Service Bulletin - Customer complaint of the A/C not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Honda Pilot visibility problems
moderate Owners of the 2019 Honda Pilot have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Pilot | 6 |
| 2016 Pilot | 8 |
| 2017 Pilot | 13 |
| 2018 Pilot | 8 |
| 2019 Pilot (this page) | 16 |
| 2020 Pilot | 4 |
| 2021 Pilot | 25 |
| 2023 Pilot | 10 |
What stands out
Among the 18 model years of Honda Pilot in our records for visibility problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility 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.
Service Bulletin - The A/C does not blow cold air, and the lower corner of the condenser around the receiver/dryer cap is stained due to a poor O-ring compression against the receiver/dryer barrel wall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - Customer complaint received regarding the A/C not blowing cold air due to an oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Rear backup cameras stop working or show rainbow-colored distortion, making reverse backing unsafe. Some cameras quit after dealer service bulletins are applied; Honda has issued bulletins 20-047 and 20-051 to address the issue, but not all vehicles qualify. The driver-side mirror vibrates severely at highway speeds, blurring the image and making it unreliable for safety checks. Dealers acknowledge this is a known common issue but refuse warranty repair.
Rear hatch glass explodes in a spider-web pattern with no impact, sometimes hours after the rear defroster runs, especially in cold weather around 24 degrees. Sun visors fail to fold or unfold properly. Moonroofs come off track and won't operate; one required $4,000 repair with Honda covering only 40% via goodwill. A sunroof spontaneously exploded at 55 mph with no impact. Windshields crack randomly during driving.
Owners note inconsistent warranty treatment: some identical repairs are done free at different dealers, others are denied. Parts availability is poor, with rear hatch glass back-ordered indefinitely. One owner's A/C compressor failure triggered a $5,500 replacement claim that Honda rejected at 44,000 miles, citing the vehicle was outside the 36,000-mile warranty period.
Same Honda Pilot visibility reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Rear view camera malfunction
Rear backup camera stops displaying or shows rainbow color distortion, rendering it difficult or impossible to see objects behind the vehicle in reverse.
When: Mileage not specified; one complaint mentions malfunction after Service Bulletin 20-047 was performed
Symptoms owners cite: Camera display goes blank when shifting to reverse; Rainbow color distortion on camera feed; Inability to see clearly or view objects behind vehicle; Crunching noise from rear wiper at same time as camera failure (one case)
Repairs/costs cited: Service Bulletin 20-047 performed on one vehicle; some vehicles not eligible for Service Bulletin 20-051
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletins 20-047 and 20-051 address rear view camera display issues
Driver side mirror vibration
Driver side outside mirror vibrates excessively at highway speeds, causing blurred images and making distance judgment unreliable. Passenger side mirror unaffected.
When: Occurs at highway speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive vibration of driver side mirror at highway speeds; Blurry mirror images; Unable to determine distances for safe lane changes; Passenger side mirror functions normally
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report dealer states this is a known common issue and repairs are out-of-pocket if outside factory warranty
Rear hatch glass explosion
Rear hatch glass spontaneously explodes or cracks in spider-web pattern with no visible impact. Events occur in cold weather and/or after activation of rear window defroster.
When: Cold weather conditions (approximately 24 degrees F); one event occurred approximately one hour after rear defroster use
Symptoms owners cite: Rear hatch glass spontaneously explodes or cracks in spider-web pattern; No visible impact to cause breakage; Crunching sound heard before discovery of damage in parked vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Parts back-ordered with no ETA; dealers decline warranty coverage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers claim not covered under warranty; manufacturer attributes to pre-existing damage or vandalism in some cases
Sunroof/moonroof malfunction
Sunroof unexpectedly explodes or moonroof comes off track with no mechanical trigger or impact, preventing operation. One case involved crunching noise during attempted closure.
When: Moonroof failure at approximately 6 months out of warranty; sunroof explosion at approximately 160,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Moonroof comes off track and cannot open or close; Crunching noise when pressing button to close; Sunroof explodes while driving at 55 mph; No prior warnings or symptoms
Repairs/costs cited: Moonroof repair cost $4,000 (owner paid $1,475.39 after 40% manufacturer goodwill assistance); sunroof replacement cost not specified; moonroof required manual force to close at dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Goodwill assistance covered 40% of moonroof repair in one case; other owners report identical repairs done free out-of-warranty at different dealers
Windshield cracking
Windshield randomly develops cracks with no reported impact while vehicle is in use. Owners report this as a known common occurrence in 2019 Pilots.
When: Occurred while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Lower passenger side windshield randomly cracks during driving; No reported impact or cause
Sun visor malfunction
Driver and passenger side sun visors do not fold or unfold properly. Visors fail to fold up completely and are difficult to fold down to block sunlight.
When: Noted as issue on new vehicle purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Visors do not fold up completely; Difficult to fold down to block sunlight; Hinge mechanism does not operate properly
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Known problem with Honda Pilot sun visors per owner report
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had visibility trouble with your 2019 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 visibility problem on the 2019 Honda Pilot?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 16 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 75,100 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 $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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/2019/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.