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 2025 | ENGINE | This is another incident of the auto start/stop system failing to restart the engine after a stop in traffic. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | This seems to be an on going problem for many Honda owners according to the forums. My Adaptive Cruise Control, lane keeping assistant, collision mitigation, road departure mitigation, and auto high beams have all gone out after going to the car wash. I have cleaned the windshield but I find it crazy that this is a common problem and there is no recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | My wife was driving the family down the highway I was a passenger. While we were traveling approximately 70mph down a 4 lane highway there was a loud clunk with a consistent knock and an immediate loss of power. I was able to help navigate her to safety on an off ramp so that my family would be safely off the road. The vehicle was towed to the Honda dealer where it is currently under warranty. The mechanics at the dealership have confirmed a spun bearing on piston number 3 and the motor will need to be replaced. There were zero warning lights and and no notification from any sensors with an OBD tool. Honda America is only willing to replace the motor with a salvaged motor. Unfortunately the VIN from the car with the salvaged motor will not match my current VIN, so if there is an active recall on the engine like on the previous year pilots that are VIN specific, I will not be covered and Honda will have replaced my engine with a known faulty one. I nor should and other family have to take the risk of receiving faulty salvaged Honda parts while still under factory warranty. The attached file is the last service records that are available for the salvaged engine and as you can see there is a noted vibration at the front in as well. Honda refuses to send the information from the salvage yard detailing the engine information including current mileage and the date the motor was pulled from the salvaged vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | We've been having a continuous issue and taken it to out Escondido Honda dealership, to the service department. Our service department advisor named Omar had his tech look at it awhiel ago but they couldn't come up with anything. I recently saw the 2 million vehicle recalls on including the Honda Pilot, which we have a 2021 Special Edition. When I put in my VIN it says that there are no recalls as of right now. However, our vehicle is exhibiting the same exact mechanical failure as described in the NHTSA recall. The auto start stop is failing to reengage when trying to start going after the stop light turns green, it completely dies out and won't restart, leaving us stopped and stranded at the stop light or wherever we are at, at that time. We've also had issues that when it does reengage the auto stop/start it sounds like it was struggling initially before it started to just not reengage at all and started leaving us stranded. Then we would have to press on the button to put it back in park and then push the start/stop button. Which wouldn't always work, then we'd have to keep pushing it and eventually started. Please assist and thank you for your time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, FUEL PUMP FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after idling at a red light, the Auto Start failed to operate as designed. The contact had to shift to park(P), and several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle before the contact was able to continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 33,000 |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The car on multiple occasions (4 separate incidents) after stopping at a red light or stop sign and the auto stop system stopped the engine, once the brake pressure is released, the car would auto start then immediately shift into neutral and completely shut off (engine, electrical, etc). Driver would have to coast/stop at side of road and turn car off and on again. In 2 of the incidents, this happened on a two lane road and completely blocked traffic until the driver could figure out what was happening and restart the car. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | The engine fails to restart at times after the auto engine idle cuts the engine off when stopped. The previous recall has been completed. When I returned my vehicle to the dealership to have it checked again because the same issue continued to occur, I was told the battery needed to be replaced. I have since replaced the battery with a Honda battery from the dealership yet the issue still occurs. It seems to be worse in cold weather. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Engines sometimes fails to start again after being turned off briefly. Will have so turn off all electrical and push button to start multiple times before it engine starts again | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | On multiple occasions after being stopped at a red light and the engine turns off it failed to restart. After shutting the car completely off and attempting to restart after a few tries it was able to restart however this is an ongoing issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE | It is a horrible system that makes driving with it on more unsafe. It never knows where the lanes actually are and makes adjustments that take you out of the lane all the time. It's unusable and unsafe | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I was stopped at a red light and my engine stopped like normal but then when light turned green and i attempted to accelerate the engine never turned back on. I had to put the car in park. Shut down the vehicle and then attempted to start the car again. It took a few time before I was able to start up the vehicle. This has happened multiple times and initially I thought I may have done something but then as it became more frequent, I started paying closer attention to the stop-start of the engine and came to the realization that it is not the way I was operating but more or less an issue with the engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | My Honda's engine start-stop system isn't restarting at stop lights. Very frightening when the light turns green and I can’t go anywhere. I have to turn off the car and restart. