Complaint volume
456 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Honda Pilot Complaints
456 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Honda Pilot, grouped by component category.
456 Total complaints
10 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
10 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are electrical system, engine, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 10 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 10 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 143 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 15,413 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to electrical system, engine, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Honda Pilot?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Honda Pilot
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Honda Pilot complaints?
10 Crash
5 Fire
10 Injury
0 Fatality
11 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Honda Pilot complaint categories?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 87
ENGINE 38
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 36
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 24
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 21
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 21
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 16
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 15
POWER TRAIN 15
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 13
456 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Lane Assist Camera Failure (Part #36160-TG7-A63) Vehicle Information: Make/Model/Year: 2020 Honda Pilot EX-L Failed Component: Lane Assist Camera, Part #36160-TG7-A63 Safety Issue Description: The lane assist camera has failed, disabling multiple critical safety systems, including: Adaptive Cruise Control Lane Keeping Assist Collision Mitigation Braking System Road Departure Mitigation Auto High-Beam System Concern: This camera component is not subject to normal wear and tear, being housed within the vehicle's protected interior near the rearview mirror. The failure of this part represents a potential manufacturing defect that compromises essential safety features designed to prevent accidents and save lives. The simultaneous loss of multiple Honda Sensing safety systems creates a significant safety hazard, particularly given that drivers rely on these systems for collision avoidance and lane departure prevention. This premature failure suggests a systemic defect that may affect other 2020 Honda Pilot vehicles. Request: I request that NHTSA investigate this matter for potential safety defects and consider whether a recall is warranted for affected Honda Pilot vehicles with this camera component. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The 'infotainment system; which in includes the navigation system and backup camera and sensors suddenly goes black. I may first get a black screen with "network Communications lost" message, then it goes black or get a message that says "unfortunately, com.honda.tuner has stopped". It started happening after I had to replace the batter. This was the 2nd replacement battery I've had to install. I had the battery replaced in March, 2025 at my honda dealer, and before I even got home I started getting the messages. Sometimes, the infotainment system may come back, other times, it does not come back. If I pull over, shut the car down, wait a few mintues, open the door and then close the door, it may come back when I start the car up again. I took it to the dealer - they could not figure out the problem and said that maybe replacing the tuner for 1600 would help, but they would not guarantee it. I've contact American Honda and lodged a complaint in June 2025 but so far it has not even been assigned to a manager. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | Engine auto off at an intersection. Would not restart. Burned up starter. Towed to Honda dealership. Rod bearing spun causing catastrophic damage to engine. Honda Care Extended warranty is covering at least part of the cost to replace either the shortblock, or possibly replace entire engine. No decision on which just yet. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Last time I changed my oil I had bronze colored flakes of metal in my oil. It looked like parts of the main connecting rod bearing material. No running problems YET, but will likely fail soon. I've kept up on oil changes every 5-7K. 89K on vehicle. Please do something about a full recall on this issue and include this report into the affected VINs. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | The LKAS camera stopped working and it won’t allow any of the connected systems to operate including ACC, emergency brake assist, cruise control, etc. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I am the original owner of my Honda Pilot and have always taken the vehicle to Honda dealerships for all scheduled maintenance and service. On [XXX], I noticed the air conditioning was blowing only warm air, with no cold air at all. I scheduled an appointment at Germain Honda in Beavercreek, Ohio, where the vehicle was inspected on July 28, 2025. I was informed that the A/C system had suffered what is often called “A/C black death” and that the entire A/C system would need replacement at a cost of $6,753.93. I was also told that no parts were available and that I would be contacted when they became available. I have not been contacted since. When I asked why this happened, I was told it was rare and that I was just unlucky. However, my own research has shown that many Honda Pilot owners (and likely Ridgeline owners as well) have experienced the same failure, sometimes repeatedly, even after dealer repairs. Honda has issued recalls and extended warranties for A/C failures in other models such as the Civic and CR-V, but not for the Pilot, despite widespread reports. This is a serious safety issue. Where I live, July and August were extremely hot. The lack of A/C made the vehicle unsafe to operate, as every year children and pets tragically die in overheated vehicles. Driving without functional A/C in extreme heat creates a health hazard for families. I was unable to use my vehicle at all during these peak summer months. My Pilot has fewer than 100,000 miles, has been well maintained, and should not have suffered a complete A/C system failure this early in its life. Honda has clearly known about systemic A/C issues in multiple models yet has not taken responsibility for Pilot owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | While stopped at red light the auto off feature engaged and the car stalled out when restarting. This has happened multiple times since buying the vehicle | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE | All safety features on the dashboard have lit up all are constantly on. Honda America states no open recall, I see many forums for Honda owners having this issue that also impacts safety | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I own a 2020 Honda Pilot EX with approximately 58,000 miles. Every time I drive on two-lane roads, I receive a bright orange “Brake” warning from the Automatic Emergency Braking system when vehicles in the opposite lane are passing by. The system falsely detects an imminent collision, even though the oncoming vehicles are safely in their lane. The system then applies the brakes unnecessarily. Most of the time it brakes mildly, but on at least two occasions it has braked very hard, causing the vehicle behind me to nearly rear-end my car. This creates a significant and dangerous situation, as it could easily cause an accident. I now have to disable the automatic braking system every time I drive. During my last drive, after disabling the system, I received a warning message stating: “ABS Failure — Take to Dealer.” I have also experienced dangerous behavior from the Lane Departure Warning/Assist system. When exiting the freeway, if the lane lines disappear or become unclear, the vehicle has slammed on the brakes suddenly. On one occasion, this caused me severe whiplash. Thankfully, I was alone in the car — if my young children had been passengers, they could have suffered serious neck injuries. I have taken the vehicle to the Honda dealer and independent mechanics. Each time, they have only cleared the codes and told me it was due to “dirty sensors.” The warnings and braking issues, however, keep coming back. This issue is persistent, reproducible, and unsafe. The Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure, and ABS systems are not functioning properly and create a real danger to myself, my passengers, and other drivers on the road. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | I have a 2020 Honda Pilot (VIN [XXX] ) and have experienced RPM fluctuations when trying to maintain speed. I'm concerned these issues may be related to ODI investigation PE25008 and further use of my vehicle without having it inspected may result in a crash, fire and/or complete engine failure. The engine has not operated smoothly for months, and my mechanic has not been able to figure out why. It feels like the engine is struggling to maintain a steady RPM, leading to bouncing or surging in power. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | Rough Shifting at lower speeds when accelerating and deceleration. Very hard jerk while driving with family in the car. Hard jerk happened occasionally and produces no codes. Dealer and mechanic say they can't do anything without codes. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Since purchasing the vehicle there was a leak under the driver's side console after heavy rains. After multiple trips to the dealer they directed us to replace the windshield. We did so (under protest). The leak still existed. The dealership determined that there was a gap at the A pillar. We worry that this is related to the Sturcture recall about missing welds. Honda will not admit to any issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | AIR BAGS | Front airbags did not deploy during a head on collision and rollover crash | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The dashboard looks like a christmas tree all the brake lights are on, I googled this and its supposedly a known issues. I'm not sure if the brakes are safe or not. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | The bearings went out on cylinder number 5. The engine is torn down at the present time at the dealership. There was no warning. It is our understanding that other 3.5 l engines have had this happen. Our vehicle just wasn’t included in this recall. I think the recall needs expanded. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Car intermittently won’t start due to insufficient battery charge. Jump starting will start the car. Dealership testing of battery and charging system determined no issues. However, issue reoccurs. Suspect charging doesn’t occur until battery reaches a minimum voltage level which is currently set too low. Safety issue in that car starting is unreliable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The idle engine turn back on feature has not turned on several times. It has happened a couple of times upon turning it back on after a complete turn off in a parking lot. Also, it has happened in traffic at a stop light on busy roads where I was sitting there dead stopped in the road unable to get the car started. Another time, it did not turn back on as I was pulling out of my neighborhood and we almost got hit because of it. The battery seems to be involved and seems to have to recharge for a few minutes and then it will turn back on. I've called 911 to help me get out of the road, have taken out the battery and put it back, and had it checked at the dealership. I have to remember to use the button that turns off the idle engine turn off feature or it will happen. It doesn't have any pattern or reason to it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I’m reaching out regarding a persistent and hazardous issue with the Auto Stop/Start function on my vehicle. The system routinely fails when stopping at lights and stop signs, causing the engine to shut off and not restart. On several occasions, the vehicle has shut off while in motion—on highways, at intersections, and in the middle of roadways—putting me and others at serious risk. I brought the vehicle to John Eagle Honda of Dallas on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. The dealership diagnosed two recall-related issues (Recall #23-008 and #21-012), temporarily resolving the problem. However, the failure returned just five days later and has persisted ever since. I purchased the vehicle in May 2020, practically new from the dealership. This issue began roughly a year after purchase and has only escalated. I’m requesting further review and a permanent resolution, as this continues to be a severe safety hazard. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | Vehicle auto start / stop system intermittently will not restart the engine after turning off at a stop. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? When calling the dealer they believe it is the “Smart Control unit.” How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My vehicle will not start most of the time…leaving me stranded when I have to go anywhere and I have to get out to take the battery terminal off and back on just to try to reset it long enough for it to try to start. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, from my understanding of reading other people having the same problem Honda knows it is a common issue and has not done anything about it. The dealer wants paid to do an inspection. I do not have the money they are asking for. I know inspections aren’t very expensive but most people (myself included) can’t afford even a simple inspection. Just to pay for the car takes all I have. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? At first I noticed my car alarm would go off randomly and originally thought my doors weren’t being shut all the way however after making sure all doors were in fact shut it still went off. I was at work that night and had to keep going out to turn my alarm off…the next morning I go in to start my car and leave and it had trouble starting saying “keyless start system problem” after finally getting it started I drove to the gas station to get gas and turned off the engine as I was walking away I heard cracking noises and my car making the ding noise it makes when you turn it on ACC mode. When I came back to the car all the lights on the dash, radio screen, headlights, tail lights, and mirror lights (the ones that light up when a car is close) were flashing like crazy and still heard the crackling noise. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle shifted into park independently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while restarting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to restart for approximately 90-seconds, and then operated as intended. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where was it diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the the front camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the failure was not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 78,000 |
| Jul 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to lose automotive power, and failed to return to normal operation. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 70,000 |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | Engine stall while at stop light. This happens probably 1 every 50 times | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | my car shut off at red light and wont restart .Even though i had it repaired under the recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | complaint of water leak from the front windshield, water leaks into the front floorboard. It is a known 2023 Honda Pilot issue dated 5.18.23, but the 2020 has the same leak | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |