10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
90 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2021 Honda Pilot drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2021 Honda Pilot Owner Comments

problem #10

Apr 222024

Pilot

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When driving the car and stopped, the car goes into idle engine automatically. There are have been 5 incidents where the engine wouldn-??t turn back on. The car starts beeping and flashing to put in park, shut off and restart. This is extremely dangerous when in the middle of traffic, cars honking and my children in the car getting nervous. Luckily I have not had an accident yet and figured out how to not use the -??idle stop-?? feature to prevent this from happening but it-??s not a long term solution as I have to stop idle feature every time the car is turned on.

- Long Beach, NY, USA

problem #9

Mar 142024

Pilot

  • miles
Connecting rod bearing failure resulting in the short block having to be replaced. Currently at Honda Dealership having short block replaced. 56000 km currently on vehicle and all oil changes made at correct intervals.

- Pitt Meadows, WA, USA

problem #8

Feb 102024

Pilot

  • miles
When stopped at red light idle stop feature was active and car wouldn-??t restart couldn-??t turn the truck off or on all electrical components such as radio, screen and heating were on but engine wouldn-??t start or stop

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #7

Nov 272023

Pilot

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Hello, Twice in the past two months, my car's engine has lost power while driving on the highway. First, while entering and merging onto the highway, and once while exiting the highway. Both times, the check engine light came on, pressing the gas pedal had no effect, and we could only coast to the side of the road. Both times we had to restart the vehicle. After the first incident, I went to the dealership. They "fixed" the vehicle, replacing gaskets that Honda knew might fail but didn't issue a recall (only fix if there is an issue). This obviously did not fix the issue. Thankfully we did not have an accident, but complete loss of power could have been disastrous. I now have to go back to the dealership.

- Saint Charles, IL, USA

problem #6

Jul 252023

Pilot

  • miles
Honda Pilot 2021 Elite AWD w/ 34k miles shuts down at a complete stop e.g. traffic light, stop sign or highway stop and go rush hour. Panel says put in Neutral, but the push button transmission shift does not respond. Attempts to restart with the push start/stop button and fails multiple times first and then it starts again, while other motorists are honking behind you for blocking traffic. Major safety concern.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

problem #5

May 102023

Pilot

  • miles
The Auto Idle Stop is defective on this vehicle and has resulted in multiple incidents where the vehicle stalls after the break is applied in sitting traffic. I have had near collision experiences that pose a severe safety risk. The car jolts forward after releasing the break at an intersection, and immediately becomes immobile. This has happened in sitting traffic, at intersection and more dangerously, while trying to make a left turn which has left me stranded in the middle of busy intersections at risk of nearly being hit by moving traffic. Honda has done the software update on the vehicle and yet, this continues to happen. Honda needs to be held liable as this will result in injury and/or death to consumers.

- Temple, TX, USA

problem #4

Jun 192022

Pilot

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Unresponsive dash control screen. Hands free Bluetooth disconnects. Popping sound through speakers. CarPlay option disappears. Am/Fm radio muffles while error message states no audio available. Restarting car fixes these issues for short while. Turning off radio while engine is on does not work. Gear hunting in transmission 2,3,4 fourth gear.

- Eastvale , CA, USA

problem #3

Dec 152021

Pilot

  • miles
I will be filing a issue with our 21 Honda Ridgeline too as the same problem has occurred in both vehicles with the same engine and transmission. This has happened a total of 3 different times. When I drive the Pilot for a long time (over 4 hours)on the expressway and then pull off on a ramp and turn left the vehicle will go into safe mode. The engine light will start flashing and you can not drive over 30 mph. The engine runs rough and idles hard. I have contacted Honda and the dealership I purchased it from. Honda has acknowledged this is a problem and has occurred multiples with many different vehicles. The dealership I work with has acknowledged the same thing as they have several vehicles that have been brought in with this problem. I have waited several months for Honda to come up with a solution, so far they have not. This is a safety concern because what would happen if this same situation came up when I'm pulling my trailer or on the expressway at higher speeds. This could cause an accident. This first started on my Pilot in December of 2021. It has happened several times since then. Every time there is no code the computer keeps, even though each time the engine light is flashing. What I have been told is the computer thinks the engine has backfired and goes into safe mode, but Honda doesn't know why it does this. If you turn the vehicle off and restart it, the problem goes away. When the dealership has run a diagnosis off the computer, there are no codes the computer throws. Even though the check engine light is flashing when this occurs.

- Richmond, IL, USA

problem #2

Oct 272021

Pilot

  • miles
This vehicle has a pushbutton transmission "gear selector". It is IMPOSSIBLE per the owner's manual, and further confirmed by the dealership, to PLACE THIS VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL without the engine running. This is an unacceptable safety hazard. If the vehicle stops running in busy traffic or in an intersection, or otherwise in a zone such that imminent danger of collision is necessarily introduced, it is impossible to push the vehicle out of danger, off to the side of the road. Further it cannot be towed without necessary imparting damage to the drive train. Honda requires the owner to BUY A SPECIAL TOOL, Lock Release 07AAA-TZ3A100 which requires removal of underhood components to place the transmission in neutral, and it (apparently) cannot be maintained there without an extra person available to hold the tool against spring return pressure. This whole affair is simply UNBELIEVABLE. As I write this, there is NO INCIDENT, as the vehicle is relatively new to us. But I'm 61 years old, and have had to place inoperative cars in neutral to get them out of harms way, at least a dozen times in my life. Note that this shortcoming manifests itself as simply as whenever the vehicle runs out of gas. This cannot be allowed to happen. Are there no adults left in the building designing these cars?

- Marietta, OH, USA

problem #1

Feb 262021

Pilot

  • 900 miles
I just bought my brand new 2021 Honda Pilot I had it for 1 week so I decided to take it to las vegas on the way there it was fine but on the way home I'm coming down I started to feel a jerk in the transmission I didn't think nothing of it so I kept driving. But for a new car it should not be doing anything like that at all so I took it to Honda dealer and they did a multi inspection check and said they didn't find anything wrong with it and everything shift fine but when I took it home a week later it's happening more and more especially when it's traffic you will feel it way more I just hope it don't go out after my 60K miles warranty right now it's only 2,500 miles and I feel I got a lemon I already have transmission problems but it just too new to go out right now

- Riverside, CA, USA

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