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | The car randomly fails to start up again after stopping it during an auto start auto stop cycle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | While stopped on a red light the auto idle engine restart was engaged, when I released my brakes the vehicle did not restart and went into neutral stalling the vehicle.. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving the screen with the Speedometer and essential information goes blank for a few seconds. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The vehicle will provide "BRAKE" warnings on the dash display or display the warning and auto-brake when on a 2 lane road, with only a painted divided line, when on a curve and an oncoming vehicle is coming wards my vehicle, but there is no apparent oncoming collision with the oncoming vehicle and with no vehicle in front of me. This has been intermittent and ongoing since vehicle purchase. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlights were replaced under the 3yr/36k mile warranty just prior to the 3 yr mark due to the clear coat peeling and headlights showing excessive wear and scratching. 6 months after replacement, the replaced headlights are showing the same signs of clear coat peeling and excessive wear and scratching, far sooner than the original 3 yr mark. The headlight condition continues to deteriorate and will eventually need replacement or refurbishment. Now, the Honda emblem on the front, which is covered in clear plastic since it houses anti-collision components, is showing the same signs of wear. This seems premature considering the vehicle was purchased in 2021 and will pose a safety risk soon. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | All safety/collision prevention systems related to camera have become inoperative. Vehicle will not lane keep assist, emergency brake, or notify of possible collisions. Problem occurs every time vehicle is turned on | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | After having recall work done on the vehicle, the recalled driver side mirror is now not able to be to view roadway safely. The mirror is projecting duplicate images in a single lane and is impossible to view out of. In the photo you can see how the newly installed Honda side mirror is distorted. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | AIR BAGS | 1. 2020-22 Multi-Model Seat Weight Sensor Safety Recall NHTSA Recall Number: 24V-064; MFR Campaign ID: OHB; Campaign Description: 2020-22 Multi-Model Seat Weight Sensor Safety Recall; Recall Date: 02/01/2024. 2. I have contacted the Dealership on several occasions and Honda Motor Car Corporation and have been told that a. The replacement part isn't available. b. Unless there is an incident or there has been a diagnostic I have to wait. 3. This is a consumer safety issue, since 02/01/2024, why as a consumer do I have to wait until someone is hurt, injured or killed to have this sensor replaced. When is Honda Motor Car Corporation to be held accountable to provide the required part to have the Seat Weight Sensor replaced? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Starter bad | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The auto idle-stop feature in my Honda Pilot prevented from starting the engine again. It is available for inspection upon request. I was at the stop light with the idle-stop feature enabled and when it was time for me to start driving again, the car would not start. The car turned off completely and a lot of the lights including the battery light turned on and a message stating to bring the key fob close to the start button came on. The battery has been changed within a year since I mentioned this problem to the dealership when I brought it in for an oil change. They determined that they had to change the battery. Clearly this did not solve the issue. When this happened today, I was driving on [XXX] which is a highway with a lot of traffic. Since I was unable to move forward, I backed up the traffic coming behind me. The problem has not been produced or confirmed by the dealer since this happened today. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer even though I have brought it up to their attention, police, or insurance representatives. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure have appeared. This is the first time that the car has completely failed to re-start. In the past, it has struggled to start, but it makes it happen. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | The side curtain airbags deployed while I was sitting in the passenger's side of the car looking into the glove compartment for about ten minutes with the car being completely off and parked in the driveway. The Ignition was off and there was glitching and clicking sounds seconds before the airbags deployed. This could have happened at any point while driving on the street or the freeway. It could have caused an accident and could have killed me if it happened elsewhere. It could have been the passenger's side airbag that deployed and I could have been seriously injured. This incident happened on a Sunday, so I had the car towed to Honda the following day. Honda's response after investigating: "We contacted American Honda Technical Support. Our American Honda District Rep informed us to have the customer contact her insurance provider for repairs." Aside from this official response, I was told that they investigated what they could and found no reason as to why the airbags would have deployed. I was told I had two options. Pay for repair with them or report it to the insurance. I stated that the release of the vehicle was a liability if I decided to not pay for repairs with Honda. After some dialogue, they helped with a loaner car and did not release the car to me. There were no warning lights or messages on the dash whatsoever. About a month prior to this incident, the car started alarming randomly. The random alarming would stop when disconnecting the hood latch sensor. I took the car in for a diagnosis and Honda reported that the cause of the alarm was the keyless access unit. The car (screen and dash) would still glitch after the hood latch sensor was disconnected. My hope is that Honda & American Honda admit responsibility & provide a solution not only for me but for all Honda Pilot owners that may be in danger. Investigating should be a priority, but even if repairs are done to my vehicle, I no longer feel safe driving a my vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |