Complaint volume
388 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
2021 Honda Pilot Complaints
388 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Honda Pilot, grouped by component category.
388 Total complaints
12 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
7 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 unknown or other, electrical system, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 12 crash reports, 1 fire report, 7 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 41 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 34,816 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to unknown or other, electrical system, engine?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Honda Pilot
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Honda Pilot complaints?
12 Crash
1 Fire
7 Injury
0 Fatality
12 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Honda Pilot complaint categories?
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 38
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 35
ENGINE 30
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 27
AIR BAGS 22
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 19
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE 16
VISIBILITY/WIPER 16
TIRES 13
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 11
388 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2024 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Side view mirrors started shaking few months after buying car, had them replaced under warranty. After replacement drivers side was so distorted I took it back. They replaced again, still distorted but better. Too, to dealer for service and they replaced again due to recall, mirror is so distorted again i can barely see out it. I see many complaints on forums regarding this. Honda needs to correct this with the proper glass before an accident happens | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I see there is an investigation involving the automatic emergency braking on some Hondas. I previously owned a 2018 Honda Accord, but currently own a 2021 Honda Pilot. Both had/have the automatic emergency braking. Both cars have the same issue with hard braking for no reason. To me the Pilot is worse due to almost having 2 people rear end me due to the random hard breaking. In my opinion the investigation needs to possibly expand into other models. It has never been reproduced as I just assumed it happens. It definitely puts people at risk. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Frequently, my 2021 Honda will apply the brakes without warning or very abruptly. While using the adaptive cruise control, the car will brake suddenly when there is not a car anywhere near me. Also, when driving on two lane roads, the car slams on the brakes when there is not a car in front of me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | The warning lights beep and blink. All problems can’t be used | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The infotainment screen went black. No back up camera available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On 3/18/24 I started my car on a routine after school pickup trip but my notification system started blinking with different sensor problems. I took pictures of the display and tried to drive my car and saw at the time it did not affect drivability. I made an appointment with my dealer and brought it in 3/25/24. I started researching if there might be a pattern with other Honda Pilots and did find some discussion boards about 2020/2021 Honda Pilot that had a similar event—sensor problems displaying for no evident triggering event. I brought my car in for the appointment and the advisor said they would run a diagnostic as well as address 2 active recalls on my Pilot and take care of the maintenance. The diagnostic test showed that I have a faulty front multi purpose camera that must be replaced. Ny car has about $70K miles so it is outside the warranty period so I am having to pay for this repair myself. Note: the active recall that was repaired at this same visit was an issue with wiring in the rear camera. I asked the advisor if it was possible that the camera issues were related even though they were different cameras and he said at the moment there were no recalls for the multipurpose camera so he could not say. I am submitting this claim to document a possible safety concern that should be covered under a recall. Other incidents noted: when advisor asked if I had experienced any issues starting car, I did mention that last summer appx. Aug 2023 at a stop light my car went in idle mode (auto start/stop function) but when I took my foot off brake to go on green light the car did not restart. I had to get my key and push it into the ignition button to restart it. This has happened 2 since I’ve had the car. With all the recalls and these auto stop/start issues, I have experienced lower confidence & satisfaction in my Honda Pilot, but I am worried that safety may be an issue as well. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I see that the NTSHA is already launching an investigation into certain Handa Passports and Insights. The 2021 (and likely other) Pilot Ibown has the same phantom emergency braking issue. This happens at least on a monthly basis if not more often. I will say there have been a half dozen times where the car did activate the emergency braking properly but all other times have been phantom braking where there was no immenent threat of a collision. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while the idle stop system was deactivated, while idling at a stop light the vehicle suddenly turned off after releasing the brake pedal and shifted into neutral. The vehicle was eventually restarted and operated normally. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | The automatic idle stop does not restart engine upon release of the brake pedal. It has been happening with increasing frequency. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | When I’m stopped and try to drive my car it sometimes dies. It’s a big safety concern and happens often and when I have my kids in the car. I can’t get it to start again for a little while. The lights come on the dashboard but it won’t start at all until a while after trying. