UsedScore

2013 Honda Pilot: Solid

Owners filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Pilot in its first five years on the road, about 111 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Pilot year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the engine (37% of complaints, median 1,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.1×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Pilot year
Rank
8th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
137
first five years; 111 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
6
campaigns
2nd generation, 2009–2015 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2011 Honda Pilot LX

Photo: 2011 Honda Pilot LX · U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Engine37% · 50 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  2. Powertrain31% · 42 complaints · median 3,000 miles
  3. Brakes21% · 29 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  4. Fuel and propulsion6% · 8 complaints · median 9,000 miles
  5. Speed control9% · 13 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  6. Steering5% · 7 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  7. Electrical4% · 5 complaints
  8. Suspension6% · 8 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  9. Body and structure6% · 8 complaints · median 3,000 miles
  10. Seats and belts4% · 5 complaints · median 0 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Brakes

Many owners of this Pilot report brake pedals that feel spongy or sink too low, plus rotors that warp and cause the steering wheel to shudder when braking, sometimes at highway speeds. Dealers often resurface or replace parts, but owners frequently say the vibration and soft pedal feeling come back.

Warning signs:
Owners noticed a spongy or low brake pedal, steering wheel or vehicle vibration/shudder during braking, grinding or roaring noises, and longer stopping distances.
What shops did:
Dealers resurfaced or replaced rotors, replaced master cylinders, or adjusted brake pedal height and free play, though many owners report the problems recurred afterward or dealers couldn't find a fix.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 55,000 miles, among 38 complaints that give it

“While stopped with the brake pedal pressed and maintaining a constant pressure on the pedal it would slowly go all the way to the floor”

“After only 25000 miles, when braking, steering wheel vibrates excessively”

Engine

Owners describe a persistent vibration or shudder linked to ECO/VCM mode that dealers often call normal, alongside separate reports of piston ring wear causing misfires, oil leaks, stalling and sometimes engine replacement. Repairs are inconsistent, with some covered under a service bulletin or recall and others denied because the VIN wasn't included.

Warning signs:
Owners notice a low-frequency shudder or vibration felt through the steering wheel, seat and pedal at cruising speeds, plus hesitation, surging, rough idle, check engine or emission lights, and knocking noises before stalling.
What shops did:
Dealers often say the vibration is 'normal operation' and cannot duplicate it; for piston ring issues, some dealers replaced spark plugs, piston rings or entire engines, sometimes under a warranty extension, while others said the VIN wasn't covered.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 65,000 miles, among 61 complaints that give it

“The vibration starts when backing off the accelerator after reaching a constant speed and continues until the engine loads down due to a hill or further acceleration”

“the piston rings were beginning to fail; however, the spark plugs were replaced as a temporary repair”

Powertrain

Many owners describe a persistent shuddering or vibration when the engine's ECO/cylinder-deactivation mode engages, especially at steady cruising speeds. Dealers often say this is normal and cannot resolve it, while a few owners also report stalling, hesitation, or engine damage over time.

Warning signs:
Many report a low-frequency vibration or shudder felt through the steering wheel, seat, and floor at cruising speeds, along with occasional rumbling noises, hesitation on acceleration, or rollback on inclines.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently told owners the vibration was normal VCM operation and could not be fixed; some replaced engine components, performed software updates, or could not duplicate the problem.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 20,000 miles, among 43 complaints that give it

“The vehicle vibrates/rumbles significantly. It is my wife's primary vehicle and I do not like to drive it for that reason.”

“It could be felt when the vcm transitioned from 6 to 4 cylinder mode, with the RPM of 1700-1900 and speeds of approximately 25, 45 and 60 MPH.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (6)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V502000June 20199,555 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V378000May 201919,138 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

    Risk: An incorrectly installed air bag inflator may not properly deploy the passenger frontal air bag in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 18V661000September 20181,355,406 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014 Honda Insight and Acura TSX and TSX Wagon, 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour and Pilot vehicles nationwide, as well as certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX, TSX Wagon and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Insight, Fit and Pilot vehicles, 2011-2012 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Lastly, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX and ZDX, Honda Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot, 2011-2013 TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord and 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 18V042000January 2018691,726 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Accord Crosstour, Fit and Pilot, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V, and 2010 Acura ZDX and Honda Insight vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Unless included in Zones A or B above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V382000August 2013270 vehicles

    Engine

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2013 Pilot 2WD and 4WD vehicles and certain model year 2013 Odyssey vehicles. During manufacturing of the engine piston, it is possible that the heat treatment process was not properly applied, resulting in the piston having an insufficient hardness level, making it more susceptible to premature wear.

    Risk: A worn piston may suddenly fail, causing the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine short block free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V016000January 2013748,481 vehicles

    Air bags

    Honda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Pilot and 2011-2013 Odyssey passenger vehicles manufactured from March 13, 2008, through December 21, 2012. One or more rivets that attach the airbag module to the airbag cover may be missing.

    Risk: The absence of more than one rivet could alter the performance of the driver's airbag during deployment. This could potentially increase the risk of injury during a crash.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda dealer.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Honda sent NHTSA 89 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2013 Pilot. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 19-003-1 · August 2019 · Warranty extensionCustomer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator for 2010-12 Accord and Other Listed Years and Models (Expires September 30, 2028)
  • A26-002 · February 2026The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge.
  • A25-060 · August 2025The piston ring function deteriorates due to ring wear and sticking from sludge.
  • ONL6Z6072025 · July 2025Owner Notification Letter - the piston ring function can deteriorate due to ring low wear toughness and sticking from sludge.
  • AEBM06172025901 · June 2025Dealer Message - Piston ring effectiveness may be reduced due to excessive wear and oil sludge build-up, which can cause oil to adhere to the spark plug, potentially leading to carbon fouling and…
  • A13-082 · July 2022"Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v.
  • A20-023 · March 2020The front rocker arm oil control valve is leaking.
  • ATS160715 · February 2017Techline summary article - if the engine is overheating and there’s engine oil mixed in the coolant reservoir, chances are the cylinder head may be cracked.

All 2013 Pilot bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Honda Pilot reliable?
Owners filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Pilot in its first five years on the road, about 111 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Pilot year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Pilot years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2013 Pilot problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the engine (37%), the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (31%) and the brakes (21%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2013 Honda Pilot been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Honda Pilot, the most recent in June 2019 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Honda. The 2013 Honda Pilot on NHTSA.gov · How we rate