Reliable Auto DB

2021 Honda Pilot reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 432 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Pilot over 6 years — 47 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Pilot years here — over the median of the other years, which is 32. NHTSA has 10 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

432

Per year

47

Recalls

10

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (126 of 432), then Engine (104) and Forward collision avoidance (98). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 31,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 8,750 and 56,750 miles. Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Pilot has 486 complaints, 69 per year, and the 2022 has 154 complaints, 20 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

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 2021 Honda Pilot. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (10)

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 Brake master cylinder 2023-06-29 · NHTSA campaign 23V458000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 124,077
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 2020-11-20 · NHTSA campaign 20V725000
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.
Remedy 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.
Vehicles affected 214
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

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

Complaints by component (432 total)

Electrical system
126
Engine
104
Forward collision avoidance
98
Lane departure
44
Air bags
31
Powertrain
24
Service brakes
24
Fuel and propulsion system
21
Visibility and wipers
20
Back-over prevention
19
Tires
13
Visibility
10
Speed control
8
Seats
6
Structure
5
Suspension
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Exterior lighting
4
Steering
4
Equipment
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Wheels
2
Other or not sure
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

12

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

7

Death reports

0

Of the 44 complaints that include an odometer reading, the median is 31,000 miles. The middle half fall between 8,750 and 56,750 miles.

Complaints filed per year

120204120213820226120237720241282025862026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The entire ADAS suddenly failed. the vehicle started cycling through all warning indicators (adaptive cruise control problem, abs problem, lane keep assist problem, brake mitigation system problem etc) brought it to…"
    Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-15
  • "The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall; however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that while shifting in…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2026-09-14
  • "Our pilot is experiencing similar issues found online with catastrophic engine failure due to a misfire caused by a knocking rod. Honda so far has not responded to our claim despite it being a known issue around the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-13
  • "I am filing this complaint regarding a recurring “Network Communication Lost” issue with my Honda Pilot. I am aware that Honda has issued a recall related to network communication issues; however, when I checked my…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-10
  • "Vehicle has multiple safety system failures. After extensive online research and multiple diagnostics, repair technicians indicating safety camera failure due to heat. Technician indicating significant increase specific…"
    Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Honda PILOT SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 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 front-wheel drive 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (9-speed) Front-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800

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 2020 Honda Pilot Next year 2022 Honda Pilot See every Honda Pilot model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Honda Pilot reliable?

Owners have filed 432 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Pilot over 6 years — 47 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Pilot years here — over the median of the other years, which is 32. NHTSA has 10 recalls on file, including Frame, Front passenger seat weight sensor, and Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2021 Honda Pilot?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (126 of 432), then Engine (104) and Forward collision avoidance (98). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 31,000 miles, and the middle half falls between 8,750 and 56,750 miles. Those filings include 12 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Honda Pilot more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Pilot has 486 complaints, 69 per year, and the 2022 has 154 complaints, 20 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Honda Pilot been recalled?

The 2021 Honda Pilot has 10 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 2021 Honda Pilot?

Owners have filed 432 complaints about the 2021 Honda Pilot with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Honda Pilot get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Honda Pilot is 22.5 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.