We discovered that both right and left rear door locks were not operating properly in our brand new 2022 Honda Pilot Touring, preventing the passengers from being able to exit the vehicle. From the original purchase on Oct 27, 2022, the kids had complained of being unable to unlock and open the rear doors from inside the cabin. After continuing problems, I discovered that once the door locks had…
2022 Honda Pilot electrical problems
severe 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
3crashes
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 electrical 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.
Electrical accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 9 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A 2022 Honda Pilot with 23 electrical complaints shows recurring issues with safety-critical systems: rear door locks trap passengers, phantom braking on highways, front camera failures disabling safety features, repeated battery failures, and unexplained power loss while driving. Get a full diagnostic of the electrical and brake systems before purchasing used.
Owners report a pattern of electrical failures affecting safety-critical systems on 2022 Honda Pilots. The most serious: rear door locks electronically lock passengers inside with no manual escape, sudden unintended acceleration with brake failure, and phantom automatic hard braking on highways with no vehicles present—some occurrences nearly causing rear-end collisions.
Battery issues appear repeatedly—complete power loss while driving, vehicles going dead at traffic lights, and engine shutdown on freeways with no restart. New batteries don't fix the problem. One owner reported the vehicle dying twice in less than a year despite normal driving.
The front windshield camera system is failing and disabling a cascade of safety features: lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, auto high-beam, and even power steering and brakes. Replacement and recalibration costs exceed $2,000, with dealers denying warranty coverage despite the failure happening across multiple 2022 Pilots.
Additional electrical gremlins: instrument clusters going black mid-drive, dashboard displays blanking for 2-3 minutes, random alarm activation, and a smart power module causing the head unit to cycle on and off. One owner's door latches failed, allowing doors to open while the vehicle was driving.
Onboard computers are failing to communicate during emission testing and vehicle inspections. Dealers blame owners for infrequent driving; owners cite manufacturing defects. No recall coverage has been applied to these issues.
Same Honda Pilot electrical reports on nearby years: 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2023 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Rear door lock failure
Both rear door locks become inoperable when locked electronically, trapping passengers inside. Manual unlock impossible until doors are unlocked electronically again via driver switch or key fob.
When: From purchase; reported Nov 2022
Symptoms owners cite: Rear passengers cannot unlock or open doors from inside cabin when electronically locked; Manual lock tabs do not work when doors are electronically locked; Doors operable only after electronic unlock via fob or driver switch
Repairs/costs cited: Both rear door lock assemblies replaced: Right Rear Latch Assembly Part # 72610-T5R-A31; Left Rear Latch Assembly Part # 72650-T5R-A31. 2 days diagnostic and repair time.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Corp ticket # 13512638 filed. Dealer cited poor quality control.
Sudden unintended acceleration
Engine suddenly revs and vehicle accelerates forward without throttle input while stopped at parking lot, despite foot on brake. Vehicle struck building; airbag deployed.
When: Early operation; reported as one incident
Symptoms owners cite: Engine sudden loud rev with unexpected forward acceleration; No warning lights or prior symptoms; Vehicle continued forward despite braking; Foot was on brake; no floor mat obstruction; no unintended pedal input
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle repaired by body shop; not reproduced or confirmed by dealer or independent service center
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer has not inspected vehicle at time of report
Instrument cluster blackout
Instrument cluster displays black screen with no safety features shown. Intermittent failure. Dealer advised diagnostic fee and informed repair not covered under warranty or recall.
When: 40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Black screen on instrument cluster; No safety features displayed; Intermittent failures; Unusual popping sound noted
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic unofficially diagnosed faulty cables. Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired by either independent mechanic or dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Case filed with manufacturer. Repair not covered under warranty or recall. Owner referenced similar recall but VIN not included.
Loss of braking and vehicle control
Vehicle unexpectedly accelerates and loses both braking and transmission control in parking lot. Standard brakes, automatic braking system, and Park mode all fail to hold vehicle. Vehicle struck other property and vehicles.
When: Recent incident
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected acceleration in unintended direction; Standard brake pedal and automatic braking system both unresponsive; Transmission Park mode failed to engage; Vehicle continued moving through parking lot
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer confirmed no open recalls or campaigns for VIN
Front windshield camera system failure
Front camera failure triggers brake system error light and disables multiple safety systems. Failure at 35,000 miles on 4-year-old vehicle. Dealer diagnosed; camera replacement and recalibration quoted over $2,000.
When: 35,000 miles; 4 years old
Symptoms owners cite: Brake system error light on dashboard; Adaptive cruise control disabled; Lane keeping assist disabled; Collision mitigation system disabled; Road departure mitigation system disabled; Auto-high beam disabled; Transmission system error displayed; Back-up camera disabled; Driving assist disabled
Codes mentioned: Adaptive cruise control problem, Lane keeping assist problem, Collision mitigation system problem, Road departure mitigation system problem, Auto-high beam problem, Transmission system problem
Repairs/costs cited: Front windshield camera replacement and recalibration quoted over $2,000
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Not covered under warranty or recall despite reports from multiple 2022 Honda Pilot owners with same issue
Battery drain and power loss
Vehicle battery goes completely dead twice in less than one year despite normal use. First occurrence required jump start; second occurrence in June 2023 left vehicle dead with error codes after 3-week vacation. Dealer blamed insufficient driving frequency.
When: Dec 2022 and June 2023; purchased Sept 2022
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle completely dead with no power; Multiple error codes displayed on second failure; No prior warning signs
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement recommended, though second battery also failed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer blamed customer driving frequency rather than acknowledging manufacturing defect
Shift to neutral and power loss while driving
Vehicle shifts to neutral and loses power while stopped at traffic light on busy road. Occurred twice; almost rear-ended once. Battery replacement resolved issue.
When: Early operation
Symptoms owners cite: Unexpected shift to neutral at traffic light; Loss of power while stopped; No low battery warning prior to failure; Second occurrence almost caused rear-end collision
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced. Dealer attributed to insufficient power for auto stop/start feature.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnosed as battery issue but no warning system in place
Phantom brake warnings and unintended hard braking
Vehicle displays brake warnings multiple times daily on highways and interstates with no reason to brake. Additionally performs hard automatic braking at highway speeds with no vehicles present. Dangerous and ongoing issue.
When: Highway and interstate use; ongoing at time of report
Symptoms owners cite: Brake warning flashes multiple times per day with no reason; Hard automatic braking at high speeds with no vehicle ahead; Occurs on interstate and state roads; No warning signs prior to incidents
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner contacted Honda; no response received at time of report
Complete power loss while driving
Vehicle experiences complete loss of power while driving and stopped at lights despite fuel-saving mode deactivated. No blown fuses, codes, or loose relays found. Occurred on two separate days; traffic blocked at busy intersection.
When: Two separate incidents; temperatures 35-60 degrees
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power while driving; Loss of power while stopped at traffic light; Vehicle unable to restart at busy intersection; No fuses blown; no apparent codes or loose relays
Repairs/costs cited: No fuses blown; no loose relays found during inspection
Dashboard and infotainment screen blackouts
Dashboard and center infotainment screen displays go completely black, eliminating ability to see speed and vehicle information while driving. Blackouts last 2-3 minutes before returning. No prior warnings.
When: During highway operation
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard display blackout; Center screen blackout; Loss of speed information; Loss of other vehicle information; Lasts 2-3 minutes before recovery; No prior warning
Auto engine stop-start stalling and difficulty restarting
Vehicle intermittently stalls or shuts off at traffic lights when auto engine idle is engaged. Struggles to restart; requires full shutdown and restart while in traffic. Does not occur when auto stop feature is turned off.
When: 5 times over 2-3 months at time of report
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls or shuts off at traffic lights; Difficulty restarting engine; Occurs during auto engine idle engagement; Requires full shutdown to restart
Repairs/costs cited: Issue resolves when auto stop-start feature is deactivated
Smart power module/alarm system malfunction
Car alarm randomly activates when vehicle is locked. Head unit turns on and off rapidly when car is near fob with vehicle off. Intermittent since 50,000 miles; requires battery disconnection to stop.
When: Intermittent since 50,000 miles; ongoing
Symptoms owners cite: Random alarm activation when locked; Head unit rapid on/off cycling when vehicle near fob and off; No ability to control the behavior
Repairs/costs cited: Battery disconnection required to stop; no permanent repair documented
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Unofficially diagnosed as smart power module failure
Start failure after traffic light stop
Vehicle fails to start after stopping at traffic light. Occurred multiple times. New battery replacement did not resolve issue; mechanic confirmed battery health is good.
When: Multiple incidents early operation
Symptoms owners cite: Complete failure to start after traffic light stop; Multiple occurrences; Persists after battery replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced but issue persists; battery health confirmed good by mechanic
Engine shutdown on road with loss of transmission control
Vehicle shuts down suddenly on freeway frontage road while braking for stoplight. Vehicle will not try to start or shift into neutral. Dealer replaced battery.
When: Recent incident
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies suddenly while slowing for stoplight; No attempt to start; Transmission will not shift to neutral
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced by dealer
Computer communication failure
Onboard computer fails to update during emission testing and vehicle inspection, causing failed emissions tests. Dealer charges $200 diagnostic fee. Issue reported across 2019-2023 model years.
When: During emissions and inspection testing
Symptoms owners cite: Computer does not update during diagnostic; Failed emission test result; Failed vehicle inspection; No record of driving data stored
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer charges $200 diagnostic fee; issue unresolved per reports
Radar camera failure
Front radar camera system fails, disabling multiple critical safety features including lane-keep assist, collision control, and power steering.
When: Reported during highway operation
Symptoms owners cite: Radar camera non-functional; Lane keep assist disabled; Power steering disabled; Collision control disabled; Power brakes disabled
Door latch failure allowing doors to open while driving
Vehicle doors can open while vehicle is running and driving. Door latch mechanism fails to hold doors closed, creating safety hazard of occupant ejection.
When: Reported during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Doors open while vehicle running; Vehicle continues driving with doors open; Door latch fails to secure
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Gas cap lead don’t open , when press open bottom ,
Vehicle was slowing down for a stoplight on freeway frontage road and the vehicle died. It would not try to start or allow the vehicle be put into neutral. Dealer replaced battery
Car alarm going off randomly when locked. When car is near fob and turned off the head unit will randomly turn on and off rapidly, appears to be a smart power module failure. This has been going on intermittently since 50k miles. Most recently today, I had to disconnect the battery to make it stop.
All the sudden the lights in dash went off reading lane keep assist failure, adaptive cruise control failure, and automatic brake system failure. Nothing was working, lights stayed on, took to auto body shop, they said I need a whole new front windshield camera and for it be recalibrated, that will cost more than $2000. Honda is saying this isn’t under warranty or recall but it seems like it…
When I started my 2022 Honda Pilot Special Edition (VIN: [XXX] ) in a parking lot, the vehicle immediately behaved abnormally. As I attempted to turn into a space, the car unexpectedly accelerated and moved in an unintended direction. Despite pressing the brake pedal firmly, neither the standard brakes nor the automatic braking system responded. Shifting into Park did not stop the vehicle, and…
Had electrical trouble with your 2022 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 2022 Honda Pilot?
It's a meaningful issue. 25 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 25 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 40,000 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/2022/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.