KnownCarProblems2021 Honda Pilot Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 445 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Pilot, most often about the electrical (30% of complaints, typically around 47,000 miles). It is 8th of 24 Pilot model years by number of complaints and has 10 recalls.
Most common 2021 Honda Pilot problems
Electrical
134 complaints · 30%Half of these problems showed up before 47,000 miles. Parts named most often: starter assembly.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights started flashing. The contact stated that the cruise control and the lane departure and lane assist were inoperable. Additionally, the front view camera had failed to…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the start/stop function activated and turned the vehicle off; however, while attempting to drive from the stop, the engine failed to restart. After waiting 5-10 minutes, the vehicle was able to restart and returned to normal…
Engine
113 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 50,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after idling at a red light, the auto start failed to operate as designed. The contact had to shift to park(p), and several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle before the contact was able to continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated.…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while temporarily stopped at a traffic light or a stop sign, the vehicle occasionally shifted into neutral, or the vehicle shut off unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed…
Driver assistance
106 complaints · 24%Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, warnings, adaptive cruise control, assist.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the forward collision mitigation system inadvertently activated. The contact stated that the brakes were independently activated. The brake and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated with an audible chime. The…
Other or unspecified
83 complaints · 19%While driving for about an hour on the freeway the sound to my bluetooth audio quit. Then the apple carplay would not connect. When I got to the grocery store tryin to maneaver into a parking spot the backup camera did not work when I put in reverse. At first I thought I had pressed park instead of reverse but that…
Driving on 495 in virginia north toward 66 near annandale at around 55 to 60 miles per hour on the beltway, non-toll portion, we were shocked to hear the sound of exploding glass followed by rushing air, like an open window. We looked all around the windows to see if there had been some sort of impact, but all windows…
Air bags
32 complaints · 7%The contact owned a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH and while attempting to stop depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact confirmed that the accelerator pedal was not depressed accidentally. No air bags deployed. The contact crashed into unknown…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the SRS air bag system failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was…
Visibility and wipers
30 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 19,000 miles. Parts named most often: rearview mirrors/devices, sun/moon roof assembly.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated both exterior mirrors turned inward independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she positioned both mirrors but continued to experience a failure. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently shifted to the left and right. Additionally, the passenger's side front mirror was shaking abnormally. Additionally, and the driver's side front window made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was…
Brakes
28 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The stated that the vehicle was pulling to the left or right while driving. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle started pulling to the right. Additionally, while driving over rough road surfaces the vehicle was making a loud rumbling sound as if the…
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while her friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. As a result, the vehicle left the roadway, hitting a stop sign before coming to a complete stop after…
Transmission
25 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle independently shifted into neutral(n). The contact shifted vehicle into park(p) and turned off and restarted the vehicle and shifted into drive(d). There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had the…
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the engine was idling and with the gear shifter in the park position, the contact reached into the vehicle from the front driver's door, and suddenly the vehicle began to slowly roll backwards. The contact was pushed to the ground, causing the front…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2021 Honda Pilot recalls
Suspension: rear
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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: front passenger
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Fuel system: fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: master cylinder
Risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Backup camera: display function
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Visibility and wipers: exterior
Risk: Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Wheels and tires: tires
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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.
Backup camera: camera
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Backup camera: camera
Risk: Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Full defect summary
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."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
No restart after auto start/stop engages
Summary
On june 3, 2022, the oï¬ce of defects investigation (odi) opened preliminary evaluation pe22005 after the agency received voqs and several ï¬eld 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 traï¬c 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 restart issue in the 2016-2019my honda pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 acura tlx, 2016
Questions about the 2021 Honda Pilot
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Honda Pilot?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (134 complaints, typically around 47,000 miles); engine (113 complaints, typically around 50,500 miles); driver assistance (106 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2021 Honda Pilot have?
- 10 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from June 4, 2026 (suspension). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2021 a bad year for the Honda Pilot?
- It is 8th of 24 Pilot model years by number of complaints, with 445 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.