Traveling about 70 mph on the interstate using cruise control. I don’t think there was a change in steepness/grade, but if there was it was mild. Suddenly, the rpm’s were erratic and the engine and gears seemed out of sync. Pressing the gas pedal didn’t seem to effectively accelerate the vehicle. I don’t believe the brakes were affected. The “D” for drive indicator kept blinking on and off.…
2017 Honda Pilot powertrain problems
moderate 116 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
116
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 116 powertrain complaints filed for the 2017 Honda Pilot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Owners have filed 116 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 21 model years of Honda Pilot in our records for powertrain problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond, rattled, jerked, and shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while driving at 15 MPH and higher speeds. The contact stated that the Push to Start button was inoperable…
My husband was driving on the highway to a competition for our daughter. He said the Transmission System Problem light came on 4 different times in 20 minutes. This had happened once while I was driving last year and had never happened again. We took it to our local transmission repair shop and the guy could not get it to repeat and the transmission worked as it should when he was testing…
The car would not go into reverse and when it finally did and we pulled out we received a transmission problem warning
Had powertrain trouble with your 2017 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 powertrain problem on the 2017 Honda Pilot?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 116 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 40 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 25,866 and 63,000 miles, with the median around 40,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 25,866; a quarter make it past 63,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2017/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.