2020 Honda PILOT

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Honda PILOT has 756 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 9.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: we've had 3 hondas and have been very loyal honda fans for, claiming to never buy another brand. we bought our pilot brand new and loved it. we're at 3700 miles and having major electrical issues. the speakers crackle and pop loudly constantly, with the audio on or off so there's no way to get a bre. ⚠️ 7 fire reports filed.

7 fire reports 10 crash reports 13 injuries

756

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

9.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

203 complaints

27%

• WE'VE HAD 3 HONDAS AND HAVE BEEN VERY LOYAL HONDA FANS FOR, CLAIMING TO NEVER BUY ANOTHER BRAND. WE BOUGHT OUR PILOT BRAND NEW AND LOVED IT. WE'RE AT 3700 MILES AND HAVING MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE SPEAKERS CRACKLE AND POP LOUDLY CONSTANTLY, WITH THE AUDIO ON OR OFF SO THERE'S NO WAY TO GET A BRE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING OR IN PARK THE PROBLEMS COULD OCCUR 5 MPH OR 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER, RADIO AND NAVIGATION SCREEN TURNED BLACK. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE "NO AUDIO CONNECT" AND "CHECK TUNER" WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMI
• PLEASE NOTE: ALL OF THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED ON OUR 2019 PILOT WHICH WE TURNED IN AS A "LEMON". NOW WE HAVE SAME PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2020 PILOT. SCREEN BLACKS OUT SHOWING SPEEDOMETER SO WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST WE ARE DRIVING. GAS GAUGE GOES BLACK SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE. SCREEN GOES B

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WE'VE HAD 3 HONDAS AND HAVE BEEN VERY LOYAL HONDA FANS FOR, CLAIMING TO NEVER BUY ANOTHER BRAND. WE BOUGHT OUR PILOT BRAND NEW AND LOVED IT. WE'RE AT 3700 MILES AND HAVING MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE SPEAKERS CRACKLE AND POP LOUDLY CONSTANTLY, WITH THE AUDIO ON OR OFF SO THERE'S NO WAY TO GET A BRE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

143 complaints

19%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK-UP CAMERA AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO OPERATOR CORRECTLY WHILE IN REVERSE OR IN MOTION, WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE BEING HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GERALD HONDA OF MATTESON (5505 AUTO CT, MATTESON, IL 60443) WHERE I
• THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING TO INCLUDE: BACK UP CAMERA, PHONE HANDS FREE, MAPS, RADIO, CLOCK, ETC. THE UNIT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE SINCE DECEMBER 2020.
• FALSE COLLISION WARNINGS AND FAILS TO ALERT TO ACTUAL POTENTIAL COLLISIONS. ALERTS AND REACTS TO NON-EXISTENT COLLISIONS CAUSING UNNECESSARY ANXIETY AND REACTIONS BY DRIVER. SPEEDS VARY FROM 35 MPH TO 60+. FAILURE TO REACT WAS ON HIGHWAY AT A SPEED IN EXCESS 55 MPH. OCCURS ON CITY AND HIGHWAY.

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK-UP CAMERA AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO OPERATOR CORRECTLY WHILE IN REVERSE OR IN MOTION, WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE BEING HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GERALD HONDA OF MATTESON (5505 AUTO CT, MATTESON, IL 60443) WHERE I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

102 complaints

13%

• AS PER OTHER DRIVERS OF 2019 PILOTS AND ODYSSEYS, THE SCREENS ON MY NEW 2020 VEHICLE HAVE GONE OUT, WHILE DRIVING, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING SPEED, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. DASHBOARD REBOOTS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. BACKUP CAMERA IS NOT
• THE 2020 PILOT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM FREEZES WHILE DRIVING: 1. WHEN THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM FREEZES, THE BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK 2. PHONE CONNECTION BECOMES UNAVAILABLE; CAN'T PLACE CALLS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 3. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FREEZES, WHICH CAN CAUSE DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING 4. OTHE
• DISPLAY AUDIO/INFORMATION SCREEN BECAME HOT WHILE DRIVING AND SCREEN MALFUNCTIONED WHILE USING APPLE CARPLAY WITH IPHONE PLUGGED IN VIA USB CORD. DISPLAY SCREEN RUNS WARM WHILE PHONE IS DISCONNECTED. DISPLAY SCREEN DOES NOT TURN OFF AFTER TUNING OFF THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHTS DIM. THE PROBLEM OCCU

