Carlexica

2017 Honda Pilot: problems, recalls and reliability

4 recalls and 908 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (41% of complaints); the 2015 and 2018 model years look more trouble-free.

Data updated weekly · 14 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Jun 2026

4
recalls
908
owner complaints
5
fire reports
40,000
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★
5-star NHTSA overall safety ratingOne of the most complained-about Pilot years (#3 of 24, age-adjusted)Weak spot: engine (41%)5 fire reports

Common problems

Computed from 908 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Engine (engine mechanics)41% · 337 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)20% · 163 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)11% · 90 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System (fuel pump, tank, lines)10% · 85 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)2% · 18 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control (unintended acceleration, cruise control)2% · 16 complaints
Lane keeping assist problem light on, collision mitigation system problem light on, road departure mitigation system problem light on, adaptive cruise control problem light on. brake sy stem light on. The vehicle's multiple camera has failed and it is a common occurrence with this vehicle. Honda has not recalled this and is charging customers upwards of $2500 to replace the camera behind the windshield and recalibrate it. This isn't an issue based on miles there have been incidents with it happening as early as 30,000 miles. I bought my vehicle used and about 113,000 this started happeningOwner report · Service Brakes · Jul 2026
Digital speedometer stop working. It won't display. It has happened before, and it's happening again. This is dangerous to my driving as I have no idea how fast I'm driving when there is no display of my speed. I read from Honda Pilot community there are many others Honda Pilot owners have this same issue. This should be safety recall as it's driving safety issue. Thank you for looking into my concerns.Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 to 60 MPH, the emission warning light illuminated. The contact was concerned about the vehicle stalling while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel injector, torque converter, and front and rear catalytic converters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted and offered goodwill assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
Driving home from church sunday june 28th downslope of a small hill smelled hot metal; wasn't sure if the odor was from us, the large truck that just passed us or environmental; sudden "pop" was heard accompanied by a "jerk" in the vehicle; loss of steering and brakes; dash was lit and showed rpm/mph/etc then battery light came on smoke billowing from engine followed quickly by complete fire from enginge; all 4 passengers eventually got out; police and fire dispatched; complete loss; traumatic to say the least; only light previous was service soon as oil life was at 15%; believe to be a known issue with 2017 pilots rods bend and break but now warning (researched after the fire)Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jun 2026
There is a loud metallic knocking sound coming from my engine. I have lack of acceleration power, and the check engine light came on. You are more than welcome to come inspect the car. My safety was placed at risk as my engine can blow up, and/or I lose acceleration while driving and cause an accident. The sound is continuous and will be until the Rod Bearing is fixed so it's easily reproducible. Yes it's been looked at by a mechanic.Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
I have been frequently getting the message on my dash "Keyless Start System Problem" This message appears when starting or stopping the vehicle and while driving. The message does not stay on the dash it eventually disappears.Owner report · Lane Departure · Jun 2026
The paint is peeling on the pearl white color. This is a known issue and it is large sections that could cause a hazard while drivingOwner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2026
Engine Idle at Stop light or Start & Stop at Traffic Stop Light doesn't work. It does stop completely; however, it didn't start after releasing the brake. You have to put the vehicle back in the parking gear, put the brake to restart the engine. This has happened three times in the last week.Owner report · Electrical System · May 2026
While driving on the highway at approx 60mph my car completely lost power. I had no warning lights on the dashboard and the only warning I got was an alarm sound right as all the power to the vehicle cut off. I had to use my e-brake to help me stop and coast to the brake down lane. I couldn't get my car completely off the highway lane and had no way of getting out of the vehicle. I was towed off the highway and contacted my dealership. Prior to this the car was idling a little rough in the morning.Owner report · Engine · May 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a red light, the vehicle stalled; the contact restarted the vehicle for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to get a diagnosis however, the failure cause was unidentifiable. The contact did research and was made aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.Owner report · Engine · May 2026

When filing, owners marked a crash in 9 of these complaints and injuries in 6 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Recalls - 4 campaigns

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH21V932000 · Nov 2021

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.

Remedy: Dealers will either repair the hood latch striker, or replace the hood if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is PBV.

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER26V332000 · May 2026

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS26V365000 · Jun 2026

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP23V858000 · Dec 2023

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

Trouble codes owners mention

OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.

How other years compare

Check your exact Pilot by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Honda Pilot reliable?

NHTSA has 908 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Honda Pilot. The most complained-about area is engine (41% of complaints).

At what mileage do 2017 Honda Pilot problems usually appear?

Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 40,000 miles or less.

Does the 2017 Honda Pilot have open recalls?

4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.