HONDA CORPORATION IS AWARE OF A NON-CONFORMANCE ISSUE WITH THE HONDA PILOTS TRANSMISSION BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED A RECALL OR SOLUTION TO CONSUMERS. THE "TRANSMISSION" CAN FAIL BETWEEN 35K TO 157K MILES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE MECHANICAL DEFECT WAS KNOWN…

12/29/2013 · NHTSA ODI #10557614.0

2008 Pilot · airbags

AIRBAG LIGHT KEEP ON AFTER THE CAR START UP. 2008 HONDA PILOT. NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED. HONDA SAID A CONTROL MODULE NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

12/28/2010 · NHTSA ODI #10373159.0

2008 Pilot · other

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM MY FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY, I TURNED A SMALL CORNER AT 15 MPH AND MY BREAKS LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO OVER 20MPH NOW. IT HAPPENED 4 TIMES TO ME YESTERDAY. 4 TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS SHOVED FORWARD, AND LOST MOMENTARY…

12/26/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10816232.0

2008 Pilot · powertrain

I OWN AN 2008 HONDA PILOT (AUTOMATIC) AND WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS VEHICLE'S INABILITY TO HOLD IN GEAR ON AN INCLINE. THE PILOT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN IN DRIVE WITHOUT STOPPING ON AN UPHILL INCLINE, AND WILL ROLL FORWARD WHEN IN REVERSE ON A DOWNHILL INCLINE.…

12/26/2009 · NHTSA ODI #10296969.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

moderate NHTSA 08E013000 05/02/2008

HONDA IS RECALLING 2,032 HITCH STYLE BIKE RACKS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE ON MY 2003-2007 AND SOME MY 2008 HONDA PILOT, RIDGELINE, AND ACURA MDX VEHICLES

WHEN MOVING THE BIKE ARM BRACKET TO ITS DOWN POSITION, THIS PINCH BOLT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING SEVERE LACERATION OR AMPUTATION TO THE USER'S FINGERTIPS OR HAND.

Fix: OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT THULE AT 800-THULE91 (800-848-5391) TO OBTAIN A FREE REPAIR KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS OR OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Common questions

Is the 2008 Honda Pilot reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 132 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Honda Pilot is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2008 Honda Pilot?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 29 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Honda Pilot has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2008 Honda Pilot?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 132 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 9 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with honda. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.