Honda Pilot Years to Avoid

Why 2016, 2019 and 2020 made the avoid list

2016 Honda Pilot

AvoidTop issue: electrical · 43% of complaints · median 44,000 miles

Owners of the 2016 Pilot describe engines stalling after auto idle-stop engages and sometimes taking minutes to restart, alongside recurring keyless start warnings and blank screens. Many also report the 9-speed transmission jerking, surging or dropping into neutral, with dealers often unable to fix it lastingly.

Full 2016 report ›

2019 Honda Pilot

AvoidTop issue: electrical · 41% of complaints · median 6,000 miles

Owners describe automatic emergency braking engaging suddenly with nothing ahead, touchscreens and speedometers blacking out or rebooting while driving, and engines stalling at stoplights with Auto Start/Stop. Many say dealers couldn't reproduce these problems or that fixes didn't last.

Full 2019 report ›

2020 Honda Pilot

AvoidTop issue: electrical · 50% of complaints · median 2,000 miles

Owners of the 2020 Pilot describe sudden automatic braking with nothing ahead, often alongside dash and infotainment screens going black with popping or crackling sounds. Some also report the auto idle stop failing to restart at lights, and many say dealer repairs didn't stop problems from returning.

Full 2020 report ›

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints on NHTSA's site and checked against them; the counts and mileages come from our data.

Best Honda Pilot years to buy

2008 Honda Pilot

Best betTop issue: air bags · 10% of complaints

Owners filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Pilot in its first five years, about 29 for every 100,000 sold: 0.3× the rate of a typical Pilot year. 10% of them involve the air bags.

Full 2008 report ›

2009 Honda Pilot

Best betTop issue: air bags · 6% of complaints

Owners filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Pilot in its first five years, about 41 for every 100,000 sold: 0.5× the rate of a typical Pilot year. 6% of them involve the air bags.

Full 2009 report ›

2010 Honda Pilot

Best betTop issue: air bags · 3% of complaints

Owners filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Pilot in its first five years, about 30 for every 100,000 sold: 0.3× the rate of a typical Pilot year. 3% of them involve the air bags.

Full 2010 report ›

2014 Honda Pilot

Best betTop issue: engine · 21% of complaints · median 24,000 miles

Owners filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Pilot in its first five years, about 50 for every 100,000 sold: 0.5× the rate of a typical Pilot year. 21% of them involve the engine, at a median of 24,000 miles.

Full 2014 report ›

2015 Honda Pilot

Best betTop issue: brakes · 19% of complaints · median 3,000 miles

Owners filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Pilot in its first five years, about 37 for every 100,000 sold: 0.4× the rate of a typical Pilot year. 19% of them involve the brakes, at a median of 3,000 miles.

Full 2015 report ›

A best bet drew 0.6× the complaint rate of a typical Pilot year or less in its first five years on the road. How we rate

1. Electrical29% of complaints · 931 complaints · median 2,000–44,000 miles by year · worst years: 2016, 2019 and 2020
2. Engine22% of complaints · 720 complaints · median 1,000–42,000 miles by year · worst years: 2016, 2017 and 2019
3. Powertrain12% of complaints · 386 complaints · median 3,000–51,000 miles by year · worst years: 2013, 2016 and 2019
4. Brakes12% of complaints · 379 complaints · median 3,000–48,000 miles by year · worst years: 2011, 2016 and 2019
5. Driver assistance11% of complaints · 340 complaints · median 3,000–45,000 miles by year · worst years: 2020, 2021 and 2022

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each model year's first five years on the road, all years combined. A complaint can name more than one area. Worst years are the rated years with the most complaints about that area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

Questions owners ask

Which Honda Pilot years should you avoid?

Counting complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each year's first five years on the road, per vehicle sold, the 2016, 2019 and 2020 Pilot drew the most: each more than twice the rate of a typical Pilot year, spread across more than one problem area. The 2011, 2017 and 2021 also ran above average; use caution with them.

What is the best year for a used Honda Pilot?

The best bets are the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2015 Pilot, which drew far fewer complaints per vehicle sold than a typical Pilot year. The 2010 drew the fewest for its time on the road (0.3× the rate of a typical Pilot year). Years from 2023 on haven't had five years on the road, so they aren't rated yet.

What is the most common problem with the Honda Pilot?

Across every year, the problem area owners report most is the electrical system (29% of complaints), followed by the engine (22%) and the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (12%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the Honda Pilot been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 51 recall campaigns covering Pilot model years 2008 to 2026, the most recent in October 2026. Enter a vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether its repairs were done.