2021 Honda Passport: True Cost, Problems & Verdict

139 NHTSA owner complaints · 7 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.

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Honda Odyssey and Pilot: the transmission years to avoid, including 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.

Owner complaints: 139 filed with NHTSA

Complaints per year on the road: 27.8

Forward Collision Avoidance51Engine25Electrical System24Power Train23Service Brakes22Unknown Or Other12

What owners say

Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.

This is related to service bulletin, 23–010 Honda will not fix my vehicle under the extended warranty unless the problem is replicated while they are doing a performance test
This has happened several times but today it was dangerous. I was doing around 40mph and there were some changes in the concrete color and my car slammed on the breaks (again) for no reason. I was almost hit. This keeps happening in my vehicle and I am terrified to drive it. Please help get this recalled. I have a child with cancer and I bought this safer vehicle to transport her to the hospital.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance activated, and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that the braking was aggressive. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the vehicle was the only form of transportation. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to use while transporting minor children. …

Recalls: 7 campaigns (4 severe)

202320242026
CampaignComponentSummary
24V064000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front PassengerHonda (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…
26V365000Structure:Frame And MembersAmerican 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,…
23V431000Back Over Prevention:Display FunctionHonda (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.
23V174000Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:ExteriorHonda (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.
23V858000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpHonda (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…
26V332000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front PassengerHonda (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…
23V458000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master CylinderHonda (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…

What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes

Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.

Typical price today $24,000–$34,600 used market, 2026
You lose to depreciation $2,210/year $11,000 over five years
Price when new (2021)$35,600
Worth in five years$18,200
Depreciation, five years$11,000
Insurance, five years$7,750–$10,950
Fuel and maintenance, five years$24,238
Five-year cost of owning it$44,588
Per mile driven, at 12,000 miles a year$0.74

What it costs to run

EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950

Fuel (your region)$2,950
Maintenance band (your region) $1,068–$2,167
Estimated running cost this year (age 5) $4,568
Range across the maintenance band $4,018–$5,117
Next five years, running cost $24,238

Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.

02468101214$6,967vehicle age (years)
fuel/energy + maintenance band, annual — US dollars, estimate

Run your own numbers in the true-cost calculator →

What this car's problems cost to fix

Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.

  • Forward Collision Avoidance51 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
  • Engine25 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
  • Electrical System24 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
  • Power Train23 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
  • Service Brakes22 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
  • Unknown Or Other12 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940

FAQ

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

The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Forward Collision Avoidance (51 complaints in our indexed sample).

Is the 2021 Honda Passport a good used car to buy?

Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 53/100, computed from 139 NHTSA complaints and 7 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.

How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Honda Passport's most common problem?

51 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Honda Passport sit in the Forward Collision Avoidance group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is radar or camera module replacement and calibration: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $780–$2,160 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.

What does a 2021 Honda Passport cost to run per year?

About $4,847 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,238 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.

Does the 2021 Honda Passport have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Honda Passport, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/02/2024. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

What will a 2021 Honda Passport really cost YOU per year?

Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.

Open the true-cost calculator

Data sources

Complaints & recalls: NHTSA · Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov · Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements. Last updated: 2026-10-04.

53RELIABILITY / 100
CAUTION

Moderate evidence — 139 complaints, 7 recalls on record

Typical price today$24,000–$34,600used market estimate · the full money picture
Running cost, next 5 years$24,238fuel/energy + maintenance band midpoint · estimate
  • 139 NHTSA complaints on record (27.8/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (15.7/yr)
  • 7 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems

How this score is computed →