Complaint volume
469 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
469 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Honda Pilot, grouped by component category.
469 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 144 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 15,993 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 121
ENGINE 58
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 48
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 20
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 18
POWER TRAIN 18
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 17
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 12
SERVICE BRAKES 11
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS 9
469 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 |
| Aug 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 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 |
| 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 | 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 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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 |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | In April 2021 Honda issued a warranty extension due to loose connection in the MOSTbus network causing. Popping or crackling and Network Loss. My vehicle was checked and nothing done. Then in 2023 recall-Due to improperly designed and manufactured connectors, the Media-oriented system transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable counter may have a poor connection. My car was taken in for this recall and this “repair” had not been resolved. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My car was fine. I was driving fine and then I pulled out of my neighborhood and all of a sudden my check engine light started blinking and my car was hesitating and jumping. I pulled over for 10 minutes with the car turned off and then it was fine. It did something similar once before a week prior but I thought it was a one time thing. There are recalls for fuel injectors on the year prior honda pilots. And the mechanic shop said that’s what they would replace when they looked at it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | No incident. Turned my car on and the ACC, LKAS, Collision mitigation and brake system lights all are amber. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | All the associated warnings are on dash, diagnosed at local Honda dealership with code u 3006-16. Advised multi camera failure and requested $1600 to repair. Immediate after I am now getting a transmission warning problem on dash. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | I am writing to formally report a safety concern related to a recent maintenance issue on my Honda vehicle. Approximately one month ago, I had my vehicle serviced to address an issue with the rear tailgate lighting. Although the issue was supposedly repaired, I discovered during nighttime driving that the tailgate lights were still not functioning properly. Despite the headlights being on, the rear tailgate lighting failed to illuminate, creating a serious safety hazard. I was nearly involved in a rear-end collision with a truck due to this malfunction. Upon stopping and inspecting the vehicle, I confirmed that the tailgate lights were not working as intended. This problem raises serious concerns, especially considering the dealership performed a multi-point inspection at the time of service. The malfunction was not detected or corrected adequately. Additionally, I question the reliability of these inspections, as there have been inconsistencies in their findings. For example, one inspection indicated that my brakes were fine, but just three weeks later, another inspection claimed they required replacement. The main issue, however, is that the tailgate lights were supposedly repaired but were not correctly configured to turn on automatically with the headlights. This oversight directly jeopardized my safety and the safety of others on the road. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this matter and determine whether there is a broader issue with the repair or inspection protocols being followed by Honda service centers, particularly regarding rear lighting systems and multi-point inspections. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety concern. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | Several system failures relates to a faulty multipurpose camera used by the Honda Sensing system from collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and land keeping assist. Multipurpose camera premature failure leads to loss of several safety features. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | My 2020 Honda Pilot has 53k miles on it. I have have the vehicle for 8ths and 8k miles. The vehicle engine light suddenly began flashing and the vehicle began running rough. A loud knocking sound was coming from the engine when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to a Honda dealer and analyzed. The testing showed that the camshaft and cylinder #2 rod bearing was damaged to the point of the engine needing replacement. Upon research of the problem and damage found by the dealer, it matches a major issue found on many Honda's and Accura's. A manufacturing defect in the crankshaft leads to excessive wear and failure of the connecting rod bearings. This problem can cause the engine to suddenly seize or fail. Honda is currently refusing to cover the repair cost because the VIN of my vehicle isn't on the recall list. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | STEERING | Loud clicking noise when turning/steering at low speeds. Problem has been worsening over past several months. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Crackling sounds coming from the front of the car similar to the original recall in 2020 and the front digital panel is not functioning and shutting down endangering the drive by not displaying information. My recall was cleared but the malfunction seems to have returned. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The infotainment screen is turning off and says “Network Communication Lost. MOST Net Off”. This means the infotainment screen goes black, often for long periods before it cycles back on, making it difficult to use Navigation and the screen for reverse camera. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Turned car on one day and warning lights on dash. ACC problem, Collision mitigation system problem, road departure mitigation problem, LKAS, Auto high beam, CMBS problem. Prior there were no issues Took car to dealership and they determined its the forward looking camera U3000-49, see uploaded file. The front camera has failed without incident, windshield isn't damaged, windshield has not been replaced. When it malfunctions and myself or family are relying on this feature it becomes a safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | •What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The “smart” control module, part# 38320-TG7-L112-M1 was removed and inspected; obvious incomplete conformation coverage was discovered along with significant dendritic growth on an uncovered IC. Proper cleaning of the board alleviated the issue – for the time being at any rate. I am including pictures of the board and growth that clearly show this defect and its related consequences, but I can provide the part for inspection if it’s feasible timewise and if I haven’t sold the vehicle by that point. •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle was rendered completely and utterly inoperable by this condition and additionally necessitated the removal of the battery to keep the car alarm from triggering randomly. If this condition manifests itself at the wrong time it could easily create a dangerous situation for myself, my family and others. •Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The diagnosis, research, documentation and associated repair were performed by an independent service technician. •Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? This problem was reported to Honda USA in late March of 2025; no acceptable recourse was provided or offered. •Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. On Friday March 21st at approx. 6PM, the car alarm was triggered with no interaction whatsoever after the vehicle had sat for several hours. After disconnecting the battery for over an hour the problem immediately returned upon reconnection along with flashing dash & interior lights and clicking relays and/or components. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |