YearToAvoid

2017 Honda Pilot Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 Pilot years

The 2017 Honda Pilot ranks 4th worst of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 80 and 924 NHTSA complaints. Engine problems dominate at 54% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 46,000, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other Pilot years.

Complaints
924
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
9 / 5
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2017 Honda Pilot problems

NHTSA owner 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%)

What owners report

  • Engine reportedly stalls or loses power suddenly while driving, sometimes accompanied by smoke and a burning smell.
  • Owners describe unintended acceleration at low speeds while parking, leading to collisions.
  • Electrical system reports include sudden loss of steering and brakes accompanied by dashboard warning lights and smoke from the engine bay.
  • Some owners report fires starting in the engine area even when the vehicle was not running.
  • Brake pedal reportedly fails to respond during driving, resulting in collisions without warning lights illuminated.
  • Horn and keyless entry reportedly stopped working while the vehicle turned on and off unpredictably in accessory mode.
2017 Honda Pilot complaints: complaints filed per quarter1462017 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
1307 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q3 (146).

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)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Best13109420
2016Avoid1001,703822
2017Avoid80924422
2018Caution60440722
2019Avoid879041322

All Honda Pilot years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Honda Pilot reliable?
Compared to other Pilot model years, the 2017 ranks 4th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and 924 NHTSA complaints. This gives it an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2017 Honda Pilot?
Engine problems are the top issue, making up 54% of complaints (501 complaints), with a median failure mileage of 46,000.
Does the 2017 Honda Pilot have recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 Pilot, covering structure/body issues, airbags, the fuel system, and a hood latch striker defect. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2017 Pilot compare to the 2016 and 2019 Pilot?
The 2016 Pilot has a higher Complaint Index of 100 with 1,703 complaints, and the 2019 Pilot has an index of 87 with 904 complaints. Both are also rated Avoid, meaning the 2017 is not the worst Pilot year but remains among the worst.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Honda Pilot?
The 2017 Pilot gets an EPA combined rating of 22 mpg (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.