YearToAvoid

2017 Honda Pilot Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2017 Honda Pilot has a complaint index of 80, the 5th worst of 21 model years, and is rated Avoid relative to other Pilot years. NHTSA lists 924 complaints, 4 recalls, and engine problems making up 54% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 46,000.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
80/100
#5 of 21 Pilot years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
924
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
5
Injuries
6
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2015
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0

Top 2017 Honda Pilot problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine501 (54%)
  2. Electrical System268 (29%)
  3. Fuel System141 (15%)
  4. Other136 (15%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain122 (13%)
  6. Brakes33 (4%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras23 (2%)
  8. Structure & Body19 (2%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers17 (2%)
  10. Seat Belts14 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while parking or slowing down, leading to crashes into poles, buildings, or vehicles.
  • Some drivers describe the brake pedal failing to respond, causing collisions along with abnormal vibration.
  • Multiple reports describe smoke or flames coming from the engine bay, sometimes preceded by flickering dashboard lights or stalling.
  • Electrical system failures are reported alongside fires, including one case where the horn stopped working and the vehicle turned on by itself in accessory mode.
  • Fuel system complaints include the vehicle lurching forward unexpectedly while shifting from brake to reverse.
2017 Honda Pilot complaints: complaints filed per quarter962017 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
924 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q3 (96).

2017 Honda Pilot recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V365000Jun 4, 2026Structure & Body880,514 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

    Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

  3. NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.

See all 4 recalls for the 2017 Honda Pilot →

2017 Honda Pilot fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2017 compared with other Pilot years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Best10109420
2016Avoid1001,703822
2017Avoid80924422
2018Caution60440722
2019Avoid959041322

All Honda Pilot years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Honda Pilot reliable?
Compared with other Pilot model years, the 2017 ranks 5th worst out of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 80 and a verdict of Avoid based on NHTSA complaints and recalls.
What is the biggest problem with the 2017 Honda Pilot?
Engine problems are the top issue, accounting for 54% of the 924 complaints logged, with a median mileage at failure of 46,000.
Does the 2017 Honda Pilot have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 Pilot covering structure/body, airbags, fuel system, and a hood latch issue; none are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2017 Pilot compare to other years?
Its complaint index of 80 is worse than most other Pilot years; only 2016 (100), 2019 (95), 2025 (85), and 2006 (90) score higher, while 2014 and 2015 score lowest at 0 and 10.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Honda Pilot?
The EPA rates it at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.