2014 Honda PILOT problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
116 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
34,258 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: . 66 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 31 of 116 complaints (26.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 23 | 19.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 5.2% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 5.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 4.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 31 |
| Structure:Body | 19 |
| Wheels | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
| Air Bags | 9 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Power Train | 7 |
| Service Brakes | 7 |
Engine: 31; Structure:Body: 19; Wheels: 16; Unknown Or Other: 15; Air Bags: 9; Electrical System: 8; Power Train: 7; Service Brakes: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 26 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 26; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 50 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 7 |
2013: 1; 2014: 10; 2015: 12; 2016: 16; 2017: 8; 2018: 14; 2019: 9; 2020: 10; 2021: 5; 2022: 5; 2023: 9; 2024: 5; 2025: 5; 2026: 7
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10575919 · 2014-03-31 (March 31, 2014)
TWO INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FIRST ON JANUARY 31, 2014, THE SECOND ON MARCH 25, 2014. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES PER HOUR. IN BOTH SITUATIONS THE CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP WITH THE BRAKE BEING APPLIED. SUDDENLY, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE CAR SUDDENLY MOVED FORWARD WITH THE BREAK UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR EVEN THOUGH BOTH FEET WERE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDDLE. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BY PUTTING THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTE…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575919 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10576271 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)
LEASED BRAND NEW PILOT LX ON MARCH 15, 2014. IT APPEARED TO BE IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION. THEN, SUDDENLY ON 3/30/14 WHILE DRIVING HOME, IT LOST ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF ITS BRAKES. TO STOP IT, YOU MUST HAVE FOOT TO FLOOR ON BRAKES. IF THIS HAD BEEN AN EMERGENCY STOP, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. TAKING IT TO DEALER ON 4/2/14 TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 380 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10748000 · 2015-08-11 (August 11, 2015)
ISSUES: 1 - STEERING CONSTANTLY VIBRATES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45MPH. SMOOTH ROADS HIGHER VIBRATIONS. THIS VIBRATION INCREASES TO EXTENT THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE LOOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AT SPEED ABOVE 70MPH AND YOU CAN SEE THE STEERING VIBRATING. SO EFFECTIVELY, YOU CANT DRIVE YOU CAR BEYOND 70MPH. 2 - TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS AT CRUISING SPEED ABOVE 35MPH AND SEARCHES FOR GEARS WHILE GOING DOWN HILL. 3 - SUDDEN BURNING SMELLS IN THE CABIN TO AN EXTENT OF AIR BECOMING TOXIC INSIDE CABIN. HONDA REPLACED MULTIPLE PARTS BUT NO RESULT AND PROBLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10748000 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10637663 · 2014-09-19 (September 19, 2014)
I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW HONDA PILOT-NAVI 2014 ON JULY 3 2014. 1 WEEK AFTER THE PURCHASE THERE WAS A MAJOR WATER LEAK INSIDE THE NEW 2014 VEHICLE!.. WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE FROM A BIG RAIN STORM AND I DO HAVE A VIDEO AND PICS TO SHOW YOU. THE NEXT DAY SPACE COAST HONDA WAS CALLED WHERE I PURCHASED THE NEW 2014 TO GET FIXED. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR SAID THAT I OPENED THE MOONROOF WHICH IS NOT TRUE!. HE THEN TOLD ME LEAVE THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TECHNICIAN TO LOOK WHERE THE WATER WAS COMING FROM. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP OFFERED ME A LOANER …
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637663 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10637675 · 2014-09-19 (September 19, 2014)
MY 2014 HONDA PILOT EX-L HAS A MULTI MAJOR ISSUES. STARTING WITH A MAJOR WATER LEAK INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF A LEFT HAND TURN DURING THE RAIN. HESITATION IN THE MOTOR WHEN TRAVELING AT 45 MPH. THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME WHEN DRIVING. LUNGING FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED. PULLING TO THE RIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE IN ALIGNMENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE DAY OF PURCHASE. WHINING IN THE POWER STEERING NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU ARE TURNING. LIFTERS ARE TAPPING UNDER THE HOOD. THE LIST GOES ON. TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 672 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560599 · 2014-01-20 (January 20, 2014)
45 MILES ON A BRAND NEW 2014 PILOT EX-L THE IGNITION DOES NOT ENGAGED CONSISTENTLY. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY AND THE ENGINE CRANKS, IT DOES NOT TURN OVER, RATHER IT CONTINUES TO MAKE CRANKING SOUND, EVEN WHEN KEY GOES BACK TO RUN/ON POSITION. YOU NEED TO TURN KEY OFF TO GET CRANKING TO STOP. 50 MILES ON BARAND NEW 2014 PILOT EX-L A CONTINUOUS CLICKING SOUND COMES FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. IT DOES IT WHEN YOU TURN RIGHT, BUT MORE PREDOMINANT WHEN TURNING LEFT. FROM ONSET - THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOES NOT O…
Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560599 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10702719 · 2015-03-30 (March 30, 2015)
MAJOR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, MOST OF THE DASH ELECTRONICS WON'T WORK. THE REAR HATCH IS LOCKED AND CANNOT BE OPENED. NO A/C AND NO GAUGES OPERATING. MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT FOR A 2014 HONDA PILOT TOURING EDITION WITH ONLY 6000 MILES. HOPE THE LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP FIXES IT TOMORROW 3/31/15. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10702719 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11711134 · 2026-01-15 (January 15, 2026)
2014 Honda pilot touring--ENGINE-is running through oil faster than it should. The spark plugs/coil packs have all been replaced now. Starting with 1 an 3.I was driving down the road and it started stalling out while I was in traffic about 8 mo.ago . The vehicle didn't want to go anywhere an when it would get some power to go it was slow an the engine was shaking so hard the whole time even at idle. So I pulled over, turned car off an then on trying to get it home since I wasn't far at all. Finally the check engine light came on as I pulled in …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11711134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11478245 · 2022-08-08 (August 8, 2022)
1. Our 2014 Honda Pilot EXL with only 70,000 miles on it needs a complete engine replacement. The cause was determined to be driving with low oil. The oil life gauge read 50% and we had an oil change only 3 months earlier. No check engine light or low oil light came on, so we had no way of knowing the oil was low unless someone qualified had done a manual inspection which ordinary drivers don't/can't do. In our view the warning lights and/or oil life gauge all failed to warn us of any issue of this nature, therefore letting it get to the point …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11478245 at NHTSA ↗