2025 Honda Pilot: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
192 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The second-generation Pilot (2009–2015) is one of the quieter three-row SUVs in the dataset. The third generation arrived for 2016 with a nine-speed automatic on the upper trims, cylinder deactivation on the V6, and a new infotainment system — and 1,688 complaints: harsh and delayed shifts, warning-light cascades, and the engine idling roughly under cylinder deactivation. Read the full note on the model page. 2025 specifically: 192 complaints on record, score 34/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Honda Odyssey and Pilot: the transmission years to avoid, including 2025 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 192 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 192.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I presented the vehicle to a Honda service shop for a squeaking noise from the front of the vehicle. The technician diagnosed a 'loose crash bar/reinforcement bar.' The technician tried to tighten the bar but noted it did not tighten enough to stop the movement, and that the bar will need to be replaced to resolve the complaint. When I spoke to the service manager, he indicated that other vehicles had presented with …
The automatic breaking sensor put on my brakes at random times. It happens when going over a small rise in the road and also happened on a 2 Lane road when a semi truck was coming the opposite direction totally within its lane and the sensor for some reason thought maybe the vehicle was in my lane. This caused a sudden breaking and could’ve caused an accident by either me reacting to that breaking or by Vehicle follo…
I was driving and I heard a loud bang and then sounds on the top of my roof. I pulled over and found the sunroof had exploded. There is a large portion that is gone. The glass that is left is spider cracked around where the glass is gone. There are pieces of glass that are angled upwards
Recalls: 4 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 25V056000 | Seat Belts:Rear/Other | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The third-row passenger seat belt assembly may not function, due to incorrect routing that traps the seat belt behind the passenger side panel. |
| 25V391000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. |
| 25V031000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power. |
| 24V900000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak. |
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.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
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 Avoidance53 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Electrical System42 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Steering37 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Service Brakes32 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine29 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other22 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Honda Pilot years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Honda Pilot?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Forward Collision Avoidance (53 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2025 Honda Pilot a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 34/100, computed from 192 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2025 Honda Pilot's most common problem?
53 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2025 Honda Pilot 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 2025 Honda Pilot cost to run per year?
About $7,408 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $37,040 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 2025 Honda Pilot have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2025 Honda Pilot, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/02/2025. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2025 Honda Pilot really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData 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.
Strong evidence — 192 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 192 NHTSA complaints on record (192.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (54.5/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems