Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2021 Honda Pilot — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2025 to Dec 2025
The most reported issue is unknown or other problems (37 complaints). 12 complaints involved crashes. 1 involved fire.
Open Safety Recalls (8)
NHTSA Campaign: 20V440000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
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."
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V439000
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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."
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V725000
Component: TIRES
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.
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 23V174000
Component: VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
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."
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 23V431000
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
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."
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 23V458000
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
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.
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.
NHTSA Campaign: 24V064000
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
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, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. 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.
NHTSA Campaign: 23V858000
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
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.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 374)
Forward Collision Avoidance,lane Departure →3 issues
The following warning lights: adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation system, road departure mitigation problem, auto high beam problem. Honda estimates over $2000 to repair? From what I understand there are many other Honda's with these issues!
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Vehicle Information: 2021 Honda Pilot Elite Component: Forward Collision Avoidance: Camera System Lane Departure: Lane Keeping Assist Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Failure Description: The windshield-mounted forward-facing camera (Lane Keeping Assist System / Honda Sensing camera) failed without warning on my 2021 Honda Pilot Elite.
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The windshield camera has malfunctioned causing 5 different safety warnings to appear and these functions are unavailable now. It has been evaluated by a dealership and they claim that it has to be replaced at a cost of $2100. This is a pretty widespread issue in these Pilots with varying mileage.
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Air Bags →2 issues
Your 2021 Honda Pilot was involved in a frontal crash at 35 mph, but the airbags did not physically deploy even though the car's computer system recorded them as having deployed. This mismatch suggests a problem with the airbag control module, sensors, wiring, or software that prevented the airbags from inflating when needed during the collision. After the accident, an "Airbag System (SRS) Problem" warning appeared on your dashboard. Fixing this will likely require a diagnostic scan of the airbag control module and replacement of faulty sensors, wiring, or the control module itself.
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Your wife hit a curb while driving at 40 mph, and the right side curtain airbag deployed from the impact. This is the second time this has happened—your vehicle was previously serviced at a Honda dealership for the same issue under a safety recall that involved replacing a sensor, but the problem has recurred.
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Electrical System,unknown Or Other,engine →2 issues
Your car's auto idle stop feature activated at a red light, and when you lifted your foot off the brake, the engine stalled unexpectedly. The car shifted into Park and wouldn't respond to shifting into Neutral or Drive. Your dashboard and controls became unresponsive — the radio volume wouldn't adjust and the ignition button didn't work immediately. After finally turning off the car, it struggled to start when you tried to restart it, and the battery warning light was on. This electrical issue may require diagnostic testing to identify the root cause affecting your engine, transmission, and electrical systems.
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The car engine autorestart causes all sorts of problems. We have repeatedly had the warning come on and the engine stop while at a light or paused in moving traffic. We have replaced the battery and other parts.
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Unknown Or Other →2 issues
Your car's auto start-stop feature shut off the engine at a traffic light, but when you pressed the gas pedal to go, the engine wouldn't restart and the transmission went into neutral and wouldn't shift. You had to turn the engine off and back on multiple times before it would start and shift into drive. This has happened at least three times when auto start-stop is enabled. A fix may involve reprogramming the engine control module or replacing the start-stop system components.
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The auto idle start-stop feature has been failing for many years without being resolved. Honda has done updates and updated the fuel injection software without improvement. I have also replaced the battery as recommended.
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Forward Collision Avoidance →1 issue
Your car's front camera has stopped working, which means all safety features that depend on it—like forward collision warning and automatic braking—are no longer functioning. According to Honda forums, this is a common issue. The camera will need to be replaced to restore these safety features.
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Tires →1 issue
Your 2021 Honda Pilot's Continental CrossContact LX Sport tires (size 245/50 R20) are showing cracks, uneven tread wear, vibration, and visible separation between the tread and sidewall. These signs match failures described in a Continental tire recall and could lead to sudden air loss or tread separation, which may cause loss of control while driving. The tires may need to be replaced to restore safe operation.
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Electrical System,lane Departure →1 issue
The following warning lights: adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation system, road departure mitigation problem, auto high beam problem
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Engine →1 issue
While driving vehicle downshifted with no warning and went into neutral. Was driving on a busy street. Was not able to shift back into drive.
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Unknown Or Other,lane Departure →1 issue
Your car's camera system has malfunctioned and disabled your brake safety features, including lane departure warning. This appears to be a known issue affecting multiple vehicles of this model year. The repair will likely involve diagnosing and replacing the camera module or recalibrating the camera system.
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Electrical System,exterior Lighting →1 issue
Your car's electrical system is malfunctioning, causing all electrical components—including lights—to repeatedly flash on and off. This happens mostly when the car is parked and unattended, and the vehicle may turn itself on and off rapidly. The owner is concerned this could potentially cause an electrical fire. The issue has persisted for 2 years and is no longer covered by warranty.
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Engine,fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
Your Pilot's automatic engine shut-off feature (which turns off the engine at red lights to save fuel) has caused the engine to fail to restart several times while stopped in traffic, forcing you to manually restart the car by shifting to Park, turning off accessories, and restarting. The engine has also hesitated to restart in other instances, though it eventually does. The starter hasn't been inspected yet, and there were no warning lights before these restart failures occurred.
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Electrical System →1 issue
Your car's auto idle stop feature caused the engine to stall while stopped at a red light, leaving you unable to move. When you tried to restart the engine, it wouldn't start immediately and required two restart attempts before the car would run again. This issue may involve diagnosing the idle stop system, battery, or starter motor.
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Engine,forward Collision Avoidance →1 issue
The Honda Pilot completely lost power on my husband's way home from work in a snow storm. It would not start but it did yesterday. It sounds like clinking/clunking when started but stalls out if you try to put it in drive or reverse.
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Back Over Prevention →1 issue
The backup camera feeds to the infotainment screen integrated into the radio. This screen intermittently fails to illuminate and does not allow the backup camera feed to be be visible rendering the backup camera inoperable.
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Electrical System,back Over Prevention →1 issue
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the infotainment screen and the rearview camera screen intermittently failed to activate while the vehicle was shifted into reverse. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V431000 (Back Over Prevention).
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Related Vehicles
Other Honda Pilot years: