YearToAvoid

2023 Honda Pilot Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#10 most-complained of 16 Pilot years

The 2023 Honda Pilot has a Complaint Index of 40, ranking 10th of 16 model years, with a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 142 complaints, 5 recalls, and 3 crashes, led by Seat Belts (23% of complaints).

Complaints
142
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
3 / 1
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21
19 city / 25 hwy

Top 2023 Honda Pilot problems

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

  1. Seat Belts32 (23%)
  2. Electrical System28 (20%)
  3. Other23 (16%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras21 (15%)
  5. Steering18 (13%)
  6. Brakes17 (12%)
  7. Engine17 (12%)
  8. Structure & Body16 (11%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers11 (8%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain10 (7%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle surging forward unexpectedly while parking at low speed, in one case crashing into a garage wall.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during a 55 mph collision despite significant front and side damage.
  • Some owners describe an engine fire linked to a burned inner CV boot.
  • The collision mitigation braking system reportedly engages and brakes the vehicle without any obstacle present.
  • Second-row seat belt buckles reportedly trigger false unbuckled warnings and chimes even when properly latched.
  • Owners describe dashboard messages listing failures across the brake system, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and collision mitigation at the same time.
2023 Honda Pilot complaints: complaints filed per month18May 2023Nov 2023May 2024Oct 2024Mar 2025Aug 2025Feb 2026Jul 2026
211 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2023 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2026 (18).

2023 Honda Pilot recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V391000Jun 12, 2025Brakes259,033 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

    Risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.

  2. NHTSA 25V031000Jan 23, 2025Electrical System294,612 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.

    Risk: An engine stall or loss of power can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0.

  3. NHTSA 24V900000Nov 27, 2024Fuel System205,760 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the fuel filler neck tube and pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OKM.

See all 5 recalls for the 2023 Honda Pilot →

2023 Honda Pilot fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
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.

2023 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
2021Caution734331022.5
2022Good33156522
2023Good40142521
2024Good47113621
2025Avoid93201421

All Honda Pilot years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Honda Pilot reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2023 Pilot rates Good, ranking 10th out of 16 model years with a Complaint Index of 40.
What is the top problem area for the 2023 Honda Pilot?
Seat Belts is the top problem area, accounting for 32 complaints, or 23% of all complaints, with a median failure mileage of 60,000 miles.
Does the 2023 Honda Pilot have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2023 Pilot, covering Brakes, Electrical System, Fuel System, Structure & Body, and Steering.
How does the 2023 Pilot compare to other bad Pilot years?
The 2023 Pilot's Complaint Index of 40 is far below the 2016 Pilot's index of 100 and the 2017 Pilot's index of 80, both rated Avoid.
What is the median mileage for Electrical System complaints on the 2023 Pilot?
The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2023 Pilot is 8,550 miles.

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.