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Our brakes failed coming down a steep hill. We missed hitting a car by passing in the wrong lane. We had to cross a road across two lanes which fortunately had no cars on it where we crossed. We were able to get some braking once we got on level ground. We took the car to Honda and they told us the problem was a broken break switch. It is currently at Salem Honda in Salem, Oregon awaiting parts. We were told that the repair may not be covered by warranty. We were also told that if we did not get the brake fluid replaced, the car warranty would be void. We now are being charged about $2000 to get some fluids replaced that are supposed to be replaced at 30,000 miles according to the Honda dealer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | This is regarding the MOST FAKRA Service Cables Safety Recall which affects the display in my car. It started off with the radio cutting out but has progressed to the display not working which affects the rear camera. I believe this is extremely dangerous. I have taken my car to the Honda dealership in Burlington, Iowa FOUR times and they have not fixed the problem. It's my understanding that they have not replaced the cable harness but have only "checked the connections" and in one instance, one of the maintenance workers told my husband that they simply "hit the dash" and it started working again. This dealership has been very troublesome to work with as they simply say that the screen never malfunctions for them. I don't believe this as I encounter a problem with the display EVERY time I drive it. I contacted the Honda Customer Support almost a month ago. They followed up with my husband two weeks ago asking for receipts from the dealership which we did not have. He informed them that the dealership should have them on file although the receipts never described what they attempted to do to fix the problem. Since them, I have followed up with Honda Customer Support TWICE and am not able to receive any sort of reply from them. I am at a loss with what to do as I don't feel comfortable driving my car but have no other option to. I heavily rely on my display and its back up camera features. It is greatly increasing my risk of a crash every time I drive it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | TIRES | I am writing to formally address a concerning issue I have encountered with my vehicle’s front tires. Since the initial tire swap, I have observed significant degradation in the condition of the Continental Cross Contact LX Sport 245/50 R 102H tires. Specifically, I have noticed gradual chunking of the tire tread, occurring piece by piece. Upon bringing this matter to the attention of , I was informed that this issue falls within the purview of the manufacturer’s warranty. However, upon further communication with the manufacturer, I was informed that the observed deterioration is attributed to road conditions in my locality rather than a manufacturing defect. I am deeply concerned as my SUV has only accumulated 29,000 miles, yet the tires exhibit a severe lack of tread thickness, rendering them nearly unusable. Given the discrepancy in responses between the dealer and the manufacturer, I seek clarification and resolution to this matter at the earliest convenience. I kindly request a thorough investigation into the root cause of the tire deterioration and a comprehensive assessment of its eligibility for warranty coverage. Additionally, I urge for prompt action to rectify this issue to ensure the safety and performance of my vehicle. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to a swift resolution. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | There appear to be more than one issue. When using the auto idle feature, my car will turn off completely. Meaning the engine turns off and it is difficult to restart. I also have issues starting the car from scratch. This has occurred multiple times where the engine will not turn on but other components will. I cannot be jumped or put in neutral as the transmission won't move out of park if the engine is not on. It has been to the dealership multiple times for both issues. A software update was done to fix the auto idle issue, but it has not fixed the issue. i know longer use the auto idle feature. The most recent incident was today. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | AIR BAGS | My EMS light came on one afternoon while driving home. I took it to the dealer and they stated it was an issue with the air bag system in the passenger side of the vehicle. It would not be covered and would cost me more than $2000 to have it repaired. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While I was at a stop sign my car went from drive to neutral on its own. I tried shifting back to drive and it wouldn't work. I put it in park and then it was telling me my car had to be on. I tried pushing the engine start stop button multiple times and finally it started and went back into drive. Autostop was on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | The reason we took our Honda in to the Honda retailer to begin with is because the car kept alerting a message of an “emissions systems failure.” We took it in and found out that we had 3 recalls on our Honda Pilot. They fixed one recall but stated that they “needed parts” for the other recalls. It has been one month and after continuous follow ups they continue to tell us that they still haven’t gotten the parts and are behind in service. This is unacceptable. The retailer believed that we were receiving the “emissions system failure” error message is because of a fuse. They replaced the fuse but the message returned several days later. I am thinking we received the error message because of the “Passport/Pilot MOST FAKRA Service Cables” failure recall that has a possibility to cause “poor, or lost, connections intermittently between the audio display unit and the vehicle cable connector” (Manufacturer recall explanation). I am not entirely sure exactly what is wrong with our vehicle nevertheless the reason for the complaint is that the manufacturer/certified dealership has “failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall” for our vehicle “in a timely manner.” I hope this complaint will get our recalls fixed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | Auto Engine Idle Stop issue. Engine would stop at intersections and not restart, which was a safety risk. I told the dealership this was a known defect affecting many vehicles and they said no, it was just a “bad battery.” They replaced the battery. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Twice now at red light my pilot has not started due to stop start feature. It was stuck in park / neutral . Car wouldn’t restart or go into gear. Almost everyday at least once car is hesitant to start after engine cuts out . Then dash lights like system collision isn’t working. Extremely dangerous was at a light on major interstate road. Last time it happened I. The summer had it checked out and nothing was resolved . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The glass on the window driver side fell out of position and I couldn’t close the glass window. I would have to drive in the cold and rain exposed to the elements and hopefully my window shield in front don’t fog and cause me to have accidents. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | Auto start/stop function. The auto start/stop engaged and the vehicles engine stopped while we were at a red light. When the light turned green and I released the brake the starter engaged but very slowly and failed to start the engine. I attempted to start the vehicle again but it needed to be in park, which was taking time engaged. We were blocking other vehicles from making a protected turn during this. On the 3rd attempt to restart the vehicle restarted. This has not been inspected or or reproduced. No warning lamps other than vehicle must be in park to start. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the Auto Idle feature on the vehicle intermittently failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that an unknown message was displayed on the instrument panel during the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on several occasions and software updates were performed; however, the failure returned soon after the updates were completed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |