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The 2023 Honda Pilot has 138 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2023 Honda Pilot has 138 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is seatbelts at 28 complaints (~$500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Pilot | 485 | 11 |
| 2021 Pilot | 429 | 10 |
| 2022 Pilot | 149 | 5 |
| 2023 Pilot (this page) | 138 | 5 |
| 2024 Pilot | 110 | 6 |
| 2025 Pilot | 195 | 4 |
| 2026 Pilot | 0 | 1 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2023 Honda PILOT SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 5 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Rear/third-row seatbelt warning activates repeatedly even when passenger is properly buckled. Issue has been present shortly after vehicle purchase. Dealer refuses inspection without charging diagnostic fee. Safety system is unreliable and distracting while driving.
Sunroof glass exploded: While driving in light traffic -- approximately 65 mph -- I heard a loud crash exploding sound and then the sound of glass breaking. No other vehicles were near me but I quickly scanned my front, back, and side windows and mirrors and nothing was broken.…
Multiple false "unbuckled seatbelt warning" regarding the rear seat belt being unbuckled when it was not. Alarm sounds and lights up warning on drivers display board. This alarmed the driver during movement on multiple occasions, causing unnecessary distraction. Driver…
I purchased my 2023 Honda Pilot on April 7, 2023. I had to wait for it to come in which happened roughly 2 weeks later. Within a month or so of having the vehicle while sitting at a traffic light I got 2 warning lights. One being the collision mitigation system problem see your…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. PE25017 on NHTSA →
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA25004 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 138 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2023 Honda Pilot has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2023 Honda Pilot is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average; 5 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the seatbelts first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 28 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 138 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is seatbelts. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is seatbelts, with 28 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $500 at an independent shop.
The seatbelts is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $500 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
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.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 138 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $500, 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 are not always better value.