The best Pilot years to buy are 2015 and 2022. Avoid 2016, 2017 and 2019: the 2016 redesign drew about 3.5 times the Pilot's average complaints, led by engine bearing failures that Honda later recalled.
Best years: 20152022 Years to avoid: 201620172019
Every Pilot year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Pilot problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 118 | - | 6 | Seat Belts | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 149 | - | 5 | Seat Belts | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 175 | 176 | 5 | Collision avoidance | Good buy |
| 2021 | 454 | 317 | 10 | Electrical | Average |
| 2020 | 494 | 399 | 11 | Electrical | Average |
| 2019 | 928 | 687 | 13 | Electrical | Watch out |
| 2018 | 442 | 277 | 7 | Engine | Average |
| 2017 | 940 | 739 | 4 | Engine | Watch out |
| 2016 | 1,727 | 1,430 | 8 | Engine | Skip this year |
| 2015 | 109 | 80 | 4 | Engine | Good buy |
| 2014 | 116 | 107 | 3 | Engine | Good year |
| 2013 | 273 | 216 | 6 | Engine | Good year |
| 2012 | 172 | 150 | 9 | Engine | Good year |
About the Pilot
The Pilot is a roomy three-row SUV with a split record. The older 2012-2015 generation is simple and dependable. The 2016 redesign added a new 3.5L V6 with auto start-stop, a 9-speed automatic on upper trims and many electronics, and complaints jumped. A 2023 recall (23V751) now covers connecting rod bearing damage on many of these engines.
- 2012-2015: Boxy second generation, 5-speed automatic. Few serious problems; 2015 is the best of it.
- 2016-2022: Third generation. 2016-2017 and 2019 are the problem years; 2022 is the most sorted.
- 2023 on: Fourth generation. Too new to judge fully.
Pilot warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Honda files with NHTSA. 807 Pilot bulletins are on file in total.
Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque.
Warranty Extension - Warranty Extension reimbursement form for engine idle stop repairs made before the warranty extension notice date.
Warranty Extension - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart.
Today, February 18, 2021, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2018-20 Odyssey, 2019-20 Passport, and 2019-20 Pilot vehicles.
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2019-20 Passport/Pilot models, a loose connection in the MOST bus network is causing a popping or crackling from the speakers or no sound from the audio system.
On February 18, 2021, American Honda announced a warranty extension for certain 2018-20 Odyssey, 2019-20 Passport, and 2019-20 Pilot vehicles.
Service Bulletin - The PCM software may misinterpret sensor inputs as a deteriorated catalytic converter.
On, November 24, 2020, American Honda announced a warranty extension for certain 2016 Pilot vehicles.
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2017-19 Pilot, 2017-19 Ridgeline, and 2018-19 Odyssey models, the malfunction indicator light (MIL) may come on if one or more of the following diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) are stored: - P...
American Honda is extending the warranty on the 9-speed transmission warmers to 10 years from the original date of purchase with unlimited mileage.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Pilot
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Preliminary evaluation PE25017 · 2023, 2024 · opened Oct 2025, closed Oct 2026
On October 28, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE25-017 to investigate allegations of inaccurate rear seat belt warning status indicators.
Preliminary evaluation PE25008 · 2016–2020 · opened Aug 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline.
Engineering analysis EA25004 · 2016–2024 · opened Mar 2025
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.
Recall query RQ24013 · 2015–2020 · opened Nov 2024, closed Aug 2025
On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751.
Preliminary evaluation PE22005 · 2016–2020 · opened Jun 2022, closed Mar 2025
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.
Pilot vs rivals
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldHonda Pilot vs Ford Explorer
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldChevrolet Traverse vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldBuick Enclave vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldAcura MDX vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldMazda CX-9 vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldKia Telluride vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldVolkswagen Atlas vs Honda Pilot
Which years drew fewer problems per car sold
Questions
What is the best year for the Honda Pilot?
2015 and 2022. The best Pilot years to buy are 2015 and 2022. Avoid 2016, 2017 and 2019: the 2016 redesign drew about 3.5 times the Pilot's average complaints, led by engine bearing failures that Honda later recalled.
Which Honda Pilot years should I avoid?
2016, 2017, 2019. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Honda Pilot average.
Based on 6,097 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.