM or related driver-assist sensors, which seem to be misreading conditions and triggering false emergency braking. This defect creates a serious SAFETY HAZARD. The abrupt, forceful braking puts me and my family at risk of being rear-ended by following vehicles. It has also caused panic and near-miss incidents in traffic. I am filling this complaint to ensure it is formally documented and investigated as SAFETY DEFECT. This is a serious risk to DRIVER AND PASSENGERS and could lead to accidents. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate whether this defect affects other HONDA PILOT vehicles.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 29, 2025
7/25/2025 i was driving my wife’s pilot between 55 and 60 mph when the vehicle alerted me to several warnings and the braking system stuck at the top of the pedal not allowing the vehicle to slow in a construction zone. I was able to limp the vehicle home but the vehicle was extremely difficult to slow at red lights. The vehicle was towed from residence after sitting and the tow truck driver said the vehicle was not showing any warning signs. The dealership in paducah test drove the vehicle and did not see anything wrong with it. They subsequently checked and there was a diagnostic for brake booster failure. The vehicle has 41,000 miles on it. In addition it went to the dealership at 9,981 miles for electronic parking brake sticking and the ike dealership said there was nothing wrong. There are other reports of woners on youtube who have had this failure or similar with one member having to ditch the vehicle. I almost wrecked and hit a vehicle that slowed in front of me. The system thew error codes to include failure in electronic steering, transmission, hill descent, electronic braking, and others. I recorded the errors on the dash. This vehicle has also thrown airbag error with only a few thousand miles. The vehicle has side panels that have fallen off and and seals on the panoramic sunroof that have failed.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 10, 2025
Automatic Braking System (ABS) automatically applied brakes when I was 2 car lengths behind a vehicle that was turning and the sensor detected the vehicles brake lights. There was enough space between my vehicle and the one in front of me that was turning for me to stop if needed.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jun 22, 2024
Power steering went out while driving, car would not accelerate and several warnings showed up on dash. Warnings advised to see dealer and only drive at low speed. Dealership states at there is no problem so there is nothing they can do about it.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Feb 24, 2024
Several electric systems (ABS, electric power steering, collision mitigation, etc.) are showing as malfunctioning. The vehicle was diagnosed with a malfunctioning wheel speed sensor. The system alerts continue to occur daily, including when the vehicle is in operation. The rear liftgate no longer functions, along with other electrical features. Honda reports the sensor is backordered and hundreds of orders are ahead of ours, with an estimated availability date of May 15th. The car does not feel safe to drive but Honda refuses to provide a loaner vehicle. Online searching shows this to be a widely reported issue.
Wheels, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Feb 8, 2024
When driving on gravel the gravel will get stuck in the rear and front brake guards. This is making the rotors get scratched and damaged, also causes a very high screeching sound. This happens every time while driving on gravel or going over gravel. I am concerned about the brakes becoming unsafe and the braking system becoming damaged. This problem has not been inspected and no warning lights come on during the problem.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 23, 2023
our family was driving on the interstate at 70mph, when the electronic system malfunctioned. The car said every system was failing and to see dealer immediately. The car immediately stopped accelerating, steering wheel shook, and car was difficult to control on the busy, holiday weekend interstate traffic. We had to be towed to Honda dealership, where they "fixed" the problem and we were good to go. 30 minutes later on the busy interstate, the same problem occurred again. Electrical, braking system, brakes started smelling hot. We had to drive on the interstate shoulder at 20 mph for 2 miles to an exit with our family of 5 and our dog. A second tow on Thanksgiving Eve. There were absolutely no warnings from the vehicle before the issue began. The car was bought with 320 miles on the odometer on November 20, and this occurred on November 22 with 570 miles on the odometer. From what we keep reading, we need 4 repairs for the same issue in order for the car to be considered "not operable" or "not safe." Are we supposed to drive on the interstate a few more times , get towed 2 more times, and just hope that we aren't hit and killed by a semi truck after our car suddenly stops accelerating? From looking online, there have been a large number of complaints with exact or similar issues. Does someone have to get killed for something more to happen?
