2023 Honda Pilot Reliability Report

Hesitation when pulling away from a stop is the dominant complaint. Rough, uneven shifting makes merging and quick turns difficult. The car bogs and jerks at random, and dealers often turn owners away because they cannot reproduce it. In one case a replacement transmission did not cure the hesitation. Other reports describe the engine stalling at a red light and restarting slowly, and an AWD warning followed by a full loss of drive power while the engine revved.

Panoramic sunroof glass shatters without warning and showers the cabin with glass. This has happened while driving and while reversing, at mileages from 600 to 16,527. In one case the driver suffered bruises and small cuts. Separately, the moonroof shade supports can fracture, leaving the roof uncovered. Side mirrors that tilt down in reverse sometimes fail to return to position, which a dealer traced to software with no remedy yet available.

Loss of power and sluggish acceleration from a stop lead these reports. In one case the car would not exceed 25 to 30 mph, gave off a burning smell, and showed transmission, AWD and emissions warnings. Others describe a rough idle and a misfire-like stumble in cool weather with no check engine light. Dealers could not replicate it and pointed to carbon buildup. Repeat emissions sensor faults and a leaking VTC oil control valve also appear.

Water leaks and body defects make up most of these reports. Leaks soaked the driver's seat belt and airbag electronics on a car without a sunroof, and in another case water got in at 527 miles from a source the dealer could not find. Popping and cracking from the roof in reverse traced back to improper welds on the cross member under the third row. A sunroof also exploded at highway speed, leaving a jagged hole in the glass.

Optical distortion in the windshield is the main complaint. Drivers describe warped, magnified views like looking through strong prescription glasses, which causes dizziness and disorientation. Separately, a windshield cracked around the camera while the car was parked, with no impact. Another report describes running out of washer fluid in highway salt spray with no low-fluid warning. Dealers are often described as unhelpful.

Phantom braking is the core problem. The car slams on its brakes with no vehicles, pedestrians or obstacles ahead, often while passing tractor trailers or on the same stretch of road at around 45 mph. Some drivers keep a foot over the gas to counter it and fear being rear-ended. The system also drops out as part of the wider multi-warning failure, and repair parts are on backorder.

The engine shuts itself off after about 30 minutes of idling while parked. The air conditioning cuts out with no clear warning, and one report describes children left in a hot cabin in desert heat, with one injury filed. Separately, the car can hesitate for 2 to 3 seconds when entering traffic and then surge forward hard, with no warning lights.