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: service brakes
32 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 20, 2026
The automatic breaking sensor put on my brakes at random times. It happens when going over a small rise in the road and also happened on a 2 Lane road when a semi truck was coming the opposite direction totally within its lane and the sensor for some reason thought maybe the vehicle was in my lane. This caused a sudden breaking and could’ve caused an accident by either me reacting to that breaking or by Vehicle following me hitting my car. This has happened multiple times and is very disconcerting. I took it to the dealer, but they could not find anything wrong with the car.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 14, 2026
my vehicle since the first week verhicle stops for no reason comes into a sudden dangerous stop the vehicle in the highway turn off and vehicle take off on its own 0 to 40 miles on its own
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Aug 11, 2026
I was driving on a somewhat bumpy road (due to construction works in that location), when suddenly several warning lights came on. Driver assist was disabled, power steering and electrical braking were disabled as well. I was driving at 10mph (this was at a roundabout) so was able to control the vehicle and safely navigate it to a place where I could park. I turned off the vehicle and waited a few moments. When I turned it back on the warning lights cleared and I had power steering wheel/brake control as normal. I brought the vehicle to a certified Honda service station first thing in the morning. The report states an error code C0051-96 has occurred. The wheel sensor was recalibrated and the vehicle was cleared to drive by a Honda certified technician.
Electrical system, Seat belts, Service brakes, Aug 7, 2026
Safety Complaint – 2025 Honda Pilot EX-L Brake/Electric Parking Brake System Warning I am filing this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my 2025 Honda Pilot EX-L, which I purchased brand new from Paragon Honda in Queens, New York, approximately one year ago. The vehicle currently has only 47,089 miles and has never been involved in an accident. While driving, multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including a Brake System warning indicating a problem with the Electric Parking Brake system and that the parking brake was unavailable. This occurred unexpectedly while the vehicle was in operation and created a serious safety concern. A brake-related warning and loss of parking brake availability on a nearly new vehicle is unacceptable and requires immediate investigation. I immediately brought the vehicle to Paragon Honda Service Center in Queens for diagnosis. The dealership informed me that I may be responsible for diagnostic fees and possible repair costs, despite the vehicle being approximately one year old and covered by the Honda factory warranty. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this issue represents a potential safety defect affecting 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. I believe Honda should address this problem promptly and ensure that affected customers are protected from safety risks and unexpected repair expenses. Vehicle Information: Make/Model: 2025 Honda Pilot EX-L Mileage: 47,089 miles Dealer: Paragon Honda, Queens, NY
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Aug 6, 2026
On multiple occasions, under different driving conditions, the vehicle has experienced significant and rapid deceleration without any warning lights, diagnostic codes, or dashboard messages. The deceleration has occurred unexpectedly and creates a dangerous situation, particularly in traffic where a car or semi behind me is not anticipating the sudden decrease in speed. This requires me to fully depress the gas pedal which then creates a slingshot effect once acceleration takes hold. This situation was almost continuous on a recent long-distance drive and only stopped once I parked the car in my garage. The only “fix” for now is to drive in cruise control where speed will be maintained. Since then, I’ve only driven locally and it has happened almost daily but much more intermittent with local driving. It's happened at speeds from 12 mph-74 mph. This is NOT an adaptive cruise control issue and I drive with only my right foot.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 30, 2026
Collision Mitigation Braking System has activated numerous times while traveling on a straight road with no other vehicles around. The brakes activated hard where items shifted in the vehicle and the seatbelts locked. Occupants were thrust forward at the time of braking. Contact was make with the dealership and there are is not any fixes advised.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 22, 2026
Bought car late march 2026 from Toyota dealership . Collision Mitigation Braking System randomly engages. Forcefully slamming on brakes ( approx 1-2 seconds and then releasing) when NOTHING is in the road or around. No rhyme or reason , no consistency as to when it happens. Since Purchasing it has happed 9-10 times. **7/15/26 - visit Toyota for routine service, expresses my concerns. They said they couldn’t see anything bc their systems can’t diagnose Honda. **7/21/26 - Honda Dealership . says sensors are fine. (Spent less than 10 mins driving the vehicle). And recommends to turn the anti-collision feature off .. but it has to be turned off every time the vehicle restarts. For safety reasons - I don’t feel I should have to do this … the problem should be looked into and taken seriously. I can only imagine the catastrophe if I were in bumper to bumper traffic and it happens, causing a pile up.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 19, 2026
While driving my 2025 Honda Pilot at normal road speeds, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared on the dashboard, including steering system warnings. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and felt as though it had locked, creating a serious safety hazard. I had very limited ability to steer the vehicle and could have lost control, especially if this had occurred at higher speeds or in traffic. The vehicle had to be towed to a Honda dealership for inspection. I was informed there were issues involving the steering system, including the steering rack/rack and pinion, and an alignment was recommended. The estimated repair cost was approximately $5,900, and I was told the warranty would not cover the repair even though this appears to be an internal component failure. The failed components are available for inspection upon request. I believe this is a serious safety defect because a sudden loss of steering control while driving could easily result in a crash, serious injury, or death.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jul 6, 2026
While driving roughly 15 MPH, my car displayed emergency messages, brake applied automatically by the vehicle and the power steering failed. In order for me to get out of the way of traffic in an intersection, I had to veer to the opposite side of the road passing oncoming traffic. The following lights were displayed "TSA, Hill start assist problem vehicle may roll upon brake release, Vehicle Stability Assist problem reduced traction and handling, brake system problem brake system reduced, electric power steering problem steering assist not available do not drive" Vehicle has had no issues and only has 6,460 miles on it. Car is currently waiting to be towed to the dealership.
