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#BS-2019-HONPIL-40CD2019 Honda PilotProblems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 1,485 owners and 13 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,485 complaints, 21 crashes, 7 fires, and 13 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.9x the class average.
Top reported problems
transmission jerks
10 complaints • Severity 6.8/10
radio screen not working
6 complaints • Severity 8.3/10
doesnt start after sitting a few days
5 complaints • Severity 7.2/10
infotainment system frozen
5 complaints • Severity 8.8/10
transmission slips and jerks
5 complaints • Severity 8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
262 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 16K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (171 reports) • Median: 16K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Electrical (262 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2019 Honda Pilot: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2019 Honda Pilot, with 262 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 16,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 16K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 2019 Honda Pilot, with 244 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Fuel System Issues
Fuel System complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2019 Honda Pilot, with 191 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2019 Honda Pilot, with 90 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2019 Honda Pilot. Recent trend: stable.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (13 recalls)
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Ridgeline and Pilot vehicles. The mounting holes for the clip that secures the right center pillar trim panel may be larger than intended. In the event of a crash necessitating right side curtain air bag deployment, the clip may not hold the center pillar trim panel in position and it may potentially interfere with the curtain air bag deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection," and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Pilot and 2019 Passport vehicles. The front frame left and right side upper members may not have been welded completely to the unibody. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 219, "Windshield Zone Intrusion."
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
+ 8 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2019 Honda Pilot NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Frontal crash
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
Side crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Rollover
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.
NHTSA Defect Investigations (4)
2 investigations still open: NHTSA is examining whether a defect warrants a recall.
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:CRANK/CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:CRANK/CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
Engine failure
ENGINE
Engine failure
ENGINE
The worst model year for the Honda Pilot is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2019 Honda Pilot vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
1,485
Class avg
380
3.9x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,485 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 13 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Honda Pilot Model Years
View all Honda Pilot years →2019 Honda Pilot: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2019 Honda Pilot Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,485 owner reports. Know before you buy.