2025 Honda Pilot
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 202 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 23 Pilot model years with reports.
Of the 2025 reports, 11 involved a crash. 11 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
Seat belts, rear/otherFeb 5, 2025
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The third-row passenger seat belt assembly may not function, due to incorrect routing that traps the seat belt behind the passenger side panel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
A non-functioning seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Dealers will inspect and repair the seat belt routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is ZL4.
Campaign 25V056000 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
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
55 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 12, 2026
Electrical issues began around 15,000 miles. Since then, the vehicle has been in the shop many times for electrical-related concerns and has required towing twice. Most concerning, these failures have left us stranded in dangerous conditions on multiple occasions. These incidents represent serious safety risks to our family and others on the road. We have been diligent about regular maintenance as well. A Honda vehicle of this age and mileage should not experience repeated electrical system breakdowns that compromise vehicle control and driver safety. When the car errors come on the car has lost AWD (while in the mountains in a snow storm) acceleration, the ability to change driving modes, and this most recent event we lost complete access to the driver panel and steering while driving. This electrical issue has been documented over 5 times and we have been told specifically by the dealers weve been towed or brought to "You may have drove it too hard" or "We reset the codes and the car is now driving fine" or "we can't find a problem". Most recently the alternator failed and they will not back to repair because it's past 36,000. We want to see Honda fix these issues before someone is seriously injured. We have photos and video of all of the warnings each time they happened. We also have documentation of each electrical failure, the date, the mileage and what we were told by the dealership in response.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 18, 2026
Some Drive Assist Systems cannot operate: Clean Area shown. This message keeps appearing without any weather factors or anything to cause it. Happens nearly daily while using adaptive cruise. Then the next day without doing anything (like cleaning area) it starts working.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 9, 2026
This is an update to my previous entry regarding my 2025 Honda Pilot. The car dealership brought the Pilot back to us in February, 2025, stating there was nothing more they could do and told us it was unfixable. From February until current, we continue to experience the same safety concerns: We will be driving it on the highway, going 70 mph, the Pilot brakes hard to half its speed, and all safety features are disabled. Every single time we drive it. We are left with only the gas and brakes. It will randomly come back to full function, sometimes it takes 15 minutes, sometimes it's 45 minutes. This occurs in clear weather where nothing is blocking the radar. We are fearful that it's only a matter of time before we get hit from behind. There is no way to disengage the Adaptive Cruise Control in this vehicle and have standard cruise control. Honda has stated that it is not "unsafe enough" for them to help us. I never imagined I would spend this kind of money on a new vehicle and be fearful of driving it. And that there is no solution to fix it. They took our money and have been completely unethical.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Dec 4, 2025
After driving my car from the dealer after purchase all the safety features have warning lights on the dash. Break system error ,electric power steering problem ,road departure mitigation problem, collision mitigation problem, lane keep assist problem, adaptive cruise control problem, tsa problem, hill start assist problem, vsa problem, abs problem, electric parking brake problem. Its seems like all of the safety features are not working. i took the car to the dealer and said it was just a battery issue, they went ahead and replace the battery but it was still the same, all the error message came out soon after driving from the dealer service department. After that they said they will replace the speed wheel sensor. I got my car back hopefully that resolved the issues. This cars should not pass QC, this problem happened right after driving the vehicle of the dealer lot after purchase.
Forward collision avoidance, Dec 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at 30-35 MPH, an abnormal alarm sound could be heard coming from the crash imminent braking system. The contact stated that the vehicle braked independently. The contact depressed the brake pedal. The contact stated that there were no vehicles in front. The message "brake" was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle resumed functioning as intended afterwards. The contact sustained minor injuries, possibly whiplash. and neck pain. The contact was able to arrive at the residence without any incident. The contact stated that it was the third time the failure had occurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Forward collision avoidance, Nov 24, 2025
The automatic braking will brake unintentionally while driving on the highway or street. The vehicle will brake suddenly without warning. It will do this in all kind of conditions. It happens when there are no vehicles around as well. This is very scary and it has almost gotten us into accidents.
Forward collision avoidance, Oct 20, 2025
While driving through a construction zone on Route 81 at 55mph the car suddenly braked extremely hard to 30mph. It was very sudden and slammed me so my seatbelt activated. Fortunately no one was behind me. There was no one in front of me. Concrete lane barriers were on my left side. I have gone through this construction zone many times before and have never had this happen. If this had happened during a week day with traffic it would have caused a severe accident. The collision warning signal came on when the brakes suddenly engaged. I am scheduling an appointment with dealer to see what the cause was.
Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 25, 2025
While driving the right center forward collision warning "approaching object" came on with 4 red bars for no reason, repeatedly. Additionally a warning saying "low speed braking control problem. Parking sensor obstructive" came on intermittently. Upon returning home I noticed that two sensors had become dislodged and fallen into the bumper. They appear to only have been held on by double sided tape. There are no obvious signs of impact, I have not had any collision, and the vehicle was purchased new. The failure appears to be one of the following 3 potential issues: 1) It could possibly be a very poor design choice, by Honda, to tape the parking sensors onto the vehicle. I don't understand why the mounting was not engineered to be injection molded as part of the lower garnish. That would easily reduce the vehicle parts count. 2) It may also be a poor decision in materials by the manufacturer. Honda may have specified an inferior adhesive that is incapable of sustaining the forces involved, or not capable of withstanding the exterior climate. 3) Least likely, but still possible, is the possibility that Honda's trusted retail partner, Conicelli Honda 19428, sold me a car with pre-existing damage that was not disclosed. A malfunctioning safety systems is dangerous to both the driver, other vehicles, and human life. Not only are the excessive malfunctioning notification a distraction to the driver, if a child was to run out in front of the vehicle, the vehicle would not recognize them and they could be hurt. Additionally if it triggers any other safety features such as automatic breaking, it could cause accident, especially if multiple vehicles in the road are experiencing the same issue. I look forward to a resolution.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 8, 2025
The vehicle intermittently thinks it is about to be involved with a collision. It illuminates the brake warning lights and slams on the brakes on its own and brings the car to a complete stop. We almost got rear ended by a semi truck the first time this happened and we were on a highway. Traffic had to take evasive action to prevent an accident. Honda is aware of this issue and admits their is a problem and has informed us their is no fix for it yet. Honda case # [XXX] and Joel is our point of contact at the Honda outreach program. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) The vehicle is unsafe to drive and is going to get us hurt or killed or others as well. The vehicle has only 1,700 miles on it and is brand new. The last incident timeframe is listed below but it has happened quite a few times with no traffic present and clear roads.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 30, 2025
Uncommanded braking at approximately 35 mph. 7-8 instances. All on same 1mile stretch of road.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 21, 2025
While driving on the highway my vehicle out of nowhere activated the automatic collision break system. The breaks were activated or pressed automatically and my vehicle had a sudden jerk becase of the quick, sudden drop in speed. The car had an immediate drop in speed about 20-30 mph then resumed to pick up speed to the original speed eventually picking up to normal speeds.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Forward collision avoidance, May 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to detect the odor. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the Forward Collision Avoidance feature independently activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. During the failure, the message "Reduce Speed" was displayed, but no other vehicles or objects were nearby. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,000.
Engine, Forward collision avoidance, May 21, 2025
While driving with speed control on the vehicle will show warning light in dash and say something is blocking front camera sensor. Causing mirrors to tint automatically xm radio to stop Bluetooth problems and no crude control. Nothing blocking camera have to stop and restart vehicle. Throttle problems intermittent not smooth. To much throttle causing it to shift hard at start downshifting is hard and can also do this in reverse. Have had this at a dealer once and bring back again. They adjusted the throttle body. Seemed to do nothing.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 14, 2025, crash
My 2025 Honda Pilot’s Collision Mitigation Braking System and backup sensors have failed three times at low speed, resulting in collisions with objects directly behind or in front of the vehicle. These include a front collision with a tree, running over a small tricycle, and backing into a tree — all under 5 mph with sensors fully enabled. The system failed to detect or respond in any instance. This is a critical safety failure
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 17, 2025
The cruise control quits intermittently while driving. It has since November 2024. The Honda Dealer says they do not have a fix. It increases driver fatigue and it surprises you as you are driving. The alert is to clean sensor, but cleaning doesn’t fix it. It has been inspected by Harr Honda and they can’t fix it.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Apr 2, 2025
The system just shuts down. It may start working again but when it shuts down it is like you put on the brakes. Is usafe if you are being followed. 65
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 20, 2025
I was travelling northbound in the right lane, of two lanes, on Hwy 55 in St. Louis Tuesday around 0715 when my Honda Pilot suddenly braked very hard; the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) had gone off without reason. I was in a construction zone and I was probably traveling about 50 miles per hour. There were no barriers immediately in front of me, as in a hard curve left or right and definitely no vehicle in front of me and thankfully no vehicle behind me, considering the normal bumper-to-bumper morning traffic. I did not come to a complete stop, well I don't think I did, but slowed greatly enough that all vehicles on my left driving past me fairly fast. I was in shock and confused unable to figure out happened. After a brief assessment of my surrounding I accelerated and continued on my way to work. If someone has been following me I have no doubt they would have collided with me, worse it could have been a tractor trailer! I got to work and was mentally shot for the rest of the day. The dealer was friendly, somewhat empathetic and I scheduled a maintenance check up. I have owned the car less than one month of this this report. I am already looking for a new vehicle and will NEVER own a Honda again. Driving this vehicle with that CMBS that can go off randomly, a/k/a "phantom brake" is nerve raking. I do my best to remember disable the system before driving. Sadly, a system I would ordinarily enjoy having. Also, I now fear following other Honda drivers because if their CMBS fail I might crash into them! The idea Honda has not repaired this or a recalled their vehicles is mind bending; this could cause fatalities! Frankly, their complacency is nothing short of apathy for human life. I am going to lose thousands of dollars getting out of this vehicle, which I find unacceptable and cruel. I am happy to testify to this account and am telling you this is nothing short of my sworn statement.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 19, 2025