Service brakes, Jun 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH on a clear day, the braking system activated without driver input and caused the vehicle to come to a sudden stop. There were no other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects nearby to cause the automatic braking system to be activated. The sudden braking was recorded by the Insurance App. Due to the abrupt stop, the contact struck her head on the steering wheel when the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that the seat belts failed to respond or properly restrain the contact during the failure. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle resumed normal operation after the failure. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and opened a case about the failure. The manufacturer advised that a representative would provide a follow-up call. The contact was additionally provided with the telephone number for Roadside Assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 25, 2026
"On Friday afternoon, while driving alone on an open stretch of road at approximately 40 mph, my 2025 Honda Pilot's Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) experienced a catastrophic malfunction and initiated full emergency braking. The brakes locked up aggressively with absolutely no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles present in front of me. A transient warning light flashed on the screen for a few seconds but disappeared too quickly to read. The violent deceleration slammed me forward against the driver's seatbelt, causing physical trauma. The brakes released after a few seconds, allowing me to regain control and park the vehicle. I sought medical care first thing Monday morning, resulting in a diagnosis of acute neck strain and petechiae, as well as necessitating a specialized cardiovascular evaluation to check my pacemaker function due to localized swelling under the seatbelt line. The vehicle is entirely unsafe to operate, has been parked in my garage since Friday and is currently awaiting a Honda Care tow truck for dealer transport and data retrieval."
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 13, 2026, crash
This car on April 2nd, 2026 did not stop. I had pulled into a parking lot. Parked in the same space I have parked in for the last 12/13? Years. Upon driving into the space .. I pressed my brakes down for the car to stop. It did not stop. The car kept going/rolling My husband the passenger told me to STOP. I heard him plainly say. I told him I am stopping. But the car would not stop. It kept going and rolling into a brick building at the end of the parking space. We braced ourselves. What else do you do when your car won’t stop I was probably goingb8 mph. Nothing fast. Not on the phone. 75 degree perfect weather in [XXX] I’ve had this car about five months. No problem at all until this incident never in my life had I ever had brakes to fail me. Well the brakes failed. Technology is built by men and programmed by men. I am a nine car Honda owner. This car has a brake technology problem. With all the technology, it should have stopped on its own. It didn’t. When brakes are applied technology should work. In this case technology failed. This car has a brake defect technology problem. Brakes were applied a car doesn’t have to have a recall on it for it not to have a technology problem. These cars are not perfect. Programmed and built by human hands. ImnsurevifvMr. Soichiro Honda sat down with me and did this problem with one of his cars.. he would surely say” I’m sorry that happened to you” I’m sorry you’re brakes did not work and they did not . American Honda needs to recognize accountability. I wish they would experience what I experienced. It would be a scary situation that is if you survived yrs, I’m sure if it happened to them. No car is perfect. This one sure isn’t. I no longer am an owner of this 2025 Honda Pilot. Death trap it’s gone to somebody else. My life is worth living Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Vehicle speed control, May 5, 2026, crash
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while attempted to park the vehicle into a park spot occupied with her husband and granddaughter in the vehicle, the vehicle acceleratored independently causing the vehicle to crash into a brick wall. The contact stated that no air bags were deployed in her vehicle. The contact stated her granddaughter sustained a cut near her right eyebrow. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was towed to a collision center. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and they are investigating the matter. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, May 1, 2026
I was driving with my cruise control on, at the speed around 50 mph, thank goodness no other cars were around us, all of a sudden my car slammed on the brakes, a warning flashed but I happened so fast I wasn’t able to see what it said.