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

“AS PER OTHER DRIVERS OF 2019 PILOTS AND ODYSSEYS, THE SCREENS ON MY NEW 2020 VEHICLE HAVE GONE OUT, WHILE DRIVING, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING SPEED, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. DASHBOARD REBOOTS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. BACKUP CAMERA IS NOT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

97 complaints

13%

• BOUGHT NEW 2020 BLACK EDITION HONDA PILOT ON MAY 2,2020 WITH 11 MILES ON IT. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 6/15/20 AFTER DRIVING ONLY 3 MILES I NOTICED A BAD BURNT SMELL AS I WAS ENTERING A PARKING GARAGE, NOT THINKING IT WAS MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND THERE WERE NO DISPLAY LIGHTS INDICATING ANYTHING. I
• I GOT THIS CAR ONLY 1 WEEK; I HEARD THE NOISE FROM STEERING WHEEL AND THE PROBLEM WHEN I HIT GAS AND SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION. ON JULY 13, I DROP THE CAR TO FIX FOR 2 DAYS. THEN, ONLY 2 WEEK AFTER I HAVE EXPERIENCED CANNOT HIT GAS AND I CANNOT HIT THE BRAKES. THE ALL ENGINE LIGHT, BREAK LIGHT, TSA LIG
• STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WAITING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. AFTER TRAFFIC CLEARED PRESSED ON THE GAS AND CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED REVVING REALLY LOUD. LOOKED AND IT SAID IT WAS AT 6000 RPM EVEN THOUGH I WAS BARELY TOUCHING THE GAS. THE CAR THEN STARTED DECREASING SPEED WITHOUT ME TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE GAS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports

“BOUGHT NEW 2020 BLACK EDITION HONDA PILOT ON MAY 2,2020 WITH 11 MILES ON IT. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 6/15/20 AFTER DRIVING ONLY 3 MILES I NOTICED A BAD BURNT SMELL AS I WAS ENTERING A PARKING GARAGE, NOT THINKING IT WAS MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND THERE WERE NO DISPLAY LIGHTS INDICATING ANYTHING. I ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

51 complaints

• I'M WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT OCCURRED WITH OUR 2020 HONDA PILOT TOURING EDITION. MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND IN FACT LOST POWER. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HA
• CAR WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. INITIALLY THE ENGINE RACED BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE CAR SLOWLY BEGAN TO MOVE AND THEN FULLY 'ENGAGED' AND MOVED FORWARD.
• Over the last few years, after a long highway drive of approx. 20 miles when I stop and sit and idle, a strong gasoline smell is entering the vehicle via the HVAC Heating system. Also, after the same longer drives, when I return home, turn off and park the suv in my garage, shortly after my garage

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

“I'M WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT OCCURRED WITH OUR 2020 HONDA PILOT TOURING EDITION. MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND IN FACT LOST POWER. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 756 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: WE'VE HAD 3 HONDAS AND HAVE BEEN VERY LOYAL HONDA FANS FOR, CLAIMING TO NEVER BUY ANOTHER BRAND. WE BOUGHT OUR PILOT BRAND NEW AND LOVED IT. WE'RE AT 3700 MILES AND HAVING MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE SPEAKERS CRACKLE AND POP LOUDLY CONSTANTLY, WITH THE AUDIO ON OR OFF SO THERE'S NO WAY TO GET A BRE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK-UP CAMERA AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO OPERATOR CORRECTLY WHILE IN REVERSE OR IN MOTION, WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE BEING HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GERALD HONDA OF MATTESON (5505 AUTO CT, MATTESON, IL 60443) WHERE I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: AS PER OTHER DRIVERS OF 2019 PILOTS AND ODYSSEYS, THE SCREENS ON MY NEW 2020 VEHICLE HAVE GONE OUT, WHILE DRIVING, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING SPEED, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. DASHBOARD REBOOTS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. BACKUP CAMERA IS NOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: BOUGHT NEW 2020 BLACK EDITION HONDA PILOT ON MAY 2,2020 WITH 11 MILES ON IT. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 6/15/20 AFTER DRIVING ONLY 3 MILES I NOTICED A BAD BURNT SMELL AS I WAS ENTERING A PARKING GARAGE, NOT THINKING IT WAS MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS NEW AND THERE WERE NO DISPLAY LIGHTS INDICATING ANYTHING. I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)