Service News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS receiver Capacity resulting in rollover of the internal chip memory; the rollover occurred on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Honda Pilot electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2009 Honda Pilot have filed 5 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Pilot | 50 |
| 2006 Pilot | 16 |
| 2007 Pilot | 21 |
| 2008 Pilot | 7 |
| 2009 Pilot (this page) | 5 |
| 2010 Pilot | 9 |
| 2011 Pilot | 19 |
| 2012 Pilot | 20 |
| 2013 Pilot | 7 |
When does it fail?
Of the 5 electrical complaints filed for the 2009 Honda Pilot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 21 model years of Honda Pilot we track for electrical problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (5).
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
ServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time. As a result, once specific triggers are met, the navigation date and time will be incorrect.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗ServiceNews Article - Here's something you really ought to know about: When you play a DVD with 5.1 surround sound (Dolby Digital), you'll hear the dialogue coming from just the front speakers. You won't hear it coming from any of the rear speakers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align, which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
The change oil indicator never came on and my engine light came on so I immediately took it to an autozone to have the code checked. It was a code p3497. That was a saturday, I took it to the dealer on monday. They were about to let me drive away with no oil because the code was cleared. I insisted they check into it due to all the complaints online with same problem and it being the computer…
Had electrical trouble with your 2009 Honda Pilot?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2009 Honda Pilot?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 5 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 5 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 83,548 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Honda/Pilot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.