2023 Honda Pilot Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2023 Honda Pilot has a complaint index of 50 and ranks 11th worst out of 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict. It has 142 complaints, 5 recalls, and its top problem area is Seat Belts, with a median failure mileage of 18,000 miles.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 50/100
- #11 of 21 Pilot years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 142
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 5
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Seat Belts
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 19 city / 25 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2023 Honda Pilot problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Seat Belts32 (23%)
- Electrical System28 (20%)
- Other23 (16%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras21 (15%)
- Steering18 (13%)
- Brakes17 (12%)
- Engine17 (12%)
- Structure & Body16 (11%)
- Visibility & Wipers11 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain10 (7%)
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 the vehicle surging forward unexpectedly at low speed while parking, in one case crashing into a wall.
- Some describe airbags failing to deploy during a moderate-speed side-impact crash despite significant vehicle damage.
- Engine fires have been reported, with one owner noting a burned inner CV boot as the source.
- Electrical failures cascade across multiple systems at once, including ABS, traction control, power steering, and brakes going dark simultaneously.
- Steering columns produce a clicking noise after highway driving, and some owners report the lane-keep assist pulling the wheel toward obstacles like bicyclists.
- One owner reported the panoramic sunroof shattering suddenly while backing out of a driveway, causing minor injuries.
2023 Honda Pilot recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2023 Honda Pilot reliable?
- The 2023 Pilot has a complaint index of 50 and ranks 11th worst out of 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
- What are the main problems with the 2023 Honda Pilot?
- Seat Belts account for 23% of complaints (32 total), followed by Electrical System issues at 20% (28 complaints) and Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 15% (21 complaints).
- Does the 2023 Honda Pilot have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2023 Honda Pilot, covering brakes, electrical system software, fuel system, structure/body, and steering. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2023 Pilot problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 18,000 miles, though Seat Belt problems show up later at a median of 60,000 miles and Electrical System problems earlier at a median of 8,550 miles.
- How does the 2023 Pilot compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 50, the 2023 Pilot is rated Caution, worse than the 2022 (index 45, Good) and 2024 (index 40, Good) model years but better than years like 2016 (index 100, Avoid) and 2019 (index 95, Avoid).