Service brakes, Apr 27, 2026
The vehicle is experiencing persistent dashboard warnings including "Brake performance may be reduced," "Low Speed Braking Control problem," and "Parking sensor problem." These issues have been presented to your authorized dealer, Napleton Honda in Morton Grove, on three separate occasions with no resolution: September 29, 2025: I arrived at the dealer bay with active warning lights. The service writer instructed me to simply restart the vehicle to clear the lights. I have photographic evidence of the warnings from this date. October 25, 2025: The vehicle was brought in for repair. I provided cell phone photos of the active dashboard warnings, yet the dealer reported "nothing found." April 20, 2026: The vehicle was again brought in for the same issues. I again provided cell phone photos as proof of the defect, but the dealer reported "nothing found." Despite the dealer's inability to diagnose the cause, my photographic documentation from 9/29/25, 10/25/25, 4/20/26, and 4/25/26 proves these defects are real, recurring, and significantly impair the safety and value of the vehicle.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 6, 2026, crash
On April 2nd, 2026. I was driving this car into a parking space. I had to be going 5 mph. Or slower. Probably even slower. Pulling in.. I applied the brakes of course. The car wouldn’t stop. My husband/passenger told me to STOP. I did stop. This car kept rolling and crashed/smashed/ hit the brick red building in front of us. No brake hold was displayed.. no nothing. No brake stop. Nooooo nothing. The car wouldn’t stop. I never in my life have ever experienced this.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 3, 2026, crash
I just drove into a parking lot at First United Methodist Church parking lot. [XXX] ng a parking space very near. Driving into the space, applying brakes like I’ve done for the last 12/13 years….the car would not stop. I applied the brakes fully down to the floor( which I’ve never had to ever do at any time) the car kept going..rolling on. My husband the passenger told me” STOP”. I did stop. I was applying the brakes as soon as approaching the parking space. The car kept on going as I said. No warning like” brake hold” which has worked another other time when getting according to this cars brain..it would show some kind of warning. It did not. No sound, no nothing to brake the car. It rolled right into the red brick building i was pulling into. their parking space. The building has about a two foot gash on it. The car did this …what kind of car doesn’t stop. With all of the sophisticated sensors or etc. It has…why, what happened? My granddaughter was in the back right passenger seat. The impact caused a gash above her forehead. A real cut, mind you. I don’t know what else to see. I’ve never experienced this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Seat belts, Service brakes, Nov 30, 2025
They sold me a vehicle with a recall. They failed to notify me or to repair. I need a replacement car
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Nov 23, 2025
My vehicle has 1,500 miles on it. Last time I drove it from work back home was Friday 11/21 and nothing was wrong. Got back in the car Sunday 11/23 and my engine light was blinking and all kinds of warnings were displaying such as engine, break, and steering problems. My wife and I noticed the car vibrating a lot and I had to drive 20mph. If not the car felt like it was going to shut down.
Service brakes, Nov 5, 2025, crash
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle did not slow down as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. On another occasion, while attempting to park, the vehicle accelerated and drove over the sidewalk and crashed into the stairs to her residence. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center, where it was due to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The insurance provider was involved and suggested that the contact call the NHTS Hotline and file a safety complaint. The contact mentioned that prior to the crash, the vehicle was inspected for an unknown manufacturer recall, where the dealer informed that the brake inspection passed. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
Air bags, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 16, 2025, crash
Multiply communication failures with the CAN Communication failures found across ECM/PCM/TCM and sensor issues with ADAS components. The vehicle had a surge acceleration after a stop sign and when the auto start stop engaged the vehicle surged forward and, in an effort, to control the vehicle side swiped another vehicle before crashing into a home. Engine was still surging after multiple efforts to stop the engine surge. The engine stopped the surge after hitting the park button multiple times. NO warning lights or sounds and no air bags deployed. The vehicle has been repaired by a body shop and inspected by the manufacturer.
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.
Service brakes, Jul 31, 2025, crash
* The brakes failed on the car resulting in an at fault accident. The recalled was issued 3 weeks after the accident. * safety is put at risk as this resulted in a car accident because the car would not stop. It endangered the occupants of the Honda and the vehicle that was hit. *No as the recall was issued a little late, insurance had already handled the claim. * No Honda refuses to go to the car to inspect, the car is not able to be moved to the dealership *No warning messages *
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jul 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V391000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake pedal assembly had failed and needed to the replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.