2021 Honda Pilot recalls and problems

The 2021 Honda Pilot has 10 safety recalls and 459 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Honda dealer.

Recalls
10
Complaints
459
Crashes / fires
14 / 2
Injuries / deaths
10 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2021 Honda Pilot vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2021 Honda Pilot recalls

Recall 26V-365: Suspension, Structure

Reported Jun 4, 2026 · 965,561 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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. Owner letters were mailed November 5, 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.

Recall 26V-332: Air Bags

Reported May 21, 2026 · 98,892 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 24V-064: Air Bags

Reported Feb 1, 2024 · 750,114 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-858: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Dec 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-458: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Jun 29, 2023 · 124,077 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

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

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-431: Back Over Prevention

Reported Jun 15, 2023 · 1,209,673 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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."

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

Fix: 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.

Recall 23V-174: Visibility

Reported Mar 16, 2023 · 339,404 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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."

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

Fix: 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.

Recall 20V-725: Tires

Reported Nov 20, 2020 · 214 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 20V-440: Back Over Prevention, Electrical System

Reported Jul 28, 2020 · 499,344 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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."

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 20V-439: Back Over Prevention, Electrical System

Reported Jul 28, 2020 · 607,786 vehicles affected · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Problem: 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."

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

Fix: 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.

2021 Honda Pilot problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Forward Collision Avoidance161
Electrical System139
Engine115
Unknown or Other87
Lane Departure59
Air Bags33
Service Brakes26
Power Train25
Fuel/Propulsion System24
Back Over Prevention23
Visibility/Wiper21
Tires13

Most reported parts

  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 61
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings — 54
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control — 45
  • Lane Departure › Assist — 30
  • Lane Departure › Warning — 23
  • Back Over Prevention › Rearview System Braking — 8
  • Back Over Prevention › Warnings — 7
  • Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection — 6

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 32,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2021 Honda Pilot complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Unknown or Other · reported Nov 9, 2026
1. I believe the Auto Idle Stop - the vehicle stopped at a red light not warning it stalled and would not start again. 2. Safety was impacted as my children and I were in the car in the middle of traffic and we had to exit the car across 4 lanes of traffic. Called non emergency # for police to park behind the car so that it did cause an accident with traffic. Called AAA and they towed the vehicle home. 3. AAA tested battery it is good, alternator is good, took it to Midas for an overall diagnostics check and they did not find anything wrong or any errors recorded. 4. No warning lamps, messages…
Electrical System · reported Nov 8, 2026
2021 Honda Pilot EX-L, 3.5L V6. The engine cranks slowly and is sluggish to start when restarted after a short stop of roughly 10-30 minutes (for example, running errands). After the vehicle sits an hour or more, it starts normally. The condition appears tied to engine heat-soak. The battery has been tested and ruled out as the cause. This is a repeat of a prior problem. The vehicle previously received Honda's repair for the idle stop no-restart condition under Service Bulletins A23-010/23-009, including starter assembly and starter relay replacement and a valve adjustment. The slow…
Forward Collision Avoidance · reported Nov 8, 2026
I had the front passenger side airbag recall completed on my vehicle on July 1, 2026. In August, approximately August 14 error messages started occurring whenever I cranked my vehicle. The error messages were collision mitigation system problem, road department mitigation system problem, auto high beam problem, adaptive cruise control problem, lane keeping assist problem. I was able to have the vehicle inspected at Stokes Honda in Beaufort and was told that it was the front facing camera failure. I have owned this vehicle for 2 years with no issues.
Electrical System · reported Nov 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the Auto Idle Stop system repeatedly failed to restart the engine after stopping. During the failure, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on multiple occasions, where the battery and starter were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no assistance, referring the contact to the dealer for additional diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was unknown.
Unknown or Other · reported Nov 1, 2026
A cascade of warning errors suddenly appeared in my 2021 Honda Pilot. Lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, collission mitigation system, auto high bean, and road departure mitigation problem. The brake system light is also lit up. My mechanic said it is a "millimeter wave error" caused by one of the front cameras. After researching this, it seems that this is a common problem, and there is an active lawsuit.

Other Honda Pilot years

Compare all Honda Pilot years · All Honda models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Honda Pilot have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2021 Honda Pilot: 26V-365 (suspension, structure), 26V-332 (air bags), 24V-064 (air bags), 23V-858 (fuel system, gasoline), 23V-458 (service brakes, hydraulic) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda Pilot?

Owners report forward collision avoidance problems most often (161 reports), followed by electrical system (139). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 32,000 miles.

Are Honda recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Honda dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.