2023 Honda Pilot problems, complaints & recalls
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
Owners have filed 145 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Honda Pilot, most often about seats & seat belts. There are 5 recalls for this model year.
- Complaints
- 145
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 3
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 3
- Median mileage
- 18,000 mi at time of problem
Key facts
- Seats & Seat Belts is the most-reported problem area, named in 38 of 145 complaints (26%).
- Electrical System (28) and driver assistance & safety tech (22) follow.
- Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 18,000 mi.
- Owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries.
- The 2023 Honda Pilot has 5 recalls on file.
- NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations covering this vehicle.
- It ranks 9th of 22 Honda Pilot model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
- That is 11% fewer complaints than the 2022 model year (163).
2023 Honda Pilot problems by category
- 38 complaints
- Electrical System · 1 crash28 complaints
- Other / Unknown23 complaints
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 1 crash22 complaints
- Steering19 complaints
- Brakes17 complaints
- Engine13 complaints
- Visibility & Wipers11 complaints
- Transmission & Drivetrain10 complaints
- Body & Structure6 complaints
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion · 1 crash5 complaints
- Airbags · 1 crash4 complaints
- Acceleration & Cruise Control · 1 crash4 complaints
- Wheels & Tires4 complaints
- Lighting2 complaints
A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.
Most-reported components
| Component (as filed with NHTSA) | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Seat belts | 34 |
| Electrical system | 28 |
| Unknown or other | 22 |
| Steering | 19 |
| Service brakes | 17 |
| Engine | 13 |
| Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking | 13 |
| Seats | 10 |
When problems happen (mileage)
2023 Honda Pilot recalls (5)
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
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."
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
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.
Risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: 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.
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
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.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
- SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
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."
Risk: An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
- STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
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.
Risk: A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- PE25017Opened Oct 28, 2025Open
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 6 complaints, and multiple Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging inaccurate rear seat belt warning status. These allegations concern both false positive and false negative statuses in model year (MY) 2023-2024 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured by American Honda Motor Co. (Honda). The complaints state that the rear passenger seat belt warning system is displaying inaccurate information to the driver for both second and third row seating positions. This can lead to the driver dismissing warnings regarding rear seat belt status…
- EA25004Opened Mar 26, 2025Open
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to r…
Recent 2023 Honda Pilot complaints
Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
- Filed Oct 8, 2026PASteering
My Pilot is making abnormal sounds (such as clicking, creaking, or popping) when turning left at low speed or while parking.
NHTSA complaint #11770008 · source - Filed Sep 26, 2026CASeats & Seat Belts
2nd row passenger occupancy sensor failure. Honda Sercice Bulletin 23-018 describes the issue. It does not register passenger is seating in the seat, when seat belt connected it confuses system and throws lights and alarms intermittently. This effects the SRS as is a distraction to the driver and could potentially confuse SRS into malfunctioning in an accident.
NHTSA complaint #11767123 · source - Filed Sep 26, 2026INSeats & Seat Belts
The second row, passenger side seat has faulty seatbelt alarms. When someone is sitting in the seat with a seatbelt on the alert, continually dings. The inaccurate and continuous alarms create a severe driver distraction while driving! Disconnecting the seatbelt while in motion or the passenger moving to another seat while in motion does not stop the alert from that seat. The only way to deactivate the alarm is to turn the vehicle off and restart to clear the alarm. If the…
NHTSA complaint #11767095 · source - Filed Sep 22, 2026MDBrakesDriver Assistance & Safety Tech
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…
NHTSA complaint #11766265 · source - Filed Sep 21, 2026FLSeats & Seat Belts
Within 1 year of purchase, the seat belt sensor on the 2nd row passenger side began malfunctioning. My child who sat in the seat was properly buckled, but the sensor would intermittently indicate the child was unbuckled. This was repaired in October 2024 under warranty. Beginning in August 2026, the same seat began exhibiting the same behavior again. I took the vehicle back to the Honda dealership where I purchased it, and they diagnosed the same issue. They attempted to…
NHTSA complaint #11765924 · source - Filed Sep 19, 2026PASeats & Seat Belts
I own a 2023 Honda Pilot equipped with second-row captain’s chairs that experiences intermittent false seat belt warnings. The right-side second-row seat triggers the audible chime and red/gray “unbuckled” icon on the driver information display even when the seat belt is fully and securely latched; the warning is frequently activated by normal passenger weight shifting or movement. The same false unbuckled warnings also occur in the third-row seats. These symptoms match the…
NHTSA complaint #11765574 · source - Filed Sep 14, 2026MIVisibility & Wipers
Vehicle was parked on street. My wife got in the vehicle and as she went to start the vehicle she heard a pop and looked behind her to see the rear glass had exploded.
NHTSA complaint #11764101 · source - Filed Sep 9, 2026TXBrakesElectrical SystemSteering
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…
NHTSA complaint #11763055 · source
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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology