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#BS-2021-HONPIL-40CD2021 Honda PilotProblems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 765 owners and 10 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 765 complaints, 27 crashes, 4 fires, and 10 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.7x the class average.
Top reported problems
automatic braking false engagement
5 complaints • Severity 5.6/10
technical bugs
2 complaints • Severity 6/10
cracked chipped windshield
2 complaints • Severity 4/10
small rust spotted on door
1 complaints • Severity 2/10
auto engine idle shut off
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
134 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 32K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (27 reports) • Median: 32K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Electrical (134 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
2021 Honda Pilot: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda Pilot, with 134 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 32,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 32K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda Pilot, with 117 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking Issues
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda Pilot, with 61 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Collision Avoidance Issues
Collision Avoidance complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2021 Honda Pilot, with 54 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to collision avoidance-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 2021 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 (10 recalls)
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."
TIRES
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain 2021 Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental CrossContact LX Sport 245/50R20 102 H tires with DOT serial number A376 D3K9 2920 and mold numbers S-421920 and S-421921. The tires may have been cured for a time beyond the specification limits.
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
+ 5 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.
2021 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 (1)
1 investigation 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
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.
2021 Honda Pilot vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
765
Class avg
207
3.7x 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. 765 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 10 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 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Honda Pilot Model Years
View all Honda Pilot years →2021 Honda Pilot: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2021 Honda Pilot Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 765 owner reports. Know before you buy.