YearToAvoid

2020 Honda Pilot Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

67/100

#6 most-complained of 16 Pilot years

The 2020 Honda Pilot has 487 NHTSA complaints and 11 recalls, with a Complaint Index of 67, ranking 6th worst out of 16 model years. Its verdict is Caution, driven mainly by Electrical System issues (44% of complaints) and Engine problems tied to 5 reported fires.

Complaints
487
Recalls
11
Crashes / fires
10 / 5
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2020 Honda Pilot problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System215 (44%)
  2. Engine119 (24%)
  3. Other103 (21%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras94 (19%)
  5. Fuel System54 (11%)
  6. Lane Departure43 (9%)
  7. Brakes35 (7%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain35 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body11 (2%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report brake failure or loss of pedal response while turning at low speed or braking from highway speeds, sometimes leading to a crash.
  • Owners describe engine compartment fires, including smoke entering the cabin and flames visible from under the hood or grill, in some cases while the vehicle was parked.
  • Owners report the rearview camera image failing even after the related recall repair, interfering with backing up.
  • Owners report the automatic emergency braking and collision-avoidance system failing to engage before a rear-end crash.
  • Owners report the 3rd-row headrest failing to lock upright, making the seat unusable and creating an injury risk in a crash.
2020 Honda Pilot complaints: complaints filed per quarter732019 Q42020 Q42021 Q42022 Q42023 Q42024 Q42025 Q4
739 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q3 (73).

2020 Honda Pilot recalls

11 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 24V064000Feb 1, 2024Airbags750,114 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

    Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

See all 11 recalls for the 2020 Honda Pilot →

2020 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.

2020 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
2018Caution60440722
2019Avoid879041322
2020Caution674871122
2021Caution734331022.5
2022Good33156522

All Honda Pilot years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Honda Pilot reliable?
NHTSA lists 487 complaints and 11 recalls for the 2020 Pilot, giving it a Complaint Index of 67 and a Caution verdict, ranking 6th worst of 16 model years for this model.
What is the biggest problem with the 2020 Honda Pilot?
The Electrical System is the top problem area, accounting for 44% of complaints (215 of 487), with a median failure mileage of 1,850 miles.
Does the 2020 Honda Pilot have engine fire issues?
NHTSA received complaints describing engine compartment fires; the Engine category shows 5 reported fires among its 119 complaints, with a median failure mileage of 4,553.
How many recalls does the 2020 Honda Pilot have?
NHTSA lists 11 recalls affecting the 2020 Pilot, covering areas including Airbags, Fuel System, Electrical System, Collision Avoidance & Cameras, Visibility & Wipers, Structure & Body, and Suspension.
How does the 2020 Pilot compare to other Pilot years?
With a Complaint Index of 67, the 2020 Pilot ranks better than 2016 (100), 2019 (87), 2017 (80), and 2025 (93), but worse than most other years including 2022-2024 and the pre-2016 models.

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.