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2021 Honda Pilot

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
10
on record
MPG
32
combined

Heavily recalled

10 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.

Vehicle Summary

2021 Honda Pilot

10 recalls
407 complaints
32 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 10 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 12 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 407 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
10
Owner complaints
407
Complaints citing a crash
12

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

10 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

10 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 20V440000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pilot, 2019-2020 Odyssey and 2019-2020 Passport vehicles. Incorrect central network software programming may cause several errors to occur that can delay or prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

    Consequence

    A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Honda will notify owners that updated software is available. Owners have the option to either follow the mailed instructions to download and update the software for free, or visit a dealer to have the software update performed, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is Y7Y.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V439000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019-2020 Passport, and 2019-2021 Pilot vehicles. Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle. Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

    Consequence

    Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software, free of charge. The recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V725000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    TIRES

    American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain 2021 Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental CrossContact LX Sport 245/50R20 102 H tires with DOT serial number A376 D3K9 2920 and mold numbers S-421920 and S-421921. The tires may have been cured for a time beyond the specification limits.

    Consequence

    Over-cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy

    Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tires and replace the tires that have the affected DOT serial number and mold number, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is U8Y.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V174000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace both left and right side-view mirrors, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FE5.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V431000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Pilot, and 2019-2023 Passport vehicles. Due to a faulty Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) communication coaxial cable connector, the rearview camera image may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Consequence

    A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the MOST cable harness and install a straightening cover over the vehicle cable connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are EEL, ZEM, and SFC.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V458000high

    Brake system issue

    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.

    Consequence

    Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V064000high

    Airbag system issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V858000high

    Fuel pump may fail

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V332000high

    Airbag system issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V365000high

    Body/structure issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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 are expected to be mailed July 7, 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.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Honda Pilot.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    4 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    16.4%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Standard
Lane departure warning
Standard

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2021 Honda Pilot 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 16.4% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2021 Honda Pilot Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2021 Honda Pilot Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2021 Honda Pilot Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2021 Honda Pilot, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

27

City

39

Hwy

32

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$1,641
Tailpipe CO₂
278 g/mi

How this compares

The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2021 Honda Pilot against its peers.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 278 grams per mile — about 4.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

407 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

407
Total
12
Crashes
1
Fires
8
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE110
  • OTHER81
  • ELECTRICAL70
  • AIR BAGS30
  • ADAS29

Notable Issues

407 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 8 reports involve injuries. 12 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)110
miscellaneous issues81
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)70

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Honda Pilot, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 26V365000

    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.

  2. Recall

    Recall 26V332000

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

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA25004

    No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

  4. Recall

    Recall 24V064000

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

  5. Recall

    Recall 23V858000

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

  6. Recall

    Recall 23V458000

    Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 23V431000

    A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

  8. Recall

    Recall 23V174000

    Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  9. Recall

    Recall 20V725000

    Over-cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

  10. Recall

    Recall 20V440000

    A delayed or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  11. Recall

    Recall 20V439000

    Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sedan
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

27

City

39

Hwy

32

Comb

Annual cost
$1,641
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 26V365000

    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.

  2. Recall

    Recall 26V332000

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

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA25004

    No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages

  4. Recall

    Recall 24V064000

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

  5. Recall

    Recall 23V858000

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