2015 Honda PILOT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Honda PILOT has 138 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased a new top of the line honda pilot ex-l back in 2005. my wife drove it for nine years and took impeccable care of it. i started driving it a year ago when we leased a 2013 cr-v for her. a couple of weeks ago, i was making the three mile journey to work when i noticed that my heat was no l. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 9 crash reports 7 injuries

138

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

23 complaints

17%

• I PURCHASED A NEW TOP OF THE LINE HONDA PILOT EX-L BACK IN 2005. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR NINE YEARS AND TOOK IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. I STARTED DRIVING IT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE LEASED A 2013 CR-V FOR HER. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS MAKING THE THREE MILE JOURNEY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WAS NO L
• 2015 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD GENERALLY STALL WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A NEAR STOP. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH, THE ENGINE STOPPED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN RE-STARTED AND SURGED FORWARD. THE PROBLEM WAS INT
• ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICE CAR SHUDDERING AND SHAKING AT 35-50MPH AND THEN EVEN HIGHER SPEED LIMITS. WENT TO PURCHASING DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH VCM SYSTEM. TOOK CAR FOR THREE SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS OVER NEXT YEAR TO ANOTHER HON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I PURCHASED A NEW TOP OF THE LINE HONDA PILOT EX-L BACK IN 2005. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR NINE YEARS AND TOOK IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. I STARTED DRIVING IT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE LEASED A 2013 CR-V FOR HER. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS MAKING THE THREE MILE JOURNEY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WAS NO L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

16%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY ON A LIGHT RAINY DAY, I DROVE THROUGH A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SHEETED WATER, ON THE ROAD WAY. THE WATER WAS PUSHED UP OVER THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE IN A SOLID SHEET, THAT WAS HEAVY ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY OBSCURE VISION FOR AT LEAST 3 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENED ONCE WHILE ACCELERAT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS FLAT. THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE JACK THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE VEHICLE. THE JACK WAS ELEVATED TO ITS MAXIMUM HEIGHT AND THERE
• I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE 2015 HONDA PILOT THAT I PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2015. THE MOST RECENT ONE HAPPENED TODAY JULY 15, 2015. (FOR SOME REASON I COULD NOT POPULATE THE DATE FIELD ON THE FORM.) AS I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. EVEN THE STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND, ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY ON A LIGHT RAINY DAY, I DROVE THROUGH A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SHEETED WATER, ON THE ROAD WAY. THE WATER WAS PUSHED UP OVER THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE IN A SOLID SHEET, THAT WAS HEAVY ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY OBSCURE VISION FOR AT LEAST 3 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENED ONCE WHILE ACCELERAT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

13 complaints

• WHILE CRANKING MY 2015 HONDA PILOT ON 11/22/15 IT DID NOT WANT TO START. I TURNED THE KEY AND LET IT GO AND IT CONTINUED TO TRY TO START ON ITS OWN. I TURNED THE KEY BACK TO OFF AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER THE THIRD TRY OF STARTING MY VEHICLE IT FINNALLY STARTED. IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY COL
• 2015 HONDA PILOT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD GENERALLY STALL WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A NEAR STOP. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH, THE ENGINE STOPPED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN RE-STARTED AND SURGED FORWARD. THE PROBLEM WAS INT
• I HAVE A 2015 HONDA PILOT WITH NAVIGATION. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND RADIO HAVE CONTINUOUSLY REBOOTED ON THEIR OWN SINCE TUESDAY. HONDA CORORATE REFERS ME TO THE DEALERSHIPS. THE DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO WORK ON THE CAR AS THEY SAY IT IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND THEY HOPE IT JUST RESOLVES ITSELF IN A FEW

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“WHILE CRANKING MY 2015 HONDA PILOT ON 11/22/15 IT DID NOT WANT TO START. I TURNED THE KEY AND LET IT GO AND IT CONTINUED TO TRY TO START ON ITS OWN. I TURNED THE KEY BACK TO OFF AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER THE THIRD TRY OF STARTING MY VEHICLE IT FINNALLY STARTED. IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY COL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

12 complaints

• VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, PASSENGERS GOT OFF, DRIVER TRIED TO OPEN TRUNK USING SIDE TRUNK BUTTON BUT IT DID NOT OPEN. DRIVER WENT TO TRUNK TO OPEN IT MANUALLY BUT IT STILL FAILED TO OPEN. DRIVER WENT IN FRONT TO TRY OPENING THE TRUNK AGAIN AND THAT'S WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK. GEAR WAS STILL
• WHEN FIRST APPLY THE BRAKES THE PEDAL IS SPONGIE IF YOU PUMP ONCE THE PEDAL BECOMES FIRM LIKE IT SHOULD BE! *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA PILOT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER BRAKE CYLIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, PASSENGERS GOT OFF, DRIVER TRIED TO OPEN TRUNK USING SIDE TRUNK BUTTON BUT IT DID NOT OPEN. DRIVER WENT TO TRUNK TO OPEN IT MANUALLY BUT IT STILL FAILED TO OPEN. DRIVER WENT IN FRONT TO TRY OPENING THE TRUNK AGAIN AND THAT'S WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK. GEAR WAS STILL ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

11 complaints

• I PURCHASED A NEW TOP OF THE LINE HONDA PILOT EX-L BACK IN 2005. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR NINE YEARS AND TOOK IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. I STARTED DRIVING IT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE LEASED A 2013 CR-V FOR HER. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS MAKING THE THREE MILE JOURNEY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WAS NO L
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND ACTIVATING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS ENCOUNTERED AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER BACK INTO DRIVE AND WAS ABLE TO RESUM
• ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICE CAR SHUDDERING AND SHAKING AT 35-50MPH AND THEN EVEN HIGHER SPEED LIMITS. WENT TO PURCHASING DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH VCM SYSTEM. TOOK CAR FOR THREE SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS OVER NEXT YEAR TO ANOTHER HON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 138 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I PURCHASED A NEW TOP OF THE LINE HONDA PILOT EX-L BACK IN 2005. MY WIFE DROVE IT FOR NINE YEARS AND TOOK IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. I STARTED DRIVING IT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE LEASED A 2013 CR-V FOR HER. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS MAKING THE THREE MILE JOURNEY TO WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEAT WAS NO L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY ON A LIGHT RAINY DAY, I DROVE THROUGH A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SHEETED WATER, ON THE ROAD WAY. THE WATER WAS PUSHED UP OVER THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE IN A SOLID SHEET, THAT WAS HEAVY ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY OBSCURE VISION FOR AT LEAST 3 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENED ONCE WHILE ACCELERAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE CRANKING MY 2015 HONDA PILOT ON 11/22/15 IT DID NOT WANT TO START. I TURNED THE KEY AND LET IT GO AND IT CONTINUED TO TRY TO START ON ITS OWN. I TURNED THE KEY BACK TO OFF AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER THE THIRD TRY OF STARTING MY VEHICLE IT FINNALLY STARTED. IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY COL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: VEHICLE WAS PUT IN PARK, PASSENGERS GOT OFF, DRIVER TRIED TO OPEN TRUNK USING SIDE TRUNK BUTTON BUT IT DID NOT OPEN. DRIVER WENT TO TRUNK TO OPEN IT MANUALLY BUT IT STILL FAILED TO OPEN. DRIVER WENT IN FRONT TO TRY OPENING THE TRUNK AGAIN AND THAT'S WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK. GEAR WAS STILL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)