Vehicle collision system for warning distance was placed to low setting. Driving about 30mph with no cars in front but a large dually on my left lane and a truck on my right lane, similar speed or slightly less, all of us 3 approaching an under construction intersection. Neither car came in my lane yet my system warned me to break and then activated the brakes forcefully. Rear passenger witnessed also and agreed they saw no cause to trigger sudden breaking. No car behind me or else we would have been rear ended. Tried turning system completely off but it resets every time at car startup.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Mar 8, 2025
My car is cycling through warnings about several systems including braking, power steering, trailer stability assist, electric parking break, emissions, low speed braking, collision mitigation, cruise control, electric power steering.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 1, 2025
Subject: Safety Complaint Regarding Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunction – 2025 Honda Pilot Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am filing a formal complaint regarding a recurring safety issue with my 2025 Honda Pilot, which I purchased in September 2024. The vehicle’s Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system frequently and unexpectedly turns off while driving on the highway, creating a serious road safety hazard. This issue has been happening intermittently since I bought the vehicle, and despite bringing it to Honda’s attention, they have not acknowledged or addressed the problem. The sudden deactivation of the ACC system can cause unexpected speed changes, forcing the driver to react quickly and potentially leading to hazardous driving conditions. Given the increasing reliance on driver-assist technologies, such malfunctions pose a risk to both the driver and other motorists on the road. I have reported this issue to my local Honda dealership, but they have not provided a permanent resolution. I am concerned that other Honda Pilot owners may be experiencing the same problem, which could indicate a widespread defect. Therefore, I urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter thoroughly and take appropriate action, including issuing a recall if necessary, to prevent potential accidents. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and inform me of any next steps. I am available to provide further details or documentation as needed. I appreciate your prompt attention to this critical safety concern. I also attached photos of the said issue. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving 74 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 50 MPH. The message "Front Driver's Assist System Cannot Operate - Clean Area Some" was displayed. The contact stated while in the process of pulling over to the side of the road, the vehicle accelerated as needed. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front radar had gone into LIMP mode and was misaligned. The dealer realigned the radar. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that it was a known failure and that the front radar of the vehicle could become misaligned after hitting a pothole. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 1,172.
Forward collision avoidance, Feb 18, 2025
When we have taken this vehicle on the highway or interstate, the Adaptive Cruise Control randomly disengages while driving and renders any cruise options unusable. When this happens the vehicle brakes hard while driving. The braking system also randomly brakes hard while driving, even if the cruise control is working. This is a huge safety concern as we are on the highway and interstate with several other vehicles around us. We are worried we will get in an impact collision from the rear. We have taken this vehicle to a certified Honda repair center four times for this specific concern and this 4th occurrence, the Pilot has been there for over 27 days with no resolution. This is a brand new vehicle and we have had this safety issue/faulty ACC since we purchased it.
Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 13, 2025
During the most recent weather, light snow, the sensor on the front of the car ices over and disables many of the safety features while driving. The driver will get a caution alert on the dash that says "some" safety features "May" be disabled. However, there is no information about which ones or why. This particular issue has happened multiple times in inclement weather. Also I know it's a problem as while in the dealership many were calling asking g about why this was happening. It is a danger to drivers. If they heated the "H" emblem, where the radar sensor is, it would not be a problem. I have included photos of the dash at the time along with photos of the emblem iced over and the general conditions outside at the time, very light snow
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 8, 2025
My brand new 2025 Honda Pilot frequently (several times per week) will deploy the CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System) causing the brakes to be applied harshly and bringing the vehicle to a near stop, despite there being nothing in the road ahead, behind, or to the sides of the vehicle. This happened the first time with only 100 miles on the vehicle. My concern for safety is that sudden unexpected braking could cause an accident and lead to potential injury/death. I've had the vehicle to the dealership 5 times and they've had a handful of excuses. First the alignment of the car was off. Next was a replacement of the radar unit, which they believed to be faulty. The next visits resulted in my Honda tech telling me that a "large radio tower" near where I live are causing interference with the system. However when I received the paper work it says there are large power lines causing interference. I live in a small town and there are no large power lines or large radio towers visible from where I live. I believe Honda is making excuses to get me to stop bothering them with this issue. After all of these trips, Honda is refusing to look at the vehicle again, despite it's behavior putting myself and my family at risk. There were no warning lamps, messages, or anything other symptoms prior to this happening.
Lane departure, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 13, 2024
We own two Hondas. On December 18, 2024 someone stole the radar senders from both vehicles. I takes a little over a minute to steal these. The Honda dealer states that Honda Corp has offered no solution. Beyond expense this negates the cars high tech safety features which makes the vehicle unsafe to drive per the numerous warning that flash on the dash board. As you can understand, there is no effective way to stop this safety defect from reoccurring. The solution may be an encrypted design for the sensor, that only works on the car it was installed on. Police report cannot be made until we know the accurate repair cost.