UsedScore

2023 Honda Pilot: Too new to judge

The 2023 Honda Pilot has been on the road for 47 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 1.3× the rate other Pilot years drew in their first 47 months, per vehicle sold.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the electrical system (20% of complaints).

Complaint index
1.3×
partial: first 47 months
Rank
Not ranked
rated after five years
Complaints
142
in 47 months so far
Recalls
5
campaigns
4th generation, 2023–today (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2023 Honda Pilot Touring

Photo: 2023 Honda Pilot Touring · Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Electrical20% · 28 complaints
  2. Seats and belts26% · 37 complaints
  3. Driver assistance15% · 22 complaints
  4. Steering13% · 18 complaints
  5. Brakes12% · 17 complaints
  6. Engine9% · 13 complaints
  7. Powertrain7% · 10 complaints
  8. Fuel and propulsion4% · 5 complaints
  9. Visibility8% · 11 complaints · median 10,000 miles
  10. Air bags3% · 4 complaints

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

Driver assistance

Owners of this Pilot describe sudden unintended braking, loss of cruise control, or driver-assist warnings appearing without a clear cause, sometimes during highway driving. Dealers have replaced sensors or reset systems, but many owners say the problems returned.

Warning signs:
Owners report dashboard warnings for radar, lane-keep, cruise control, or collision systems, messages to clean sensors, and shaking or difficulty steering before failures.
What shops did:
Dealers replaced or realigned radar and brake sensors, reset systems, or found no fault despite repeated visits, with some failures recurring afterward.

“the Pilot will slam its breaks on, I assume this is the automatic breaking system, but the issue is, there will be nothing on or near the road”

Electrical

Owners of this Pilot report sudden, dramatic electrical failures where many warning systems activate at once, sometimes with loss of steering assist, braking, or power. Dealers frequently struggle to diagnose or repair the problem, sometimes citing backordered parts, leaving some owners without a fix for extended periods.

Warning signs:
Many report dashboards lighting up with numerous warnings, steering becoming stiff or heavy, reduced braking, loss of acceleration, or the vehicle shutting off unexpectedly.
What shops did:
Dealers often diagnosed a faulty wheel speed sensor needing replacement but reported it was on backorder; in many cases technicians could not reproduce or repair the issue.

“The dashboard lit up with every warning under the sun in terms of electrical failures - Power Steering failure (Steering assist reduced), Anti-Lock Brake Problem”

“I got a “Internal control module torque calculation” error on my dash. I pulled over to the curb and as soon as I stopped, more error messages appeared.”

Seats and belts

Many owners of this Pilot report false seat belt warnings, especially in the second and third rows, where the alarm sounds even though the belt is buckled. This causes ongoing distraction and repeated dealer visits, with some repairs not fully resolving the issue.

Warning signs:
Repeated loud chimes and dashboard "unbuckled" warnings that appear intermittently, sometimes triggered by passenger movement or weight shifts, even though the belt is secured.
What shops did:
Dealers replaced seat belt buckles or wiring harnesses, sometimes multiple times, though some owners report the issue recurring or dealers unable to replicate or fix it, occasionally charging for diagnosis or repair.

“The seat belt alarm keeps going off as if the seat belt is not buckled even though it is buckled.”

“The wire running alongside the belt latch can be jiggled to get the alert to stop. Then the alert restarts.”

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

Recalls (5)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 25V391000June 2025259,033 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

    Risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 25V031000January 2025294,612 vehicles

    Electrical system: software · Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.

    Risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

    Fix: Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 24V900000November 2024205,760 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 24V859000November 2024121 vehicles

    Seats: critical fasteners

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Honda Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Pilot, and 2024 HR-V, Acura Integra and Acura Integra Type S vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may not have been tightened properly, which can result in an unsecured seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 23V735000November 2023519 vehicles

    Steering: rack and pinion: rack

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Pilot vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the gear box assembly may contain a loose ball bearing, which can result in a loss of steering control or steering lock-up.

    Risk: A loss of steering control or steering lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the electric power steering rack, free of charge.

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 90 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2023 Pilot. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • A26-030 · September 2026The driver-information interface may display a warning message when a malfunction in the Auto Idle Stop System is detected due to possible insufficient wire length at the Battery Management System…
  • A30149 · February 2026Over The Air - This update contains various performance enhancements and UI improvements.
  • A26-027 · January 2026The seat belt reminder incorrectly indicates that the second-row right passenger seat belt is unfastened even after the passenger has fastened it.
  • ATI&10032025903 · October 2025Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • A25-073 · August 2025When the vehicle is put into reverse, the rear camera may display a black and white image.
  • ATI&04152025902 · April 2025Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • ATI&04012025904 · April 2025Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • ATI&03032025903 · March 2025Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

All 2023 Pilot bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2023 Honda Pilot reliable?
The 2023 Honda Pilot has been on the road for 47 months, short of the five years we need to rate it. Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA so far. That's 1.3× the rate other Pilot years drew in their first 47 months, per vehicle sold. 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 2023 Pilot problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (20%), the seats and seat belts (26%) and driver-assistance features and cameras (15%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2023 Honda Pilot been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2023 Honda Pilot, the most recent in June 2025 (service brakes, hydraulic). 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 2023 Honda Pilot on NHTSA.gov · How we rate