2020 Honda PILOT: complaints, problems and recalls

WE'VE HAD 3 HONDAS AND HAVE BEEN VERY LOYAL HONDA FANS FOR, CLAIMING TO NEVER BUY ANOTHER BRAND. WE BOUGHT OUR PILOT BRAND NEW AND LOVED IT. WE'RE AT 3700 MILES AND HAVING MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE SPEAKERS CRACKLE AND POP LOUDLY CONSTANTLY, WITH THE AUDIO ON OR OFF SO THERE'S NO WAY TO GET A BREAK FROM IT. THE CAR WILL THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A COLLISION WHEN THERE'S NOTHING IN FRONT OF IT. NOW TODAY, MY HUSBAND DID THE REMOTE START AND WHEN HE GOT OUT TO THE VEHICLE, ALL THE WINDOWS WERE HALF DOWN AND THE SUNROOF HALF OPEN! WE HAVE THE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11282937 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING OR IN PARK THE PROBLEMS COULD OCCUR 5 MPH OR 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER, RADIO AND NAVIGATION SCREEN TURNED BLACK. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE "NO AUDIO CONNECT" AND "CHECK TUNER" WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO POHANKA HONDA OF FREDERICKSBURG (LOCATED AT 60 S GATEWAY DR, FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22406, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SANDING WIRES. FOURTEEN MILES LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFI…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11289868 at NHTSA ↗

PLEASE NOTE: ALL OF THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED ON OUR 2019 PILOT WHICH WE TURNED IN AS A "LEMON". NOW WE HAVE SAME PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2020 PILOT. SCREEN BLACKS OUT SHOWING SPEEDOMETER SO WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST WE ARE DRIVING. GAS GAUGE GOES BLACK SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE. SCREEN GOES BLACK & VOICE CONTROLS STOP DURING NAVIGATION USE SO WE GET LOST. BACK-UP/PARKING SENSORS STOP WORKING. LOUD NOISE LIKE SAND STORM ON WINDSHIELD CAN BE OCCASIONAL OR NON-STOP. ENTIRE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM STOPS WORKING. ALL OF THE ABOVE CAN BE WHILE…

Owner-reported narrative. 870 miles reported. Look up ODI 11291392 at NHTSA ↗

AS PER OTHER DRIVERS OF 2019 PILOTS AND ODYSSEYS, THE SCREENS ON MY NEW 2020 VEHICLE HAVE GONE OUT, WHILE DRIVING, RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING SPEED, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. DASHBOARD REBOOTS SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. BACKUP CAMERA IS NOT ABLE TO BE UTILIZED DURING THESE EVENTS. WHILE NOT AS DANGEROUS, SPEAKERS EMIT A LOUD CRACKLING NOISE AND NO ENTERTAINMENT OR NAVIGATION SYSTEMS ARE ABLE TO BE USED (INCLUDING REAR ENTERTAINMENT CENTER).

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11297378 at NHTSA ↗

THESE ISSUES OCCUR WHEN DRIVING, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. THE ISSUE BEGAN ON APPROXIMATELY 12/17/2019. THE PROBLEM USUALLY STARTS WITH A LOUD CRACKLING NOISE THROUGH THE SPEAKERS, EVEN WHEN THE RADIO IS TURNED OFF. THE DASH, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, WILL SHUT OFF LEAVING A BLACK SCREEN WHICH MEANS I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I'M DRIVING. THE CENTER CONSOLE, INCLUDING SATELLITE NAVIGATION AND RADIO, ALSO SHUTS OFF LEAVING A BLACK SCREEN. I PURCHASED THIS MODEL SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AS I DRIVE FOR WORK &…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,372 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298042 at NHTSA ↗

BRAND NEW VEHICLE. ABOUT 500 MILES IN, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL FROZE -- NAVIGATION, RADIO, ETC--BASICALLY ALL FUNCTIONALITY ON IT WAS INOPERABLE. TRIED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF TO RESET EVERYTHING, BUT POWER WOULD NOT SHUT DOWN TO THE SCREEN, DRAINING BATTERY. BACKUP CAMERA ALSO DID NOT WORK AS A RESULT. THIS WAS HIGHLY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING. THE NON-FUNCTIONAL BACKUP CAMERA + RELATED SENSORS ALSO IMPAIRED SAFE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE IN DENSE PARKING LOTS. WAS ASKED BY DEALER TO SCHEDULE SERVICE FOR …

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298525 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2020 PILOT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM FREEZES WHILE DRIVING: 1. WHEN THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM FREEZES, THE BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK 2. PHONE CONNECTION BECOMES UNAVAILABLE; CAN'T PLACE CALLS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY 3. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FREEZES, WHICH CAN CAUSE DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING 4. OTHER SAFETY SYSTEMS, IF LINKED TO THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM, MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAYS AND CITY ROADS.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298668 at NHTSA ↗

DISPLAY AUDIO/INFORMATION SCREEN BECAME HOT WHILE DRIVING AND SCREEN MALFUNCTIONED WHILE USING APPLE CARPLAY WITH IPHONE PLUGGED IN VIA USB CORD. DISPLAY SCREEN RUNS WARM WHILE PHONE IS DISCONNECTED. DISPLAY SCREEN DOES NOT TURN OFF AFTER TUNING OFF THE ENGINE AND THE LIGHTS DIM. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED CONCURRENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, THE GAS LIGHT ALARMING, AND CARPLAY RUNNING AUDIOBOOKS. THE AUDIO/INFORMATION SCREEN LOST FM RADIO, BLUETOOTH, CARPLAY, BACK-UP CAMERA, AND HANDS-FREE CAPABILITIES.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11299986 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2019-10-31 (October 31, 2019)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Pilot and 2019 Passport vehicles. The front frame left and right side upper members may not have been welded completely to the unibody. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 219, "Windshield Zone Intrusion."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, incomplete body welding may provide inadequate protection to occupants, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for missing welds, free of charge. If the vehicle is identified as missing welds, the dealer will offer to repurchase the vehicle or provide a similar replacement vehicle. Owner notification began November 6 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X6J.

Reported: 2020-02-06 (February 6, 2020)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles. The certification label may have been printed with ink that can be wiped away with a solvent, removing the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information.

Consequence: If the operator is unable to refer to the label information, the vehicle may be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is B6T.

Reported: 2020-07-28 (July 28, 2020)

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.

Reported: 2020-07-28 (July 28, 2020)

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.

Reported: 2021-03-11 (March 11, 2021)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

Consequence: Overcured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation, which could lead to 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 them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2021. Owners may contact American Honda Motor Co. customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is UA2.

Reported: 2023-03-16 (March 16, 2023)

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.

Reported: 2023-06-15 (June 15, 2023)

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.

Reported: 2023-12-18 (December 18, 2023)

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.

Reported: 2024-02-01 (February 1, 2024)

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.

Reported: 2026-05-21 (May 21, 2026)

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.

Reported: 2026-06-04 (June 4, 2026)

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 were mailed July 27, 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.