Reliable Auto DB

2020 Honda Pilot reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2020 Honda Pilot has 486 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 69 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Pilot years on this site. NHTSA has 11 recalls on file, including Frame, Front passenger seat weight sensor, and Fuel pump.

2019 Honda Pilot EX-L
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

486

Per year

69

Recalls

11

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (211 of 486), then Engine (101) and Forward collision avoidance (84). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 4,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 1,000 and 15,000 miles. Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Pilot has 903 complaints, 49 per year, and the 2021 has 432 complaints, 47 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Honda Pilot. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (11)

Recall structure, frame 2026-06-04 · NHTSA campaign 26V365000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 880,514
Recall Front passenger seat weight sensor 2026-05-21 · NHTSA campaign 26V332000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 98,892
Recall Front passenger seat weight sensor 2024-02-01 · NHTSA campaign 24V064000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 750,114
Recall Fuel pump 2023-12-18 · NHTSA campaign 23V858000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 2,490,460
Recall back-over prevention, display 2023-06-15 · NHTSA campaign 23V431000
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."
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 1,209,673
Recall visibility, rearview mirrors, exterior 2023-03-16 · NHTSA campaign 23V174000
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."
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 339,404
Recall Tires 2021-03-11 · NHTSA campaign 21V165000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.
Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tires and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2021. Owners may contact American Honda Motor Co. customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UA2.
Vehicles affected 1,093
Recall electrical system, software 2020-07-28 · NHTSA campaign 20V440000
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."
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 499,344
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2020-07-28 · NHTSA campaign 20V439000
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."
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 607,786
Recall Labels 2020-02-06 · NHTSA campaign 20V067000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles. The certification label may have been printed with ink that can be wiped away with a solvent, removing the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information.
Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is B6T.
Vehicles affected 10,050
Recall structure, body 2019-10-31 · NHTSA campaign 19V784000
Summary Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Pilot and 2019 Passport vehicles. The front frame left and right side upper members may not have been welded completely to the unibody. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 219, "Windshield Zone Intrusion."
Remedy Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing welds, free of charge. If the vehicle is identified as missing welds, the dealer will offer to repurchase the vehicle or provide a similar replacement vehicle. Owner notification began November 6 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X6J.
Vehicles affected 10

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (486 total)

Electrical system
211
Engine
101
Forward collision avoidance
84
Lane departure
43
Powertrain
35
Fuel and propulsion system
31
Service brakes
24
Fuel system, gasoline
23
Speed control
16
Back-over prevention
12
Electronic stability control (ESC)
10
Equipment
9
Exterior lighting
7
Steering
7
Structure
7
Visibility and wipers
5
Air bags
4
Wheels
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Seats
3
Suspension
3
Tires
3
Visibility
3
Seat belts
2
Air brakes
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Show 19 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

10

Death reports

0

Of the 147 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 4,000 miles. The middle half fall between 1,000 and 15,000 miles.

Complaints filed per year

32019982020442021612022642023742024792025632026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Front facing camera fail. Causing brake system adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist , collision mitigation, road departure mitigation. Auto high beams to not work"
    Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-18
  • "After previously reporting that a connecting rod bearing noise developed after the timing belt maintenance package was performed near 100,000 miles, the connecting rod bearings failed around 3,000 miles later while…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-10
  • "There is significant rust on the frame and undercarriage of the vehicle. There has been no actual safety concerns yet, but it may lead to severe issues if unaddressed. It has since an active recall exists for the…"
    Structure · filed 2026-09-04
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and was shaking violently. The contact associated the failure with the…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-01
  • "I got in the car one morning and had 5 error codes come on and they have not gone off. None of the driver assist controls are working. The cruise control does not work either. All of the dash lights are on. Toyota…"
    Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-08-31

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Honda PILOT SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 Honda PILOT SUV FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Pilot all-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) All-wheel drive 19 26 22 MPG $2950
Pilot all-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3100
Pilot front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) Front-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800
Pilot front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

3rd generation, 2016–2022
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 , 5.7 qt capacity
Tire size 245/60R18 (LX/EX/EX-L) to 245/50R20 (Touring/Elite)
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Honda service bulletin 20-029 covers 2016-2019 Pilot Touring and Elite models, plus a VIN range of 2020 Touring and Elite models, for intermittent harsh or jerky upshifts with steady acceleration. Honda traced the symptom to abnormal adaptation values in the transmission control module's software rather than to a mechanical fault; the remedy updates the transmission control module, after which the transmission needs about 500 miles of normal driving to re-adapt to the driver's pattern, and 2016 models additionally require a powertrain control module idle learn. A separate earlier bulletin, 16-008, covers 2016 Pilots with the 9-speed automatic for a different set of shift-quality symptoms, including a sensation of surge while braking and slow downshift response at low engine speeds.

Compare

Previous year 2019 Honda Pilot Next year 2021 Honda Pilot See every Honda Pilot model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Honda Pilot reliable?

The 2020 Honda Pilot has 486 complaints with NHTSA after 7 years, or 69 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 Pilot years on this site. NHTSA has 11 recalls on file, including Frame, Front passenger seat weight sensor, and Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2020 Honda Pilot?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (211 of 486), then Engine (101) and Forward collision avoidance (84). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 4,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 1,000 and 15,000 miles. Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Is the 2020 Honda Pilot more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Pilot has 903 complaints, 49 per year, and the 2021 has 432 complaints, 47 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Honda Pilot been recalled?

The 2020 Honda Pilot has 11 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Honda Pilot?

Owners have filed 486 complaints about the 2020 Honda Pilot with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Honda Pilot get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Honda Pilot is 22 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Honda Pilot take?

2nd gen: 5W-20 (2009-2012) or 0W-20 (2013-2015). 3rd and 4th gen US Pilots use 0W-20 (about 5.7-5.8 qt with filter on recent fills).

Does recall 24V-900 cover the Honda Pilot?

Certain 2023-2025 Pilots are covered for the fuel tank fill pipe: an incomplete connection may allow a fuel leak; dealers inspect and repair the fill-pipe connection.

What generation is the 2020 Honda Pilot?

3rd generation (2016-2022). The 4th generation starts in 2023.