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Nov 21, 2023
Vehicle will randomly display multiple warning lights- usually starting with the braking system, until all warnings are triggered. This has happened about 10 times so far. Happens in a variety of driving situations. When car is parked, it then requires multiple presses on start button to turn the car off. Every time this happens the rear lift gate is completely disabled and unable to open. About 11/15/2023 I have a video of the errors I can provide- it is a large file and can’t be attached with the other photos. The error also occurred one time while driving at about 70mph using the adaptive cruise. There were no vehicles ahead, but one was approaching from behind- the vehicle brakes or the cruise controls caused the car to rapidly decelerate. I had had to push the accelerator to avoid causing an accident with the person behind me. I had the passenger take a photo of the dashboard warnings. About 11/3/23
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 7, 2023
The Pilot emergency braked on its own as I was driving 30mph on a rural road, throwing myself and my children forward in our seats as the vehicle came to a stop. It was a violent action. No other vehicles or people were around us and no reason for the braking should have occurred.
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Sep 4, 2023
Honda Pilot 2023 Elite shows 15+ error messages on the instrument panel. Messages indicate emissions systems, breaking systems, power steering and various risk mitigation systems experiencing problems resulting in reduced performance. Errors show up when the vehicle starts and are easy to reproduce. Dealer has looked at the vehicle 3 separate times. Problem occurs again in few days after dealer visit. Dealer based on the system error code diagnosed the problem with the fuel system. So far the dealer has replaced the high pressure fuel pump, injector relay, fuel pressure regulator and fuel rail pressure sensor. Dealer says when the vehicle starts the problem with the fuel system causes the electrical/computer system to go in safety mode; this makes onboard computers believe all systems are failing. Dealers' attempts (in consultation with manufacturer support) have so far not resulted in successful resolution of the problem. Without taking undue risk, I have personally tested some of the safety systems in errors indicated on the cluster panel to actually not work, e.g. lane departure mitigation system. Importantly, it feels vehicles braking distance has increased and steering is harder compared to when vehicles had no issues. All errors that are displayed are listed below. 1. Emission system problem, 2. Break system problem, 3. Electric parking brake system problem, 4. Break hold system problem, 5. Electric power steering problem, 6. Trailer stability problem, 7. Adaptive cruise control system problem, 8. Road departure mitigation system problem, 9. Vehicle stability assist system problem, 10. Hill start assist problem, 11. Trailer stability assist problem, 12. Hill descent control system problem, 13. Collision mitigation breaking system problem, 14. Road departure mitigation system problem, 15. Low speed breaking control problem.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 22, 2023
At 850 miles on the odometer, the 2023 Honda Pilot ECU failed during normal operation of the vehicle on local roads, leading to a loss of power to engine transmission components, emissions systems, brake hold system, and traction control leading to reduced control and speed over the vehicle. The vehicle has been sent to the dealer for inspection of the OBD warning messages displayed. The driver was unable to operate the vehicle due to impaired speed, acceleration and braking capabilities that accompanied the ECU malfunction. The problem is currently being diagnosed by the dealer at the Keating Honda Service Center in Conroe, TX. The warning messages which appeared included the following while experiencing the ECU failure: Emissions System Problem. Avoid Heavy Acceleration and High Speed. See your Dealer Brake Hold System Problem " Traction Control Problem " Lane Keep Assist Problem " Adaptive Cruise Control Problem "
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 12, 2023
The vehicle was purchased 7/1/2023. It is a 2023 Honda Pilot. 8 days after the purchase (OD mileage: 332), on a major highway, all mechanical systems in the vehicle failed within 2 minutes of each other. The engine, brakes, electrical, airbags, AWD, all of the ADAS systems, etc. ALL lit up within about 5 minutes of each other. Soon after this happened, the vehicle essentially shut down and was forced to a stop in a turning lane off of the major highway. The vehicle gave no indication that this was coming. The dealership's immediate response was to assume that we had put diesel fuel in the vehicle (this was not the case). As of now, they still have not been able to determine the cause of these catastrophic failures. Completely unsafe! This failure event could have been lethal and no one has any answers...